Columbo was a crime drama presented in a unique fashion that could be described as "turning Perry Mason on his head." There were no car chases, no shootouts (Columbo was hardly ever seen brandishing his service revolver and complained and procrastinated about the required firearms training and test), no spy gizmos, no DNA testing, no lawyers, no urgent calls for back-up, and ultimately no recourse for the guest star murderer of the week.
Unlike most other murder mystery shows, the audience typically saw the ghastly deed committed at the beginning of the show. After the body is discovered, enter the apparently bumbling and dimwitted homicide detective, Lt. Columbo (Peter Falk) sartorially attired in his trademark rumpled, soiled raincoat
The charm of the show was watching Lt. Columbo slowly wear down the smug, arrogant killer as he slowly picked apart the case. The killer barely noticed the noose getting tightened around their neck ever so gently by someone they thought was a bumbling idiot.
Lt. Columbo was always showing up to share some new detail about the case or a vaguely related anecdote about his never-seen wife with the killer. The killer would then think he'd given Columbo the brush-off again when Columbo would invoke his secret weapon: He put his fingers on his forehead like he had a headache and utter his trademark line, "Oh, and just one more thing, if you don't mind....." The one more thing would inevitably be something that would throw the killer off balance. After about 4 or 5 of flase-exits in an episode, the killer would topple, by taking some rash action, or uttering something that he should have no business knowing unless he were the killer. Lt. Columbo may have acted like a bungling dimwit, but that was the chief component to his brilliance.
Columbo was aired on Sunday evenings during the NBC Sunday Mystery Movie in the fall of 1971. Columbo also had the distinction of having two pilot episodes. One aired in February of 1968 and the other three years later in March of 1971 before earning a regular slot in NBC's 1971 fall line-up. Mystery Movie was a 'wheel' (rotating stories and characters) showin the vein of The Name of the Game. It rotated with McCloud, MacMillan and Wife, McCoy, Hec Ramsey, Amy Prentiss, and Quincy, but unlike 'Name', there was never any cross-over or unifying element among the shows. Some episodes were 90 minutes, others were 120 minutes. Columbo left NBC in 1978, but reappeared on ABC in 1989 in a similar wheel show.
Columbo also begat a spin-off of sorts called Mrs. Columbo starring Kate Mulgrew, later of Star Trek Voyager fame.
9.3/10 (4 Votes cast)
Unlike most other murder mystery shows, the audience typically saw the ghastly deed committed at the beginning of the show. After the body is discovered, enter the apparently bumbling and dimwitted homicide detective, Lt. Columbo (Peter Falk) sartorially attired in his trademark rumpled, soiled raincoat
The charm of the show was watching Lt. Columbo slowly wear down the smug, arrogant killer as he slowly picked apart the case. The killer barely noticed the noose getting tightened around their neck ever so gently by someone they thought was a bumbling idiot.
Lt. Columbo was always showing up to share some new detail about the case or a vaguely related anecdote about his never-seen wife with the killer. The killer would then think he'd given Columbo the brush-off again when Columbo would invoke his secret weapon: He put his fingers on his forehead like he had a headache and utter his trademark line, "Oh, and just one more thing, if you don't mind....." The one more thing would inevitably be something that would throw the killer off balance. After about 4 or 5 of flase-exits in an episode, the killer would topple, by taking some rash action, or uttering something that he should have no business knowing unless he were the killer. Lt. Columbo may have acted like a bungling dimwit, but that was the chief component to his brilliance.
Columbo was aired on Sunday evenings during the NBC Sunday Mystery Movie in the fall of 1971. Columbo also had the distinction of having two pilot episodes. One aired in February of 1968 and the other three years later in March of 1971 before earning a regular slot in NBC's 1971 fall line-up. Mystery Movie was a 'wheel' (rotating stories and characters) showin the vein of The Name of the Game. It rotated with McCloud, MacMillan and Wife, McCoy, Hec Ramsey, Amy Prentiss, and Quincy, but unlike 'Name', there was never any cross-over or unifying element among the shows. Some episodes were 90 minutes, others were 120 minutes. Columbo left NBC in 1978, but reappeared on ABC in 1989 in a similar wheel show.
Columbo also begat a spin-off of sorts called Mrs. Columbo starring Kate Mulgrew, later of Star Trek Voyager fame.
