Barney Miller was a hit sitcom set at the 12th Precinct station in Manhattan's Greenwich Village. The show centered on Captain Barney Miller (played by Hal Linden) and his efforts to keep his erratic squad in line while cutting through red tape. During and after its seven-year run, the program won two Emmy Awards, two Golden Globes and a Peabody Award.

Whereas most cop comedies before and since have been typified by satire and slapstick hi-jinks (think Reno 911 and Car 54, Where Are You) Barney Miller was a different kind of show. It's humor was often deadpan and personality-based. It also found a wealth of material in the ethnic diversity of New York City, with a cast of characters that included Jewish, Japanese, Puerto Rican, Polish and African-Americans, each with quirky and distinct personality traits that both defied and made fun of ethnic stereotypes.