On one end, you could argue that Barney Miller definitely shaped the culture. For one, it had a good deal of influence (https://crimereads.com/the-1980s-a-forgotten-golden-age-of-crime-television/) on Hill Street Blues, which was the first (https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/arts-and-entertainment/hill-street-blues-defines-hard-reality-television) modern TV cop drama (https://www.facebook.com/groups/classic.television.shows.group/posts/1736191907028798/). And many cops (https://www.reddit.com/r/television/comments/6n9k8e/police_officers_consider_barney_miller_the_most/) have said (https://filmboards.com/t/Barney-Miller/Barney-Miller-realistic%3F-1713398/) that Barney Miller was the most realistic cop show (https://ejunkieblog.com/2025/01/24/barney-miller-tvs-most-realistic-cop/) at least of its time.

On the other end however, was Barney Miller a hugely discussed show (other than among police who said yeah it's realistic) while it was originally on the air? And after (https://zvbxrpl.blogspot.com/2008/04/s.html) it was off the air, were a lot of people truly clamoring to see it in reruns (https://radiodiscussions.com/threads/barney-miller-reruns.749197/) outside of syndicated (https://broadcastsyndication.fandom.com/wiki/Barney_Miller) deals where it was used essentially, as filler? Like, if you right now ask anybody who's 30 or 35 (https://www.reddit.com/r/television/comments/ieabqi/comment/g2lr9pp/) years old or younger about what Barney Miller is as TV show, what are the chances that they'll have no idea or give you a blank star.