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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!

Binge this in 1d 0h•Peaking at 9.6/10

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(299 votes)

    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)

    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)

    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)

    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)

    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)

    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)

    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)

    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)

    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)

    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(164 votes)

    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(158 votes)

    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)

    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)

    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)

    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(155 votes)

    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)

    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(150 votes)

    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(153 votes)

    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(168 votes)

    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(144 votes)

    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)

    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)

    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)

    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)

    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 299 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".