Ep 18. Wojo's Problem

Wojo's Problem is the eighteenth episode of the fourth season of the popular police sitcom Barney Miller. This episode opens with Sergeant Wojciehowicz (aka Wojo) appearing at the desk with a black eye and swollen lip. When asked what happened, he tells the squad that he was mugged by a bunch of teenagers while he was chasing a purse snatcher in a park. He also mentions that he almost caught the purse snatcher, but lost him in a maze of buildings.

The scene then shifts to Detective Fish, who is not happy with the new policy of the department, which requires them to give chase to criminals, even if it means putting themselves in harm's way. This argument leads to a discussion about the different strategies used by policemen to catch criminals, which culminates with the arrival of Wojo's doctor who advises him to take a few days off to recover.

The plot thickens when Wojo discovers that the purse he recovered during the mugging was actually a bag of garbage, leading him to believe that the teenagers might have swapped the purse for the garbage bag to avoid detection. Meanwhile, Inspector Luger visits Barney to complain about the lack of prison cells, which is causing him to delay the arrest of criminals for several hours.

As the story progresses, Wojo becomes more and more obsessed with finding the teenage mugger and turns to Franklyn, the station's snitch, for information. Franklyn tells him that he heard some teenagers bragging about mugging a cop in the park and selling his police equipment to a fence. This leads Wojo to suspect that his police issue gun and badge are now in the hands of the criminals.

While Wojo's colleagues continue their daily routine, Wojo (played by Max Gail) becomes consumed by his quest to identify and arrest the teenage muggers. The character's growing hysteria is played brilliantly by Gail, who instills just enough paranoia in the character to be believable, but not enough to make his colleagues completely unsympathetic.

Finally, Wojo's obsession drives him to leave the precinct against the advice of his colleagues, putting himself in danger in his pursuit of the mugger. But as he runs through the streets, chasing his suspect, he begins to wonder if his actions are actually motivated by his need for recognition rather than actually being a good cop. This moment leads to a very poignant scene where Wojo finds himself facing down his own demons.

In conclusion, Wojo's Problem is a well-crafted episode that showcases the strength of the Barney Miller show. It's an episode that balances moments of humor and tension with a deeper exploration of character. Even though this episode aired over four decades ago, it still stands as a testament to the show's ability to create compelling stories and memorable characters.