Now that I’ve completed my reviews of all 69 Columbo adventures comes the really hard task: ranking every episode in order of preference. Find out where the revival-era episodes compare alongside the 70s classics here…
The only Columbo episode filmed in the 21st century, ‘Columbo Likes the Nightlife’ burst onto screens on January 30, 2003. The last Columbo to air, could Nightlife give our man a suitable send-off in his 35th year of televisual crime fighting? Let’s find out…
After the ratings flop that was ‘Ashes to Ashes’, Columbo badly needed a hit in order to remain a viable proposition for Universal and ABC. Could this story of a past-his-prime movie composer slaying his young protégé hit all the right notes? Let’s see…
With a cast simply awash with household names, ‘Ashes to Ashes’ promised to be the sort of blockbuster Columbo experience all too rarely witnessed since the Lieutenant’s 1989 comeback. But is it an episode worthy of eulogising? Let’s find out…
Billed as a celebratory special to mark the series’ 25th anniversary, ‘A Trace of Murder’ saw the Lieutenant rise Phoenix-like from the ashes of the ‘Strange Bedfellows’ debacle of two years earlier. Something to get excited about, or yet another disappointment? Let’s see…
Starring man mountain George Wendt as an unlikely double killer and Oscar-winning actor Rod Steiger as a menacing mob boss, ‘Strange Bedfellows’ burst onto screens on May 8, 1995. A sure-fire winner or another also-ran? Let’s find out…
Airing on May 2, 1994, ‘Undercover’ was the second of the series’ two dreaded Ed McBain 87th Precinct novel adaptations. Can it manage to insert Columbo into the world of serious police procedurals without enraging viewers? Let’s see…
Famous for William Shatner’s colour-changing moustache, the poetically titled ‘Butterfly in Shades of Grey’ made its bow on January 10, 1994. Is Shatner’s extravagant style a good fit for a dark tale of murder, manipulation and inappropriate attachments? Let’s see…
Hollywood goddess Faye Dunaway became the most famous Columbo guest star ever when she popped us as Lauren Staton in 1993’s ‘It’s All in the Game’. Is this Peter Falk-penned vehicle worthy of such a stellar leading lady? Let’s take a look…
After an eight-month rest to recover from the trauma of ‘No Time to Die’, Columbo burst back onto screens in November 1992 investigating a triple homicide in ‘A Bird in the Hand..’ Worth the wait, or one to forget? Let’s see…
Often referenced by fans as the single worst Columbo ever made, No Time to Die is certainly an adventure like no other for the Lieutenant. Is it as truly terrible as its reputation suggests, or could it be considered a brave and underrated departure for a series struggling for relevance? Let’s take the plunge and find out…
First airing on December 15, 1991, and starring the irrepressible Rip Torn, is ‘Death Hits the Jackpot’ a winning lottery ticket of an episode, or a rubbishy $5 scratch card? Let’s tune in and find out…
Ace lawyer Hugh Creighton doesn’t know what it’s like to be beaten in a legal tussle – but then, he never had to face Lieutenant Columbo until deciding to murder his cheating lover. Who will win this clash of the titans?
