Ep 8. Loan Shark

Barney Miller is a popular American TV series that originally aired from 1975 to 1982. The show follows the everyday life of a group of detectives at the 12th precinct in Greenwich Village, New York City. The show explores the challenges and adventures that the detectives face while trying to maintain law and order in the city. In season 5, episode 8 "Loan Shark", we see the cops of the 12th precinct handling another case that is as intriguing as it is dangerous.

The episode opens with Barney and the squad returning to the station after finishing their shift. The team is tired and ready to call it a day when they receive a call from a woman who is being threatened by a loan shark. The woman, Rachel, informs Barney that she owes $5000 to a local loan shark and he's been threatening her and her family. Barney tries to console Rachel and promises to help her in any way he can.

Barney and the team quickly get to work and begin investigating the loan shark. They soon find out that the man in question is a well-known loan shark and that he has been in the business for a long time. He operates under many aliases and is very hard to trace. The detectives finally get a break and discover the loan shark's worker who has been collecting Rachel's payments. The worker confirms the loan shark's identity and tells the detectives that he is ruthless and will stop at nothing to get his money back.

Barney and the squad try to get Rachel to testify against the loan shark, but she is too scared and refuses. The team realizes that they need to find another way to take down the loan shark. They devise a plan to set up a sting operation. They plant a marked $5000 bill in a bank that the loan shark is known to visit. The detectives then wait for the loan shark to show up and make his move.

The plan works and the loan shark takes the bait. The detectives move in and apprehend him. They charge him with extortion and collect all the evidence they can find. Barney and the team are pleased that they have finally put a stop to the loan shark's illegal activities. They then manage to convince Rachel to testify against the loan shark and assist the team in putting him behind bars.

Overall, Barney Miller season 5 episode 8 "Loan Shark" is an exciting and action-packed episode that keeps the audience engaged throughout. The episode showcases the excellent work done by the detectives of the 12th precinct as they use their brains, wit, and experience to take down a dangerous criminal. The episode has a strong moral message about standing up to bullies and not giving in to fear. It's an excellent addition to the Barney Miller catalog and is sure to keep fans of the show engrossed and entertained.