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Recaps
5x5: Now You See Him recap: The Great Santini, the headline performer at the Cabaret of Magic, goes to his office in the basement, loads a revolver, and puts a silencer on it. After covering it with a cloth, Santini then removes a small radio transmitter from a bag and places it in a hidden compartment in a statue. He then goes upstairs, passing by the stage manager George Thomas. George warns him that the club’s owner, Jesse T. Jerome is looking for Santini... read more.2x6: A Stitch in Crime recap: Senior heart surgeon D. Edmund Hiedeman is rushed to the hospital after a heart attack. Nurse Sharon Martin comes in to see him as he advises the attending physician, Dr. Simpson, on the diagnosis. Hiedeman then goes to the lab where his partner, Dr. Barry Mayfield, is reading a cable from a colleague to Hiedeman advising that he take a longer series of tests. Mayfield assures Hiedeman that their transplant lab tests are going fine and suggests they announce their results concerning transplant anti-rejection. Hiedeman is fine with waiting longer and figures that Mayfield wants to get the credit. However, he advises that they need further tests. Mayfield agrees and Sharon comes in to take Hiedeman for his room, and Mayfield insists that he finally get his valve operation. Hiedeman gives in and Martin takes him away, and then comes back for his glasses. Mayfield gives her the letter for Hiedeman and assures her that Hiedeman will be fine. As she takes the letter to Hiedeman, she realizes that Mayfield has read it... read more.
1x8: Short Fuse recap: Chemist and photographer Roger Stanford is working in his darkroom and carefully prepares a volatile explosive mix and puts it in metal cigar tubes, and then wires them to the cigar box case. He then goes to see his uncle, David Buckner, at the chemical plant that he owns. He starts spraying Silly String around at the staff and claiming that he's protesting. They take it away from him as David's secretary, Betty Bishop, comes to usher him in. Inside the office, Betty worries that he might be developing the pictures he took of her. As he goes in, he notices that David's luggage is there, and Betty tells him that David is leaving a day early for his cabin in the woods. He points out that a box of cigars is missing. When Betty goes to get them from a cabinet, Roger takes away some of the cigars there... read more.
1x6: Suitable for Framing recap: Art critic Dale Kingston arrives at the home of his wealthy uncle, Rudy Mathews. He listens as his uncle plays the piano, then reveals that he is wearing gloves. Kingston takes out a gun and shoots his uncle dead. Kingston then gets a heating blanket, plugs it in, and covers his uncle's body with it. The critic then ransacks the place, goes to the patio door, and scratches the lock... read more.
1x4: Death Lends a Hand recap: Private investigator Brimmer is test-firing a gun at a firing range. Once he finishes, he leave with his underlings, who report to him the status on his company's current cases. Brimmer goes to his office and prepares for a meeting with one of his clients, newspaper owner Arthur Kennicutt. While he waits, Brimmer contacts a woman in the next room and tells her to listen in carefully. When Kennicutt arrives, Brimmer tells Kennicutt that he's kept his wife Lenore under surveillance for the last five weeks, per his request. He assures Kennicutt that Lenore has been faithful to him. Kennicutt is surprised, but admits that he's angry at himself for marrying a younger woman and becoming paranoid... read more.
Crew
Recurring Guests
• Bruce Kirby as Lab Attendant (7 eps)
• John Finnegan as Barney (4 eps)
• Robert Culp as Dr. Bart Keppel (4 eps)
• Val Avery as Harry Barnes (4 eps)
• Patrick McGoohan as Eric Prince (4 eps)
• Shera Danese as Vanessa Barsini (4 eps)
• Jack Cassidy as Ken Franklin (3 eps)
• Timothy Carey as Bert (3 eps)
• Leslie Nielsen as Geronimo/"A.J. Henderson" (2 eps)
• Bernard Fox as William Durk (2 eps)
• View All Recurring Guests
• John Finnegan as Barney (4 eps)
• Robert Culp as Dr. Bart Keppel (4 eps)
• Val Avery as Harry Barnes (4 eps)
• Patrick McGoohan as Eric Prince (4 eps)
• Shera Danese as Vanessa Barsini (4 eps)
• Jack Cassidy as Ken Franklin (3 eps)
• Timothy Carey as Bert (3 eps)
• Leslie Nielsen as Geronimo/"A.J. Henderson" (2 eps)
• Bernard Fox as William Durk (2 eps)
• View All Recurring Guests
Classification: Scripted
Genre: Crime | Drama | Mystery
Status: Canceled/Ended
Network: ABC (
USA)
Runtime: 120 Minutes
Premiere: September 15, 1971
Ended: January 30, 2003
Genre: Crime | Drama | Mystery
Status: Canceled/Ended
Network: ABC (
USA)Runtime: 120 Minutes
Premiere: September 15, 1971
Ended: January 30, 2003
Themes
Akas
• Colombo (Used In Italy)Partners
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