Boasting the longest title of any Columbo episode, Caution: Murder Can Be Hazardous to Your Health first aired on February 20, 1991. Starring George Hamilton as murderous TV host Wade Anders, is it a delicious slice of perma-tanned goodness, or a chain-smoking horror of an episode? Let’s take a closer look…
Almost seven months after the debacle of Murder in Malibu, the Lieutenant stormed back onto screens with the seeming intent of educating a new generation of sceptical viewers in Columbo Goes to College. An A+ episode, or a certain flunk? Let’s see…
Murder in Malibu is one of the most derided Columbo episodes ever made. Could it be a case of ‘so bad it’s good’? Or is it simply so bad it’s terrible? With some trepidation, I invite you to join me for a closer look…
Devilish dentistry was under the proverbial microscope on April 28, 1990 as the fifth outing of Columbo’s ninth season aired under the witty title of Uneasy Lies the Crown. Is this a truly toothsome televisual treat, or ought it to be extracted from our collective consciousness forthwith? Let’s take a closer look…
A funeral took place on March 31, 1990, one to which we were all invited: Mrs Columbo’s! Yes folks, this time it’s personal as the widow of one of the Lieutenant’s previous arrests is out for revenge against the detective and his wife. Let’s see how successful her attempt is…
Saints be praised! Columbo’s revival was given one of the biggest boosts imaginable when Patrick McGoohan returned to the show to star in and direct Agenda for Murder. Can it be as good as it sounds? Let’s find out…
Columbo’s first foot in the 1990s was a thoroughly modern and unique outing, with the Lieutenant investigating a suspected murder within the ‘naughty magazine’ sector. Can a change of formula and pace give the series a much-needed shot in the arm? Let’s hope so…
Starring Belgian Bond villain Patrick Bauchau as artist extraordinaire Max Barsini, as well as a bevvy of beauties that includes Shera Danese in her biggest Columbo role to date, Murder, A Self Portrait has a look and feel entirely of its own. But is it any good? Let’s take a look…
Grown men were playing with toy soldiers – repeatedly – when Columbo plodded back onto screens for his season finale on May 1, 1989. Can Grand Deceptions deliver a new Columbo adventure that proudly sits shoulder-to-shoulder with the best efforts from the 70s? Let’s see…
Starring Lindsay Crouse as renowned sex therapist Dr Joan Allenby, Sex & The Married Detective is a titillatingly titled adventure that promises to break at least a few of the series’ taboo subjects. But is it any good? Or even remotely sexy? Let’s investigate…
You could be forgiven a flash of déjà vu when tuning into Murder, Smoke & Shadows, with Lieutenant Columbo yet again investigating crime on a movie lot. Is it the Columbo equivalent of a silver-screen classic, or is it more of a straight-to-DVD fiasco? Let’s find out…
After 11 years of reruns, the Man in the Mac was BACK on 6th February, 1989, going head-to-head with a dastardly psychic in Columbo Goes to the Guillotine. A magnificent comeback, or a hideous portent of things to come? Let’s investigate…
May 13, 1978 truly marked the end of an epoch as the very final Columbo episode of the classic era, The Conspirators, hit the airwaves. Was the network right when they insisted the series would go ‘this far, and no farther?’ Let’s take a closer look…
Is season 7’s penultimate outing, How to Dial a Murder, a suitably thrilling, snarling attack dog of an episode? Or is it more of an irritating yapping pooch ready to be kicked into next week? Let’s have a look…
Apparently Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned – a premise put to the test in Make Me a Perfect Murder. Is it a sure-fire ratings hit, or a dismal flop certain to lead to bungling TV executives being given their marching orders? Let’s find out…
Starring Louis Jourdan as murderous food critic Paul Gerard, and notable for featuring more aspic per square yard of film than any other television production ever, Murder Under Glass is certain to expand waistlines merely by watching. But is Michelin Star-worthy? Let’s find out…
Many Columbo fans rate Try & Catch Me among their very favourite episodes – and I’m no different. But just what is it about season 7’s opener that makes it such a winner? Let’s take a look…
May 22, 1977 was a red-letter day in televisual history. It was the day the best-ever TV episode hit our screens; it was the day The Bye-Bye Sky High IQ Murder Case first aired. Just why is this a Columbo outing with no equal? Let’s find out…
The murky, potentially unexciting, world of family museums was explored in Old Fashioned Murder – the second episode of Columbo’s sixth season. Is it a solid gold belt buckle of an episode, or is it more of a rusty old pot? Let’s see…
