Marco_Trevisiol

I've been watching for the first time (in sequential order) the Columbo episodes that were made after a decade's break from 1989 onwards.

The first five I watched were only moderately successful. None of them were particularly bad per se, but overall there was a drab, heavy-handed feeling about them meant they didn't have great rewatch value. So many of the first batch of Columbo episodes had that spark of stylish direction, a brilliant villain, great Falk acting or a memorable closing scene that just make them eminently rewatchable.

Happily enough, 'Columbo Cries Wolf' rises to that level. It is enormously entertaining throughout with an enjoyably smarmy villain (well-played by Buchanan), a clever and interesting tweak of the Columbo formula and a satisfying ending.

The 1970s Columbo movies is one of my favourite TV series. But I've never gotten around to watching the 1989-2003 movies, partly because their rep was they didn't match up the earlier episodes.

But having seen all of the first batch, curiosity got the better of me and this was the first of the 'new' Columbo movies I watched.

It's a pretty solid effort, albeit a level or two below the earlier episodes. For one thing it feels overlong and stretched thin at almost 100 minutes (always thought the ideal length of a Columbo movie was 70 minutes or so, which most of the 1970s movies were).

Also it has a rather drab look throughout, with Dyson's magic shop (where a lot of this is staged) a particularly gloomy place. A minor thing perhaps, but it gave the movie a dour atmosphere it didn't really need.

Still, it's a pretty good watch with Zerbe always worth watching as the doomed Dyson (shame he never was the main villain in a Columbo episode).

As a young kid in Australia I remember in late 1989 a local TV station advertising this as an upcoming show for 1990 and it looked really promising. Lots of funny wild and wacky gags helmed by none other than Mel Brooks! How could it miss?

Alas, the show was already probably axed by the time that ad aired and I'm not sure it even got broadcast here. I certainly never got around to seeing any of it.

Being a fan of Brooks' work, I've always been curious about how good (or bad) this show actually was. Thanks to YouTube, several episodes of its short run became available and I watched the pilot.

Overall, it was a bit better than expected. Like a lot of Brooks' later work, there was a lot of corny and hacky gags that look especially tired in the present-day setting of the show. And the laugh track (which co-creators Brooks & Spencer apparently didn't want) is an irritant.

But there were a decent amount of clever and genuinely amusing moments. Even when the gags didn't work, I admired the amount and range of gags on display; if nothing else you can't say they were going through the motions making this.

As well we get to see Brooks regular Cloris Leachman display her talent and versatility in dual roles.

While not an overlooked gem, 'The Nutt House' pilot had enough entertainment in it to think it could've worked as a series.