Columbo

8.1
1971

Columbo is a friendly, verbose, disheveled-looking police detective who is consistently underestimated by his suspects. Despite his unprepossessing appearance and apparent absentmindedness, he shrewdly solves all of his cases and secures all evidence needed for indictment. His formidable eye for detail and meticulously dedicated approach often become clear to the killer only late in the storyline.

Production

Logo for Universal Television
Logo for NBC Studios

Trailers & Videos

Thumbnail for video: Just One More Thing! 50 Years of Columbo

Just One More Thing! 50 Years of Columbo

Seasons

7 Episodes • Premiered 1971

Still image for Columbo season 1 episode 1: Murder by the Book

1. Murder by the Book

7.6

One member of a mystery-writing-team decides to kill his more talented partner when the better writer decides to go solo.

Still image for Columbo season 1 episode 2: Death Lends a Hand

2. Death Lends a Hand

7.1

A private investigator kills his client's wife after she threatens to expose his blackmail scheme. The client then hires the detective to assist Columbo in the search for the killer.

Still image for Columbo season 1 episode 3: Dead Weight

3. Dead Weight

6.6

A famous general kills a business associate, then woos a neurotic female witness to thwart Columbo's investigation.

Still image for Columbo season 1 episode 4: Suitable for Framing

4. Suitable for Framing

7.5

An art critic, Dale Kingston, kills his uncle for his valuable collection of paintings. All the clues lead to the dead man's first wife. Can Columbo correct the Lieutenant's error before it is too late?

Still image for Columbo season 1 episode 5: Lady in Waiting

5. Lady in Waiting

7.0

A woman shoots her overbearing brother, claiming she thought he was a burglar. Columbo doesn't buy the self-defense claim - he know's it's murder.

Still image for Columbo season 1 episode 6: Short Fuse

6. Short Fuse

7.0

A chemist rigs a bomb in his uncle's car to gain control of his uncle's company, then plants clues to make Columbo suspicious of the company's Vice-President.

Still image for Columbo season 1 episode 7: Blueprint for Murder

7. Blueprint for Murder

7.8

An architect kills his business partner and deliberately lets Columbo suspect him, leading Columbo to think that he's hidden the body in the foundation of a building under construction. He plans to let Columbo dig up the site and find nothing, knowing that its the perfect place to hide the body since Columbo would never look in the same place twice.

Cast

Photo of Peter Falk

Peter Falk

Columbo

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Reviews

G

GenerationofSwine

10/10

I can't believe there are so few reviews on this, Columbo is one of the defining detectives on television. He's so low key, so unimposing, and it's a pleasure watching him take down all those criminals that think they are are smarter than him, better than him because of, well how little and, well how wrinkled and cheap he appears.

He's the opposite of so many detectives on television these days, the everyman solving crimes.

It's just a brilliant approach to a character, and one that is fantastically fun to watch.
13 out of 15 found th

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