User Reviews

"Christmas Story" was BARNEY MILLER's first holiday-themed episode, set on Christmas Eve, with Nick off duty by midnight, showing a romantic interest in an attractive mugging victim (Nobu McCarthy) who reciprocates in kind, unaware of her nighttime profession. Santas all over town are being assaulted by the same culprit (John Morgan Evans), until a disguised Fish catches him in the act. A disgruntled shopper (Jay Gerber, 4 episodes) shows his apathy toward the department store where he made the purchase by returning it- through their front window (decapitating a manikin!). He claims he had good reason to refuse it, the directions for assembly are in Japanese! Inspector Luger drops by to wish the 12th good cheer, sporting a gift from "one of our generous merchants...lousy half pint!" He's hinting to Barney that he might be free for Christmas Day, lamenting that 8th Ave. has changed since the old days, "both sides lined with porno palaces, massage parlors, eh?" (Yemana: "that stuff's hard to wrap!").