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The Best Episodes of Barney Miller

Every episode of Barney Miller ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Barney Miller!

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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

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    Barney Miller Season 5 Episode 24 - Jack Soo, a Retrospective
    9.6/10(297 votes)

    #1 - Jack Soo, a Retrospective

    S5:E24

    The cast step out of character to offer a tribute to Jack Soo, who died during the show's fifth season.

    Director:Noam Pitlik
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Barney Miller Season 3 Episode 11 - Hash
    9.4/10(453 votes)

    #2 - Hash

    S3:E11

    Wojo brings hashish-laced brownies his new girlfriend made to the 12th Precinct, getting the detective squad stoned; while an actor and critic (""natural enemies"" says Harris) square off with dueling swords.

    Director:Noam Pitlik
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. Barney Miller Season 8 Episode 22 - Landmark (3)
    9.2/10(245 votes)

    #3 - Landmark (3)

    S8:E22

    Friends, foes and felons alike drop by to pay their last respects as the detectives prepare to leave for new assignments; Harris contemplates his resignation when he's assigned to Flushing Meadows; Barney recalls friends departed before he turns out the squad room lights for the last time.

    Director:Danny Arnold
    Writers:Frank Dungan, Tony Sheehan, Jeff Stein

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  4. Barney Miller Season 1 Episode 11 - Escape Artist
    8.8/10(280 votes)

    #4 - Escape Artist

    S1:E11

    A self-avowed ""bird-man"" drops in; Barney holds a resourceful escaped prisoner for the FBI; Harris decides to write a novel, setting up one of the series' most durable storylines.

    Director:Noam Pitlik
    Writers:Chris Hayward, Danny Arnold

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  5. Barney Miller Season 3 Episode 6 - Werewolf
    8.8/10(259 votes)

    #5 - Werewolf

    S3:E6

    A disturbance in the park turns out to be a man who claims to be a werewolf.

    Director:Noam Pitlik
    Writers:Reinhold Weege, Danny Arnold

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  6. Barney Miller Season 4 Episode 2 - Goodbye, Mr. Fish (2)
    8.7/10(189 votes)

    #6 - Goodbye, Mr. Fish (2)

    S4:E2

    Fish finally shows up for work, but refuses to acknowledge his mandatory retirement.

    Director:Danny Arnold
    Writer:Reinhold Weege

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Barney Miller

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  7. Barney Miller Season 1 Episode 13 - The Hero
    8.6/10(255 votes)

    #7 - The Hero

    S1:E13

    Chano is guilt-stricken when he shoots a holdup man; Liz makes a citizen's arrest, after being robbed at ""stickpoint"" by a twelve-year-old.

    Director:Noam Pitlik
    Writers:Chris Hayward, Danny Arnold

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  8. Barney Miller Season 2 Episode 8 - Discovery
    8.6/10(212 votes)

    #8 - Discovery

    S2:E8

    Marty claims that a member of the 12th is harassing the gay community; the precinct computers think Fish is dead.

    Director:Unknown
    Writers:Chris Hayward, Danny Arnold

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  9. Barney Miller Season 5 Episode 9 - The Vandal
    8.6/10(173 votes)

    #9 - The Vandal

    S5:E9

    Barney has the uneasy feeling that it may have been Levitt that vandalized the precinct squad room; a TV programming executive is assaulted in a coffee shop.

    Director:Noam Pitlik
    Writer:Tony Sheehan

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  10. Barney Miller Season 5 Episode 10 - The Harris Incident
    8.6/10(178 votes)

    #10 - The Harris Incident

    S5:E10

    A stockbroker leaves Wall Street to become a beggar; a rookie cop, assuming Harris to be a felon, shoots at him.

    Director:Noam Pitlik
    Writer:Reinhold Weege

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  11. Barney Miller Season 6 Episode 15 - The Child Stealers
    8.6/10(162 votes)

    #11 - The Child Stealers

    S6:E15

    A self-proclaimed time traveler tells Harris to fine tune his stock portfolio; Marty's divrorced gentleman friend Mr. Driscoll attempts to reclaim his son by abducting him from the playground.

    Director:Noam Pitlik
    Writers:Frank Dungan, Jeff Stein

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  12. Barney Miller Season 7 Episode 13 - The Librarian
    8.6/10(156 votes)

    #12 - The Librarian

    S7:E13

    A serious tone pervades this episode about a gypsy and his harassment of the owner of a novelty store; on the lighter side, a librarian takes extreme measures to ensure quiet amongst the stacks.

    Director:Noam Pitlik
    Writers:Frank Dungan, Tony Sheehan, Jeff Stein

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  13. Barney Miller Season 1 Episode 10 - The Guest
    8.5/10(230 votes)

    #13 - The Guest

    S1:E10

    The 12th Precinct reluctantly guards a mob witness; Chano uses his co-workers' own cash stash to set up a narcotics buy.

