Why, The Desk? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Janice · 12-22-2002, 08:35 PM

Episode #111 is titled, The Desk, and I'm wondering why. This is the episode with the Amish man who was mugged and can't make a phonecall home, and the robber who had the lobotomy.
Perhaps there's some underlying symbolism at play here, but I can't figure it out. Any ideas where the desk fits in?

On a sidenote, it was hilarious when Harris is sitting on Barney's office couch and says, like a little kid, "I wish I had my own room." Funny stuff.

egregiousgirl · 12-24-2002, 04:34 PM

After watching last night's episode, it seems like this was the one that was meant to be called "The Desk" since they took away Nick's desk and Levitt was all upset about it. But it also had a judge in it and it was called "The Judge" so I'm all confused. Maybe they meant to have the desk storyline in the last episode and changed their minds or something. But then why wouldn't they change the episode title? That's bizarre.

Also bizarre is what happened during the opening titles. I don't know if this happened elsewhere, too, but during the middle of the titles they started playing the opening for "The Rockford Files" and then switched back. It was odd.

Janice · 12-24-2002, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by egregiousgirl
After watching last night's episode, it seems like this was the one that was meant to be called "The Desk" since they took away Nick's desk and Levitt was all upset about it. But it also had a judge in it and it was called "The Judge" so I'm all confused. Maybe they meant to have the desk storyline in the last episode and changed their minds or something. But then why wouldn't they change the episode title? That's bizarre.

Also bizarre is what happened during the opening titles. I don't know if this happened elsewhere, too, but during the middle of the titles they started playing the opening for "The Rockford Files" and then switched back. It was odd.

Now I'm really confused too, lol. I haven't watched last night's episode yet. I taped it. Since they took Nick's desk away, then it seems it should have been called, The Desk, but you say there's a judge in it and it's called The Judge. What the ???
I'm leaning towards DetectiveGriffin's theory of TV Land's heavy-handed creative editing. Perhaps we're missing a crucial piece of the puzzle here.
Okay, calling all Barney Miller fans, please help me figure this out. lol.
Here's the link for the episode guide for those that don't have it.
http://epguides.com/BarneyMiller/
As for the Rockford Files theme cutting into Barney Miller's credits, this could be a case of someone asleep at the controls...too much eggnog.

Janice · 12-24-2002, 10:47 PM

Alright, I just finished watching the episode titled, The Judge. Although there is a judge storyline in the show, this is the episode that was clearly intended to be titled, The Desk.
Why this happened is a mystery and also begs the question: What's the name of the previous episode about the Amish man and the robber with the lobotomy? *ouch* My head's hurting.
Also, the manner in which Barney and the officers are standing around where Nick's desk used to be was bittersweet, particulary when Barney said, "There's a lot of things I miss."
Again, this was a case of the viewers having to use their brains and not have everything tied up with a neat little bow. It's like, figure it out people, Nick has died although we never told you, yet there was a tribute episode to Jack Soo.

Kitt · 12-26-2002, 08:53 PM

Some slack for me here, please. I'm not sure about the episodes in question. It does seem that the titles got mixed up. The standing around the desk scene sounds to me like a personal tribute to Jack from the actors and crew. If the audience should happen to get it, as you seen to have Janice, that would be only a bonus.

egregiousgirl · 12-27-2002, 03:33 AM

Okay, here's my theory on this desk business. The writers originally had the desk storyline in the episode entitled, "The Desk" and the next episode with the nutty judge was called "The Judge." But for whatever reason, they switched some stories and the desk stuff and the judge stuff all ended up in the second episode and they never changed the titles for network reasons or whatever.

The only reason I can think of for them to do that is because of Levitt. The desk storyline is kind of Levitt-centric and maybe they didn't or couldn't put a Levitt-heavy story in that first episode so they changed it to the second one.

TVLand has many faults, but it just seems to me that they wouldn't screw up so blatantly as to misidentify an episode and to make up a name for another one. I wouldn't rule it out, however. They are kinda kooky sometimes.

Janice · 12-27-2002, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by egregiousgirl
Okay, here's my theory on this desk business...

Thanks egregiousgirl. This theory certainly makes sense to me, right down to Levitt being the reason. There are lots of mistakes in sitcoms. I read on The Brady Bunch board that one of the kids, I think it's Greg, calls a couple of his sitcom siblings by their real names in one episode.
So here we most likely have a mistake made by a staff production member (editing dept. maybe?) who made a simple mistake and it's there for eternity, lol.
The show's been syndicated out, sold, resold, God knows what--and the error remains unfixable.

12-22-2002, 08:35 PM	#1
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	Why, The Desk? Episode #111 is titled, The Desk, and I'm wondering why. This is the episode with the Amish man who was mugged and can't make a phonecall home, and the robber who had the lobotomy. Perhaps there's some underlying symbolism at play here, but I can't figure it out. Any ideas where the desk fits in? On a sidenote, it was hilarious when Harris is sitting on Barney's office couch and says, like a little kid, "I wish I had my own room." Funny stuff.

12-24-2002, 04:34 PM	#2
egregiousgirl Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Nov 29, 2002 Location: Oregon Posts: 84	After watching last night's episode, it seems like this was the one that was meant to be called "The Desk" since they took away Nick's desk and Levitt was all upset about it. But it also had a judge in it and it was called "The Judge" so I'm all confused. Maybe they meant to have the desk storyline in the last episode and changed their minds or something. But then why wouldn't they change the episode title? That's bizarre. Also bizarre is what happened during the opening titles. I don't know if this happened elsewhere, too, but during the middle of the titles they started playing the opening for "The Rockford Files" and then switched back. It was odd.

12-24-2002, 10:47 PM	#4
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	Alright, I just finished watching the episode titled, The Judge. Although there is a judge storyline in the show, this is the episode that was clearly intended to be titled, The Desk. Why this happened is a mystery and also begs the question: What's the name of the previous episode about the Amish man and the robber with the lobotomy? ouch My head's hurting. Also, the manner in which Barney and the officers are standing around where Nick's desk used to be was bittersweet, particulary when Barney said, "There's a lot of things I miss." Again, this was a case of the viewers having to use their brains and not have everything tied up with a neat little bow. It's like, figure it out people, Nick has died although we never told you, yet there was a tribute episode to Jack Soo.

12-26-2002, 08:53 PM	#5
Kitt James Dean Forum Veteran Join Date: Aug 16, 2001 Location: California Dreamin' Posts: 6,115	Some slack for me here, please. I'm not sure about the episodes in question. It does seem that the titles got mixed up. The standing around the desk scene sounds to me like a personal tribute to Jack from the actors and crew. If the audience should happen to get it, as you seen to have Janice, that would be only a bonus.

12-27-2002, 03:33 AM	#6
egregiousgirl Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Nov 29, 2002 Location: Oregon Posts: 84	Okay, here's my theory on this desk business. The writers originally had the desk storyline in the episode entitled, "The Desk" and the next episode with the nutty judge was called "The Judge." But for whatever reason, they switched some stories and the desk stuff and the judge stuff all ended up in the second episode and they never changed the titles for network reasons or whatever. The only reason I can think of for them to do that is because of Levitt. The desk storyline is kind of Levitt-centric and maybe they didn't or couldn't put a Levitt-heavy story in that first episode so they changed it to the second one. TVLand has many faults, but it just seems to me that they wouldn't screw up so blatantly as to misidentify an episode and to make up a name for another one. I wouldn't rule it out, however. They are kinda kooky sometimes.