Ahoy there, mates! Here’s hoping this short missive finds you well, and as much a fan of the good Lieutenant as ever.
This seasonal message serves two purposes: primarily to wish you well; and secondarily to assure regular readers that I am indeed alive and kicking, despite negligible output on the blog.
As I outlined some weeks back, now that I’m back in full-time employment in the field of sports marketing I’ve had scant time for anything other than toil and family/puppy cuddling. However, we’ve just snuck out of peak season here in Oz and I’m hopeful I’ll have more time to commit to dear Columbo once more in the coming weeks.
My overdue review of Murder With Too Many Notes is approx. half complete, although (agonisingly) so many weeks have passed since I watched it that some of the minutiae escapes me, and a repeat viewing now seems highly likely (groo!).
I’ll also hope to have some updates on the upcoming Columbo Blu-ray release to share here once I receive the all-clear to do so, as well as other assorted Columbo articles of the type you’ve become familiar with over the years.
In related news, fans of Columbo podcasts should look out for an interview with yours truly in an upcoming episode of The Shabby Detective, which was recorded just this weekend – the first weekend I’ve had no work responsibilities for many a moon!
If you’ll excuse me now I must be off to administer discipline to our naughty pup, who has just chewed a hole through a pair of carelessly dropped pyjama trousers.
And while I remember, sincere apologies to anyone who has emailed the Columbophile blog in the past few weeks, because I haven’t checked ’em for an age. To quote poor, egg-headed Bertie Hastings in The Bye-Bye Sky High IQ Murder Case: “I’ll try to do better…”
Happy Easter, Columbophile…
Slate is doing a pod series (Slow Burn) about Columbo as well, about how PF made a public service announcement to Romania?? its interesting so far!
Yes, an excellent podcast that just dropped today (4/12).
https://slate.com/podcasts/decoder-ring/2023/04/columbo-and-his-cold-war-message-to-romania
Caster Willa Paskin βcracks cultural mysteriesβ in the series, and for this one, she does a deep dive into the popular Peter Falk story that he taped a TV message for the Romanian government in 1978 to assure the Communist countryβs millions of viewers that the government was not withholding episodes of βColumboβ from broadcast. As Falk tells it, the message was to quell potential violence and street riots over the showβs lack of output (relative to other imported American television shows).
As Part 1 unfolds, we hear that this may not precisely be the case. Falk loved to tell a good story, and this one appears to have some, shall we say, embellishments. Since Iβm spoiler-averse, Iβll let you check it out for yourself. I assume Part 2 will be happening next week, and Iβll try to post that one as well.
βThe Curious Case of Columboβs Message to Romaniaβ Part 2:
https://slate.com/podcasts/decoder-ring/2023/04/when-columbo-became-a-cold-war-diplomat
Fascinating account that weaves in geopolitics, Kojak, Romanian history, State Dept cables, Hollywood propaganda, Communist repression, and more. As a former History teacher, and appreciative of the enormous research that went into this tale, I found the story compelling, and highly recommend taking the time to dig in.
Little late, but happy Easter Columbophile! I haven’t seen ‘Too Many Notes’ but based on what I’ve heard about it, this review should be quite something…
Sundance tv (in US) just announced they’re running 24 hours of Columbo this coming Sunday, April 16, 2023. I’m guessing they start at midnight Sat. nite.
Thanks! Amazon Prime also has Columbo episodes, to watch for free. MeTV (in the US) used to have it, but they don’t anymore. I don’t have the Sundance channel, though. All good.
Happy Easter!
Best of luck on the repeat viewing of Too many notes… looking forward to the final 2 episode reviews!
I won’t miss anything about the “Too Many Notes” episode, not one of my fav. The older ones aren’t as good as the early seasons but I constantly watch them!!! I’m a die hard Columbo Fan!!
Happy Easter!π°π»
Good luck to you with future endeavors!
Having to watch βMurder With Too Many Notesβ again, is way too harsh punishment for your lack of output. LOL!!
I am not a fan of Too Many Notes. The villain was too annoying. It became tiring just to hear him speak.
The good detective after a flight with evil Leslie ‘deadeye’ Williams, “Could we just not talk for a minute?”
Yes, Too Many Notes is not an episode that offers immense enjoyment but I know you’ll have us giggling with your assessment.
Happy Happy Easter Columbophile and everyone!