Barney Miller

Barney Miller is the kind of cop we'd all like to run into. Always sensible, he maintains order over a band of detectives who gamble, hit on anything in skirts, go to renaissance philosophy conventions for fun, and would really prefer to be writing. Nearly all of the action takes place in the squad room where citizens and criminals are brought in to complicate the mix.

Barney Miller (1975-1982) is a American network sitcom created by Theodore J. Flicker and Danny Arnold for ABC. Hal Linden plays Captain Barney Miller, a sensible precinct commander who keeps order over a band of detectives including Max Gail as Stan Wojciehowicz, Ron Glass as Ron Harris, and Abe Vigoda as Philip Fish. The engine of each twenty-five minute episode is the steady flow of citizens and criminals hauled into the squad room, whose petty complaints, odd confessions and small crimes give the detectives room to bicker, gamble and chase women while they would rather be doing something else. Across eight seasons and roughly 170 episodes, it is a single-location workplace comedy in which the action rarely leaves the precinct, and each episode is largely self-contained with ongoing character threads. Set in 1970s Manhattan and Greenwich Village, the show carries the grit of its city into a warm, wry atmosphere where social commentary and race relations surface through ordinary business. Its tone is deadpan, humane and quietly absurd, with a strong ensemble and a moral center in Barney himself. Fans of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Hill Street Blues and Taxi will find resonance in its blend of ensemble comedy and station-house realism.

Barney Miller is broadly acclaimed as a sharp, humane workplace sitcom whose ensemble of precinct detectives makes a single squad room feel lived in.

• Brooklyn Nine-Nineworkplace comedy ensemble in a police setting, deadpan sitcom tone
• Hill Street Bluessingle-location workplace sitcom with eccentric ensemble and character-driven humor
• Taxiensemble sitcom of colleagues with offbeat characters and dry wit

Created by

Theodore J. Flicker, Danny Arnold

Release Date

1975-01-23

Episode runtime

25 min

Rating

8.3 / 10 (64)

What is Barney Miller about?

A steady police captain keeps order over a squad room of eccentric detectives while a parade of city characters passes through.

What is Barney Miller like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Barney Miller as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Barney Miller violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Barney Miller.

What did critics think of Barney Miller?

Barney Miller is broadly acclaimed as a sharp, humane workplace sitcom whose ensemble of precinct detectives makes a single squad room feel lived in.

Which shows are like Barney Miller?

Shows with a similar feel include Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Hill Street Blues, and Taxi.

How long is Barney Miller?

Barney Miller: 8 seasons, 170 episodes.

Is Barney Miller still running?

No, Barney Miller has ended.

Where can I watch Barney Miller?

In United States, Barney Miller streams on Tubi TV, Philo.