"Just one more thing...": Rewatching Columbo

[Mel O'Drama]

Season Six (1976-77)

Fade In To Murder

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In which Captain Kirk murders Constance Mackenzie and drugs Dandy Dandrige to obtain his alibi.

In Requiem For A Falling Star, Columbo visited a large film studio and was awed by the grandeur and celebrity. This episode has similar themes and similar scenes, but in a number of ways feels a little more knowing and meta.

For a start, there’s the killer in question: Ward Fowler is an egotistical and temperamental actor who plays a beloved TV detective, and who is holding out for a significant pay rise as part of negotiating his new contract. As I understand it, Peter Falk’s contract had expired at the end of Season Five, with this episode marking the first of his new contract. Someone, somewhere was certainly saying something here.

This setting naturally gives scope for clumsy Columbo high jinx, and the tone is somewhat set when he arrives on set and ruins a shot in progress by walking back and forth between the set window and the backdrop, apparently oblivious to the fact that he can be seen. It’s another of those grey areas which makes me question if he’s really that clueless or if it’s part of his elaborate image.

Adding to the meta feel, it’s established we’re at Universal Studios, made crystal clear by a scene which uses the backlot’s Amity Island set for the Jaws Ride. The original Ride’s carrot-toothed version of Bruce the shark even has some screen time and, after being told it’s the same shark from the film, Columbo wisely observes that it looks different.

When I think of William Shatner’s acting style I go to the jerky, staccato caricature in Family Guy.

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While for my money, the real Shat lacks the subtlety and gravitas to make the Columbo Killer Hall Of Fame, neither is he stiff and awkward. In fact Fowler - boosted by his ego and hubris - is one of the more relaxed killers, which adds a nice layer or two of menace to him. Shat certainly has a certain charismatic screen presence, with looks and charm enough to carry him through. From their scenes, I also got the sense that Falk and Shatner were enjoying working together, which helped the watchability.

There’s a bit of goofing around which I could have done without, though Fowler filming Columbo on his video camera was at least necessary to the plot which makes my view of it slightly less dim.

The alibi involving drugging, changing the time on watches and clocks and recording a sports game on the VCR to create the illusion no time had passed was clever enough (a VCR in 1976 apparently went for USD$3000, not including the camera). And the fingerprints-on-the-bullets Gotcha did the job well enough.

All in all, while not Columbo at its best I’d say this is a watchable second tier episode.

 

[Angela Channing]

I have previously criticised some of the acting in Columbo for taking away some of my enjoyment of a particular episode but I don't think that on this occasion. William Shatner is not and has never been a good actor, I've always considered him to be a star rather than an actor, however, here is style of acting fits the role he is playing, i.e. a ham actor playing a ham actor. What Mr Shatner lacks in acting chops he makes up with his charm and screen presence and overall I quite liked him in this episode. I also found his interactions with Columbo to be entertaining if not sometimes a bit silly.

The whole tone of this episode is less serious than usual and I think that's to it's detriment. I normally like injections of humour into the storyline but when it's done too often it detracts from what should be the central theme of the show which is an investigation of a murder.

All in all, while not Columbo at its best I’d say this is a watchable second tier episode.

A brilliant summary which I completely agree with.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

however, here is style of acting fits the role he is playing, i.e. a ham actor playing a ham actor.

Ha ha. Yes. Sometimes typecasting can be a brilliant thing.

What Mr Shatner lacks in acting chops he makes up with his charm and screen presence and overall I quite liked him in this episode. I also found his interactions with Columbo to be entertaining if not sometimes a bit silly.

Yes, that's my experience with this one as well.

The whole tone of this episode is less serious than usual and I think that's to it's detriment. I normally like injections of humour into the storyline but when it's done too often it detracts from what should be the central theme of the show which is an investigation of a murder.

There was a lot about this one that felt like it was going for a novel approach for a change.

Setting it in Universal Film Studios makes me wonder if perhaps this one was rushed and they made use of what they had rather than location scouting. I found myself hypothesising that the last minute feel was down to Peter Falk's contract negotiations, which explains the "in-jokes" about Ward Fowler being in contract negotiations.

The fact that there are only three episodes in this TV season only makes me wonder even more if they were really on the back foot this year. Though I must confess the fact that there are so few episodes makes an average episode feel even more disappointing since it's a third of a season. I was hoping for pure, concentrated greatness from these three stories.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Old Fashioned Murder

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More dysfunctional family soap opera. Mercifully, this is more Lady In Waiting than Last Salute To The Commodore.

Both victim and killer are returnees who’ve previously appeared in supporting roles: Tim O’Connor is back from Double Shock, while Joyce Van Patten was last seen as the pushy Sister Of Mercy in Negative Reaction. Possibly this familiarity helped.

