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…
Playwright, lawyer and former US prosecutor Rich Weill is back in this guest post, offering us an alternative ending to the much-maligned Last Salute to the Commodore. Can it salvage one of the least popular Columbo episodes? Take a look…
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…
For some Columbo episodes, finding five truly great moments can be a challenge. For Any Old Port in a Storm, the opposite is true. Whittling it down to just five top scenes is no easy feat when it’s as packed with greatness as a bottle of Ferrier Vintage port…
Chronicling the occasions when Lieutenant Columbo was seen wearing outfits other than his regular shabby suit and raincoat. How many do you remember?
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…
Ask a Columbo fan about their very favourite scenes and it’s odds-on that a flash of Columbo rage will rank pretty highly in their estimations. Here I consider six examples of Columbo losing his cool and analyse what these displays of emotion really mean.
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…
If you long to ‘See The Light’, your chance has arrived after the official Columbo YouTube channel made the crowd-pleasing decision to add Swan Song to their list of available full episodes.
With the cast headlined by the late, great Martin Landau as duplicitous twins Dexter and Norman Paris, Double Shock had it all: pathos, great humour, fully developed secondary characters, plus an actual whodunnit element that kept viewers guessing until the final scene. What are its very, best moments? My thoughts right here…
The day has finally come! You can enjoy Dale Kingston’s crushed velvet tuxedo in full HD glory as Suitable for Framing has joined the episodes available on the official Columbo YouTube channel. So what are you waiting for…?
Considering whether Season 4 truly marks the high water mark for Columbo as a show, and assessing the best season overall based on the consistent quality of its episodes. Dive in!
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…
Another belter of an episode is now available to view in full on the Columbo YouTube channel – this time Season 3 curtain-caller A Friend in Deed. It’s one of the very best, so fill yer boots!
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…
Great news! The Columbo YouTube channel is adding full episodes again, recommencing proceedings with the sensational Try & Catch Me from Season 7. HASHTAG WINNING!
Columbo confronts one of his idols as he crosses wits with former silver screen siren Nora Chandler in Requiem for a Falling Star. A high-profile case, then, but what are its highest highs? My thoughts right here…
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!
In what has become a charming annual tradition, in the middle of each year I fling open the proverbial doors to fellow Columbo fans and invite them to cast their votes for their single favourite episode. So for your viewing pleasure, here are fans’ top 10 Columbo episodes, as of August 2018. Is your fave here?
There’s barely a Columbo fan alive who doesn’t love the painting of the Lieutenant from Murder, A Self Portrait. And you can now get a print version of it for your own humble home! Hashtag winning!
It’s a question that has taxed fans for decades: did Lieutenant Columbo have only one eye like his alter ego Peter Falk? Let’s weigh up the evidence…
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…
Considering the reasons why Columbo remains an enjoyable and important viewing experience today, more than 50 years after it first aired.
A homage to the British murder mysteries of the early 1900s, Dagger of the Mind has its fans. But for many others this is a bewildering, even ludicrous tale of murder and cover-up set against the backdrop of London’s theatrical scene. So just what are its best moments?
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…
The big budget Etude in Black, the first episode of Columbo’s second season, was ‘event television’ in the truest sense – and remains many fans’ favourite episode. But just what are its absolute highlights? Here’s my take on Etude’s top 5 scenes…
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…
As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first airing of Prescription: Miurder, here’s a little bit about the origins of the Columbo character – and the actors who played him before Peter Falk.
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…
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!
Columbo’s raincoat and shoes will go under the hammer at Bonhams in Noo Yoik on 21 November with the iconic combo set to fetch between $80,000-$120,000.
When an episode of TV is as good as Columbo Suitable for Framing, choosing only 5 magical moments is a tough assignment. Here are my personal highlights. What are yours?
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…
When it comes to casual boozing, Columbo was in a world of its own. In the 70s especially, pretty much every character seemed to have a glass in hand. And with that in mind I give you 10 terrific booze-fuelled Columbo moments to raise a glass to.
