Columbo - General Discussion

[illdoc]

^^^^  All are "new" (ie 1990s) Columbo.

[chessiegal]

Dick Van Dyke is on the Columbo episode on MeTV tonight - Whoot!

[LakeGal]

I am doing a rewatch of Columbo.  I have watched all the seasons.  I am now on the movies.  I just finished Sex and the Married Detective.  I love how Columbo was always touching the briefcase.  He just loves to make the suspect nervous.  The suspects get so frustrated with him.  He always pops up and never leaves.  He always has that one more question.  

I also love Columbo's dog.  He showed up in season two.  I noticed that in the final episode of the seasons we got to see Columbo in just his underwear.  He had a pretty good body.  I also laughed at the episode where Columbo had his hair cut by Daryl.  Then someone complimented his hair and asked if it was by Daryl.  

[possibilities]

I've been watching the episodes as their air on... I forget which channel it is. But they're on season 5 right now. I was surprised when they started undressing Falk a bit. There's an episode where he stays on site at a military academy, to solve the murder that took place there, and they have him in a tank top quite a bit, and apparently he's either spray tanned or actually tanned, underneath his usually covered self. And with muscular arms. Not what I expected, after watching all those episodes of him slouching and shuffling and acting like he's got a hangover and hasn't taken his coat off any time in his adult life. 

Also, it's always funny to watch old shows, where the masculine ideal was super hairy, vs today's waxed, oiled, and glistening types.

[peacheslatour]

56 minutes ago, possibilities said:

I've been watching the episodes as their air on... I forget which channel it is. But they're on season 5 right now. I was surprised when they started undressing Falk a bit. There's an episode where he stays on site at a military academy, to solve the murder that took place there, and they have him in a tank top quite a bit, and apparently he's either spray tanned or actually tanned, underneath his usually covered self. And with muscular arms. Not what I expected, after watching all those episodes of him slouching and shuffling and acting like he's got a hangover and hasn't taken his coat off any time in his adult life. 

Also, it's always funny to watch old shows, where the masculine ideal was super hairy, vs today's waxed, oiled, and glistening types.

Lol. Peter Falk was never considered the "masculine ideal". I did think he was very yummy in the early years though.

[possibilities]

I know he wasn't, but it's still true of that era, that hairy chests were the aesthetic norm.

[chessiegal]

Give me a hairy chest any day - looking at you Jim West/Robert Conrad. 💖

[peacheslatour]

7 minutes ago, possibilities said:

I know he wasn't, but it's still true of that era, that hairy chests were the aesthetic norm.

Not really. Rock Hudson, Robert Mitchell and a host of other actors used to shave their chests.

[possibilities]

I'm thinking of Burt Reynolds as a hairy chest example of a hunky dude sex symbol of that era.

It might not have been a universal, but it was pretty common and much moreso than today.

[meowmommy]

Not here to plug Spamazon, but they have the entire Columbo series on DVD for sale at $29.99 today only.

[seacliffsal]

At times there is discussion about whether or not there really was a Mrs. Columbo.  I just watched the episode with the CIA agent who killed Leslie Nielson and during the episode Columbo said "that's my wife's favorite song" and the villain said "yes, I know" at which point Columbo states that he has bugged his (Columbo's) house and he says yes.  Therefore, through bugging the house he knew that Columbo had a wife and what was her favorite music.  So, yes, it seems she really did exist.

[Fool to cry]

 

 

 

[SnarkShark]

On 11/12/2021 at 9:56 PM, Fool to cry said:

 

 

 

WTF?

 

That is so weird, its actually kind of great.

[possibilities]

Nobody slouches like Peter Falk, though.

 

--

I watched the entire 10 seasons in the past month or two, and now I can't believe there aren't any more. It's weird how what used to be 10 years of a show can now be watched in a compressed time period. 

[chessiegal]

I posted this in the Retro channels thread.

Looks like MeTV is placing the blame of not airing any more Columbo squarely on someone else. On breaks, I've heard twice now that they didn't want to say good bye to Columbo, but they had no choice.

[peacheslatour]

2 hours ago, chessiegal said:

I posted this in the Retro channels thread.

Looks like MeTV is placing the blame of not airing any more Columbo squarely on someone else. On breaks, I've heard twice now that they didn't want to say good bye to Columbo, but they had no choice.

I'm watching right now and I just saw that. I wonder what happened?

[chessiegal]

I'm sure it's about money.

[seacliffsal]

Cozi t.v. is still showing the "new" Columbos.

[possibilities]

I don't know who's still got it available, but at various times recently, the show has been available via Peacock, Tubi, and Sundance. 

