He’s a mess. Honestly, look at him. Peter Falk wanders onto a crime scene looking like he slept in a dumpster, smelling of cheap cigars, and driving a car that’s basically held together by prayer and rust. It shouldn't work. By all the rules of television—especially the shiny, high-octane procedurals we see today—Columbo should be a relic. But it isn't. If you spend a weekend binging tv show Columbo episodes, you quickly realize that the show wasn't just a detective series; it was a subversion of the American Dream.
Most mystery shows are "whodunits." You know the drill. A body drops, the cops show up, and we spend forty-five minutes looking at blurry CCTV footage or waiting for a lab tech to shout "Enhance!" until we find the guy. Columbo flipped the script. It used the "inverted detective" format, a style popularized by R. Austin Freeman. We see the murder happen in the first ten minutes. We know exactly who did it, how they did it, and why they thought they’d get away with it. The thrill isn't the reveal. It’s the hunt. It’s watching a man who makes $11,000 a year systematically dismantle a millionaire who thinks he’s the smartest person in the room.
The genius of the "Just One More Thing" formula
The structure of tv show Columbo episodes is basically a psychological war of attrition. The killer is always someone from the upper crust. We’re talking architects, conductors, tech moguls, and chess grandmasters. They live in these sprawling mid-century modern mansions in the hills, surrounded by glass and expensive art. Then enters Lieutenant Columbo.
He’s polite. Almost annoyingly so. He’ll ask about the killer’s shoes or mention that his wife, Mrs. Columbo, is a huge fan of their work. This is the "shrewd bum" persona. By playing the fool, Columbo gets the suspect to lower their guard. They start to feel sorry for him. They might even try to help him "solve" the case just to get him out of their house. That’s the trap.
The legendary "Just One More Thing" isn't just a catchphrase. It’s a tactical strike. Just as the killer thinks the interaction is over—just as the adrenaline spike starts to level off and they feel safe—Columbo turns around at the door. He scratches his head. He points out one tiny, microscopic inconsistency. "You said you didn't hear the shot, but you were wearing your hearing aid, weren't you?" It’s a slow-motion car crash for the villain, and it's addictive to watch.
Why the 1970s era hits different
If you look at the 1971 premiere "Murder by the Book," directed by a young kid named Steven Spielberg, you see the blueprint. Jack Cassidy plays a mystery writer who kills his partner. It’s cold. It’s calculated. But the chemistry between Cassidy and Falk is electric. There’s a weird sort of intimacy between Columbo and his suspects. He doesn't hate them. In many cases, like in "Any Old Port in a Storm," he actually seems to respect them.
That’s a nuance you don't see much anymore. Modern TV often wants clear-cut heroes and villains. Columbo lived in the grey. He appreciated the craft of the murder even as he was handcuffing the person who committed it.
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Iconic tv show Columbo episodes that defined the genre
You can't talk about this show without mentioning the heavy hitters. These weren't just episodes; they were mini-movies with massive budgets and movie-star guests.
"Suitable for Framing" (1971) This one is a masterclass in the "gotcha" moment. Ross Martin plays an art critic who kills his uncle. He’s smug. He’s arrogant. He thinks he’s framed the whole thing perfectly. The ending of this episode is arguably the best in the entire series. No spoilers, but it involves a pair of gloves and the most satisfying silence in television history.
"Swan Song" (1974) Johnny Cash. Need I say more? Cash plays a gospel singer who wants his wife out of the way. Seeing the Man in Black go toe-to-toe with the Man in the Trenchcoat is a peak cultural moment. You can tell Falk and Cash genuinely liked each other. The way Columbo lingers on the plane crash site—meticulous, quiet, observant—shows the Lieutenant at his most capable.
"A Stitch in Crime" (1973) Leonard Nimoy as a heart surgeon. This is one of the few times we see Columbo actually get angry. Usually, he’s calm, but Nimoy’s character is so sociopathic and condescending that Columbo slams a carafe down on a table and drops the "bumbling" act for a split second. It’s chilling. It reminds the audience that the raincoat is a mask. Underneath, there’s a shark.
