Title: Hostage
Directed by: Hal Linden
Written by: Chris Hayward and Reinhold Weege (story), Reinhold Weege (teleplay)
Air Date: March 23, 1978
Previous: Quo Vadis?
Next: Evaluation
Guest Starring: Oliver Clark, Don Calfa, Alix Elias, Earle Town, Mari Gorman
"Hostage" is the 20th episode of the fourth season of Barney Miller.
With Yemana on vacation (actually, Jack Soo battling the cancer that killed him), Officer Roslyn Licori (Mari Gorman) is at his desk. She wants to be one of the gang, but all the detectives are nonplussed by the carnation she has put on the desk.
In other personal news, the long arc about Harris's desperate search for an apartment is coming to an end, as he has finally, finally found an available one-room apartment he can afford. This means that he can move out of Dietrich's place, which Harris is very happy about, but which makes Dietrich a little melancholy.
As usual, there are two wacky criminals. In the first case, Harris brings in Leon Bidell, a wild-eyed, high-strung fellow who is a repeat offender and as a result is now looking at a life sentence for armed robbery. He calls a "Vern", tells Vern that there aren't many cops in the squad room, and says Vern has to get him out of there. In the second case, Roslyn brings in Louise Hilton and Oscar Leeds. Mr. Leeds is being charged with public disturbance for yelling obscenities at Ms. Hilton...except that it wasn't Mr. Leeds yelling the obscenities, it was his ventriloquist's dummy, Sammy.
Leon Bidell's lawyer shows up in the squad room. Only it isn't really his lawyer, it's his brother Vern. Vern pulls a gun, and takes the whole room hostage.
Second of three episodes directed by Hal Linden.
Tropes:
- Captain Obvious: Luger, and his ham-handed attempt to hit on Roslyn.Luger: That's an interesting wedding ring you got there....gift from your husband?
- Continuity Nod: Harris's desperate search for an apartment, mentioned many times over many episodes, finally ends as he gets a one-bedroom. Dietrich is sad about it.
- Double Take: Inspector Luger, bothered by Leon Bidell yelling and disturbing the room, tells him to watch his language. He says "There's ladies in the room, and a puppet here!" Then he does a Double Take and says "Puppet?", as the presence of Sammy sinks in.
- Hostage Situation: A desperate criminal and his not-too-bright brother take everyone in the 12th Precinct detectives' room hostage.
- Inhibition-Destroying Puppet: It seems that "Sammy" makes all the lewd and obscene remarks that Mr. Leeds can't bring himself to say.
- Noodle Incident: Sammy the dummy did...something to disturb Ms. Hilton.Ms. Hilton: You wouldn't believe the filthy things he said he was going to do to me. I thought they could only move their heads.
- The Stateroom Sketch: The Bidells force everyone in the squad room—Barney, Inspector Luger, Levitt, all four detectives, two civilians, and one puppet—to cram into the tiny jail cell. Diminutive Levitt has to ask Luger to let him move to the side so he can get some air.
- Stupid Crooks: Leon Bidell is panicking at the prospect of being put away for life as a "habitual criminal". When Harris asks why he decided to commit armed robbery again when he might face a life sentence, Leon says "That's what 'habitual criminal' means!"
- Ventriloquism: Mr. Leeds, as diagnosed by Dietrich, is one of those schizophrenics who develops a split personality through his ventriloquist's dummy.
