Columbo: Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo

Helen Shaver heads a cast including Ian McShane and Teresa Gangel in an episode that pounds the final nail in the coffin of "Mrs. Columbo." The TV series, not the . . . Person.

After the success of "Columbo" someone had the "bright" notion of "Mrs. Columbo." Though the great detective never appears, unstated connections were made in the opening credits. When the show faltered "Kate Columbo" divorced her never seen husband and I think the show finally died under the title "Kate Loves a Mystery." I may be inexact title-wise, but I don't care enough to look it up.

In this episode Columbo said he'd been married 28 or 29 years. Unless he's lying about a make-believe wife it really is "Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo."

As far as the episode itself, Shaver ties all the men in knots and Gangel doesn't have enough to do. But then, I really like her. And perhaps I've seen too much Columbo but the clues were too obvious. I figured it out early and I'm not clever about these things.

The good: Roscoe Lee Browne has a neat cameo. Great actor. It's too bad he never "did it" in a "Columbo" episode, to my knowledge. I'd like to see Browne and Falk in that duel.

as Columbo's nemesis. She portrays a realtor in Beverly Hills, and there are the usual amusing scenes with Columbo visiting her at work, ogling the mansions, asking what prices they go for. This Columbo episode as well as the older one with Janet Leigh ("The Forgotten Lady") are quite interesting as you see some of the old L.A. architecture, mansions and so forth.

Roscoe Lee Brown portrays Shaver's psychiatrist. As Columbo is asking him questions as to why someone would commit murder, he says; ..."sometimes it is revenge; I have been wronged, so now am entitled to do wrong"... Describing the thought patterns of a murderer.

I will not give away the ending. Suffice it to say, you will enjoy this episode. 9/10

This Columbo story departs from the usual format in that Columbo is always the outsider digging for facts to solve a murder. The perpetrators are always apart and are never a threat to Columbo personally.

But Helen Shaver is a different kettle of fish. She shoots Edward Winter who ratted out her late husband and Columbo is also in her sights as he was the investigating officer. Her husband convicted of fraud died in prison and Shaver spent some time in a mental health facility.

So while in a remarkable coincidence is the investigating detective on Winter's homicide she's getting close to him with murder on her mind. And if not him her target could be Mrs. Columbo.

So Peter Falk is playing quite a cat and mouse game with Shaver and both are seeing themselves as the cat.

A real good scene is Falk with psychiatrist Roscoe Lee Browne who treated Shaver. With doctor/patient privilege applying and Browne trying to enjoy his gourmet meal he does convey to Columbo the danger he and the wife could be in.

Shaver is one dangerous woman not to be missed.

Rest in Peace Mrs Columbo is not one of my favourites of the brilliant Columbo series, but I still find it a very good episode. While it does drag in the middle, it is one of the more fascinating later Columbos, having an intriguing flashback-driven story, clever dialogue that is both amusing and tense and some great scenes especially the restaurant scene and the ending. Rest in Peace Mrs Columbo looks beautiful too, with some atmospheric scoring, slick editing and crisp direction. Peter Falk perhaps has given better performances of the series, but he is still gleefully enjoyable, and Helen Shaver is excellent in her meaty and quite unhinged role. Support roles are taken by Ian McShane and Roscoe Lee Brown and both are among the more interesting support performances of the later episodes.

In conclusion, fascinating. 8/10 Bethany Cox

I'm a massive Columbo fan, but the later episodes were somewhat hit and miss. This was one of the better ones, if not the best. It gets personal for Columbo when Mrs Dimitri - still grieving for her dead husband who Columbo arrested and put behind bars years ago - seeks revenge. I think from the title we know who she sets out to kill. But will Columbo see through her plan? Of course he will. Will we get to see Mrs Columbo? Of course not! Hugely enjoyable 7 out of ten