PARIS: PILOT {SERIES PREMIERE} (TV)
Summary
The first in this dramatic series about Los Angeles Police Department Captain Woody Paris, who moonlights as a criminology professor.
In this episode, Lydia Wellman, wife of prominent Councilman Julius Wellman is found murdered in their home in an apparent burglary gone awry, and the distraught husband requests "the best" investigator on the force. Elsewhere, Paris teaches his class a valuable lesson about eyewitness testimony with a staged classroom "robbery." Deputy Chief Jerome Bench soon summons Paris to the scene of the Wellman murder. Paris learns that three pieces of diamond jewelry were stolen, presumably by the killer, and wonders why the Wellmans' dog did not bark during the attack. Paris chats with colleague Jake Eisenstadt, who assures him that he has "carte blanche" on the high-profile Wellman case, and Paris suggests that Randall Cosby, recently arrested for home-invasion robbery, may be the culprit. At home, however, he talks through the facts of the case with his wife Barbara, a nurse, and reveals that he actually suspects Julius.
Later, he instructs his detectives to run down various clues, and he soon encounters Samantha Williams, Cosby's no-nonsense lawyer. The Wellmans' housekeeper reveals that a memorial for Lydia will be held at the home of the Carlins, the couple's best friends; she implores him to catch the killer quickly. Cosby is soon arrested, and Julius thanks Paris for his speedy efficiency. Paris assures him that Bench is the true hero, and then casually questions Julius about why his trained security dog might not have alerted the neighbors to the crime. Julius grows uncomfortable and heatedly denies that his wife had a lover, but Sergeant Stacey Erickson then confirms that a neighbor did in fact overhear Lydia in the pool with a mysterious figure. Dr. Milton Lavelle performs the autopsy and tells Paris that Lydia showed signs of many serious injuries over the years, though the Wellmans' family doctor, Malcolm Hart, nervously denies that Julius abused her and claims that she was merely "accident-prone."
Paris manages to smooth things over when Williams confronts him for falsely accusing Cosby, but Bench then scolds Paris for looking into the politically powerful Julius as a legitimate suspect. Detective Ernie Villas then reveals that fingerprints place pool man Bo Manning, who has a series of arrests for assault, in the Wellman home. Manning is arrested after a short chase, but he swears that he was not having an affair with Lydia and was not involved in her death. Detective Willie Miller wonders why Paris is still fixated on Julius despite the appearance of another suspect, pointing out that the other black police officers look up to Paris as a role model. Paris remains committed to learning the truth at any price. Barbara suggests that Lydia would have confided in her best friend about an affair, and Florence Carlin admits that Lydia had indeed taken a lover to escape her violent husband, but never disclosed a name. Paris requests a search warrant for the Wellman home, though Bench warns him that he will be committing "professional suicide" if he is incorrect in his suspicions. Paris and the others discover two separate sizes of women's clothing hidden in the home, and when he again confronts Carlin, she confesses that she herself was Lydia's secret lover and that Julius murdered his wife in a rage upon catching them together. Paris urges her to tell the police everything, but she declares that the scandal will ruin her family. Barbara urges Paris to "consider the price" of his actions, and Bench is apologetic when Paris is reassigned, but Carlin then arrives at the precinct, having decided to tell the truth. Paris is finally vindicated as Julius is arrested. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: September 29, 1979 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:47:14
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:60696
- GENRE: Drama, police/detective
- SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection - Drama; Drama, police/detective; Drama, mystery/suspense; Los Angeles; Murder
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1979-1980
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Steven Bochco … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Gregory Hoblit … Producer
- Jackie Cooper … Director
- Fred Karlin … Music by
- James Earl Jones … Cast, Detective Capt. Woodrow 'Woody' Paris
- Lee Chamberlin … Cast, Barbara Paris
- Hank Garrett … Cast, Deputy Chief Jerome Bench
- Cecilia Hart … Cast, Sgt. Stacey Erickson
- Jake Mitchell … Cast, Charlie Bogart
- Frank Ramirez … Cast, Ernie Villas
- Michael Warren … Cast, Willie Miller
- Vic Morrow … Cast, Councilman Julius Wellman
- Barbara Babcock … Cast, Florence Carlin
- Frank Marth … Cast, Jake Eisenstadt
- Candy Ann Brown … Cast, Samantha Williams
- Kiel Martin … Cast, Bo Manning
- Joe Spano … Cast, Milton Lavelle
- Maidie Norman … Cast, Mrs. Webster
- Eugene Peterson … Cast, Dr. Malcolm Hart
- Alan Rachins … Cast, Davis
- Don Diamond … Cast, Sam
- Hank Ross … Cast, Harris
- David Cohen … Cast, Robinson
- Barbara Lindsay … Cast, Brooks
- Charles Seaverns … Cast, Rob Foster