Ep 10. The Harris Incident

The Harris Incident is the tenth episode of the fifth season of the classic sitcom Barney Miller. Set in a New York City police station in the late '70s, the show follows the daily lives of the detectives and staff who work there.

In this episode, the station is thrown into chaos when Detective Harris's handgun goes missing. Harris is a responsible officer and isn't the kind of person who'd lose his weapon, so naturally, everyone is concerned. The team begins to search the station, but there's no sign of the gun. In the meantime, Harris is convinced that he's going to get fired.

As the search continues, the detectives begin to question the people on the street who were in the station earlier that day. They discover a surly man who grabbed a piece of memorabilia from the precinct's lost and found. Initially, they brush him off, but the details of his story start to make sense, and they begin to suspect him.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Scanlon, the internal affairs officer, is investigating the situation. He makes it known that he thinks Harris is liable for the loss of his weapon, and he's determined to use the situation as an excuse to bring him down.

At the same time, a woman comes to the station to report being robbed. It turns out that the robber took her purse, but he also took something she was more concerned about - her opera glasses. The uncooperative witness makes the detectives' jobs more challenging, but they're determined to recover her property.

As the episode progresses, the detectives try to unravel the mystery of the missing gun while dealing with the everyday chaos of the station. They don't get far until a local lunatic figure comes into play. He's seen walking around with a pistol that bears an unmistakable likeness to Harris's lost weapon.

As the detectives try to sort out the situation with the crazy figure, Lieutenant Scanlon ramps up his campaign against Harris, convinced that he's covering up the weapon's disappearance. In a tense confrontation, the detectives must clear Harris's name and prove his innocence.

The Harris Incident is an engrossing episode, full of suspense, humor, and energy. This is classic Barney Miller, a show that balances the serious work of law enforcement with the quirks and oddities of everyday life in the station. From the absurdity of the opera glasses to the tension between the detectives and Scanlon, this episode delivers a memorable and well-crafted story that stands out in the series. Barney Miller is a favorite among classic sitcom fans, and this episode exemplifies everything that made the show so great.