Recap / Barney Miller S 6 E 02

Episode: Season 6, Episode 2
Title: The Photographer
Directed by: Noam Pitlik
Written by: Jim Tisale and Calvin Kelly (story), Tony Sheehan (teleplay)
Air Date: September 20, 1979
Previous: Inquisition
Next: Vacation
Guest Starring: Kenneth Tigar, Phil Leeds, Anita Dangler, Sal Viscuso

"The Photographer" is the second episode of the sixth season of Barney Miller.

Levitt, who went undercover in an abysmally ugly denim outfit, busted a drug dealer named Beatty.

Harris takes a complaint from Ms. Louise Myers, who reports that she was mugged by a photographer. The photographer approached her at a hotel and lured her into the park on the pretense that he wanted her to model for a picture, only to instead snatch her purse. Ms. Myers goes on about how handsome the photographer was, but when he's arrested soon after, he is the impressively homely Mr. Letier (Phil Leeds).

The star of the episode, however, is the man (Kenneth Tigar) whom Wojo books for creating a public disturbance. He has a mildly unsettling beatific smile and an odd affect. The reason for this is explained when Wojo asks for the man's name and the man says "Jesus Christ".

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Tropes

• Brick Joke: At the start of The Teaser Dietrich talks with Barney about the SALT treaty. After Dietrich has gotten too abstruse with the details, Barney accuses him of pedantry and suggests that he feign ignorance sometimes. Most of the rest of the teaser is taken up by three separate cases: Harris's mugging victim, the drug dealer Levitt brings in, and Wojo's enigmatic arrest. When all of these have been dealt with, Barney returns to Dietrich and asks if the coffee is fresh. Dietrich replies, "Damned if I know."
• Evil Makes You Ugly: Ms. Myers, flipping through a mug shot book, says "Are all criminals ugly?". Subverted when she says her criminal was handsome, then played straight when her mugger is brought in and it's the unattractive Mr. Letier.
• Height Angst: Levitt gets angry when Beatty the drug dealer says "I thought you had height requirements!".
• Impossibly Tacky Clothes: Harris, The Dandy, is horrified by the denim ensemble Levitt wore to look "street", and he says "I may never wear denim again." Later when the two have to go out on a call, Harris is reluctant to take Levitt in that outfit.
• Informed Judaism: In the sixth season and out of nowhere, Barney is identified as Jewish, in an aside by Wojo when they're talking about how to deal with the man in the cell.
• Insufferable Genius: Dietrich as usual. In this episode he drones on about the fine details in the SALT II treaty, until an annoyed Barney makes him stop and says that maybe a little "feigned ignorance" would be a good idea. Minutes later Barney asks if the coffee is fresh and Dietrich, cup in hand, says "Hell if I know."
• Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: Fourth of six episodes in which Kenneth Tigar plays such a character. Everybody assumes that "Jesus" is a nutcase, but Beatty, staring at a long prison sentence, as Jesus for a miracle. Jesus says that Beatty's wish is granted. Soon after, when a test of the drugs in Beatty's bag reveals that the "drugs" are actually baking soda, Beatty is released. It's strongly implied that he will be the new Jesus's first disciple.
• Messianic Archetype: Kenneth Tigar as Jesus, who performs a miracle (turning drugs into baking soda) and gains Beatty as a disciple.
  • After Wojo has Jesus transferred to Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital:
  Dietrich: 1 down, 11 to go.
  Barney: I take it that's, uh... a humorous reference to the 12 Apostles?
  Dietrich: Something like that.
  Barney: And I'm sure you're prepared with many more Biblical allusions?
  Dietrich: Yeah.
  Barney: Unfortunately, it's almost check out time, so I'm afraid we're just going to have to forego them.
  Dietrich: I guess so; I'll see you tomorrow then.
  Barney: Okay.
  Dietrich: You doing anything for supper? [Barney glances at Dietrich] Gotcha.
• Napoleon Delusion: A man is arrested who thinks he's Jesus...unless he is Jesus in which case this trope is averted.
• Pun: Levitt mentions to a reporter that they have a man in the station who thinks he's Jesus. News gets around and other reporters start calling the squad room, causing Dietrich to snark "The word of God gets around."
• Series Continuity Error: This is the first time Barney is ever said to be Jewish. In Season 2 Christmas Episode "Christmas Story" he exchanges Christmas presents with the squad, and in Season 5 Christmas Episode "Toys" he and Liz reminisce about taking David to see Santa.