    Director:Noam Pitlik
    Writers:Chris Hayward, Danny Arnold

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  14. Barney Miller Season 2 Episode 22 - The Mole
    8.5/10(185 votes)

    #14 - The Mole

    S2:E22

    Fish considers an operation; a burglar known as ""The Mole"" leads Harris and Wojo on a merry chase through the city sewer system. Ron Carey plays the Mole, and returns as Levitt in the next season.

    Director:Mark Warren
    Writers:Reinhold Weege, Chris Hayward, Danny Arnold

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  15. Barney Miller Season 4 Episode 8 - Chase
    8.5/10(165 votes)

    #15 - Chase

    S4:E8

    A taxi company is irate when Wojo totals a borrowed cab while pursuing a robbery suspect; Lieutenant Scanlon tries to ferret out 12th Precinct corruption with a drug pusher.

    Director:Jeremiah Morris
    Writers:Reinhold Weege, Danny Arnold

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  16. Barney Miller Season 4 Episode 20 - Hostage
    8.5/10(154 votes)

    #16 - Hostage

    S4:E20

    Harris finally finds an apartment in the Village; a ventriloquist insists he's not responsible for his dummy's insensitive remarks; a prisoner holds the boys at gunpoint.

    Director:Hal Linden
    Writer:Reinhold Weege

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  17. Barney Miller Season 5 Episode 14 - Voice Analyzer
    8.5/10(152 votes)

    #17 - Voice Analyzer

    S5:E14

    Lieutenant Scanlon returns, this time attempting to ferret out corruption with a lie detector; Barney is suspicious of a furrier's robbery report.

    Director:Noam Pitlik
    Writer:Reinhold Weege

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  18. Barney Miller Season 6 Episode 14 - Vanished (2)
    8.5/10(148 votes)

    #18 - Vanished (2)

    S6:E14

    Harris disappears while undercover as a vagrant; Luger elects to be demoted rather than to retire.

    Director:Noam Pitlik
    Writers:Frank Dungan, Tony Sheehan, Jeff Stein

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  19. Barney Miller Season 6 Episode 22 - Fog
    8.5/10(152 votes)

    #19 - Fog

    S6:E22

    Barney is down in the dumps when he is passed over again for deputy inspector

    Director:Noam Pitlik
    Writers:Frank Dungan, Jeff Stein

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  20. Barney Miller Season 7 Episode 12 - Stormy Weather
    8.5/10(166 votes)

    #20 - Stormy Weather

    S7:E12

    A deaf woman is arrested for prostitution; Barney anxiously awaits news of Wojo, who dived into the Hudson River in pursuit of a looter.

    Director:Noam Pitlik
    Writer:Nat Mauldin

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  21. Barney Miller Season 7 Episode 18 - Lady and the Bomb
    8.5/10(143 votes)

    #21 - Lady and the Bomb

    S7:E18

    The verdict is in on the Harris/Ripner libel suit, and a woman threatens to blow up the squad room with a homemade bomb. What better time for Detective Fish to drop by for a visit?

    Director:Noam Pitlik
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. Barney Miller Season 2 Episode 9 - You Dirty Rat
    8.4/10(191 votes)

    #22 - You Dirty Rat

    S2:E9

    Barney smells a rat when two pounds of confiscated marijuana disappears from the evidence locker, and a homeless man spends the night in a department store—apparently one of many.

    Director:Noam Pitlik
    Writers:Chris Hayward, Danny Arnold

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  23. Barney Miller Season 3 Episode 3 - Quarantine (2)
    8.4/10(180 votes)

    #23 - Quarantine (2)

    S3:E3

    The quarantined 12th Precinct tries to make it through the night: Lugar has a 'talk' with Marty and Daryl Driscoll; and Harris has a loud rant in his sleep.

    Director:Noam Pitlik
    Writers:Tony Sheehan, Danny Arnold

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  24. Barney Miller Season 4 Episode 16 - Eviction (1)
    8.4/10(153 votes)

    #24 - Eviction (1)

    S4:E16

    Barney puts his career on the line by refusing to forcibly evict the tenants of a condemned hotel, while Lugar tries to figure out what to do with his vacation time.

    Director:Noam Pitlik
    Writer:Reinhold Weege

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  25. Barney Miller Season 5 Episode 3 - The Search
    8.4/10(164 votes)

    #25 - The Search

    S5:E3

    Off goes the moustache, as it's Harris' turn for cross-dressing mugging detail; the host of a kids' science show goes off the deep end; Barney's men reopen a twenty-eight year old missing persons case.

    Director:Noam Pitlik
    Writer:Tony Sheehan

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Best Episodes Summary

"Jack Soo, a Retrospective" is the best rated episode of "Barney Miller". It scored 9.6/10 based on 297 votes. Directed by Noam Pitlik and written by Unknown, it aired on 5/17/1979. This episode scored 0.2 points higher than the second highest rated, "Hash".