On September 15, 1971, NBC aired the first official episode of Columbo: Murder by the Book. What could have been just another detective drama instead became a genre-defining moment. With Peter Falk stepping fully into the role of Lieutenant Columbo, a script by legendary writer Steven Bochco, and direction by a then-unknown Steven Spielberg, the episode captured lightning in a bottle. More than fifty years later, it remains one of the most celebrated hours of television mystery ever produced.
The Premise: A Crime Between Partners
At the heart of Murder by the Book is a deceptively simple setup. Writing duo Ken Franklin (Jack Cassidy) and Jim Ferris (Martin Milner) are the team behind the wildly successful “Mrs. Melville” mystery novels. Their readers adore them, but the truth is less glamorous: Ferris writes, Franklin merely poses as a co-creator.
When Ferris announces his intention to go solo, Franklin panics. Without his partner, his career and reputation will collapse. His solution? Murder Ferris and frame the crime as a random act of violence.
It’s a perfect crime — or so Franklin thinks. Enter Lieutenant Columbo, trench coat rumpled, cigar in hand, asking seemingly harmless questions that eventually unravel everything.
A New Kind of Detective Story
Unlike most crime shows of the era, Columbo wasn’t a “whodunit.” The audience watched the murder happen in the opening act. The suspense came from the “howcatchem” — how Columbo would catch the killer.
In Murder by the Book, the formula is already in place:
The charming villain: Ken Franklin, witty and self-assured.
The battle of wits: Franklin’s arrogance versus Columbo’s quiet persistence.
The unraveling detail: Franklin overlooks small inconsistencies, but Columbo never does.
Peter Falk’s performance elevates it further. His Columbo is disarming — polite, scatterbrained, always on the verge of leaving with his signature “just one more thing.” Yet beneath the surface lies a relentless mind that never misses a clue.
Spielberg’s Early Brilliance
One of the most remarkable aspects of Murder by the Book is its director: a 24-year-old Steven Spielberg. Long before Jaws and E.T., Spielberg was honing his craft on television, and his fingerprints are all over this episode.
He employed stylish camera movements, striking compositions, and Hitchcock-like suspense that gave the episode a cinematic feel far beyond typical TV of the time. Spielberg’s direction is particularly evident in:
The cabin murder scene, shot with eerie quiet and unsettling intimacy.
The slow build of tension, where seemingly mundane conversations carry an undercurrent of dread.
Critics and fans often cite Murder by the Book as one of the best-looking Columbo episodes, thanks in large part to Spielberg’s ambition and visual flair.
Jack Cassidy: The Quintessential Columbo Villain
If Peter Falk was Columbo’s heart, Jack Cassidy was its spark. His portrayal of Ken Franklin is equal parts charming, arrogant, and ruthless. He embodies exactly the type of villain the series would come to perfect — the suave intellectual who underestimates Columbo at every turn.
Cassidy’s performance was so memorable that he returned as entirely different murderers in later episodes (Publish or Perish in 1974 and Now You See Him in 1976). Among fans, he is often cited as one of the greatest recurring Columbo adversaries, alongside Patrick McGoohan and Robert Culp.
Behind-the-Scenes Trivia
A Bochco script: The episode was written by Steven Bochco, who would later go on to create Hill Street Blues and NYPD Blue. His sharp writing helped establish the “killer’s perspective” storytelling that became the series hallmark.
Peter Falk’s improvisation: Falk often improvised Columbo’s mannerisms — fumbling for a pencil, fishing through his pockets — adding to the detective’s lived-in realism.
Spielberg’s career boost: This episode’s success played a role in convincing Universal Studios to give Spielberg more directing opportunities, eventually leading to Duel (1971), his breakout TV movie.
Cultural Impact
Murder by the Book didn’t just launch a TV series; it helped redefine the crime drama. Its reversal of the traditional mystery structure influenced later shows like Dexter and Breaking Bad, where audiences follow the criminal’s perspective as much as the law’s.
It also solidified Columbo as an enduring pop culture figure. The image of the raincoat-clad detective, unassuming but razor-sharp, became a blueprint for the “anti-hero detective” archetype.
Comparing to Later Episodes
While Murder by the Book is a fan favorite, it also laid down patterns that would be refined in later episodes:
Villain archetypes: From Cassidy’s flashy arrogance to McGoohan’s icy precision, the show continued to pit Columbo against larger-than-life egos.
Thematic murders: Later episodes leaned into eccentric professions (magicians, wine connoisseurs, lawyers), but Franklin’s novelist background set the precedent.
The slow reveal: The meticulous build of tension in Murder by the Book became the signature rhythm of the series.
Some later episodes surpassed it in complexity (Any Old Port in a Storm, Now You See Him), but few matched its sheer impact as a debut.
Why It Endures
More than five decades on, Murder by the Book still feels fresh. It isn’t just a murder mystery — it’s a duel of personalities. Franklin’s charm and ego meet Columbo’s humility and persistence, and the result is as entertaining today as it was in 1971.
For longtime fans, it’s a nostalgic masterpiece. For newcomers, it’s the perfect entry point: stylish, tightly written, brilliantly acted, and endlessly rewatchable.
Final Thoughts
Murder by the Book wasn’t just the first episode of Columbo — it was a statement of intent. With Spielberg’s direction, Cassidy’s villainy, Bochco’s script, and Falk’s iconic performance, it set a gold standard for television mysteries.
As Columbo himself might say, “There’s just one more thing”… every time you revisit it, you’ll notice a new detail — and that’s the true magic of this classic.
Interesting side note, before Jonathan Demme directed Silence of the Lambs he also directed an episode of Columbo-Season 7-Episode 2- Murder Under Glass.
How interesting would it have been if Columbo would have investigated Hannibal Lecter.
sources
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066932/?ref_=mv_close
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