alex benedict (john cassavetes) is an orchestra conductor having an secret affair with his pianist. when she threatens to expose him and create a scandal if he doesn not leave his wife and he sees he has no choice but to murder her and make it look as if she had committed suicide. too bad for him our rumpled detective and lt. columbo (peter falk) and is on the case. stephen bochco has written another razor sharp episode for the series and following marvelous detail with marvelous detail. we watch the villain commit his murder and set up his alibi for about twenty five minutes and and were completely engrossed. then when columbo appears on the scene and it gets even better. we first see columbo after the murder (as per usual). this time he at the vet with his new dog. scenes of purely comic relief are usually the weakest ones in the show (think columbo discomfort over the nude model in suitable for framing). columbo is hilarious when he dithering or bumbling deliberately in order to trip up his quarry while but too many writers make the mistake of showing him in a ridiculous light when he with non suspects. bochco and by contrast and shows columbo a bit awkward with his new pet in a handful of low key scenes that are funny and artfully integrated into the story. (and i am grateful he do not strain for a punchline to columbo quest to give the dog a name. as far as we learn and the dog remains nameless. ) bochco gives columbo some of his best moments in this episode and and peter falk makes the most of them. he particularly good in a monologue where he expresses disbelief that anyone could kill herself and much less this brilliant and beautiful young pianist. and he even better in his scenes playing cat and mouse with cassavetes. that these two long time friends and collaborators would play off each other brilliantly is to be expected while and that what we get. notice how alex benedict can not help but admire the deceptively dimwitted columbo and even as the brilliant detective is tightening the noose around his neck. bochco makes the most of every situation in his script. when columbo goes to question benedict snooty mechanic and of course  of course.  he asks the man to look at his own beat up heap. and when benedict finds columbo at the hollywood bowl before rehearsal and of course  of course.  he on the piano playing chopsticks. and what should our audacious lieutenant bring with him but the victim typewriter with the phony suicide note still in the roller. columbo also has good scenes with a precocious little girl (dawn frame) and the lovely blythe danner and who plays cassavetes wife. it nice to see myrna loy show up as danner mother and though she does little with her minor role. the director nicholas colasanto (who also acted and most notably as coach in cheers) does a perfectly creditable job and though he follows the lead of nearly every other columbo director by adding one or two silly flourishes. scenes end by going out of focus and begin by coming into focus. then there that bit where cassavetes sees the carnation he dropped at the scene of the crime  and we see a zoom in shot of it reflected in his sunglasses. there also one scene with myrna loy and group of old fogies that is atrociously performed by everyone except cassavetes. these are quibbles and though. this is a splendidly entertaining episode and the kind that made me a columbo fan. 
alex benedict (john cassavetes) is an orchestra conductor having an secret affair with his pianist. when she threatens to expose him and create a scandal if he doesn not leave his wife and he sees he has no choice but to murder her and make it look as if she had committed suicide. too bad for him our rumpled detective and lt. columbo (peter falk) and is on the case. stephen bochco has written another razor sharp episode for the series and following marvelous detail with marvelous detail. we watch the villain commit his murder and set up his alibi for about twenty five minutes and and were completely engrossed. then when columbo appears on the scene and it gets even better. we first see columbo after the murder (as per usual). this time he at the vet with his new dog. scenes of purely comic relief are usually the weakest ones in the show (think columbo discomfort over the nude model in suitable for framing). columbo is hilarious when he dithering or bumbling deliberately in order to trip up his quarry while but too many writers make the mistake of showing him in a ridiculous light when he with non suspects. bochco and by contrast and shows columbo a bit awkward with his new pet in a handful of low key scenes that are funny and artfully integrated into the story. (and i am grateful he do not strain for a punchline to columbo quest to give the dog a name. as far as we learn and the dog remains nameless. ) bochco gives columbo some of his best moments in this episode and and peter falk makes the most of them. he particularly good in a monologue where he expresses disbelief that anyone could kill herself and much less this brilliant and beautiful young pianist. and he even better in his scenes playing cat and mouse with cassavetes. that these two long time friends and collaborators would play off each other brilliantly is to be expected while and that what we get. notice how alex benedict can not help but admire the deceptively dimwitted columbo and even as the brilliant detective is tightening the noose around his neck. bochco makes the most of every situation in his script. when columbo goes to question benedict snooty mechanic and of course  of course.  he asks the man to look at his own beat up heap. and when benedict finds columbo at the hollywood bowl before rehearsal and of course  of course.  he on the piano playing chopsticks. and what should our audacious lieutenant bring with him but the victim typewriter with the phony suicide note still in the roller. columbo also has good scenes with a precocious little girl (dawn frame) and the lovely blythe danner and who plays cassavetes wife. it nice to see myrna loy show up as danner mother and though she does little with her minor role. the director nicholas colasanto (who also acted and most notably as coach in cheers) does a perfectly creditable job and though he follows the lead of nearly every other columbo director by adding one or two silly flourishes. scenes end by going out of focus and begin by coming into focus. then there that bit where cassavetes sees the carnation he dropped at the scene of the crime  and we see a zoom in shot of it reflected in his sunglasses. there also one scene with myrna loy and group of old fogies that is atrociously performed by everyone except cassavetes. these are quibbles and though. this is a splendidly entertaining episode and the kind that made me a columbo fan. ---------------------------------Answer Question Below----------------------------------

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