O’Connor is as reliable as ever. While I most associate him with Peyton Place, he’s a ubiquitous presence in 1970s American TV, and is reassuringly the same in everything, though he does seem to be attempting some kind of posh accent here, giving his voice ersatz Winston Churchill tones at times.

Joyce Van Patten makes an engaging killer. Once again it’s kind of a character role, requiring her to be plain and barefaced with granny glasses completing Ruth Lytton’s spinster of the parish look. Like Tim O’Connor, Joyce appears to have been all over TV series of the era. For me, I think part of the familiarity is that her face and bone structure as well as her general look and presence reminds me of an array of different women, from Julia McKenzie (more Jane Marple than Hester Fields) to Angela Lansbury to Daphne Oxenford to Rosalind Knight to Geri Halliwell. She's certainly likeable and sympathetic, which made for a layered experience.

I liked the murder scheme, which was well thought out: convoluted enough to interest, but while still keeping a feeling of simplicity.

I must admit I was falling asleep by the last act (the fault of external factors, rather than the episode itself), but I’d say the Gotcha was one of the more subtle, based on an accumulation of evidence such as Janie’s reaction to the belt buckle, or the lights being switched off. I l especially loved the latter because of the irony of Ruth’s meticulousness tripping her up. I loved the little touch of Ruth exiting on Columbo's arm, tying in nicely with her mother's boasts/taunts throughout the episode and could feel the respect between the two of them.

Bearing in mind @Julia's Gun's comments about Peter Falk’s overacting from the end of Season Five onwards, I did observe a number of moments in this where eccentricities seemed more amped up. In particular, it felt as though he was using his glass eye for quirk with some close ups of his face with just his left eye moving rapidly from side to side.

Once again, the comedy seemed a little on the broad side, but while I’d have probably preferred things to be toned down a little none of them were killers for me. The running gag with Celeste Holm’s character swooning into a faint at every opportunity was amusing, but far from subtle. Then there was Columbo’s haircut at the insistence of a bossy hairdresser which made for a fun scene and a nice visual but was also a little sitcom like. I was reminded of Mr Messy getting his makeover from Messrs Neat and Tidy. Not necessarily a bad thing.

Incidentally, am I right in thinking that this is the first episode with a hint of a gay character? In addition to the camp hairdresser, there was the jeweller who seemed to worry Columbo by admiring his new haircut and saying with a wink that he recognised the stylist’s trademark. So there’s a degree of visibility for gay men (possibly. It’s all very implicit). But they’re still stereotypes, threats or punchlines. Swings and roundabouts, then.

 

[Angela Channing]

The premise of this episode is similar to one of my all time favourite episodes, Any Old Port In The Storm, in that the motive for the murder is the victim trying to make unwelcome changes to a family business of which the sibling does approve.

Old Fashioned Murder is an interesting episode which I like a lot more than many other people, mainly because I think Joyce Van Patten is outstanding in this. She is so good as the cold, heartless, controlled murderer while also making the character sympathetic and likeable.

Van Patten makes an engaging killer. Once again it’s kind of a character role, requiring her to be plain and barefaced with granny glasses completing Ruth Lytton’s spinster of the parish look.

I agree, I loved her performance. Making a cold-blooded killer likeable is difficult to pull off successfully.

I liked the murder scheme, which was well thought out: convoluted enough to interest, but while still keeping a feeling of simplicity.

The double murder was brilliantly conceived and well executed. The emotionless way in which she carried it out made it all the more shocking. I didn't like how the writers went on to make her frame her niece for the crime as the original concept of the 2 victims killing each other was strong enough that it didn't need another character thrown into the mix. This was one of the problems I had with the episode: there was just a bit too much going on at times and the old adage of less is more would have been a better approach.

I must admit I was falling asleep by the last act (the fault of external factors, rather than the episode itself), but I’d say the Gotcha was one of the more subtle, based on an accumulation of evidence such as Janie’s reaction to the belt buckle, or the lights being switched off

The gotcha was clever but all circumstantial and would never be enough to convict but it was enough to elicit a confession from the murderer.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

The premise of this episode is similar to one of my all time favourite episodes, Any Old Port In The Storm, in that the motive for the murder is the victim trying to make unwelcome changes to a family business of which the sibling does approve.

Oh yes. How did I not see that before? I'm glad you pointed out that similarity.

Old Fashioned Murder is an interesting episode which I like a lot more than many other people, mainly because I think Joyce Van Patten is outstanding in this.

I'd find this one difficult to rank (which is why I didn't, really). It didn't feel as instantly iconic as some other episodes have, and its not without its faults, but the story is engaging and I found the killer to be a really interesting character.

It feels like it would be an episode that would really benefit from repeat episodes because of some of its complexities, but conversely I'm not sure it would be a go-to episode if I fancied re-watching a random episode. There are many others I'd probably feel more inclined to pop in the player ahead of this one.

