Columbo: Butterfly in Shades of Grey

Is hilarious, but fits Shatner's character quite well. Billy's performance made this episode worth watching, due to his usual over the top melodramatic antics.

I've been watching all the episodes of Columbo once a week since forever on Peacock and it's fascinating to see how he aged in both his physical and acting aspects. This one still has the little tune of "this ol' man" playing in the background when he's at work on a particular focus of his investigation.

The plot is not quite as good as earlier episodes, but the clever twists of the villain make it fun.

The biggest part was of course Shatner, but wait there's more: Go find a film noir titled "The Big Clock" from 1948. It stars the famous Charles Laughton. As "Butterfly" opens with Shatner, I immediately saw Laughton in his demeanor, right down to the moustache! Was Billy Shatner mimicking Laughton? They both acted in the same dramatic fashion in their respective roles in their films. Maybe Shatner was paying homage.

As Spock would say..."Fascinating."

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.

Shatner's character's mustache changes shape and color throughout the show.

For Columbo fans, William Shatner plays the controlling Fielding Chase who kills a man who can separate him from his adoptive daughter played wonderfully by Molly Hagen. The key to solving the case is as fascinating as the actual murder. Columbo figures out who done it but how does he catch him. As in any Columbo feature, all the crimes are solved by one loose thread or link. It is nice to see Three's Company Richard Kline as his daughter's friend and literary agent. William Shatner plays Fielding Chase as the overly protective suffocating surrogate father to Molly Hagen's character in this film. It is a believable one and fun to watch anyway. Like I said, I will watch Columbo all the time. I am waiting for the Columbo Cable Channel.

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