Barney Miller on DVD

Finally, somebody's releasing all of Barney Miller on DVD.

Sony evidently didn't see enough of a market for the 1970s TV cop comedy, and after releasing only the first three seasons, announced it wouldn't release any more. That was very bad news for those of us who have somewhat clearer memories of it than the New York Times' Mike Hale, who could only muster the faint praise, "But even though the show was a comedy, its mood was informed by the darkness of the times and the troubles of New York City, where it was set."

Hale's right, but doesn't go far enough. The joy of Barney Miller is that it made that darkness hilarious. The show reveled in confronting the detectives of the 12th Precinct with absurdity after absurdity, all rooted in the difficulty ordinary people have seeing eye to eye in the pressure cooker of New York City. For the most part, the detectives were jaded enough merely to be sardonically amused by their unwilling guests. The witty banter was generally low-key, a refreshing contrast to the dopey histrionics of other shows like Happy Days, the 900-lb. gorilla of ABC's comedy lineup at the time. Even the staging was relaxed, with more long, uncut sequences than usual in sitcoms, giving it the feel of a play. Barney Miller, a little like another contemporary, All in the Family, also wasn't shy about using silence to build tension, both in service of a joke and occasionally to highlight a more dramatic moment. Unlike M*A*S*H, however, Barney Miller never forsook comedy for preachy drama, remaining smart and funny right to the end.

So it's great news that Shout Factory is making all eight seasons available in a 25-disc box set, even if some of us who own the earlier Sony-issued seasons are feeling bitter toward Sony for essentially making us pay twice. It's worth it to be able to watch all the hilarities at the ol' 1-2 any time we like. Raise a mug of Yemana's legendarily bad coffee and be happy.