The double murder was brilliantly conceived and well executed. The emotionless way in which she carried it out made it all the more shocking.

Agreed. It was perfectly played.

I didn't like how the writers went on to make her frame her niece for the crime as the original concept of the 2 victims killing each other was strong enough that it didn't need another character thrown into the mix.

That's true.

And it was a bit Kristin Shepard of her, wasn't it?

 

[Angela Channing]

Oh yes. How did I not see that before? I'm glad you pointed out that similarity.

Ruth was a bit Adrian Carsini like too in that she was a cold, remorseless killer but strangely likeable.

I'd find this one difficult to rank (which is why I didn't, really).

Using my football league system, I would put it near the top of the Championship. It's not in the same league as Any Old Port In The Storm but of those not it the Premier League, it's a very strong episode with a lot of good elements.

I'd find this one difficult to rank (which is why I didn't, really). It didn't feel as instantly iconic as some other episodes have, and its not without its faults, but the story is engaging and I found the killer to be a really interesting character.

It feels like it would be an episode that would really benefit from repeat episodes because of some of its complexities, but conversely I'm not sure it would be a go-to episode if I fancied re-watching a random episode. There are many others I'd probably feel more inclined to pop in the player ahead of this one.

It's a episode that would benefit from another writer polishing the original script. So much of it was good but some things could have been dumped (like the framing of the niece and either write out the Celeste Holm character completely or do something more interesting with her) and some scenes could have been re-jigged to make them work better.

Something I forgot to mention previously, was that this was the first episode that I realised that Peter Falk was aging. Of course he was always getting older but it never previously struck me as being worthy of noticing.

And it was a bit Kristin Shepard of her, wasn't it?

Yes and it didn't work for her either!

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Ruth was a bit Adrian Carsini like too in that she was a cold, remorseless killer but strangely likeable.

Yes, she was.

Using my football league system, I would put it near the top of the Championship. It's not in the same league as Any Old Port In The Storm but of those not it the Premier League, it's a very strong episode with a lot of good elements.

That sounds about right for me as well, I think.

It's a episode that would benefit from another writer polishing the original script. So much of it was good but some things could have been dumped (like the framing of the niece and either write out the Celeste Holm character completely or do something more interesting with her) and some scenes could have been re-jigged to make them work better.

Agreed. There was potential for it to be so much better than it was. The first act - leading up to the murder - was fairly perfect, I thought. But it meandered at times after that.

Something I forgot to mention previously, was that this was the first episode that I realised that Peter Falk was aging. Of course he was always getting older but it never previously struck me as being worthy of noticing.

Oh, that's interesting. Something similar crossed my mind as I watched, but I put it down to having had a break of five days between episodes after a period of watching practically every day.

Yes and it didn't work for her either!

Ha ha. Indeed not.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

The Bye-Bye Sky High IQ Murder Case

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Already the winner of the “longest Columbo episode title” contest, and a contender for the quirkiest title in addition.

Theodore Bikel is a familiar face who seemed to crop up in numerous shows of the era playing East Europeans of varying trustworthiness. Perhaps because I’ve watched it more than some of his others, I instantly associate him with the episode of Charlie’s Angels in which he played an influential Polish professor kidnapped after making Sabrina weak at the knees due to her thing with the polonaise.

He’s an actor with an imposing presence, making him a natural for a Columbo killer. I enjoyed how unfazed he was for the first two thirds of the episode, appearing interested in Columbo’s theories (and his IQ). I’d say the chemistry with Peter Falk is pretty good. Seeing Columbo matching wits with Oliver Brandt is a bit like watching him taking the high offer from Mark Labett on The Chase. He seems way out of his league, which makes it more surprising when he starts matching him answer for answer.

Watching last night, I had thought Sorrell Booke was unfamiliar to me. Imagine my surprise to realise this morning that he’d gone on to play Boss Hogg in The Dukes Of Hazzard. Oh - and he’d previously appeared in Swan Song.

There are plenty of very watchable faces among the larger cast. Samantha Eggar is just enchanting. I thought at first she was Jacqueline Bissett. Apparently she was Maggie Gioberti in the Falcon Crest pilot. I wonder why she was recast for the series?


Kenneth Mars’s face is most familiar to me from The New, Original Wonder Woman pilot episode. Here, as there, his character looks stand out among a slew of interesting characters.

The think tank theme has been done on Columbo already with Mind Over Mayhem. With that previous episode being a poor one, perhaps it was felt the series wanted to try and do it better. And on that level it’s certainly a success.

As in the earlier episode, there’s a wunderkind. This one is thankfully less precocious and actually makes an interesting little almost-sidekick as she tries to help. There is one exhange that raised an eyebrow when Columbo told the girl she’s pretty and she commented with a huge smile that it’s the first time someone’s liked her for her body rather than her mind. That would never fly today, but these were more innocent times in many ways.