In-jokes abound greeted viewers for the opening episode of Columbo’s sixth season, as the world’s leading TV detective investigated a murder carried out by… the world’s leading TV detective in the meta-tastic Fade in to Murder. Let’s see if it’s any cop…
May 2nd, 1976 looked set to be the end of an era. With Peter Falk out of contract, Last Salute to the Commodore threatened to be Lieutenant Columbo’s swan song. Is it a bon voyage, or is it dredging untold depths? Let’s take a deep breath and find out…
ALAKAZAM! As if by magic, master villain Jack Cassidy returned to give Columbo’s fifth season a much-needed boost in the illusion-packed Now You See Him. How good is it? I can’t wait to find out…
Columbo was enjoying a little sojourn south of the border on 1st February 1976, hanging out with legendary matador Luis Montoya in A Matter of Honor. How will the Lieutenant fare on foreign soil this time round? Let’s see…
Columbo colossus Patrick McGoohan was back to leave another indelible mark on the series on November 2, 1975, as the show’s fifth season reached its halfway stage in the shape of Identity Crisis. After a comparatively lacklustre season up to now, can the presence of McGoohan elevate this to Columbo’s top table? Let’s see…
The shady world of Middle Eastern political skulduggery was front and centre for Columbo fans on October 12, 1975, as A Case of Immunity first aired. Is it the televisual equivalent of a VIP invite to a Suari Legation garden party, or is it more of a night at home reading Arabian Nights? Let’s take a closer look…
Columbo’s Season 5 opener proved that the show had lost none of its ambition by casting Hollywood Royalty Janet Leigh as musical murderess Grace Wheeler-Willis. But can Forgotten Lady win the hearts and minds of a modern audience? Let’s see…
Following five excellent episodes, Columbo’s fourth season rounded out on 27 April 1975 in the suave form of A Deadly State of Mind. Does it usher out Season 4 in suitably strong style? Let’s have a look…
Columbo was at the cutting edge on 2 March 1975, as the penultimate episode of Season 4 presented a strikingly modern vision of how LA’s rich and famous could live. But can Playback’s technical wizardry still be taken seriously by today’s audience? Let’s strap on our digital watches and set the CCTV cameras rolling as we find out…
When Columbo took to the high seas on 9 February 1975, you better have packed your sense of fun – because this is an adventure like no other for the dear Lieutenant. But is Troubled Waters plain sailing all the way, or a star-crossed journey destined for Davy Jones’s locker? I can’t wait to find out…
October 27, 1974 was a BIG DAY in Columbo circles: it was the day Patrick McGoohan made his series’ debut in By Dawn’s Early Light. Is it a full-blooded hero of an episode, or the televisual equivalent of a pathetic Boodle Boy? Read on, soldier!
Casting the lovable Dick Van Dyke as a cold-hearted killer in Negative Reaction seemed something of a risky move, on paper at least. Can the comic performer convince in the role? Let’s find out…
Four months after Season 3 ended in thrilling style, Columbo burst back on to screens in the trim, taut and terrific form of An Exercise in Fatality. But how does it compare to all that’s come before it? Let’s turn back the clocks to September 15, 1974 and find out…
Columbo took a dark twist for its Season 3 finale, with A Friend in Deed pitting the Lieutenant against his own superior officer, Deputy Commissioner Mark Halperin. Is it a shining jewel in the Columbo crown, or just too dark for its own good? Let’s see…
Did Columbo’s creators really see the light when casting Johnny Cash as country crooner Tommy Brown in Swan Song? Or does the episode crash and burn like a light aircraft flown into stormy skies? Let’s see…
Robots! Boy geniuses! Supercomputers! Flashing lights! Yes folks, Columbo Mind Over Mayhem sets its stall out to impress with its array of cutting edge technology. But how effective is the murder mystery at its heart? Let’s find out…
Former US prosecutor and regular guest blogger Rich Weill is back to share his opinion on Publish or Perish – an episode he describes as “one of the series’ great disappointments”. Can he be for real? Let’s see…
Consummate Columbo baddie Jack Cassidy was back for his second stint as a killer in Publish or Perish. Can it hope to match the excellence of his debut in Murder by the Book? Read on and find out…
Robert Culp is back in his third and final appearance as a Columbo killer! But is Double Exposure a suitable send-off for one of Lieutenant Columbo’s most fearsome opponents? Let’s slip on our yellowest jackets, prepare some subliminal cuts and find out!
