Columbo

I am a huge fan of detective series- Inspector Morse(my favourite), Agatha Christie:Poirot, Murder She Wrote, New Tricks, Monk, Ellery Queen, A Touch of Frost and Taggart are all wonderful, but I can't not mention Columbo.

Columbo is sophisticated, funny and clever, and is quite simply one of the best detective series ever. It does show who does it a vast majority of the time, so the viewer knows who's the murderer before Columbo does, like on Monk and sometimes on Diagnosis Murder as well. But the real fun is Columbo investigating why the crime was committed, how it was committed and of course the exchanges between him and the suspects.

Columbo is well filmed, with nice photography and interesting locations. The stories are involving and well paced, the murders and motives are calculating, the scripts are intelligent with some humour in them(the quintessential "just one more thing" and anything to do with Mrs. Columbo), the music is cleverly composed and the direction is strong. I can't fault the acting either- Peter Falk is simply brilliant as the dishevelled, cigar-smoking, dog-eared Columbo, a detective who has a brilliant mind and is endearing in his own way. Morse, Miss Marple, Jessica Fletcher and Poirot are very like that as well. And there have been many memorable guest stars, Dick Van Dyke, Nicol Williamson, Gene Barry, Jack Cassidy, Robert Culp, Leonard Nimoy, Patrick McGoohan, Ray Milland, Rip Torn and George Hamilton are just a few of these memorable guests.

Overall, one brilliant detective series, clever with a great central performance. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Sure, I love modern crime dramas like CSI, but in my opinion, Columbo is on a whole other level. Most crime dramas airing currently are all about complicated chemical tests, DNA, and high-octane car chases and shootouts. Columbo is subtler than that. His common sense, shrewd observation, and disarming demeanor solve the cases. And, more than that, you really get into the psychology of the killers, who are often at least somewhat sympathetic characters driven to the edge by circumstance. In every episode, the scene where Columbo finally confronts them with the solution and hard evidence is always fantastic. This is a gem of a TV show, and I think anybody who likes CSI, Law & Order or any other crime dramas, will seriously enjoy this series.

For most of the 1970s I was married, living in the New Orleans area, and raising five young children. "Columbo" is one of the TV shows that we enjoyed. Now I am able to re-watch the series in 2024, streaming on Peacock, starting with Season 1, Episode 1, running 1 hour 15 minutes. I don't recall the schedule clearly but that must have taken up a 90-minute time slot with only about 15 minutes of commercials.

Peter Falk makes the show, with his low-keyed quirkiness. He is Los Angeles police department Detective Columbo. His signature looks are an old, beat-up car and a wrinkled tan all-weather coat, the kinds most of us professionals wore back then, with a zip-out lining. I wore one to work for years and it looked about as beat-up as his. In fact, I still have one hanging in my coat closet!

His signature characteristic is to complete a discussion with a suspect, then start to walk away, only to stop and ask, "One more thing...".

The shows were done in the style where we, the viewers, witnessed the murder within the first few minutes, then Columbo would show up and the rest of the show was to see how he would gather clues and solve the crime.

Interestingly the very first episode was directed by a 24-yr-old Steven Spielberg.

Good series about a peculiar homicide detective , Lieutenant Columbo , he is a rumpled , cigar-smoking TV inspector, but really dogged sleuth , who is often called on finding out high profile killings , as he investigates twisted cases in Los Angeles City . As Columbo always finds a way to trap the astute murderers or discover enough evidences to make them confess . He has a particular personality and special physical , as he looking like a bum or vagrant , bumbling conduct , scattered mannerisms , he wears a rumpled raincoat and high top shoes . And driving an old car 1959 Peugeot 403 convertible .Columbo taks about his spouse in several chapters , though Mrs Columbo has never seen on Tv screen , Columbo is sometimes seen talking on the phone with her .

Splendid series with plenty of suspense , humor , mystery , emotion and twists . Peter Falk , who in real-life was a long life cigarrette smoker and he added this personal touch, as well as he provided his own wardrobe , including his famous raincoat . Peter gives a magnificent acting as the botcher detective with ingenious demeanor, and disheveled appearance , a completely different point of view against the original project that was as a suave and polished inspector . Falk provides a humorous , comical dimension , but beneath his unusual aspect he is probably the most obstinate and intelligent investigator in Los Angeles police department facing off cunning and nasty people . Falk's debut as the raincoat-clad officer was in 1967 : Columbo , Prescription murder , directed by Richard Irving with Gene Barry , William Windom , Nina Foch , this was the TV series pilot in which he investigates the death of a psychiatrist's wife, of course, Columbo winkles out the killer ; this show's was an instant success . Although , Bing Crosby was offered the first role , but he refused and then Falk took the character who he went on until his death .

The series was extraordinarily played by Peter Falk in 68 episodes. Scriptwritten by famed writers as Steven Bochco , Stephen J Cannell, Jeffrey Bloom and Peter Falk himself . Directed by notorious filmmakers as Leo Penn, Alan J Levi , James Frawley , Vincent McEveety , Boris Sagal and Spielberg made 1 episode titled Murder by the book . Some actors also directed episodes as John Cassavetes, Ben Gazarra , Sam Wanamaker , Norman Lloyd, Patrick McGooham, Daryl Duke and Peter Falk himself . And uncountable , prestigious guest stars , such as : Anne Baxter , Roddy McDowall, Jack Cassidy , William Shatner, Jose Ferrer, Oscar Werner , Johnny Cash , Laurence Harvey , Ricardo Montalban , Richard Foxworth , George Hamilton , Rod Steiger , Ruth Gordon , George Wendt , John Dehner , Tyne Daly , Richard Kiley , Martin Landau , Dyck Van Dyke , Lindsay Crouse , Hector Helizondo and many others

Throughout the entire run of the series which went over 30 years with revivals and such the LAPD never assigned Peter Falk some gang-banger slaying or a domestic dispute where a drunk and jealous husband might have carved up an unfaithful wife. No, Lt. Columbo always got the high profile stuff with prominent people as victims and perpetrators. Before there was Brenda Lee Johnson there was another disarming detective who got the job done every time.

Peter Falk created one of the most indelible characters ever on the small screen with Columbo. The rumpled raincoat in an area where rain is a rarity, the bumbling manner, the general obsequiousness all played into an image he deliberately wanted to create for the perpetrator he was trying to trap. We all knew who did it every week and we all knew that there was an elaborate plan involved that the perpetrator put into operation. Often it called for an attempt to frame someone else.

It would all unravel bit by bit. Even if the murderer didn't confess outright you knew it was all over. The best criminal lawyers didn't let anyone wriggle out of a Columbo trap.

Columbo was a great working class hero, an Archie Bunker, or a Ralph Kramden who took the police civil service exam and worked his way up to the top of his profession. It was why he was so popular.

And it's why he will ever remain so.