Title: Old Love
Directed by: Hal Linden
Written by: Phillip Jayson Lasker
Air Date: April 2, 1982
Previous: Inquiry
Next: Altercation
Guest Starring: Sharon Spelman, Mario Roccuzo, Audrey Christie, Wynn Irwin, Mitch Kreindel, Ben Hammer
"Old Love" is the 17th episode of the eighth season of Barney Miller.
Harris and Wojo arrest one Irwin Kroner, an actor who assaulted his agent Harold Lipkin, when Lipkin wouldn't call a producer about getting Irwin a part. Eventually Mr. Kroner reveals that he was once "Little Corky Carter", a child star whose stardom ended with puberty, and he hasn't been very successful as an adult working actor.
The second case has Dietrich and Levitt responding to a report of a disturbance in the park. Much to Barney's surprise, they bring back Norman Deluca, the Good Samaritan and absurdly nice sad sack last seen just three episodes ago in "The Arrival". When Mr. Deluca saw a man choking in the park, he administered the Heimlich maneuver—and cracked two of the man's ribs. The man, Mr. Felch, is pressing charges for assault.
In personal news, Dietrich is visited by an old college girlfriend, Cynthia Reese, who is now Cynthia Reese Barrow after she married a mutual classmate. Although Cynthia says she's happily married, the romantic sparks still fly.
Tropes:
- Bait-and-Switch: Mr. Kroner finally blows up at his mother, and goes on a long rant about how she never asked him what he wanted to be, telling her that he really wants to be a truck driver. Mr. Lipkin, impressed, says that he knows someone in the trucking business and he'll see about getting Irwin a job. Mr. Kroner then says "See! You believed me! I was good!"...that is, he was just acting. Mr. Lipkin says "No. That's why I'm going to get you a job as a truck driver." (Mr. Kroner then says he doesn't even have a driver's license.)
- Continuity Nod: Just three episodes after his last appearance, Mr. Deluca the nice guy and sort-of loser makes another appearance. This time he's managed to get himself arrested for saving a choking victim.
- Distracted by the Sexy: Dietrich cannot focus on Barney's persistent questions about Mr. Deluca, because he is too busy staring at his lovely surprise visitor, Cynthia.
- Enforced Method Acting: In-Universe example. Mrs. Kroner, waxing nostalgic, remembers what a good job "Corky" did once when he had to cry in a movie. Irwin shoots back that first, the director told him that she had died in a car crash, and then the director stuck him with a pin.
- Former Child Star: Mr. Kroner was once "Little Corky Carter" and Wojo at least remembers him. The reason Mr. Kroner assaulted his agent was that Mr. Lipkin thinks that Mr. Kroner isn't much of an actor and isn't taking his calls or making any effort to get him work.
- Ice-Cream Koan: Parodied by Harris in after Mr. Felch decides not to press charges:Harris: There's an old Chinese proverb: "Save a man's life, and he'll never forgive you."
DeLuca; That doesn't make sense.
Harris: Hey man, I'm not Chinese! [ DeLuca leaves] They're supposed to be damn clever. - Mysterious Past: Dietrich's mysterious past was a Running Gag. In this episode Barney Miller fans got all the explanation they'd ever get. Cynthia says that she and the rest of her school friends were surprised that Dietrich hadn't finished med school but instead became a cop. Dietrich tells the other detectives that he could have been a good doctor, or a good lawyer, but he wanted to be the best at whatever he did, so he decided to be a cop.
- Old Flame: Dietrich is visited by his old college girlfriend Cynthia. They obviously still have feelings for each other and it's implied that their impromptu lunch turns into a nooner.
- Sex with the Ex: It's not stated, but strongly implied, that Dietrich and Cynthia went someplace for sex. Dietrich says on the way out that he might not be coming back from lunch, and the lunch turns out to last nearly four hours.
- Stage Mom: Mrs. Kroner pushed her boy into the movies and is still strongly invested in his success, several decades after he was no longer a star. Mr. Lipkin even calls her a "stage mother!"
- Stealth Insult: Dietrich tells his coworkers that he became a cop because he wanted to be the best at whatever he did and he could do that if he became a policeman. After he realizes the implication of his comment, that he's a better cop than all the rest of them, he says "Well, present company excepted."
