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That earlier Columbo on ITV3 was one iffy 90s ones, innit? But all of those from 71-76 or so are all mostly awesome, can watch over again and again with several cups of tea. They should've repeated the one w/Donald Pleasance, probably my all time favourite.
Monk sorta riffs on it -- but you never believe Columbo ever has a fear of heights or the like. Its all acted, for us as well as the soon to be caught killer.
And obviously it isn't even that much of a cop show. Even before the 'you know who the killer is from the start' thing, you also see him working w/out a partner, the LA setting is hardly ever made use of, no conflicts over his methods, no home life (Ms. Columbo is a good ol' joke on that)...guy doesn't even eat (ok, he takes a bite out of a bowl of chilli a couple of times)!
Which leaves us with all that acting. More than enough.
― xyzzzz__, Saturday, 25 June 2011 19:21 (twelve years ago) link
the 89-2002 ones are just all terrible iirc. seem to remember billy connolly being in one.
my favourite is the final episode of the first run, "the conspirators". the murderer in this one is a brendan behan inspired irish poet involved in running guns to the provos with money that he raises at charity nights claiming to be in aid of the victims of the troubles. its one downside, from my point of view, is that the murder isn't complicated. he just shoots a guy who tries to double-cross him, although columbo does also foil the smuggling of a shipment of arms. in general tho i love the "perfect crimes" hatched by geniuses that bumbling old blue-collar columbo manages to untangle, much to the smug cunts' astonishment.
^^^ The one with the chairman of the high IQ society is pretty good, particularly the ending ("The bye Bye Sky High IQ Murder Case"). Also the one with the rival chessmasters ("The Most Dangerous Match") - I saw that on holiday once where it was pouring with rain the whole time and there was nothing to do in the evenings.
― wtf is wrong with people? (snoball), Saturday, 25 June 2011 19:40 (twelve years ago) link
Haha yeah when he untangled the crime at that mensa like place. 'Are you sure you don't have a high IQ?' 'Oh no!' xp! also the one with the lawyer lady 'Ah you were v lucky...no, you are very smart'
― xyzzzz__, Saturday, 25 June 2011 19:42 (twelve years ago) link
seven years pass...
There's an excellent 45-minute radio interview from 1976 on the Mikey & Nicky Criterion set, which I probably heard then because it was on a NYC show called "Movie Talk" which I listened to habitually. He reminisces about all the classical roles he played off-Broadway in the '50s. Also delves into the psychology of "middle-class gangsters" like M&N.