Barney Miller The First Season features Gregory Sierra as Chano and Barbara Barrie as Mrs. Miller in addition to longer lasting characters such as Wojciehowicz and Harris (the only characters aside from Miller to last the entire series), and Abe Vigoda as Fish (before he got his won short-lived series). Barney Miller is classic seventies sitcom TV and most welcome on DVD finally
It is obvious early on that the writing in this television sitcom is far superior to your usual TV situation comedy fare. Barney Miller is a sitcom where very few words are wasted and where each situation is milked for every possible laugh without anything being forced. A perfect example is the ongoing purse joke in the second episode of the show, The Experience. Even the running jokes such as Yamana’s coffee and Fish’s bathroom fixation never get tiring.
The opening episode of Barney Miller focuses on Miller’s home life. This quickly disappears, as does his entire family, as it is clear the real humor in this sitcom is what happens at the 12th Precinct and the very weird characters that the detectives arrest.
Barney Miller is one of very, very few sitcoms where the great ensemble cast was more than just p.r. the stars of the show used in interviews. Each character is as important as the other and each character is clearly delineated.
Barney Miller The First Season also introduces a few recurring characters such as Detective Frank Luger (who became a bit tedious to watch as the series went on), and the Marty character played by Jack DeLeon.
Episodes feature appearances by Todd Bridges as a young criminal the 12th is trying to set straight -guess the lesson did not take-and Vic Tayback who would soon join Linda Lavin (Detective Janice Wentworth) in the sitcom Alice.
Few sitcoms survive well. The 2 DVD 13 episodes of Barney Miller The First Season show this one survived 30 years very well.
Barney Miller The Complete First Season
Hal Linden, Max Gail, Abe Vigoda, Jack Soo
Max Gail, Jack Soo
1975-76 Season
2 DVDs 13 episodes
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
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- 81four episodes of this great situation comedy including the pilot