Face à face

PLOT: A controversial radio-show host (William Shatner) murders a former member of his staff, a gay man, who was about to whisk his beloved foster daughter off to New York City to become a novelist (Molly Hagan).

COMMENTARY: This episode is superior to Shatner's first appearance on Columbo, "Fade in to Murder" (1976); of course the story & characters are totally different, except for our beloved disheveled detective. As usual, Shatner is entertaining as he hams it up in the role of the semi-shock jock.

There's a priceless sequence where Columbo shows-up on the set of a soap opera and is mistaken for an actor playing a homeless man enlisted for the shoot. There's also a compelling on-air bit involving a senator rudely confronted with his wayward past. I must say, the radio host's mansion in the mountains of Malibu is magnificent.

GRADE: B

It's amazing how viewers can see something different. Though I agree with the other commentator about Shatner's 'stache taking on a life of its own, I disagree with the comments about the actor's acting. While the two-hour movie format is not as "tight" as the ninety-minute episodes, "Butterfly in Shades of Gray" is entertaining until the end.

Some of the highlights include the murder, the exchange between Falk's Columbo and Shatner's "Fielding Chase" in the restaurant, the argument between Shatner and his daughter, as well as the on-air revelation about a wayward senator.

Dick DeBenedictus's score enlivens the story with the appropriate blend of mystery and suspense.

This is certainly not a bad episode, but it is not a great one either. It is strikingly filmed as the Columbo episodes often are, the music is good, the script is decent enough as is the direction and story, while Peter Falk is excellent and Molly Hagen is wonderful. However, the pacing is rather sluggish, and the murderer's motive is quite weak. Also I just didn't buy William Shatner in his role, he tries hard but he is too over-the-top and forced and his moustache was falling off in some scenes.

Overall, it is certainly worth watching but it wasn't brilliant. 6/10 Bethany Cox

BUTTERFLY IN SHADES OF GREY makes the return of William Shatner to the COLUMBO TV series after he first appeared in it in the 1970s. Shatner is one of my favourite cult stars - I find him an actor it's impossible to not enjoy - and he certainly lifts the material in what is otherwise a well-paced but fairly predictable Columbo storyline.

Shatner plays a brash radio talk show host with a fixation on his adopted daughter. When another man tries to break her away from him, he's driven to extreme means in order to dispose of the threat. The murder itself is quite straightforward here, relying on an unusual telephone-related alibi for the most part, and the resolution is fairly average.

What lifts it is a typically assured performance from Peter Falk as the titular detective. Falk enjoys a handful of comedic moments in this one; they're quite familiar and have played out before, but there's plenty of mileage in them nonetheless. He also shares plenty of scenes with Shatner, and both actors are really enjoying themselves. You can't help but do so as well.

William Shatner and Molly Hagan are reunited with Peter Falk for a second Columbo mystery, which is rather entertaining. Radio presenter Fielding Chase is very controlling of his adopted daughter Victoria (who is in the midst of writing a novel) thus killing her close friend Gerry Winters, who simply wanted her to branch out and lead her own life away from Chase. Actress Hagan is great as Victoria, a naive young woman who wants nothing but to please her murderous father. Shatner on the other hand has given better performances in his long career, and seems confused and over the top.

Peter Falk can portray the legendary Lt. with his eyes shut, and he simply (as always) brightens up the whole scenario. Funny gaffes include our Lt being mistaken for a homeless person, and mostly his beat up old (but also lovable) car continually backfiring! The case comes to a satisfying conclusion featuring many cunning tricks from our Lt....As usual Columbo outwits the murderer!

Butterfly In Shades of Grey is another enjoyable Columbo mystery and it's one I've seen many times, but there are stronger films in the Columbo franchise that eclipse this good but slightly weak 1993 edition. It's definitely not the best in the series. 7/10