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Favourite Columbo episode

Reno

Reno

The In Kraut
As every discussion of a science fiction series seems to end up with a discussion about the greatest ever TV detective at the moment, I thought we should have a new Columbo thread.

My favorite episode is Try and Catch Me, with Ruth Gordon as the murderer. I love Ruth Gordon, the affectionate relationship between her and Columbo is rather touching and I like the way she kills her nemesis. Also, 70s Columbo always is best.
 
the one where he's in london at the 'london waxworks' which wasn't allowed to be called you-know-what. The reveal startlingly involved posh people being caught out by the wily detective. Involved a brolly and a pearl to do his stuff at the end

good shout on the wine one, that was a class war episode. The death using a wine cellar to fool forensics would never work today. I mean it didn't then, but that was cos of columbo not modern science

Theres one involving a complex telephone system and trained dogs that are the murder weapon. Think its either a shat or cash one. Stuck with me. Not well enough to remember fuck all other than the dogs obvs, I just remember thinking 'oh right thats why some people are scared of dogs' cos they were mean as fuck
 
Santino recons theres one where he outsmarts a CIA man, sounds worth ones time. Its either that or the fucking Thor film tonight and Thor just isn't that funny or heroic to me
 
Patrick McGoohan often turns up, sometimes as an an actor and sometimes as the director.

He invariably plays the super-intelligent type, eventually trapped by his own intellectual arrogance....

"McGoohan received two Emmy Awards for his work on Columbo, with his long-time friend Peter Falk. McGoohan had said that his first appearance on Columbo (episode: "By Dawn's Early Light", 1974) was probably his favourite American role. He directed five Columbo episodes (including three of the four in which he appeared), one of which he also wrote and two of which he also produced. McGoohan was involved with the Columbo series in some capacity from 1974 to 2000 and his daughter Catherine McGoohan appeared with him in his final episode, Ashes to Ashes."
 
Proud owner of the boxed set.

Bonfirelight said:
The wine one
Click to expand...

Donald Pleasance is just brilliant in this one. Perfect combination of arrogance, anger and self-loathing at himself that's brilliantly counterpointed in Columbo's seemingly genuine admiration for the guy, and his almost fraternal disappointment at his eventual unmasking. One of the best and most underrated villains in the series.

Bonfirelight said:
the chess Grandmaster.
Click to expand...

First one I remember seeing (I remember having it explained to me that the two people at dinner were using the various restaurant paraphernalia as chess pieces which then prompted me being given a chess set). The unmasking scene's a classic oh crap.

Always had a soft spot for the Leonard Nimoy one (A Stitch in Time?), as replacing proper sutures with dissolving sutures struck me as a perfectly diabolical murder weapon. Columbo evidently agrees as I think this is one of the very few episodes where he comes close to losing his rag.
 
stdP said:
Proud owner of the boxed set.



Donald Pleasance is just brilliant in this one. Perfect combination of arrogance, anger and self-loathing at himself that's brilliantly counterpointed in Columbo's seemingly genuine admiration for the guy, and his almost fraternal disappointment at his eventual unmasking. One of the best and most underrated villains in the series.



First one I remember seeing (I remember having it explained to me that the two people at dinner were using the various restaurant paraphernalia as chess pieces which then prompted me being given a chess set). The unmasking scene's a classic oh crap.

Always had a soft spot for the Leonard Nimoy one (A Stitch in Time?), as replacing proper sutures with dissolving sutures struck me as a perfectly diabolical murder weapon. Columbo evidently agrees as I think this is one of the very few episodes where he comes close to losing his rag.
Click to expand...
I quite like the way he finally catches him.
 
Missus might rip the piss at first but they're proper quality TV :cool: Leave a few on and she'll be hooked in no time! One of us... one offff uuuuussssss.......
 
I don't think I could choose a favourite, I love Columbo and have enjoyed every one I've seen, usually at least 3 times :) I might go for the Johnny Cash one but only because I'm a huge Johnny Cash fan too.
I think that Pater Faulk had a really beautiful face, even the glass eye didn't detract. I could look at him for hours, and often do on Saturday afternoons :)
 
I know I'll always be a minority in this view but I always thought Quincy was the better detective simply because he did it as a side issue. He had to fight monaghan etc. to get his murder solving done. It wasn't his day job. Plus there were never any 'social issues' columbos were their? I might have forgotten one where falk takes on the evils of smoking jazz ciggarettes or something
 
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DotCommunist said:
I know I'll always be a minority in this view but I always thought Quincy was the better detective simply because he did it as a side issue. He had to fight monaghan etc. to get his murder solving done. It wasn't his day job. Plus there were never any 'social issues' colubos were their? I might have forgotten one where falk takes on the evils of smoking jazz ciggarettes or something
Click to expand...
No, Colombo never had the inclination to push a reactionary agenda.
 
DotCommunist said:
I know I'll always be a minority in this view but I always thought Quincy was the better detective simply because he did it as a side issue. He had to fight monaghan etc. to get his murder solving done. It wasn't his day job. Plus there were never any 'social issues' colubos were their? I might have forgotten one where falk takes on the evils of smoking jazz ciggarettes or something
Click to expand...

I always enjoyed Quincy's righteous indignation/anger.
 
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The sex one, because it's shows ye depth of the acting as he brushes the attempts to squirm him off the case, cool as Christmas.

I think there's 2 where (the actor of) Quincy turned up, which as a student big fan of both shows was like colliding of planets (even if the story/ending was pants in at least one of them).

So if I had to name one, it's the magician one. Truly Frank* at his understated best against a very persuasive baddy.

*"What is Leutenant Columbo's first name?" Is my favourite pub question. Full on kick yourself perfection!
 
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