[KittyQ]

Just watched the final Columbo on MeTV - Blueprint for Murder - and I loved the fashions on the two wives. I wish I could find something like the robe Janis Paige put on after her massage. Shallow take on a pretty good episode, but one of the things I enjoy when watching Columbo is that it is a little time capsule of 70s style in cars, buildings, and fashions.

[Egg McMuffin]

Here’s what is most likely happening: Columbo, which is still a good draw for the retro channels, is owned by NBC Universal, which also owns COZI-TV. For a number of years, MeTV showed the original 70s package. About 5 years ago, MeTV got the 1990s revival and the 70s episodes moved to COZI. Then after a couple of years, they swapped. I’m guessing that COZI will have the entire run starting in the new year.

[illdoc]

Columbo Marathon on COZI (seems to be the old ones) Jan 1, starting at 1pm/12C. https://www.cozitv.com/video/columbo-marathon_cozitv/244/

 

[chessiegal]

23 minutes ago, illdoc said:

Columbo Marathon on COZI (seems to be the old ones) Jan 1, starting at 1pm/12C. https://www.cozitv.com/video/columbo-marathon_cozitv/244/

 

Sweet! I can record the episode with Ross Martin. I hate seeing one of my tv boyfriends (Artemis Gordon) being a bad guy, but it's always good to see Ross. He's such a delight.

[Maizie131]

The Sundance channel is having a marathon that starts New Year’s Day at 2 AM and continues until 4 AM on Monday.

RIP Betty White 💕😪

[peacheslatour]

4 minutes ago, Maizie131 said:

The Sundance channel is having a marathon that starts New Year’s Day at 2 AM and continues until 4 AM on Monday.

RIP Betty White 💕😪

I'll be watching. Just think if Betty had done a Columbo Match made in heaven.

[Egg McMuffin]

COZI started its Columbo marathon this morning with the two pilots, “Prescription: Murder” and “Ransom for a Dead Man”. It continues until midnight, with all 1970s episodes.

[chessiegal]

I set the DVR to record the episodes with my 2 favorite Secret Service agents. I had the Conrad episode recorded and somehow it got deleted. I haven't watched the Ross Martin episode all the way through - my Artie would never murder anyone!

ETA: This is my day for finding Ross Martin. Insp is airing an episode of Wagon Train he is in, along with Annette Funicello!

Edited January 1, 2022 by chessiegal

[Milburn Stone]

OK, question about the episode in Season 3 in which Robert Culp plays a marketing psychologist (and murderer). The motive is that the client he's blackmailing is going to go to the police and expose him. But the murder--carefully, ingeniously planned, with every detail meticulously thought out and planned for--occurs within hours of the client threatening Culp with exposure (and giving Culp his motive)! What am I missing here?

Edited February 9, 2022 by Milburn Stone

[seacliffsal]

That he's an evil genius who always has a murder on demand plot ready to enact?

[Milburn Stone]

1 hour ago, seacliffsal said:

That he's an evil genius who always has a murder on demand plot ready to enact?

I do think that's the only explanation!

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, Milburn Stone said:

I do think that's the only explanation!

Yep.  

He also thinks he’s the smartest person in the room.  But if you think about it, every character he played in Colombo was exactly like that - even the Columba Goes to College episode where he was not the leading character.  

[peacheslatour]

20 minutes ago, PsychoKlown said:

Yep.  

He also thinks he’s the smartest person in the room.  But if you think about it, every character he played in Colombo was exactly like that - even the Columba Goes to College episode where he was not the leading character.  

Bye, Bye Sky High IQ:

Lt. Columbo:
You know, sir, it's a funny thing. All my life I kept running into smart people. I don't mean smart like you or the rest of the people in this house. You know what I mean. In school, there were a lot of smarter kids. And when I first joined the force, they had some very clever people there. And I could tell right away that it wouldn't be easy to make detective as long as they were around. But I figured, if I worked harder than they did, put in more time, read the books, kept my eyes open, maybe I could make it happen. And I did. And I really love my work, sir.

[debraran]

I just saw the one with the sex therapist and almost forgot most of it. I'm glad when a later one is like that. Once I knew who his "real wife" was, it was fun to see her in certain episodes, pure nepotism  she would say, but I'm sure fun for her too. I didn't realize how many.

https://www.metv.com/stories/peter-falks-real-wife-appeared-on-columbo-more-than-any-other-actress

I really liked seeing him with Johnny Cash and even Johnny on LHOP.  The music and the way they kept the episode going, it never was boring. Most were great but some episodes were a bit slow.

