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…
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