Let’s jig with glee to mark this momentous occasion!
As some of you LOVELY PEOPLE will be aware, this blog smashed through the million views landmark at the end of last week – a testament to the enduring love Lieutenant Columbo still garners from all over the world.
This brief message is merely a huge thanks to you all for your kind words, support and encouragement over the past 3-and-a-bit-years since this labour of love was launched. It’s extremely heartening to know my efforts are enjoyed by so many who share my appreciation of the greatest TV show of all time!
The build-up to the million was an exciting time, with the site being absolutely bombarded with visitors! Indeed there were over 1000 views in the final 20 minutes or so before the milestone was reached with regular visitors (I believe) eagerly refreshing the pages to try to secure the actual millionth view, and with it the vintage Dagger of the Mind Italian photo movie poster I was offering as a prize.
While this dedication to the cause is admirable, it actually caused the site views counter to fail for the first time! As a result, many viewers saw the page counter jump up by hundreds of views, not just one at a time, in the final, crucial minutes, meaning the millionth view screen cap seems to have been unattainable.
Here’s to you all…
However, all is not lost. As I referenced at the time of offering the prize, I was happy to offer it to the person who got closest to the millionth view and could provide photographic evidence. But because of the technical hitches, I ended up having 7 people sending in images with the view counter tantalisingly poised at 999,954. Close, as they say, but no cigar…
The magnificent seven were Janet, Ted, Heath, Susan, Kevin, Keith and someone known only as Oceanridge! As I had only one poster available, I had to stage a random prize draw and the winner was BIG HEATH. The poster will be winging its way to him in sunny Illinois any day now!
“The build-up to the million was an exciting time, with the site being absolutely bombarded with visitors!”
So after all that commotion, it’s now back to business as usual, and hopefully pumping out quality content on a regular basis to keep the Columbo community engaged and entertained. If you have any suggestions for articles you’d like to read, please shoot me an email or leave your ideas in the comments section below.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to celebrate the millionth view success with an old friend – a jovial Irish chap by the name of Joe Devlin. I think you’d like him. We’ll be cracking open the Fuller’s Irish Dew and having a live ‘Limerick off’ to the delight of onlookers. If you happen to be in the vicinity, feel free to drop by. I have a feeling it could be a late one…
12 or 13 hours later and we’re still going strong… *hic*
How about your views on the Mrs Columbo ‘spin off’ series?
When I had the complete series of Columbo on DVD, there were one or more episodes of Mrs. Columbo included, and I completely bypassed them.
I’d have to then actually watch them again, which would be a traumatic event! But yes, I may cast some opinions on that debacle at some point.
surprised columbophile has a picture from no time to die as a an milestone tribute he referred to it as dire which I agree columbo and Abigail Mitchell at the dockside is the most memorable.
Congratulations on the million-view landmark, Columbphile! Great writing!
On an side note, I see that Harry Stone’s incongruously dainty watch finally stopped on the 1st Nov. RIP Ken Swofford.
Look what I found….he’s everywhere…..https://www.etymonline.com/
Great has columbophile ever considered anything such as 5 funniest food moments or top 5 car crashes or best music scenes or sounds? If not could columbophile give us a brief insight into its favourites of the 3 just mentioned , for example funniest food scene the squirrel meat chilli in swansong , columbos car crash that resulted in whiplash at the start of make me a perfect murder and well again the murder scene background sound in the same episode.
Congratulations and keep ’em coming.
A post on worst 10 episodes would be interesting. Or best Columbo quotes. Or Best insults.
Very good ideas! I support all three of them. I’ve been waiting especially for a “10 worst episodes” post – “No Time to Die” and “Undercover” will be there for sure (we know that CP hates them). Regarding the best insults, I can remember one just now – “the wife-ridden weakling” (etc. etc.) from “The Greenhouse Jungle”. I don’t know if it’s that good, but it’s certainly vivid. Oh, and the “liquid filth” from AOPITS – if wine can be insulted.
Congratulations on exceeding one million views, Columbophile! They say the first million must be stolen… and you indeed steal our hearts, minds, time and interest. Now we’ll help you earn the next million (views). Thank you for the great work and all the best!