Jamie Lee Curtis’s role as the waitress-with-attitude might be small but it’s memorable and made this a thoroughly enjoyable scene. Even in this early role, her confidence and charisma shines through and it’s easy to see why her career took off the way it did soon afterwards.

continued...​

 

[Mel O'Drama]

The Bye-Bye Sky High IQ Murder Case​

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Sam Wanamaker gives Lt. Columbo a wonderfully dramatic entrance, literally using smoke and lights to create an impact as the Lieutenant appears in a doorway, face in shadows and wreathed in a thick cloud of cigar vapour. It only lasts a moment or two, but feels longer because of the memorable effect.

In fact Wanamaker gives us a number of very nice directional moments used to create suspense, tension or interest. One of the best examples is probably the disposal of the gun in the park under Columbo’s very nose. Brandt hides the gun in the middle of the bin, but someone else puts something in immediately afterwards and Brandt is horrified to realise the items have moved and the gun can be seen pressed against the mesh. We feel his relief as the bin is collected and taken to be dumped, but as Columbo chats on, Brandt - and we - are acutely aware of the bins being emptied out in the background, with the very real possibility that one of the refuse collectors will spot the gun.

Similarly, there’s the business with Brandt realising he has powder on his face from the handkerchief he used to clean the gun of prints. As he works to get it off before someone comes into the room we can almost feel him panicking and wondering how long it’s been there and if it has been seen already. It’s a really nice bit of symbolism, reminiscent of Lady Macbeth’s “damned spot”.

For an episode set in a think tank, the cover up for the murder is suitably clever. In fact it seems to use a bit of all those ingredients that make for a great Columbo killing: ingenuity, technology and chutzpah. All of which makes Columbo’s numerous deductions feel hard-earned and rewarding.

As always, there are some questionable methods. Columbo taking Brandt’s umbrella not least. Even if he had taken in in error (which I doubt), to then take it to a laboratory without any authorisation or warrant may well undermine any case he has. But it wouldn’t be Columbo if he did things by the book. And as mentioned before, perhaps it’s enough for him to win the battle at any cost, and leave the war for others to deal with. And he does definitively win this battle.

Once again, Columbo uses his foe’s hubris against him as he presents a murder theory that’s close to the actual fact, but not quite clever enough and Brandt cannot stand that his genius is being underestimated. He has to show Columbo how the murderer would have made that book fall to the ground, only to get that classic look of realisation that he’s shot himself in the foot, making this a fun and satisfying Gotcha.

 

[Angela Channing]

This episode often tops Columbo fans' list of favourite episodes but not for me. Although I think it is a great episode, I would place it mid table in the Premier League, possibly even lower middle.

It has a lot of good things going for it. Theodore Bikel makes a great Columbo murderer because of his dominating physical presence and in how stole every scene he was in. He also had a good rapport with Peter Falk. The episode was well written and directed. @Mel O'Drama mentioned 2 great moments when the murderer comes close to being found out (the power on his face and disposing of the gun) and I almost found myself rooting for the murderer because I didn't want him exposed so quickly which subsequently made me more sympathetic towards him.

The murder itself was ingenious and it seemed almost perfect but in true Columbo style something about it bothers him, in this case why did the murderer appear stay in the room so long after the bullets were fired?

I didn't get the relationship between the murderer and the victim. What the hell was all that tickling and physical contact about?

What I didn't like was the gotcha and it largely why I rank this episode lower than I might otherwise. I could buy into the clever Columbo ploy to get the Theodore Bikel's character to implicate himself because his ego and arrogance wouldn't allow himself appear inferior to another member of their IQ club but the way he crumbled once he realised what he did just didn't work for me. He was a smart man who could have argued that he just worked it out from the items that were in the room. For example, when Columbo found him with the umbrella on a sunny day, he was able to come up with an eloquent and exaggerated explanation for he had it so you would have thought he would have done something similar when he was tricked into implicating himself. I know the way they did it made for better television but I can't help but feel a bit let down by the conclusion to the story.

Theodore Bikel is a familiar face who seemed to crop up in numerous shows of the era playing East Europeans of varying trustworthiness.

His face looked familiar but I couldn't remember seeing him in anything else. I couldn't imagine an actor of his calibre only did an episode of Columbo.

It’s a really nice bit of symbolism, reminiscent of Lady Macbeth’s “damned spot”.

That's a great comparison and a clever thing to spot.

Watching last night, I had thought Sorrell Booke was unfamiliar to me. Imagine my surprise to realise this morning that he’d gone on to play Boss Hogg in The Dukes Of Hazzard.

