Title: Voice Analyzer
Directed by: Noam Pitlik
Written by: James Bonnet (story), James Bonnet and Reinhold Weege (teleplay)
Air Date: January 11, 1979
Previous: The Indian
Next: The Spy
Guest Starring: George Murdock, Allan Rich, Phillip Roth, Barry Pearl
"Voice Analyzer" is the 12th episode of the fifth season of Barney Miller.
The detectives of the 12th Precinct are upset when they see a New York Times article about NYPD detectives taking bribes, and they are horrified when an anonymous source actually lists the 12th as one of the precincts with corrupt cops. Like thunder follows lightning, old enemy Lt. Scanlon of Internal Affairs pops up. This time he's bringing along a Mr. Sanders, a technician who is carrying a "voice analyzer". The voice analyzer supposedly detects stress patterns in speech, but what it really is, is a lie detector.
Naturally, high-strung, excitable Wojo fails the test. No one in the 12th really believes that the test is valid—the machine detects no lie when Dietrich says he was born "a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away"—but Barney and Wojo both realize that a report of failing a lie detector test could wreck Wojo's career.
In other news, a Mr. Ramsen comes in to report the hijacking and theft of some $20,000 in mink coats that were merchandise for his store. A Mario Pellegrini is quickly arrested, but the contemptuous Mr. Pellegrini suggests the coats aren't worth $20K and aren't mink.
This episode aired the day Jack Soo (Yemana) died, January 11, 1979.
Tropes:
- Blatant Lies: Dietrich informs Mr. Sanders and his lie detector that he was born "a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away" after an honest but excitable Wojo flunks the test. Mr. Sanders doesn't really believe Dietrich is an alien, but he also doesn't believe the machine isn't working perfectly. Eventually his faith in the machine wins out, though fortunately for Wojo, the machine does detect Lt. Scanlon's lies.
- Could Say It, But...: Dietrich, in his capacity as the know-it-all, says that some scientists believe that voice analysis can in fact detect lies by analyzing changes in voice patterns. Then he looks pointedly at Mr. Sanders and says, even more pointedly, "Critics, however, refer to that as so much sheep dip."
- Hot-Blooded: Wojciehowicz himself admits that "I'm high strung." His stress over the very fact that he's being asked to take a lie detector test causes him to fail said test, jeopardizing his career.
- Insurance Fraud: Mr. Pellegrini says that as a thief he can assess the value of stolen goods and that Mr. Ramsen's coats aren't really mink and aren't worth twenty grand. Barney strongly suggests that Mr. Ramsen amend his report to the insurance agency and Mr. Ramsen agrees.
- Internal Affairs: Old enemy Lt. Scanlon is back once again, beside himself with joy over the prospect of finally making a case against a member of the 12th Precinct.
- Lie Detector: The lie detector fails to detect Dietrich's lie about being born "in a galaxy far, far away", and it falsely detects a lie from scrupulously honest Wojo. But it does detect that Scanlon is lying when he says that his investigation is nothing personal and he does not have a grudge against the 12th Precinct. This finding allows Barney to force Scanlon to bury his report about Wojo, lest he have to report himself too.
- Stupid Crooks: Mr. Pellegrini is caught because, driving a stolen car and with a trunk full of stolen goods, he chose to run a red light.
