Columbo: Columbo Cries Wolf

Kind of plodding at times, but I thought the ending was very unique.

I'm surprised that no one had commented yet, but I thought this Columbo was very entertaining. One of the better, newer Columbos. I wish Columbo had never gone off the air.

Soap stars Ian Buchanan from General Hospital and the always beautiful Deirdre Hall from Days of Our Lives are involved in a disappearance and possible murder of a publisher. Of course, this brings a slew of much needed publicity for a starving magazine. Gigi Rice has a role as well. It's a familiar story with Ian playing a British Hugh Hefner style younger man and his empire in financial ruins. His partner is played by the beautiful Deidre Hall (she hasn't aged in years) wants out of the business. Of course, the motive is about money. Columbo episodes try to use simple motives rather than complex and the crimes are always pretty simply done whether it is done with a gun. We are never truly left with a gruesome crime scene in Columbo episodes and that's a good thing because Columbo has always been light-hearted at heart and his interactions with the prime suspect is always fascinating. When he thinks he's wrong, he's not.

Yes, Columbo gets it wrong or does he? This is an excellent Columbo story which adds a neat twist to the usual formula. Falk is lively throughout and by setting it in the glamour world, there are plenty of opportunities for comic moments. Very well paced and a treat to watch.

"Columbo Cries Wolf" is an episode that involves a Playboy-like magazine and the disappearance of its publisher. Now this SHOULD mean that the police would investigate....their Missing Persons unit. However, being "Columbo", our favorite homicide detective was assigned the case. Like nearly every episode of this long-running series, there are plenty of red herrings and twists....and the less said about them here the better, as it would clearly spoil the suspense.

This episode is so clearly 1990 in style....with some outrageous fashions and music. But it's also a show clearly trying to bring sex into the show in order to boost ratings....with tons of beautiful women in various states of dress and undress.

So is it any good? Yes, though I didn't love this one. One reason was Ian Buchanan's accent...which seemed to come and go. At times, he sounded like a typical American and other times he sounded like the Scot he is. This is especially noticeable in a scene inside the limo with Columbo....and I am surprised the director didn't spot this and re-shoot the scene. Another was that where the body would ultimately be found and how was clearly telegraphed...too much so. Still, it is entertaining and worth seeing.

To me, Columbo is one of the best detective series of all time, and one of my favourites ever. Columbo Cries Wolf is not among my absolute favourites of the series, but it is for me one of the better "newer" entries and one of the more successful change-in-formula episodes. Much better than for example Last Salute to the Commodore, another attempt to be different from the usual formula but fell flat, anyhow. Like with all Columbo episodes, Columbo Cries Wolf is beautifully shot, and the location(s) great. The fashions are nice to look at as well, and I liked the rock soundtrack at the start. The writing is smart and always maintains interest, and while I agree about the chauffeur business(the three or four times I've seen this episode, that has always bugged me also) the story(somewhat re-calling Prescription Murder at times) is well paced and makes the most of the formula used. It also has a very clever ending. Peter Falk as he always was is brilliant as Columbo, looking very lively and natural throughout. Ian Bucchanan is not my definition of a great performance, never quite as flamboyant as his character promised to be, but he is solid enough and works well with Falk. Deidre Hall is gorgeous and very convincing. Overall, a favourite it isn't, but I enjoy it very much. 9/10 Bethany Cox