I've seen this episode numerous time and I never realised he was Boss Hogg.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

This episode often tops Columbo fans' list of favourite episodes but not for me. Although I think it is a great episode, I would place it mid table in the Premier League, possibly even lower middle.

I view it along the same lines, so that placement works for me.

I didn't get the relationship between the murderer and the victim. What the hell was all that tickling and physical contact about?

It was a bit weird, wasn't it? I just decided it was a Mensa thing and my IQ was probably too low to understand it.

What I didn't like was the gotcha and it largely why I rank this episode lower than I might otherwise. I could buy into the clever Columbo ploy to get the Theodore Bikel's character to implicate himself because his ego and arrogance wouldn't allow himself appear inferior to another member of their IQ club but the way he crumbled once he realised what he did just didn't work for me. He was a smart man who could have argued that he just worked it out from the items that were in the room. For example, when Columbo found him with the umbrella on a sunny day, he was able to come up with an eloquent and exaggerated explanation for he had it so you would have thought he would have done something similar when he was tricked into implicating himself. I know the way they did it made for better television but I can't help but feel a bit let down by the conclusion to the story.

Yes, I can see what you mean and I understand how that would impact on your enjoyment of the episode.

That's a great comparison and a clever thing to spot.

Oh thanks. It just popped into my head as I watched. Maybe there's hope for me after all.

I've seen this episode numerous time and I never realised he was Boss Hogg.

Unless I'd read it I wouldn't have realised it in a million years. It's such a different characterisation and look.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Season Seven (1977-78)

Try And Catch Me

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Despite its brevity, Season Six is probably my least favourite run of episodes so far. While there were some really nice moments, there wasn’t an episode that felt like a true great.

My expectations for Try And Catch Me were a little higher. I know it’s a favourite - perhaps the favourite - of @Angela Channing and I was looking forward to seeing what made it so. But I was also a bit nervous in case I didn't view it the same way.

The first thing to grab me about the episode was Patrick Willams’s exciting score. It’s possibly my favourite score of the entire run so far, and would be my top choice if I could choose any episode to have a soundtrack album released. It does call attention to itself - subtle it isn’t - but it’s frenetic, exciting and full of sparkling energy.


This is most suitable, because not a moment feels like it’s wasted in this episode. There’s something to interest all the way through. The writing is taut. The performances are note perfect and engaging. And James Frawley’s direction has the creative verve that was the hallmark of those classic early Seventies episodes. Whether he’s delivering a low angle the killer and victim facing off on a beach as horses stampede either side of them or an aerial shot of the Lieutenant being encircled by a rotating group of belly dancers, it all looks fantastic.

This feels like a very sunny and fun episode, but it’s balanced with a genuine atmosphere and broodiness, and there’s quite a grim undercurrent pulling away just beneath the surface. The opening shot of the sliding wood panels and the secret safe spoke to the mystery-reading child in me.


I was really pleased to see Mariette Hartley’s name in the opening credits. I’ve only seen her in one-off guest appearances of episodic TV, but I find her extremely watchable. The role of hers that’s most familiar to me was her Emmy winning turn in an episode of The Incredible Hulk which blew me away with its emotional intelligence. She has an interesting arc in Try And Catch Me. Any Columbo episode which features a discovery and blackmail is invariably layered and interesting and it plays out in a fascinating way here - all innuendo and suggestion through polite conversation and smiles.

continued...​

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Try And Catch Me​

continued​

Charles Frank as Edmund Galvin makes an interesting victim. The motive for the killing is crystal clear and gives the audience empathy with his killer Abigail Mitchell. But despite all signs pointing to it, we’re never explicitly told whether Edmund did kill his wife Phyllis who was also Abigail’s niece. Indeed, we don’t even know for certain that Phyllis is dead - only that she went missing at sea with Edmund. Abigail might feel absolutely certain of Edmund’s guilt, but Charles Frank’s performance is wonderfully oblique. To all intents and purposes, we simply see a pleasant young man who feels let down that Abigail believes he could do such a thing. This is an area that resonates, because of the possibility - however faint - that Abigail’s act of vigilantism might actually be the execution of an innocent man grieving his wife.

The murder itself was notable for its suspense. We knew that Abigail was going to lock Edmund in the airtight, soundproof safe to suffocate, but as she asked him to fetch this or return that it became a question of when, especially with an exciting interruption or two as she was on the verge.

Ruth Gordon steals the show as crime writer Abigail Mitchell. There’s something endearingly childlike - almost imp-like - about her. There's a brilliant small moment where she's so enthused about watching Columbo work that she does a little skip as she follows him from room to room.

Watching her doing her eccentric thing in the opening act, I found myself feeling really excited, anticipating how her wacky persona was going to bounce off Peter Falk’s Columbo. And it didn’t disappoint when it finally happened.

