Review of Columbo - Series 6 And 7

Introduction

So we all know that `Columbo` was incredibly formulaic (scruffy cop pretends he`s a dope whilst playing cat and mouse with the murderer). But what a formula!

Each show starts with a homicide where we (the audience) were privy to all the facts. Then some 15 minutes into the show, Columbo (Peter Falk) would appear in his scruffy raincoat and start working his magic on the perpetrator - who he instinctively recognises as the culprit from the outset.

And the murderers were always top notch guest stars - Patrick McGoohan, Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner (on this set) and many others, all facing the shrewd US Italian Cop, leading them gently into his trap whilst pretending to be just a standard Joe. And then there was that trick of stopping at the door on the way out and saying… `Oh…Just one more thing…`

Peter Falk was perfectly cast. Not a handsome chap by any stretch of the imagination, though the gritty seventies was a time for unusual cops (Frank Canon and Kojak are just two). His glass eye was the result of childhood cancer, and with regard to that Italian New Yorker, he was the real deal counting Frank Sinatra amongst his like-minded friends.

The show kicked off in 1967, and then the regular series of Columbo TV mystery movies (running at an hour and ten minutes for a ninety minute slot) began in 1972.

Each of the mini-movies that make up series 6 & 7 follow virtually the same narrative. Each features either a famous actor, writer, TV chef or other notable figure who murders. They all have enormous egos and each believe that they have committed the perfect crime. Only they always let themselves down in some small way - and Columbo sets about catching them out. To achieve this he pretends he`s a great fan, or that `Mrs. Columbo` is a great fan. Falling for his strokes, they generally let their guard down and before long (well, 80 minutes) the game`s up.


`Fade in To Murder` kicks off the set and features William Shatner as a TV detective (a part he plays magnificently). A bizarre plot ensues with Shatner helping Columbo to solve the murder that he has committed.

In `An Old-Fashioned Murder`, a wealthy museum curator murders her brother to who intends to sell her precious museum. In `The Bye-Bye-sky-High I.Q. Club` the head of a society for people with very high I.Q`s believes that he has concocted the perfect murder when he kills his business partner. But Columbo proves that he`s still the smarter guy, figuring out a murder that was committed in a similar way to `Mousetrap` (this bit falls on that bit which knocks that bit etc).

`Try and Catch Me` is another entertaining romp with Ruth Gordon playing a ditzy Agatha Christie style crime writer who murders her favourite niece`s husband.

`How to Dial a Murder` shows a scientologist style cult leader murdering a colleague who has had an affair with his wife using a classic `Pavlov`s dog` routine.

`Murder Under Glass` features a TV Chef (Louis Jordan) as food critic who murders a chef who threatens to expose his blackmailing. Also - you get to see Columbo devouring plate after plate of gourmet delights including caviar and mushrooms stuffed with crabs.

There are 8 episodes in total here, each running a little over 80 minutes - almost mini-movie length.

Video

Presented in original 4:3 aspect ratio. I suspect that this is an NTSC to PAL transfer as the picture lacks definition, which was disappointing, especially as this had all been nicely shot on 35mm. Despite its vintage I feel sure that this could have (and should have) looked a whole lot better than this. Having said that, not bad enough to avoid if you`re a fan.

Audio

DD 2.0 though standard mono across both channels as far as I could tell, and perfectly fine.

Features

Nowt. Sadly...

Conclusion

I guess that Columbo Series 6 and 7 should be reserved only for the die-hard fans. Others will want to start on the earlier sets and see the character evolve into what is played out here, verbatim, episode after episode. Whilst this is formulaic stuff, with most the 80-minute episodes here containing variations on the same theme, viewed individually they are highly enjoyable.

The highlight for me was the opening episode featuring William Shatner as an egocentric actor who has become famous for playing a popular TV detective. It`s an episode brimming with reverse psychology and mind-games, allowing Falk`s Columbo to turn in a classic performance of the bedraggled and glass-eyed detective.

But every episode here has its merits. It`s just when one episode is strung so closely together with the previous that the marked similarities in plot and narrative let the experience down. It`s a case of diminishing returns, unless you`re able to ration episodes to, say, one a week maximum.

Highly entertaining, though it`s easy to see why the series came to a close shortly thereafter (bar the occasional one-off).

Oh...and just one more thing. Is it just me or does Columbo look frighteningly like George Bush?