Étude in Black
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Episode 1

Étude in Black

Étude in Black

1972
Drama, Crime
TV Episode
1h 38m
Music conductor Alex Benedict has an affair with a pianist, and when the pianist threatens to reveal their affair to Benedict's wife, whose wealthy mother owns the company on which Benedict's career is dependent, Benedict decides to permanently silence his mistress. He strangles her and arranges for her death to look like a suicide by kitchen stove gas asphyxiation. (imdb)

Directed by:

Nicholas Colasanto
Nicholas-Colasanto
14 total credits
Credits include: Raging Bull, Family Plot, Fat City, Cheers and Étude in Black

Writers:

Steven Bochco
Steven-Bochco
22 total credits
Credits include: Silent Running, Murder by the Book, Étude in Black, Lady in Waiting and NYPD Blue
,
Richard Levinson
Richard-Levinson
32 total credits
Credits include: Murder by the Book, Murder, She Wrote, The Hindenburg, Prescription: Murder and Death Lends a Hand
,
William Link
William-Link
31 total credits
Credits include: Columbo, Murder by the Book, Murder, She Wrote, Prescription: Murder and Death Lends a Hand

Starring:

Peter Falk
Peter-Falk
70 total credits
alk (September 16, 1927 - June 23, 2011) was an American actor, best known for his role as Lieutenant Columbo in the television series Columbo. He appeared in numerous films such as The Princess Bride, The Great Race and Next, and television guest roles and was nominated for an Academy Award twice (for 1960's Murder, Inc. and 1961's Pocketful of Miracles), and won the Emmy Award on five occasions (four for Columbo) and the Golden Globe award once...(Wikipedia)
,
Pat Morita
Pat-Morita
57 total credits
Noriyuki "Pat" Morita (June 28, 1932 - November 24, 2005) was an American actor of Japanese descent who was well-known for playing the role of Matsuo "Arnold" Takahashi on Happy Days and known as Mr. Miyagi in the Karate Kid movie series, in which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1984...(Wikipedia)
,
Blythe Danner
Blythe-Danner
72 total credits
Blythe Katherine Danner (born February 3, 1943) is an American actress. She is the mother of actress Gwyneth Paltrow and director Jake Paltrow. Her earliest starring film role was opposite Alan Alda in To Kill a Clown (1972). Not by coincidence, Danner appeared in the episode of M*A*S*H entitled The More I See You, playing the love interest of Alda's character Hawkeye. She played the role of Zelda Fitzgerald in The Last of the Belles (1974)...(Wikipedia)
,
James Olson
James-Olson
23 total credits
Credits include: The Andromeda Strain, Ragtime, Amityville II: The Possession, Rachel, Rachel and Étude in Black
,
John Cassavetes
John-Cassavetes
67 total credits
John Nicholas Cassavetes was an American actor, screenwriter and filmmaker. He appeared in many Hollywood films. He is most notable as a pioneer of American independent film. His films are noted for their use of improvisation and a realistic cinéma vérité style... (Wikipedia)
,
Myrna Loy
Myrna-Loy
99 total credits
Credits include: The Best Years of Our Lives, The Thin Man, After the Thin Man, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House and Love Me Tonight
,
Anjanette Comer
Anjanette-Comer
21 total credits
Credits include: The Baby, The Underneath, The Loved One, Étude in Black and The Appaloosa
,
Don Knight
Don-Knight
10 total credits
Credits include: Swamp Thing, The Apple Dumpling Gang, Étude in Black, Code Name: Diamond Head and Something Big
,
James McEachin
James-McEachin
24 total credits
Credits include: 2010: The Year We Make Contact, Sudden Impact, Play Misty for Me, Every Which Way But Loose and Hello, Dolly!
,
Michael Fox
Michael-Fox
12 total credits
Credits include: Étude in Black, The Most Dangerous Match, War of the Satellites, Nightmare as a Child and Mr. Dingle, the Strong

Franchise:

Columbo

Genres:

