S1.E1

Murder by the Book

Episode aired Sep 15, 1971
TV-PG
1h 16m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Cop Drama Police Procedural Crime Drama Mystery Thriller

When one member of a mystery writing team wants to break from his less talented partner, he becomes the victim in a real-life murder mystery.When one member of a mystery writing team wants to break from his less talented partner, he becomes the victim in a real-life murder mystery.When one member of a mystery writing team wants to break from his less talented partner, he becomes the victim in a real-life murder mystery.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

5.5K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
Steven Spielberg was just 24 when he helmed this episode. He had to be approved by Peter Falk before being allowed to direct. The two had a meeting beforehand and Falk was immediately won over by the young director's enthusiasm.

Goofs
Before Columbo begins to grate cheese, he grabs a bowl from the cabinet to put the cheese in. The bowl already has grated cheese in it.

Quotes
Lieutenant Columbo: Suddenly I thought of something. How clever that first murder was. The phone gimmick, working late in the office - brilliant.
Ken Franklin: Are you awarding gold medals today?
Lieutenant Columbo: Yes. For the first one. Not for the second one. That was sloppy. Mrs. Melville, she'd have been very disappointed.

Connections
Featured in The 24th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1972)

Soundtracks
Love Theme from 'Red Sky At Morning'
Composed by Billy Goldenberg
Heard during the bar scene

User reviews56

Review

Featured review

6/10

First "Columbo" series episode

Peter Falk's third appearance as Columbo (after a pair of two-hour NBC World Premiere Movies) officially kicked off the "Columbo" series, as well as the "NBC Mystery Movie" in September 1971.

Filmed after the superior "Death Lends a Hand," but aired first, it has the distinction of having been directed by Steven Spielberg in those days before "Jaws" when he was still cranking out episodic television on the backlot of Universal. There are some smart directorial touches, particularly in the opening scenes where the sound of Martin Milner's typewriter serves as the sole soundtrack, but this a disappointing episode overall.

As the less talented half of a famous mystery writing team (not unlike Richard Levinson and William Link, "Columbo"'s creators), Jack Cassidy makes a classy villain, one who would be invited to square off against Peter Falk on two more occasions (including season three's "Publish or Perish" which was also set against a publishing background). Unfortunately, Steven Bochco's script drags along, making this a frequently dull episode. Worse, the denouement finds Columbo wrapping things up based on flimsier than usual evidence. Had the killer not confessed, he could have walked away from his crime.

Still, Peter Falk is terrific, and makes it worth watching.

Brian W. Fairbanks