Although few rate Dead Weight amongst Columbo’s very finest hours, it still has enough quality about it to keep its head above water. Here I pick my 5 favourite moments.
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…
Following hot on the heels of the sublime Murder by the Book came Robert Culp’s Columbo debut in the outstanding Death Lends a Hand. It’s an episode packed with highlights, but here I select my favourite five.
Released in March 1971, Columbo Ransom for a Dead Man was a big-budget spectacular and ‘Event Television’ in the truest sense. But just what are the very best moments? My thoughts here…
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 new article format I tackle the 5 most memorable moments from each Columbo episode, starting off with Prescription: Murder. Is your favourite moment here?
Great news! A new biography of Peter Falk is out now, and should be considered essential reading for all Columbo fans.
There’s a distinct lack of Columbo-themed professional development articles doing the rounds on LinkedIn, but here are some very real life lessons we can all learn from the good Lieutenant.
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…
I’ve chronicled a selection of super-cool Peter Falk / Columbo magazine covers and would LOVE to hear your thoughts on them. Many are rock-star cool…
Help me in my bid to get Google to consider creating a Columbo Google Doodle to commemorate the show’s 50th anniversary next February.
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…
Former US prosecutor Rich Weill gives some expert insight on what would need to happen in court for Columbo’s cases to conclude with a conviction of guilt.
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!
If you like a bit of eye candy when you’re watching Columbo, get ready to phwoooar away to your heart’s content as we consider the show’s most devilishly handsome hombres.
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.
A tribute to Columbo’s ‘Super-Six’ support stars Val Avery, Fred Draper, Vito Scotti, Bruce Kirby, John Finnegan and Mike Lally, who clocked up 60 appearances between them.
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…
From Mama Fratelli and Mr Miyagi to sexy vampiresses and Major League baseball stars – did you know that all these superstars appeared in Columbo?
Considering the Columbo victims who really didn’t deserve their grisly fates, and whose on-screen demises leave the viewers dabbing their eyes with their hankies…
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…
No one’s advocating murder, but some Columbo victims really had it coming. From fishwives and cads to blackmailers and gunrunners, here are the least-mourned victims of them all…
No silver screen accolade is more coveted than the Academy Award. And the stars of Columbo, both from in front of and behind the camera, have a shedload of Oscars between them – as well as nominations galore. Have a look here at Columbo’s Oscars pedigree. You might be surprised…
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…
As is to be expected of a show that’s well over 40 years old, a number of much-loved Columbo characters have passed away over the past 12 months. For what it’s worth, here’s a very small tribute to the Columbo legends we lost in 2015.
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.
Every episode of Columbo features a mystery. But there’s a real-life Columbo mystery that remains unresolved more than 45 years on. Simply put: who is this beautiful actress who played a small but notable part in Suitable for Framing back in 1971?
15 September 1971 is one of the pivotal dates in televisual history. It was the night Columbo Murder by the Book first aired.
We encounter plenty of dirt bag murderers over the course of 69 episodes, but who are the absolute lowest of the low lives when it comes to Columbo killers? Let’s take a look…
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…
Many Columbo killers were vile toads who deserved their comeuppance, but not all. In some instances, we can understand why they were driven to murder. We might even like them and root for them. But which are the most worthy of our sympathy?
Back in the middle of 2014, the internet was awash with rumours that a big screen reboot of Columbo was on the cards, with Hollywood ace...
Are these the 10 best Columbo episodes of all time? I certainly think so. Is your favourite here?
At their very best, the Columbo ‘gotcha’ can have the audience fist-pumping and whooping with glee as the killer realises they’re history. Here’s what I think are the 10 very best examples. Do you agree…?
“Gee whizz, I’d just like to tell you how excited I am to meet you. You see, my wife, Mrs Columbo, she’s a big fan of yours. I can’t wait to get home and let her know you’re reading my, errrr, my whatchamacallit… my blog…”
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