Thanks Eleanora! And I’m with you on the ‘wife-ridden weakling’ quote. It’s one of my favourites, and delivered with delightful contempt by Milland. I’ve held off doing a ‘10 worst episodes’ post because I’m deliberately not watching any of the ‘new’ episodes again until I review them, so I can’t be sure which I rate lowest! Safe bet that No Time to Die, Undercover, Murder in Malibu and Strange Bedfellows will be jockeying for position at the foot of the table!
Throw murder with too many notes , murder a self portrait and its all in the game into that pot as well but murder in Malibu for me takes bottom spot its awful.
I’m so tired of this emphasis on the negative and the vast overrating of how bad certain episodes allegedly are. If they were that bad, you shouldn’t have even watched them. An example from movies, Leonard Maltin rates Santa Claus Conquers the Martians as ‘BOMB’, but I consider it a ‘cult classic’. Not that it’s a great movie but it’s enjoyable. One doesn’t have to be highbrow all the time.
Nor does one have to be Arbiter Police and chide and scold. Give it a rest.
You know, I actually enjoyed “Undercover”–maybe because I watch it as not a Columbo episode; just a treasure-hunt-type crime drama with Peter Falk in it. On those terms, I think it’s entertaining.
Last Salute to the Commodore will always be my worst. Not nly was a shockigly bad episode, but they made Columbo rude and the last scene was excruciating. Totally agree with you on the examples too. And I’ll double and triple those congrats too.
I think 10 best new episodes would be more fitting , ill give my top 5 for an example,1)Death hits the jackpot 2) columbo goes to college 3)agenda for murder
4) sex and the married detective 5) murder smoke and shadows , after that it gets more to difficult to rate as they seem to deteriorate into dross , a trace of murder and George hamiltons episode weren’t bad , columbo and the murder of a rock star isn’t too bad .
Congrats! Also as for an article suggestion I’d love an article analyzing the specific relationships Columbo developed with the most sympathetic killers, especially Abigail Mitchell, Adrian Carsini and Oliver Brandt.
Well done! Your pieces always delight!
I also live in Illinois too. I could use a poster. My president is Donald Trump.
Just kidding. I check in to Columbophile at least weekly and love it. Thanks!
Congrats on the above.
I watched ‘Case of Immunity’ a few days ago, though the portrayal of Arabs is a little cheesy viewed from today it is strangely topical all of a sudden , what with the State Dept leaning on Columbo to let the murderer off the hook for the good of USA’s national interest.
I wonder if Trump should watch this episode to see how our beloved lieutenant resolved the dilemma in 1976?
Instead, maybe Jimmy Carter should have watched the episode in 1976 and have had a better idea of how to deal with Iran.
Hello! I’ve just have discovered an The Alfred Hitchcock Hour episode (s01 e13) with very Columbish opening, where Columbo actually is a murderous taxi-driver. The story actually lacks factual Columbo to unnerve murderer, but the show is pleasant still. I recommend it to many. Also, quite a bunch of details concerning the murderer coinicides with Lt.’s life, like: wife, 4 sisters one brother. 🙂
Peter Falk, not Columbo, was also a taxi driver in It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. I watched the episode, https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5v4mew , per your recommendation, but Falk’s character was just psychotic, and any parallels between him and the character of Lt. Columbo are non-essential details. The most ‘pleasant’ part of the whole show was Hitchcock’s bit at the end of being flooded by the ticker tape. I am a big fan of Hitchcock’s films but I’ve never cared much about his TV shows.
Don’t drink too much. Mark the bottle with your ring and drink that far and no further, and may you be paid in full.
Congrats! You deserve it!
Congratulations, to Columbophile and to Big Heath…..and congratulations to all of us, recipients of the blessings of CP’s labor!
This far… and hopefully much, much further! Congratulations, and many thanks for all your terrific website. Slainte!
Very many thanks! And thanks also for being such a regular commenter.
That is an awesome achievement. This blog is an obvious labor of love, and your passion for all things Columbo is evident in all that you write. I’m so happy that I stumbled across your site. I think it’s great to see that there is still so much love for this series today. Keep up the great work.
Aw shucks, you are nice!
Never had the time to comment on your millionth view achievement. Congrats. I only discovered you very recently, and have already visited numerous times. And enjoy Devlin. They picked a great sendoff for the original series. That is one of my top 10. Thanks to Peter Falk, however, we never have to say regarding Columbo, “This far, and no further.” I have seen most of the episodes at least 3 or 4 times. May you live to hit the 2nd million in health and great success.
Thanks Leo, your words are much appreciated!