Ep 21. The Inventor

Barney Miller Season 6 Episode 21 - The Inventor:

In this episode of Barney Miller, the squad room is filled with tension. A new crime wave has hit the city, and the detectives are struggling to keep up. As they work their way through a pile of robocalls, they receive a call from an inventor who claims to have created a device that can help them catch the culprits. With nothing to lose, Barney and the squad decide to give the device a try.

As they wait for the inventor to arrive, the detectives discuss their hopes and fears for the new device. Harris is skeptical, while Wojo is cautiously optimistic. When the inventor finally arrives, the detectives are surprised to find that he's just a teenage boy. Despite their reservations, they allow him to demonstrate his device.

The device turns out to be a remote-controlled robotic car, which the inventor claims can track down criminals and alert the police to their location. The detectives are skeptical, but Barney decides to give it a try. The inventor takes them out to the parking lot, where he sets the car loose. The detectives watch in amazement as the car tracks down a suspect and leads them right to his location.

Impressed by the device's success, Barney decides to use it to catch the robocall thieves. They set up a sting operation, using the car to lure the thieves into a trap. The plan works perfectly, and the thieves are caught red-handed. As they're taken away in handcuffs, Barney thanks the inventor for his help and assures him that he's got a bright future ahead of him.

Meanwhile, another case is brewing in the background. A young woman has been wandering the streets, claiming that her husband is trying to kill her. At first, the detectives don't take her seriously, but as the night wears on, they become increasingly concerned. They try to track down the woman's husband, but he's nowhere to be found.

As the night drags on, the detectives begin to doubt the woman's story. They wonder if she's just attention-seeking or if she's mentally ill. But when her husband finally shows up, with a gun in his hand, they realize they were wrong.

The episode culminates in a tense standoff, as the detectives try to talk the man down and convince him to put down his weapon. In the end, they're able to talk him into surrendering peacefully, and the woman is taken to safety.

As the night comes to a close, the detectives are exhausted but relieved. They're glad to have been able to help the woman and catch the robocall thieves, but they know that there will be more cases waiting for them tomorrow. As they wrap up their paperwork and head out into the night, they know that they have each other to rely on, no matter what comes their way.