It’s all in there. Just as Columbo has his schtick, so too does Abigail. It’s fun to see her playing up her age, pretending to be forgetful or clumsy (such as in her “oops - fingerprints” moment as she pawed a key that was a vital clue).

There’s something enjoyably passive-aggressive about Abigail - such as the way she tut-tuts about Edmund clawing away at the door of his tomb while clearly internally relishing the idea. And this passive-aggression increases as the episode goes along, with her becoming increasingly (and hilariously) sarcastic towards Columbo as he puts the pieces together, merrily enquiring if the arrow Edmund scratched might be pointing at his new shoes, or incriminating her maid (“I don’t have a butler”, she quips). The dialogue is wonderfully sharp, with a pithy humour that feels very truthful.

And that’s another strength of the episode. It’s genuinely funny, but without getting into caricature or sitcom. All the humour comes from within and it’s intelligently written.

continued...​

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Try And Catch Me​

continued​

The relationship between Columbo and Abigail feels very real, and I loved that moment on the dock where they had a bit of a heart to heart. With Abigail feeling Columbo was softening towards her, she played on this by telling him how kind he was, only for him to reply that she shouldn’t count on that. It felt very unexpected and as close to a flat out threat of “I’m going to get you” as this episode gets. And it brilliantly shows the determination of each character, but especially Columbo.

Similarly, after the brilliant Gotcha, Abigail appeals to Columbo’s sympathies by reminding him of her age and frailty and motive. And he levelly responds that he’s as professional in his work as she is in hers.

This echoes a lovely Columbo moment earlier in the episode when Abigail blindsides him into speaking as he attends a seminar she is hosting. What he delivers is a nice heartfelt monologue about loving his work and seeing the best in people - even killers - that sums him up as much as any moment of the entire series. It could be taken out of context and placed into any profile of the character to give a sense of what he is all about.

The Gotcha itself is hugely enjoyable, and a really clever twist with the victim identifying the killer from beyond the grave. Ruth Gordon brings a sense of finality to her character’s defeat, and there’s a touching sadness to her concession that had Columbo been the one to investigate her niece’s death justice would have been served and she wouldn’t have needed to take matters into her own hands.

I loved her character. Perhaps she should have been given her own spin-off where she goes round killing people who’ve got away with crimes. Like Jessica Fletcher meets Dexter. A kind of Murder, She Smote.

All this, and Dog too. All in all a pretty perfect episode. And a contender for an all-time Top Three episode.

 

[Angela Channing]

My expectations for Try And Catch Me were a little higher. I know it’s a favourite - perhaps the favourite - of @Angela Channing and I was looking forward to seeing what made it so. But I was also a bit nervous in case I didn't view it the same way.

Yes, if I was pushed pick a favourite episode, I would go for Try and Catch Me, although whenever I was Every Port In A Storm or A Friend In Deed I sometimes think they are my favourites but I keep coming back to this one as being the one I like above all the others.

The first thing to grab me about the episode was Patrick Willams’s exciting score. It’s possibly my favourite score of the entire run so far, and would be my top choice if I could choose any episode to have a soundtrack album released. It does call attention to itself - subtle it isn’t - but it’s frenetic, exciting and full of sparkling energy.

YES! The score is brilliant, it's like a film score rather than one written for a TV show. It's so wonderfully conceived and used perfectly to enhance the action.

This is most suitable, because not a moment feels like it’s wasted in this episode. There’s something to interest all the way through. The writing is taut. The performances are note perfect and engaging. And James Frawley’s direction has the creative verve that was the hallmark of those classic early Seventies episodes. Whether he’s delivering a low angle the killer and victim facing off on a beach as horses stampede either side of them or an aerial shot of the Lieutenant being encircled by a rotating group of belly dancers, it all looks fantastic.

All the best episodes of Columbo have a memorable stand out scene (excluding the gotcha): in Every Port In A Storm it's probably the "liquid filth" restaurant scene, in Double Shock it's the TV cooking scene and in A Stitch In Crime it's when Columbo displays a rare show of anger when he bangs the water jug on the desk in front of the murderer. This episode is full of great scenes, as you said "not a moment feels like it's wasted" but if I had to choose one it would be Columbo's impromptu speech to the woman's group. He's not prepared so you wonder if it's going to be a series of "ums" like when he is centre stage in Double Shock, but it's a great speech giving an insight into how Columbo feels about some of the murderers he has investigated.

I loved that moment on the dock where they had a bit of a heart to heart. With Abigail feeling Columbo was softening towards her, she played on this by telling him how kind he was, only for him to reply that she shouldn’t count on that. It felt very unexpected and as close to a flat out threat of “I’m going to get you” as this episode gets. And it brilliantly shows the determination of each character, but especially Columbo.

Another contender for the best scene in the episode.