Drama, Crime, Mystery

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Étude in Black

1972
Drama, Crime
TV Episode
1h 38m
Your probable score

Ratings & Reviews

Compact view
Compact view
Average Percentile: 54.11%
19 Oct 2011
68
47th
A weak episode of Columbo, with John Cassavetes going a little over the top as a conductor who kills his piano playing mistress. It's comical if you have ever been to a symphonic concert to watch Cassavetes "conducting" the orchestra. It still makes me laugh after all these years.
21 Aug 2023
50
19th
This is a weak start to season 2. The setup dragged on, the fake musicians were distracting, and the conclusion was weak due to the series obsession with getting a confession. The compounding evidence was strong, but the killer confessing over the flower was so forced. Also Columbo went a bit extra with the harassment this episode.
25 Aug 2020
55
29th
Had higher expectations but with an episode starring Cassavetes but turned out one of the weaker ones.
17 Mar 2014
61
75th
The usual draws of a Columbo did not work here - the reveal was too obvious from the beginning. But the dialogue by Cassavetes was sparkling and Blythe Danner did her usual talk with the eyes. Conducting the orchestra to do a score for a Hitler documentary you would be left wondering if he was actually doing a Hitler impersonation. Aside from conducting superb acting.
28 Jul 2013
3
73rd
Sloppy by their usual (high) standards and the conducting scenes were badly done but Falk was on form as ever.
04 Aug 2010
100
97th
Goodbye, genius.
23 Jan 2010
5
54th
Poorly directed, as it gives away far too much in the beginning, so you know how Columbo's going to solve it. It's still fairly enjoyable watching it play out though, as usual.
04 Aug 2008
58
49th
Peter Falk had starred in the John Cassavetes-directed "Husbands" and would later star in his masterpiece "A Woman Under the Influence" and in his "Big Trouble", and here Cassavetes "pays him back" by guest-starring in Columbo. Disappointingly, it's not a very good episode. Columbo ends up with what seems like inconclusive evidence, and at one point, he knowingly and in broad daylight presents a child witness to the murder suspect - a definite no-no.

Cast & Info

Directed by:

Nicholas Colasanto
Nicholas-Colasanto
14 total credits
Credits include: Raging Bull, Family Plot, Fat City, Cheers and Étude in Black

Writers:

Steven Bochco
Steven-Bochco
22 total credits
Credits include: Silent Running, Murder by the Book, Étude in Black, Lady in Waiting and NYPD Blue
,
Richard Levinson
Richard-Levinson
32 total credits
Credits include: Murder by the Book, Murder, She Wrote, The Hindenburg, Prescription: Murder and Death Lends a Hand
,
William Link
William-Link
31 total credits
Credits include: Columbo, Murder by the Book, Murder, She Wrote, Prescription: Murder and Death Lends a Hand

Starring:

Peter Falk
Peter-Falk
70 total credits
alk (September 16, 1927 - June 23, 2011) was an American actor, best known for his role as Lieutenant Columbo in the television series Columbo. He appeared in numerous films such as The Princess Bride, The Great Race and Next, and television guest roles and was nominated for an Academy Award twice (for 1960's Murder, Inc. and 1961's Pocketful of Miracles), and won the Emmy Award on five occasions (four for Columbo) and the Golden Globe award once...(Wikipedia)
,
Pat Morita
Pat-Morita
57 total credits
Noriyuki "Pat" Morita (June 28, 1932 - November 24, 2005) was an American actor of Japanese descent who was well-known for playing the role of Matsuo "Arnold" Takahashi on Happy Days and known as Mr. Miyagi in the Karate Kid movie series, in which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1984...(Wikipedia)
,
Blythe Danner
Blythe-Danner
72 total credits
Blythe Katherine Danner (born February 3, 1943) is an American actress. She is the mother of actress Gwyneth Paltrow and director Jake Paltrow. Her earliest starring film role was opposite Alan Alda in To Kill a Clown (1972). Not by coincidence, Danner appeared in the episode of M*A*S*H entitled The More I See You, playing the love interest of Alda's character Hawkeye. She played the role of Zelda Fitzgerald in The Last of the Belles (1974)...(Wikipedia)
,
James Olson
James-Olson
23 total credits
Credits include: The Andromeda Strain, Ragtime, Amityville II: The Possession, Rachel, Rachel and Étude in Black
,
John Cassavetes
John-Cassavetes
67 total credits
John Nicholas Cassavetes was an American actor, screenwriter and filmmaker. He appeared in many Hollywood films. He is most notable as a pioneer of American independent film. His films are noted for their use of improvisation and a realistic cinéma vérité style... (Wikipedia)
,
Myrna Loy
Myrna-Loy
99 total credits
Credits include: The Best Years of Our Lives, The Thin Man, After the Thin Man, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House and Love Me Tonight
,
Anjanette Comer
Anjanette-Comer
21 total credits
Credits include: The Baby, The Underneath, The Loved One, Étude in Black and The Appaloosa
,
Don Knight
Don-Knight
10 total credits
Credits include: Swamp Thing, The Apple Dumpling Gang, Étude in Black, Code Name: Diamond Head and Something Big
,
James McEachin
James-McEachin
24 total credits
Credits include: 2010: The Year We Make Contact, Sudden Impact, Play Misty for Me, Every Which Way But Loose and Hello, Dolly!
,
Michael Fox
Michael-Fox
12 total credits
Credits include: Étude in Black, The Most Dangerous Match, War of the Satellites, Nightmare as a Child and Mr. Dingle, the Strong

Franchise:

Columbo

Genres:

Drama, Crime, Mystery

Country:

USA

Language:

English
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