Barney Miller (TV Series) Heat Wave (1975) User Reviews

Linda Lavin's second appearance

[kevinolzak · 9/10 · 3 March 2014]

"Heat Wave" finds the 12th Precinct busier than ever with the temperature up to 110. Paul Lichtman (second of five) debuts as custodian Beckman (next seen in "Rain"), bringing in a fan that circles ever so slowly (Harris: "hey it can't be turned on, it's not doing anything!" Fish: "my very words to Bernice!"). Mugging detail has Chano, Wojo, and Fish in drag and ready for duty, working alongside Det. Wentworth (Linda Lavin, second of five), next seen in "Grand Hotel." Former Marine Wojo is particularly reluctant, and the results prove embarrassing, Wentworth being shoved aside while Wojo, his dress in tatters, becomes the victim of an attempted rape (the assailant got away, but not before Wojo marked him by biting his neck). The guy they end up bringing in (Peter Elbling, first of two) was just some fresh talker asking if Wentworth could 'lose' her friend. Walking in to the precinct is the battered and beaten Mrs. Boyle (Janet Ward), reporting how her husband maliciously assaulted her before throwing her fish in the sink. Perhaps Philip K. Fish is the wrong man to be asking the question, "what do you think of a man who hits his wife?" ("you only hurt the one you love!"). Contrary to one previous comment, she is initially reluctant to sign the indictment, but quickly returns and puts her signature on the dotted line, Fish and Harris immediately heading off to make the arrest. Again absent from this episode are Barney's wife Liz (third straight) and Yemana (second straight).

Looking at it through historic eyes.

[mjackiw-165-313896 · 8/10 · 2 October 2021]

Too many are upset and picking apart how the episode is based on hindsight decades later. Back in the 1970s domestic violence was (and sadly too many times even now) ignored and not even discussed. The fact Barney Miller took it on was a huge thing for primetime television. But even more incredible was that it was discussed as the victim being conflicted and how hard it is for them. And even more unbelievable in that day and age is SHE PRESSED CHARGES! That was an incredibly brave thing to do in an age of pretty much unfettered male dominance and suppression of such violence.

As for the rapist, again hindsight isn't what defines it. To talk about rape was very rare. To show cops going after rapists even more so. As for Wentworh it was about her knowing what the rapist is looking for and asserting herself as a woman who gets it and is determined to get him.

An excellent episode that went above and beyond the usual TV of the time.

funny

[auntydle · 7/10 · 21 April 2009]

I don't remember very much but what I do remember is funny as hell. Wentworth (Lavin's character) and Wojo go undercover to catch a rapist who's been attacking women in the park. Wojo is a male detective in a dress. He's six feet tall and built like a football player. The plan is for the rapist to attack Wentworth and for Wojo to subdue him. But things don't go as planned. The rapist targets Wojo, knocking Wentworth aside. The suspect gets away but not before Wojo "marks" the suspect- by biting him in the neck. Wentworth, her desirability as a woman having been insulted, shortens her skirt and ties her shirt into a halter-top (remember doing that in the 70's?)before heading back out to the park.

Domestic abuse comedy

[Pianoboi84 · 10/10 · 6 February 2023]

Haha this was excellent. The typical hysterical females, whether a victim or not, acting irrational and making for good comedy. The woman who had a fight with her husband was obviously a part of a two way fight with her loud and brassy personality. She can't decide what to do about her husband and the men sense it. The heat does tend to make women act crazy. The cross dressing was funny especially Fish at the end. It was good comedy to see cross dressing for the foolishness it was instead of the accepted weirdness of today. I love these old Barney Miller episodes because they showcase a time when people had boundaries and knew where their place was. The only thing missing was Yemana who could have gotten some good jokes in about the alleged raping.

Disturbing sign of the times

[dpalmlund · 5/10 · 1 December 2016]

I know this was 40 years ago, but they treated spousal abuse and rape like a joke. Disturbing to see that. They made it sound like rape was about sexual attraction rather than a violent act, with Linda Lavin being insulted that the rapist went after Wojo in drag instead of her, and the woman with the obvious injuries inflicted by her husband,who is on probation for the last time he beat her, and nobody seems concerned for her safety, like it was a normal thing for a husband to do to a wife. How many abused women back in the day watched these kind of TV shows and stayed with their abusers for fear of not being taken seriously. And the audience laughs or laugh tracks. Nothing funny at all about this subject.

Great series but what happened here?

[gfrost7617 · 1/10 · 18 December 2020]

Stuck at home during quarantine and am re-watching the series during working from home. This is my second time watching this episode and I still can't believe it. I was born in 1971 so don't have a good grip on the politics and everything going on in the 1970's BUT I can NOT believe that domestic violence was ever okay which was one of the story lines of the episode. Kind of shocking how they handled it when they covered so many other issues of the time by being on the right side of history. They were on the wrong side of history on this one

Is it just me but

[rakshasis · 5/10 · 25 August 2010]

is this a VERY alarming treatment of spousal abuse? It really is a sign of the times:

• the woman is not brought to a hospital to see if she has any broken bones - she is asked whether she wants to press charges, instead of immediately bringing in the accused - the squad acts like it is a joke - she is allowed to return to her husband after deciding not to press charges *because she remembers him being nice to her once*

Even my husband freaked out more and more as the episode went on, and in the finale (where Fish takes his coat off and puts it on several times), we were looking at each other like "OMG - they aren't going to bring the guy in!"

She had a serious black eye, complained of possible kidney injuries or broken ribs (no one checked her out). Wentworth kind of went away in the episode, but I would think it is totally out of character for her not to pursue that particular case. Or did she think the woman was weak?

The episode itself was good, but the handling of this subplot was, well, criminal...

Domestic Violence

[speedabot · 4/10 · 6 March 2018]

Also a big fan of the show. I like the way they would address issues, lke domestic violence. I like the way after going back and forth about putting her husband in jail, the abused wife came back and signed the complaint. It pointed out in a humorous way, the back and forth that often excuses bad behavior. All to often women would talk themselves out of filing charges. This wife didn't, she stood up for herself, signed the complaint and said stop.

Domestic Violence Is Not Funny

[HarleanHayworth · 1/10 · 14 December 2016]

I'm a big fan of the TV show Barney Miller but this is the worst episode I've ever seen. A woman comes into the precinct with a black eye and tell them her husband beat her up. The detectives don't seem very interested in helping her and even makes jokes about the heat caused her husband to lose control. After they tell the woman her husband could be put in jail for years she starts to cry and decides to drop the charges. All the men seem to think that sending her back to an abusive husband is a happy ending! I know this show was made in the 1970s but domestic violence is never funny. I'm shocked and disappointed at the way they handled this story.

I see below that I'm not the only one upset with this episode.

[brbrknndy · 1/10 · 2 May 2018]

I am a fan of Barney Miller too; but this episode was clearly inappropriate. The men all make a big joke about it and excuse it as the heat. In the end she doesn't sign the complaint and the men applaud her and send her on her way as that is the right thing to do.

We are then treated to jokes by the character Fish subtly hinting that there might be domestic violence to his wife.

Very disappointing to see a normally good show produce such trash.