The murder itself was notable for its suspense. We knew that Abigail was going to lock Edmund in the airtight, soundproof safe to suffocate, but as she asked him to fetch this or return that it became a question of when, especially with an exciting interruption or two as she was on the verge.

I almost hate to describe it this way but the murder was fun for the reason you describe (you know she is going to lock him in the safe but you don't know when especially as he had opportunities to do it but doesn't take them), Abigail's upbeat and friendly demeanour and the use of the jaunty music switching to something more sinister when it actually happens. It's one of my favourite Columbo murders (if you can have a favourite murder!)

Ruth Gordon steals the show as crime writer Abigail Mitchell. There’s something endearingly childlike - almost imp-like - about her. There's a brilliant small moment where she's so enthused about watching Columbo work that she does a little skip as she follows him from room to room.

She is what makes this episode great. It's hard to upstage Peter Falk when he's in full Columbo mode but when they had scenes together I couldn't help but be drawn to her. Everything about the character Ruth Gordon created was mesmerising: the way she spoke, the way she moved, the things she did, it was all captivating. Her scenes were Columbo were something special, at times their interactions were almost flirtatious, the chemistry between them was that strong. It's amazing to think she was in her 80s when she played the role. with such charm and vigour

And that’s another strength of the episode. It’s genuinely funny, but without getting into caricature or sitcom. All the humour comes from within and it’s intelligently written.

The humour in this episode is so well balanced and well executed. It's not over the top and it's nicely interspersed throughout the episode and as you said, genuinely funny. Great writing brought to life by great directing.

The Gotcha itself is hugely enjoyable, and a really clever twist with the victim identifying the killer from beyond the grave. Ruth Gordon brings a sense of finality to her character’s defeat, and there’s a touching sadness to her concession that had Columbo been the one to investigate her niece’s death justice would have been served and she wouldn’t have needed to take matters into her own hands.

The gotcha, the lead up to it and the dialogue between Columbo and Abigail afterwards was all superb. As Columbo is reordering the metal boxes to work out what the scratches meant while Abigail suggests fanciful non-serious suggestions for what it means, we all know it's an arrow but interplay between her and Columbo is so much fun we don't mind that they are dragging it out to build the drama. The gotcha itself was clever even though it wasn't conclusive but enough to illicit a confession. The conversation Columbo and Abigail had and the end, you couldn't help but feel sorry for her, it was so beautifully done.

All this, and Dog too. All in all a pretty perfect episode. And a contender for an all-time Top Three episode.

I'm glad we are in agreement again. This episode came near the end of the run of the original series which makes it all the more remarkable that they could produce an episode of this calibre at that late stage.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Yes, if I was pushed pick a favourite episode, I would go for Try and Catch Me, although whenever I was Every Port In A Storm or A Friend In Deed I sometimes think they are my favourites but I keep coming back to this one as being the one I like above all the others.

I think the thing with favourite Columbo episodes is they can appeal in different ways. In addition to the ones you mentioned, some of my favourites would be Double Exposure, A Stitch In Crime and Murder By The Book. All great episodes for very different reasons.

YES! The score is brilliant, it's like a film score rather than one written for a TV show. It's so wonderfully conceived and used perfectly to enhance the action.

This evening I've watched another Patrick Williams scored episode* and he brings something really special to this series. As you said, it's very cinematic and makes the episode feel more expansive and classy than it would be without his touch.


* And double-checking this, I've realised the episodes in the DVD set are in a different order to the transmission order shown on Wikipedia, and so I appear to have jumped from the first episode of the season to the fouth.

I almost hate to describe it this way but the murder was fun for the reason you describe (you know she is going to lock him in the safe but you don't know when especially as he had opportunities to do it but doesn't take them), Abigail's upbeat and friendly demeanour and the use of the jaunty music switching to something more sinister when it actually happens. It's one of my favourite Columbo murders (if you can have a favourite murder!)

Oh, I completely get what you mean and I think with a series like this that features ingenious murders or alibis it's fine to have a favourite one.

It's hard to upstage Peter Falk when he's in full Columbo mode but when they had scenes together I couldn't help but be drawn to her. Everything about the character Ruth Gordon created was mesmerising: the way she spoke, the way she moved, the things she did, it was all captivating. Her scenes were Columbo were something special, at times their interactions were almost flirtatious, the chemistry between them was that strong. It's amazing to think she was in her 80s when she played the role. with such charm and vigour

Oh yes. She was just great and it was the same for me. In all her scenes I found myself drawn to her to see what she was going to do next.

we all know it's an arrow but interplay between her and Columbo is so much fun we don't mind that they are dragging it out to build the drama.

Absolutely. Abigail's little quips in that scene were just hilarious.

The gotcha itself was clever even though it wasn't conclusive but enough to illicit a confession. The conversation Columbo and Abigail had and the end, you couldn't help but feel sorry for her, it was so beautifully done.

