Cleaning out our parents' house before we sell it... I took back the DVD's that I'd given my dad. One of which was Season Three of Barney Milller.

I'd bought him Season Three because it's the season that overlaps Fish and Dietrich (two of his favorite characters) and introduces Carl Levitt. It also has the werewolf episode, which is one of my favorites.

I watched the entire season over the holidays then, this weekend, my wife and I watched them again together.

The series holds up so perfectly. I'd forgotten how they'd keep their pulse on current events without rubbing your nose in it. Yemana betting on the Ford/Carter election, then a southerner is thrown into the new Carter administration and has no idea how to handle a Russian asking for asylum, Harris investigates his genealogy after watching Roots... The last minute shooting schedule allowed them to comment on events a month or two after they'd taken place.

Lots of great Inspector Luger appearances as well. James Gregory should've won awards for that character.

I just ordered the complete series from Amazwan. Looking forward to us watching every episode, plus the original pilot (which I haven't seen since it first aired).

Barney Miller was a great series, and when I last watched it all (T.V.Land marathon - or does my brother own it? I forget. Either way . . .), I recall it held up remarkably well. This is probably one of the few T.V. series I can honestly say is worth owning on DVD, and therefore worth having so you can confidently recommend it and lend it to any right thinking friend who's never seen it and say, " Hey man, this is a great series and well worth your time."

I mean, "Time" is main reason these days not to bother to watch anything, so it has to be worth your time. This is.

Police have said that it's the most realistic cop show ever.

It's currently being shown on Antenna TV and FamilyNet TV.

Neither is on my cable provider.

I have MeTV, which hits some classics, but not all.

It has by far my favorite theme song, that's for sure!!

I didn't watch in first run because I was too young to grasp the subtleties of the humor.

As an adult, I love it. A great mix of comedy and drama.

I read somewhere, that this captured New York police stations pretty well. I'm sure they took liberties with it, but I guess New York was a crazy place in the '70s.

Police have said that it captures the day to day monotony, paperwork, and small incidences that will fill your usual day of work. You had your bomb threats and such, but mostly they dealt with muggings and break-ins and such.

Adam-12 showed the footwork, but it didn't show them sitting there and typing up an entire arrest report after the fact.

Police have also said it's pretty close to what it's like to be in a police station.

Go away Jay. Beverly is busy.

Barney Miller is spot on with the goings on inside a station house and the squad. Some of the plots might be a bit far fetched at times but let's face it, whatever wierd things can happen do happen to a cop or detective over the years.

Because police do their jobs over a long period of time (at least 20 years), the personalities of all those people are something to behold.

I absolutely love Barney Miller!

I loved Dietrich. What a character.

Bump.

RIP, Abe.

This show was the epitome of sit-com perfection.

Looks like Ron Glass has died. R.I.P.

That's a shame. RIP

R.I.P. Ron.

One of my favorite storylines was when Detective Harris, played by Ron Glass, was to write and direct a porno film as part of a sting operation. Now of course, being the repressed artist and writer he was, Harris couldn't merely just produce a pedestrian skin flick -- nope! He had to make this artsy, well-scripted independent film that of course, went over budget and had Captain Miller up in arms.

"Pud on the badge"?

And after all that, they refused to show it.

Nobody saw that coming.

Detective Ron Harris has arrived at the great squad room in the sky reunited with Detective Fish.

R.I.P., Ron.


I also checked isabevigodadead.com... and Abe is still dead.