Edited February 10, 2022 by debraran

[meowmommy]

2 hours ago, debraran said:

Once I knew who his "real wife" was, it was fun to see her in certain episodes, pure nepotism  she would say, but I'm sure fun for her too.

Of course it was nepotism.  She's a strong contender for the award of worst actress ever.  Neck and neck, methinks, with Ali MacGraw.

4 hours ago, PsychoKlown said:

He also thinks he’s the smartest person in the room.

That's true of most -- but not all -- of Columbo's adversaries.  That's how he catches them.  Plays dumb and lets them hoist themselves on their own arrogant petard.  I think among the few who didn't fall into that group were Johnny Cash, Faye Dunaway, and maybe Janet Leigh.

[possibilities]

Even the faster episodes feel slow compared to current day shows. They take a totally different approach to filming, with long takes and generally much less adrenaline-driven plots. For a murder show, it's amazingly relaxing to watch!

[debraran]

I remember when I was young watching the one with the dogs, Columbo "How to Dial a Murder" with Rosebud reference. I remember him being upset the dogs in one episode didn't have  water and in Etude in Black he gets his Basset Hound, "Dog". ; ) I didn't realize he was in 8 episodes. They said he wasn't too keen on a dog at first as his "partner" but as a rescue and being just himself, he admitted it's the type of dog Columbo would have wanted. His name was Henry and also a rescue they say.

Edited February 10, 2022 by debraran

[Milburn Stone]

9 hours ago, possibilities said:

Even the faster episodes feel slow compared to current day shows. They take a totally different approach to filming, with long takes and generally much less adrenaline-driven plots. For a murder show, it's amazingly relaxing to watch!

And don't leave out that one of the reasons the show is so relaxing to watch is that it's funny! Every episode has at least one true laugh-out-loud moment for me, and dozens of laugh-not-out-louds.

Edited February 10, 2022 by Milburn Stone

[Guest]

30 minutes ago, Milburn Stone said:

At don't leave out that one of the reasons the show is so relaxing to watch is that it's funny! Every episode has at least one true laugh-out-loud moment for me, and dozens of laugh-not-out-louds.

So true.

The one scene that never fails to make me laugh out loud is the scene with Robert Vaughn, Mac, Columba and Bruce Kirby in the Peugeot.

The annoyed look on Vaughn’s face while being crammed into the front seat is hysterical.

”Oh…that’s a honey” referring to Vaughns watch.

Brilliant. 

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, PsychoKlown said:

So true.

The one scene that never fails to make me laugh out loud is the scene with Robert Vaughn, Mac, Columba and Bruce Kirby in the Peugeot.

The annoyed look on Vaughn’s face while being crammed into the front seat is hysterical.

”Oh…that’s a honey” referring to Vaughns watch.

Brilliant. 

I remember in Last Salute to the Commodore, Falk kept sitting on Vaughn's lap, much to his annoyance.

[seacliffsal]

I am so happy that people have been posting in this thread again.  I always like reading/writing about Columbo.  I really enjoy most of the episodes and when watching a mixture of Columbo and "new" Columbo it is noticeable that they used more than one basset hound as there are distinct color variations between the early/later episodes.  

Of the newer episodes, I really like the college one (love watching the students' reactions as they realized that they did not in fact out maneuver Columbo), the one where Tyne Daly just eats up the screen (she killed her husband who owned a football team), the Dabney Coleman one in which he kills his wife (and he was in an original run episode as a sargeant working with Columbo so I love that he went from colleague to murderer), and probably a couple of others.  More missteps with the new episodes than the original one IMO.

[debraran]

 

[SnarkShark]

On 4/11/2022 at 6:06 AM, debraran said:

 

That's weird, wild stuff.

 

[ljenkins782]

On 2/10/2022 at 1:20 PM, seacliffsal said:

I am so happy that people have been posting in this thread again.  I always like reading/writing about Columbo.  I really enjoy most of the episodes and when watching a mixture of Columbo and "new" Columbo it is noticeable that they used more than one basset hound as there are distinct color variations between the early/later episodes.  

Of the newer episodes, I really like the college one (love watching the students' reactions as they realized that they did not in fact out maneuver Columbo), the one where Tyne Daly just eats up the screen (she killed her husband who owned a football team), the Dabney Coleman one in which he kills his wife (and he was in an original run episode as a sargeant working with Columbo so I love that he went from colleague to murderer), and probably a couple of others.  More missteps with the new episodes than the original one IMO.

The Roku channel has the "new" Columbo episodes, I've started watching them for the dated atmospheres, like when someone is showing a befuddled Columbo this newfangled invention called a "fax machine." LOL. The description of all the fancy features made me laugh heartily. 

