# Banacek (1972)

> A Boston insurance investigator solves high-value art and jewel theft cases in this 1970s NBC mystery series starring George Peppard.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/1258

## Facts

- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 16
- Episode runtime: 70 min
- Status: Canceled
- Genres: crime, mystery, drama
- Created by: Anthony Wilson
- Network: NBC
- Cast: George Peppard, George Murdock, Ralph Manza, Murray Matheson, Christine Belford, Stefanie Powers, Madlyn Rhue, Robert Webber
- TMDB rating: 7.7/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068044/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: mild
- Tone: breezy, urbane, witty, genial

## What critics say

Banacek was generally well received as a charming, puzzle-driven mystery carried by its lead's easy presence, though critics found its formula familiar.

## Synopsis

Banacek (1972-1974) is an American detective series created by Anthony Wilson for NBC. George Peppard stars as Thomas Banacek, an independent insurance investigator in Boston who is hired to recover stolen paintings, jewels and other valuables that insurers have written off. Each feature-length episode, running about seventy minutes, is a self-contained case of the week in which Banacek works through clues and tracks down the thieves, often with help from loyal associates such as Ralph Manza's Jay Drury and Murray Matheson's Felix Mulholland, while Christine Belford's Carlie Kirkland adds a sharp presence in later installments. The engine is the puzzle itself: a valuable object, a crafty theft, and an investigator who must out-think people with more money and more resources. The series ran as part of NBC's rotating Wednesday Mystery Movie anthology, alternating in its time slot with other shows, and became the only one of them to outlast its first season. Its tone is breezy and urbane, with a 1970s network polish, a relaxed rhythm and a light touch of wit. Fans of Columbo, McCloud and Hart to Hart will find the same blend of genial sleuthing and stylish urban detection.

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