Il y a un truc!

After a hiatus of over a decade Peter Falk returns as the dogged and persistent homicide detective Columbo of the LAPD. As usual he's got himself a suspect who thinks he's a cut or two above the hoi ploi.

Anthony Zerbe is our victim here and he's a magician in the tradition of Harry Houdini. And as history has taught us one of Houdini's sidelines was the exposure of psychics whom he thought were all a gang of frauds.

Zerbe knows that Anthony Andrews is a fraud and he's got some personal knowledge of that because they have some history together. Zerbe by the way is no saint either.

Zerbe is done in by one of his magician's props, a guillotine he uses in his act that proves to be all too real.

One thing about this episode, like in a few others Columbo doesn't have much of a case, he just hopes the suspect trips himself up. Andrews does in fact, but Peter Falk puts himself in harm's way to do it.

But of course he gets his man.

When Columbo returned to television in the late '80s, the integrity of the original series was usually in place. The qualities that made Columbo tops were never more apparent than in "Columbo Goes to the Guillotine," with guest stars Anthony Andrews, Anthony Zerbe, and Karen Austin. Andrews plays a psychic being wooed by a government organization for his gifts, but of course, they want to see proof. He is connected with a psychic institute run by beautiful Karen Austin, who not only wants the credibility a win like this could give her institute, but Andrews himself. She is running tests and helping him cheat.

Enter Zerbe, a magician who makes his living debunking psychics. He is brought in by the government to administer special tests to Andrews. Turns out, he and Andrews knew each other once, long ago, in a third world prison, and when Zerbe saw his chance to get out, he did, leaving Andrews behind. There is a hint here of more than just a prison friendship - in the hands of two excellent actors like Zerbe and Andrews, they have etched these characters and their relationship with a lot of layers. Andrews plays the card of their old friendship to get Zerbe to give him elaborate tests that are carried out by trickery, and then sanction him as real to the government. This accomplished, Andrews plays the revenge card for what Zerbe did by abandoning him years ago and, in a remarkable scene, gets rid of him. It's brilliantly done as the murder is never shown, but it makes you sick anyway.

It's up to Columbo to debunk the psychic and reveal him for what he really is, a cold-blooded killer. Watch Columbo figure out the tests, with the help of a boy who is a magic aficionado, and be prepared to be caught up in the scenario and feel like you've just seen a pretty great magic show. One of the truly great Columbos.

Without being absolutely outstanding, Columbo Goes to the Guillotine is a solid and nice return for the great detective. The second half does drag though, and some scenes go on for too long, but other than that it is a very good episode, helped primarily by a good script and a clever plot with some interesting magic tricks. The locations and photography as per usual are striking, and the music is good as well. The acting isn't outstanding but it is still good. Peter Falk I have no problem with, while Anthony Andrews gives a good turn as well, while the supporting cast while not as good are solid. Overall, it is a nice return for Columbo, with an 8/10. Bethany Cox

I think of Peter Falk's Lieutenant Columbo as an old friend. I love watching him in action. Peter Falk is so good at playing him and he obviously enjoys it as well because he keeps coming back to him as well. I know that he kept the trademark raincoat from the series. Columbo Goes to the Guillotine was the first of many Columbo television films that came back after a decade long absence from our homes. We notice that Columbo hasn't changed that much including his raincoat over the last ten or so years that he stopped playing him. He's still the smart, funny, forgetful, and lovable Italian detective that we remember and treasure. I wish there was another episode even now. They're all treasures. I love how he doesn't change with the times but the characters do.

Elliot Blake is a well-known psychic who is working to prove his skills to the US Government so he can enter the lucrative and highly secretive programme for developing psychic powers. Despite having blitzed the tests (with a little help from the inside) the game appears up when magician and renowned cynic Max Dyson is brought in by the Government to give him a harder test. What the Government agents don't know is that the men have a history and Dyson helps Blake by passing him despite him being a fake. However this history also drives Blake to kill Dyson in the latter's own magic guillotine – making it look like a tragic accident. It appears an open and shut case of death by misadventure but a Philips head screwdriver is enough to put doubt in Columbo's mind. Finding that Dyson had just worked with Blake and signed him off as genuine, Columbo turns to his unique talent to assist him with the case.

As with many TV film series (such as Perry Mason), if you like one or two of them then you'll pretty much like them all. This entry in the Columbo series pretty much follows the usual formula – we know the killer and the "perfect" plan but then watch Columbo follow his hunch and gradually starts to pick holes in the story he is told before eventually finding enough to prove his suspicions. Knowing this ahead of time won't ruin anything for you; it is simply what happens in all the films. With this strict adherence to formula it is usually down to several factors whether or not the Columbo film stands out or if it is just average. The new Columbo films don't always pull this trick off but this one is enjoyable enough thanks to sticking close to the formula to cover up for the unlikely nature of the plot. Although it provides some nice ideas, the narrative lacks a real lack of convincing development and this at times put me off but generally it had enough about it to keep me interested.

The way Columbo solves the mystery isn't a nice, logical story but moves in jumps and sudden discoveries; again it is entertaining enough but not quite as satisfying where he picks at smaller details. The magical aspect of the story has been done better earlier in the series but it still works well here, providing Columbo with some nice scenes where he turns the tricks on Elliott to get his man. It isn't classic fare but it should satisfy fans. Falk is on good form, which helps, and he does enjoy a nice chemistry with Andrews. The latter is not great but he is good enough to work within the formula and make for an interesting target for Columbo. Support from Zerbe is good but other than him nobody else is really that memorable.

Overall this is not up to the standard of the better Columbo episodes from the 1970's but it is actually reasonably good. By sticking to formula it covers up the plot weaknesses and will do enough to satisfy fans of the film. A much better alternative would be "Columbo: Now You See Him" but failing a return to the best days this is an OK modern Columbo.