I enjoyed the very first episode I watched, but after that, I started noticing a weird vibe to a lot of the episodes, like they were trying to sex up the atmosphere in a g-rated sort of way. The porn-y music, hammy acting, women doing their best Marilyn Monroe impressions, and scantily clad extras, it's all so cheesy.

The sex therapist one was hilariously over the top in that way, but I'm noticing a thread of it through all the episodes now. 

Peter Falk is great as always, but the scenery chewing, projecting to the back row guest stars are super cheesy.

[peacheslatour]

18 hours ago, ljenkins782 said:

The Roku channel has the "new" Columbo episodes, I've started watching them for the dated atmospheres, like when someone is showing a befuddled Columbo this newfangled invention called a "fax machine." LOL. The description of all the fancy features made me laugh heartily. 

I enjoyed the very first episode I watched, but after that, I started noticing a weird vibe to a lot of the episodes, like they were trying to sex up the atmosphere in a g-rated sort of way. The porn-y music, hammy acting, women doing their best Marilyn Monroe impressions, and scantily clad extras, it's all so cheesy.

The sex therapist one was hilariously over the top in that way, but I'm noticing a thread of it through all the episodes now. 

Peter Falk is great as always, but the scenery chewing, projecting to the back row guest stars are super cheesy.

It's All In The Game with Faye Dunaway was super cringey. 

[Guest]

On 5/13/2022 at 6:08 PM, peacheslatour said:

It's All In The Game with Faye Dunaway was super cringey. 

I have second hand embarrassment whenever I see it.   Lt. Columbo has been portrayed as being madly in love with his wife.  How can the loyal viewer accept that he’s now contemplating a changing of lanes so to speak?  And with Faye Dunaway?  Total rubbish. 
 

[ketchuplover]

On 5/21/2015 at 10:55 PM, LakeGal said:

I just watched An Exercise in Fatality. Now I have that crazy Milo Janis jingle stuck in my head.  I always giggle when I watch this one at how tight Robert Conrad's pants are.  Columbo actually loses his temper in this one.  He really hated this killer and called him out at the hospital.    

How did you know he was in his gym clothes if you didn't change his clothes? 

ME;Because Gene was working out thus making it reasonable to assume he was wearing his gym clothes

Comments?

[Milburn Stone]

They're not all gems, but the one we watched tonight, with George Hamilton as the evil psychiatrist, was.

[Guest]

12 hours ago, ketchuplover said:

How did you know he was in his gym clothes if you didn't change his clothes? 

ME;Because Gene was working out thus making it reasonable to assume he was wearing his gym clothes

Comments?

Exactly!!!  

This is the only episode of Colombo where I really have to concentrate to see how Milo was caught and on more than one occasion I had to have my husband explain to me how he was caught.  

I think it’s a really complicated explanation, but then again it could just be me,
 

[Milburn Stone]

Columbo villains make one consistent mistake. (This doesn't detract from the show, it just adds to the pleasure of the formula, but it does seem to be a formula.) Namely, they get way too interested in helping Columbo solve the murder. This usually comes sometime before the halfway point in the episode.

Paraphrased example:

COLUMBO: No, sir, you see, that's what bothers me. He couldn't have come through the window.

PERP: Well then, maybe the back door had been left open by mistake!

At that moment, Columbo knows he has his man. An innocent person would simply reply, "Well, gosh, that is a puzzler! I'm glad I don't have to solve this! Good luck, lieutenant." But no, the perp believes he has to create a theory that fits the evidence yet doesn't lead to him. He might as well confess right then and there.

Edited June 20, 2022 by Milburn Stone

[Guest]

26 minutes ago, Milburn Stone said:

Columbo villains make one consistent mistake. (This doesn't detract from the show, it just adds to the pleasure of the formula, but it does seem to be a formula.) Namely, they get way too interested in helping Columbo solve the murder. This usually comes sometime before the halfway point in the episode.

Paraphrased example:

COLUMBO: No, sir, you see, that's what bothers me. He couldn't have come through the window.

PERP: Well then, maybe the back door had been left open by mistake!

At that moment, Columbo knows he has his man. An innocent person would simply reply, "Well, gosh, that is a puzzler! I'm glad I don't have to solve this! Good luck, lieutenant." But no, the perp believes he has to create a theory that fits the evidence yet doesn't lead to him. He might as well confess right then and there.

So true.

You know when Colombo says that he needs your expertise in solving the murder that you’re in his crosshairs.

Just ask Ward Fowler or Dale Kingston