It was, and it felt like there was some kind of closure in giving the two of them an understanding. When Columbo respects his opponent - as he does here - it feels so much more potent and significant.

I'm glad we are in agreement again.

So am I.

This episode came near the end of the run of the original series which makes it all the more remarkable that they could produce an episode of this calibre at that late stage.

Definitely. I find myself wondering if they can pull it out of the hat for another winner or two before series' end.

 

[Angela Channing]

I think the thing with favourite Columbo episodes is they can appeal in different ways. In addition to the ones you mentioned, some of my favourites would be Double Exposure, A Stitch In Crime and Murder By The Book. All great episodes for very different reasons.

I agree with all your selections and I would add Double Shock, and Negative Reaction to complete my list of episodes that are not only in the Premier League but are at the top in the elite positions for qualification for the UEFA Champions' League.

 

[darkshadows38]

there's a lot of these i still have not seen but did ya know that Ed McBain wrote i think 2 of them and one of them was based off his (1972) Novel Sadie when she died
i forget the name of it but it's from (1992) and it had Thomas Calabro or however ya spell his last name? and i forget what the other one is based off of

 

[Mel O'Drama]

How To Dial A Murder

​

As mentioned a couple of posts ago, my viewing order seems to have gone skew-whiff. According to the air date order, Murder Under Glass should follow Try And Catch Me. But on my DVD set this episode is placed in between them. This means I’ve skipped from November 1977’s season premiere to the penultimate episode of the original run from April 1978. Irritating, but never mind. I will have to keep my eyes peeled to ensure the final episode of the original series is watched at the right time.

Another notable aspect of How To Dial A Murder: while I’ve sufficiently forgotten almost every episode so far enough to feel like the first time watching, from the moment I saw the dogs and the Citizen Kane “Rosebud” sledge I could remember enough of the programming and de-programming to the keyword for a number of important moments to come right to the front of my memory. Not that this spoilt my viewing.

It’s still a perfectly watchable episode with some nice performances, a reasonably clever murder plot and some shrewd detective work. The soapy cliché murder motive - with King Galen having had an affair with his best friend’s wife, prompting the cuckolded husband to kill them one-by-one - doesn’t seem that cliché here, because it’s the exception rather than the rule. The mysterious pre-episode death of his wife added interest and raised the stakes to a degree, because Dr Eric Mason had apparently already got away with murder once before.

As Mason, Nichol Williamson made a decent enough killer, exuding control, suppressed anger and plenty of smarm. He reminded me of a young Gordon Jackson (and was born very close to Jackson’s birthplace as it turns out), with a bit of the Alec Guinness to him I thought.

The young women both had nice presence as well. Kim Cattrall’s character captured a certain type of young person: the one who attends institutes in an attempt to find themselves and ends up lured in to something resembling a cult. It feels like a very Seventies thing to do.

Tricia O’Neal is an actress I feel as though I know better than I do. I’ve only really seen her in one-off appearances like this: several Murder She Wrotes, a Hart To Hart, the victim of Edgar Randolph’s abuse in Dallas and so on. But she always makes an impression. Plus she has that elfin Kate Jackson/Adrienne Barbeau thing going on (in fact I sometimes struggle to differentiate between Tricia and Adrienne). She’s as reliable as ever here as the dog trainer. And Dog is as adorably unreliable as ever.

The main strike against this episode for me is for the writing, which feels as though the writers’ reach exceeded their grasp. It was clever in its intentions, but I couldn’t help feeling that perhaps it had too much going on at times and I also felt that certain notes had been hit before. As clever as the murder was, there were echoes of the “death by post-hypnotic suggestion” seen in A Deadly State Of Mind, combined with the “hooked up to a heart monitor” seen in Troubled Waters. And so it was no surprise to me when the burst of excited activity on the EKG graph was produced. Other unsurprising “surprising” moments felt telegraphed due to slightly clunky writing, including the moment where Columbo accidentally stumbled on the keyword used for the kill having left his dictaphone on.

The episode also felt a little gimmicky in places. Pop culture references can be fun, but even though the antagonist’s obsession with Old Hollywood was key to the murder and its resolution, it almost feels at times as though the crew had simply raided the Universal props warehouse and built scenes around what they found. Likewise, as nice as the visuals were, Columbo visiting the Old West ghost town which was clearly on the Universal backlot couldn’t help feeling a little unnecessary and even cheesy.

This means How To Dial A Murder isn’t a top tier episode for me. It’s by no means terrible. It simply feels rather workaday compared with some of its stablemates.

On the plus side, Patrick Williams's score elevates this episode. There are a lot of Herrmannesque strings, and some low cello notes are especially welcome as they sound more than a tad sinister. Plus some more organic-sounding thumps and beats for some of the unsettling moments.