BENSON: DEATH IN A FUNNY POSITION {PARTS 1 AND 2} {FOURTH SEASON PREMIERE} (TV)
Summary
The fourth season premiere in this comedy series about Benson DuBois, who manages the chaotic household of the state's honest yet inept governor. In this two-part episode, everyone decides to vacation aboard a yacht belonging to a local millionaire, J.D. Cannon, and soon learn that Cannon has invited several other friends as well, including the glamorous movie star Gabrielle Simone. The Governor admires Cannon's collection of "pirate weaponry," noting that one dagger is missing, though Benson overhears Cannon arguing with one of his guests, Marvin Musker, about money. Over dinner, conversation turns awkward as Roy Lucas, the drunken basketball coach, learns that Cannon may be selling his team, and he states that the millionaire "ruins people's lives." Later, Kraus is horrified when Cannon collapses in front of her with a dagger in his back, though his body then vanishes and the guests suspect that the killer tossed him overboard. Musker and Lucas immediately accuse one another, though Gabrielle attempts to cover for Lucas, and they then learn that the radio has stopped working.
Benson and the Governor debate theories about the killer's identity, with Kraus chiming in that she suspects the captain, and the Governor finds that the missing dagger has been returned. He then pockets a mysterious notebook, unaware that Gabrielle has seen him, and an unseen figure then attempts to murder the Governor as well, though the book saves his life. He tells his frantic staff that it is Cannon's notebook and seems to suggest that he had blackmail money hidden in Swiss banks. They guess that the killer will want the book back, and Benson and the Governor overhear Musker scheming with Nash, Cannon's right-hand man, and they agree to split Cannon's ill-gotten money if they can find it. Still unsure who is truly behind it all, Benson and the Governor then spy on Gabrielle and Lucas, who reveal that they were once married and are apparently still in love. When Musker catches them together and Kraus barges into the scene as well, Benson and the Governor hurry in to "save" her. The captain scolds them for leaving their rooms, and everyone panics when Musker suddenly drops dead as well, apparently poisoned.
As they attempt to find the best place to store the latest dead body, Benson begins to put the pieces together and tell Kraus that he knows who the killer is. He gathers everyone in the stateroom and begins to "lay out the facts," revealing that Musker's glasses, not his drink, were poisoned, and that nearly everyone has motive, either for love or for money. After a complicated explanation, Benson reveals that the captain is actually Cannon in disguise and that he faked his death to escape with his stolen money, inviting the guests along as credible witnesses and suspects for his "murder." Cannon pulls a gun and attempts to force them all into a lifeboat, but Katie makes a well-timed entrance and unwittingly saves the day, and everyone praises Benson's detective work. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: November 30, 1999 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:50:21
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:14921
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; African-American Collection - Comedy
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1979-1986
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Paul Junger Witt … Executive Producer
- Tony Thomas … Executive Producer
- Bob Colleary … Producer
- Rob Dames … Co-Producer, Writer
- Bob Fraser … Co-Producer, Writer
- Marsha F. Posner … Associate Producer
- Bill Foster … Director
- Susan Harris … Created by
- George Aliceson Tipton … Music by
- Robert Guillaume … Cast, Benson DuBois
- James Noble … Cast, Governor Eugene Xavier Gatling
- Inga Swenson … Cast, Gretchen Wilomena Kraus
- Missy Gold … Cast, Katherine 'Katie' Olivia Gatling
- Ethan Phillips … Cast, Peter 'Pete' John Downey
- Didi Conn … Cast, Denise Florence Stevens Downey
- Rene Auberjonois … Cast, Clayton Runnymede Endicott III
- Ron Carey … Cast, Nash
- Michael Constantine … Cast, Marvin Musker
- Keene Curtis … Cast, J.D. Cannon
- Lynda Day George … Cast, Gabrielle Simone
- Tab Hunter … Cast, Roy Lucas