The Guest Star Phenomenon
The show worked because of the villains. If the killer was boring, the episode failed. But they rarely were. You had Patrick McGoohan, who appeared four times and even directed several episodes. You had Robert Culp, Jack Cassidy, and William Shatner. The show was a playground for established actors to play high-functioning monsters.
They weren't "street" criminals. They didn't use untraceable guns in back alleys. They used dental floss, specialized clocks, elevators, and even trained dogs ("How to Dial a Murder"). The complexity of the kills required a detective who cared about the details.
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The technical brilliance of the production
People forget that tv show Columbo episodes were part of the NBC Mystery Movie wheel. This meant they didn't have to churn out 22 episodes a year. They produced maybe six or eight. This gave them the time to make each one look like a feature film.
The cinematography in the 70s run is incredible. They used long takes and deep focus. You’ll often see Columbo in the background of a shot, out of focus, just watching the killer in the foreground. It creates this sense of mounting dread. The killer is moving forward with their life, but that beige smudge in the background isn't going away.
- The Coat: It was Falk’s own coat. He bought it in 1967.
- The Dog: "Dog," the Basset Hound, was only added because the studio wanted Columbo to have a sidekick. Falk resisted at first, then fell in love with the lazy animal.
- The Car: The Peugeot 403 convertible was a rare find. It looked like it was dying, which perfectly matched Columbo’s aesthetic.
Addressing the "Second Run" in the 90s
In 1989, Columbo came back on ABC. Some purists hate this era. They think the "cutesy" factor was turned up too high. And sure, some episodes like "Undercover" or "No Time to Die" feel like different shows entirely—more like standard 90s thrillers.
But don't sleep on the late-period stuff. "Columbo Goes to College" is a fantastic look at entitlement and new technology. "It’s All in the Game," written by Peter Falk himself and starring Faye Dunaway, is a beautiful, melancholic episode where Columbo actually flirts with a suspect. It adds a layer of loneliness to the character that we didn't see in the 70s. It’s a more mature, tired version of the Lieutenant.
How to watch and analyze the series today
If you’re diving into tv show Columbo episodes for the first time, don't watch them chronologically. Start with the "hits."
- Murder by the Book (The Spielberg one)
- Double Exposure (Subliminal messaging and Robert Culp)
- Etude in Black (John Cassavetes and a very large dog)
- A Friend in Deed (A corrupt police commissioner—high stakes)
Watch the way the camera treats the suspects. In the beginning, they are filmed from low angles, looking powerful. As the episode progresses and Columbo tightens the noose, the angles change. They start to look small. Trapped.
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Common Misconceptions
People think Columbo is a "clueless" guy who gets lucky. That’s the biggest mistake you can make. He’s a genius. He knows who the killer is within the first five minutes of meeting them. The rest of the episode is just him collecting the physical evidence he needs to make it stick in court. He’s a student of human nature. He notices when someone doesn't react "correctly" to a death.
Another myth is that we never learn his first name. While it’s never spoken, there’s a close-up of his ID in "The Dead Weight" where you can clearly see the signature "Frank Columbo." But to the world, he’s just "Lieutenant."
The lasting appeal of these stories comes down to a simple truth: we love seeing the powerful get their comeuppance. In a world where it feels like the wealthy play by different rules, Columbo is the equalizer. He represents the common man. He’s the guy who notices the scuff on the floor or the way you hold your drink.
To get the most out of your viewing, pay attention to the silence. Unlike modern shows that fill every second with a percussive soundtrack or quips, Columbo lets scenes breathe. Sometimes the most revealing thing a suspect does is just sit there, sweating, while Columbo hums "This Old Man" and looks for his car keys.
Actionable Insights for the Columbo Fan:
- Track the "Pop": In almost every episode, there is a specific moment where the killer makes a tiny mistake. Try to spot it before Columbo mentions it.
- Check the Peacock/Tubi listings: Most episodes are currently streaming for free with ads or on premium services. The 4K restorations are worth seeking out for the 70s California architecture alone.
- Read "The Columbo Phile": If you can find a copy of Mark Dawidziak's book, it’s the bible for production history and behind-the-scenes trivia.
- Observe the Class Warfare: Look at how the suspects treat Columbo. Their disdain for his social standing is almost always what leads to their downfall. They underestimate him because he looks "poor." Don't make the same mistake.