Candidate for Crime is notable for featuring one of the greatest ever Columbo gotchas. But does the whole episode compare favourably to this stand-out moment, or is it low on thrills? Let’s see…
Featuring one of the great guest star appearances from Donald Pleasence, Any Old Port in a Storm is many fans’ absolute favourite Columbo episode. But how does it stand up to rigorous review? Let’s pop the cork and find out…
Boasting a brilliant cast and a unique beauty industry backdrop, hopes were high that Season 3’s opening episode Lovely but Lethal would match the curtain-raising efforts from the first two stellar seasons. So let’s dust off our fashion turbans and sharpen our eyebrow pencils in readiness to see if it lives up to the hype…
In a series marked by twists and turns, Columbo Season 2 saved it’s biggest surprise till last, serving up an actual whodunnit with feuding identical twin brothers vying for contention as the Lieutenant’s number one suspect. But is Double Shock electrifying stuff, or just a shocker? Let’s find out…
Starring an irate Laurence Harvey, The Most Dangerous Match pits Lieutenant Columbo against a fiendish chess Grandmaster. How will he outsmart such a wily mind? Let’s see…
When Spock tries to kill Grandpa Walton through use of dissolving suture, Columbo has one of his toughest cases on his hands – as well as a killer he truly loathes. How does A Stitch in Crime stack up to all that’s come before it? Find out here…
January 21, 1973 marked the return of Columbo to screens after a two-month winter break. He was back in LA and hanging out with Tinseltown legend Nora Chandler on the Universal lot. But is Requiem for a Falling Star a comeback of epic proportions, or a straight to VHS bargain bucket affair? Read on!
In a first for the Columbophile blog, regular reader Richard Weill – a playwright, lawyer and former US prosecutor – provides a very different perspective to my own on Columbo Dagger of the Mind.
Columbo broke new ground on November 26 1972. For the first time ever the Lieutenant stepped outside his Los Angeles comfort zone and mixed it up with a bunch of stereoptype-tastic Brits on a work visit to Scotland Yard. Can ‘Leftenant’ Columbo cut the mustard in old London town? Let’s see…
Bad Bobby Culp is back and – joy of joys – he’s badder than ever! But is The Most Crucial Game a Superbowl of an episode, or a tepid mid-table tussle? Let’s see…
Following hot on the heels of the uber-popular Etude in Black was always going to be a tough gig, but with Ray Milland leading the supporting cast, and Peter Falk now owning every inch of the crumpled mac, anything seemed possible. Is Greenhouse Jungle a pathetic African Violet, or a $1200 orchid? Let’s see…
Columbo’s hotly-anticipated second season kicked off in grand style with the big budget Etude in Black, guest starring Peter Falk’s BFF John Cassavetes. But does it live up to the hype? Let’s see…
Columbo’s legendary first season rounded out with an episode directed by Peter Falk himself: no easy feat given the live construction site backdrop. So is Blueprint for Murder TV gold, or should it be condemned to burial in the foundation of a skyscraper? Read on to find out…
With the zany Roddy McDowall having a blast as the killer, and fashions on display that induce strokes, Short Fuse is certainly a high-energy addition to the series. But is it any good? Read on and find out…
How does Lady in Waiting compare with the sky-high standards of Columbo Season 1, and how does virtual unknown leading lady Susan Clark cut the mustard against Cassidy, Culp and the cadre of exceptional villains we’ve met up to now? Read on to find out…
Let’s don our velvet tuxedos, crank up the electric blankets and prepare to slay our most lovable uncles as we stride out with Dale Kingston and co to give eloquent critique to this most artful of episodes. Is Suitable for Framing a Degas or merely a De Groat? Read on and find out…
Filmed at a time of escalating tensions between studio and star, nothing was plain sailing for Season 1’s third episode, Dead Weight. Does it sink or swim? Let’s find out…
Let’s get ambidextrous and furious as we race back in time to 6 October 1971 to hang with three-time guest killer Robert Culp as he stars in Death Lends a Hand.
15 September 1971 is one of the pivotal dates in televisual history. It was the night Columbo Murder by the Book first aired.
Let’s step back in time to 1st March, 1971 to revisit Columbo Ransom for a Dead Man. Buckle up and let’s fly with Peter Falk and Lee Grant!
Taking it back to where it all began on February 20, 1968, as Peter Falk dons the raincoat for the very first time in the seminal Prescription: Murder. We know how that panned out in the long run, but taken on its own merits, how well does Prescription: Murder still stack up? Let’s investigate…
Are these the 10 best Columbo episodes of all time? I certainly think so. Is your favourite here?
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