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Recap / Barney Miller S 3 E 22

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Episode: Season 3, Episode 22
Title: Strike: Part 2
Directed by: Danny Arnold
Written by: Larry Balmagia and Dennis Koenig (story), Tony Sheehan, Reinhold Weege, and Danny Arnold (teleplay)
Air Date: March 31, 1977
Previous: Strike: Part 1
Next: Goodbye, Mr. Fish: Part 1
Guest Starring: Peter Hobbs, Peggy Pope, Joe George, Ron Carey, James Gregory

"Strike: Part 2" is the 22nd and last episode of the third season of Barney Miller.

The "blue flu" NYPD strike continues. With all of his detectives out of the office, Barney is left alone with Miss Lonna Lane, the lonely lady who was robbed by her dating service match in the previous episode. Miss Lane, a virgin in her forties who is desperately horny, makes a barely veiled come-on to Barney, but he fends her off.

Meanwhile, with the detectives gone, it's left to Inspector Luger to bring in John Blomquist, the dating service thief who robbed the unfortunate Miss Lane. Unsurprisingly, Miss Lane and Mr. Blomquist make a connection. Finally, the four detectives come back, and everybody—Barney, Wojo, Harris, Fish, and Yemana—have a talk to clear the air.


Tropes:

  • Accidental Misnaming: Inspector Luger thanks Levitt for sticking around and helping run the precinct, then completely undercuts the compliment when he says "You hang in there, Levine." This was the first instance of a Running Gag that lasted for the rest of the show's run, as Luger constantly got Levitt's name wrong.
  • All Women Are Lustful: Miss Lane the forty-ish virgin is lonely, but also very very horny. She offers to help Barney run the office, which soon turns into an obvious sexual proposition—"Use me, Captain." When Mr. Blomquist, the thief, is brought into the squad room, Miss Lane drops the charges. She invites him over for the dinner that she was going to serve him before he robbed her, then says "What's mine is yours...take it."
  • Bad to the Last Drop: Yemana says "I am fed up with the jokes about my coffee." Barney shoots back "Who's joking?", but Yemana says he's serious. The episode ends with Barney and Dietrich drinking Yemana's coffee and smiling The Un-Smile, followed by Yemana frowning and saying "Very funny."
  • Dating Service Disaster: Played straight, and then ultimately averted. Mr. Blomquist, the dating service match who robbed Miss Lane, is brought into the precinct. After they have a talk, she declines to press charges, and they wind up leaving together to have their date after all.
  • A Father to His Men: A running theme throughout the whole series, but actually discussed in this episode. Barney understands that his detectives walked out to protest the way NYPD management treats the rank and file, and not because of a personal issue with him. Still, however, Barney says that he and his men are very close, and he can't help but be hurt when they stage a walkout and leave him in the squad room alone.
  • Like a Son to Me: Inspector Luger is a lifelong bachelor, but he says that if he'd ever had a son, he would have wanted his son to be like Barney.
    Luger: Maybe not the mustache.
  • Multi-Part Episode: Second part of a two-parter in which the plainclothes officers and uniforms of the NYPD go on strike.
  • Sarcasm Mode: Levitt enters the squad room and says "Oh captain, I'm glad I caught you in!" Of course Levitt knows that Barney has to be there because all the detectives are gone.
  • Talking in Your Sleep: Inspector Luger, zonked out on Barney's couch, is having some sort of sex dream. He mutters "You can call me Frankie" and "Just let me get the hook off the strap" in his sleep, before an embarrassed Barney wakes him up.

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