It may seem surprising to someone younger but actually, in the 70s, being controversially progressive was something that was done on a lot of shows, especially sitcoms. Think All in The Family or Maude for example. I think that may have been when the “liberal hollywood” meme started.
I was studying for my German 11 final in college, which I desperately needed to ace to barely squeak a C out of the class, when while taking a breather I flipped through the channels and stumbled across the series finale. Having my priorities fully in order, I watched the entire (IIRC) 90-minute episode.
(I did get that C, somehow. I think Nick was looking out for me.)
davidm:
Not to mention MAS*H, the anti-war attitude of its protagonists being aired during the Vietnam War.
WKRP as well. They covered abortion rights, draft dodgers, music censorship, the horrible deaths at the Cincinnati Who concert, to name a few off the top of my head.
It started airing towards the end of that war, which was largely unpopular at that point. And, if I recall correctly, it didn’t become strongly anti-war until later seasons after we were out of Vietnam. But yeah, it was overall very progressive and anti-establishment. Besides being against war, they did episodes about racism and homosexuality. On the other hand, the main protagonist was, in retrospect, an alcoholic, sexist, creep. I liked Hawkeye, but objectively, he wasn’t exactly a good role model.
Wow, this seems a little harsh.
There’s more than one definition of “alcoholic,” but a common one is a person who is in some way impaired by alcohol in his work life and personal life. Hawkeye was an outstanding surgeon, and there was never a hint that he was anything less than that, regardless of his alcohol intake. Nor did alcohol seem to adversely affect any of his relationships with his fellow officers or enlisted personnel.
“Sexist” is a judgment call too. His womanizing was deemphasized in the series’ later years, but even in the early ones I didn’t see a lot of evidence of him simply using the camp’s female personnel (nor any of them seeming to mind his advances). I suspect they all (including Frank and Margaret) behaved as most men and women would when thrown together under those particular circumstances.
He certainly had respect for Margaret’s professionalism as a nurse, and as far as I know that of all the other nurses as well.
(By the way, for all these matters I’m speaking of the whole of the series; I can’t recall if any of them might have been the focus of an individual episode.)
Yeah, probably a little harsh. I was just thinking about how he might be judged by today’s standards. In any case I didn’t intend to derail this thread away from the subject of Barney Miller.
There was one where a ventriloquist believes his dummy is a real person. I don’t remember exactly how, but over the course of the show he seemingly recovers from his delusion, and by the end is staring forlornly at the dummy, and says, “He’s dead.” Dietrich replies gravely, “Congratulations.” Then as the ventriloquist is leaving, the dummy’s voice cries out weakly, “Water!”
There’s also the one with the CPR dummy, who is treated as a real woman by the dummy’s handler. Both of them go to Bellevue.
Earlier in that episode, the woman who lodged the complaint told the dummy, “You’re a sick piece of wood.”
I loved the offended woman: “I thought shudder they could only move their heads!”
One of my favorite episodes.
**
“Do your own damn work!”**
I remember the clip show after John Woo died. It blew me away I think it was the first time I ever saw a show breaking the fourth wall.
In the final episode, (again, I think it was the first time I ever saw a deliberate-wrap up loose ends final episode,) when Inspector Luger who always called Officer Levitt, Levine or some other mis-pronouncation. Exasperated Levett says yet again his name is Levitt, Officer Carl Levitt.
Luger says, no. It’s Detective Carl Levitt, and hands him his gold badge.
Unless there’s a character I don’t remember, you’re thinking of Jack Soo. I know, they all sound alike. 
John Woo directing an episode of Barney Miller…* pictures Levitt leaping over a desk, firing two pistols at the latest person to rob Kotterman’s Liquor, who’s stolen a gun from Wojo and is making a break for it*
Another memorable Luger moment, having been trampled by a group of Hasidic Jews who were protesting outside the station: “I told them to take a shave!”
sigh Cold frothy beverages are my downfall yet again.
Those Slurpees will get you every time.
Man, now I want to see those eps again!
I had such a crush on Dietrich 
Something I’d like to know: while Barney Miller was done from the ABC Television Center in Hollywood for all of its life (outside of the original pilot that was done at CBS Studio Center), there was a point at which it switched from being done in front of a studio audience to being done without an audience. When was that?