# Columbo TV show **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [January 27, 2021, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbo-tv-show/931652 "2021-01-27T23:32:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2021, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbo-tv-show/931652/1 "2021-01-27T23:32:05Z")
Prime has an IMDB channel which is free but has commercials. I’m sure I saw a few EPs in the 70s but don’t remember. Just watched the first two EPS from 1968, both were pilots, very cool. In EP 2 Lee Grant kills her husband in a fake kidnapping. The morning after she drops off the money, she and her stepdaughter are seen watching Double Indemnity on TV. The show wasn’t picked up until 1971. Didn’t realize they only made a handful of EPs each year ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2021, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbo-tv-show/931652/2 "2021-01-27T23:35:50Z")
It was part of a larger series _The NBC Mystery Movie_ that rotated through different detectives. Others included McCloud, and McMillan & Wife. So there were only a handful of each every season. ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2021, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbo-tv-show/931652/3 "2021-01-27T23:35:55Z")
I’ve been slowly watching Columbo as well, when I just want to watch something lighthearted and easy to watch. Watching all the old technology is really interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2021, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbo-tv-show/931652/4 "2021-01-27T23:37:06Z")
It was part of what they called “a wheel” with one of a few different detectives each week (“The NBC Friday Night Mystery” I think - MST3K called out that series whenever a character was using a flashlight outside [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/8VI9mUyG_f0/hqdefault.jpg ""NBC Sunday Mystery Movie" TV Intro") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VI9mUyG_f0) ) ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbo-tv-show/931652/5 "2021-01-28T00:11:06Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > It was part of a larger series _The NBC Mystery Movie_ that rotated through different detectives. Others included McCloud, and McMillan & Wife. So there were only a handful of each every season. If I recall correctly the very first ones were “Banacek” and “Madigan”, neither of which are particularly well-remembered. But they came up with some memorable winners after a few attempts. “Hec Ramsey” was pretty good, and the two you mentioned above. But the ones that folks remember best are “Columbo” and “Quincy ME”. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbo-tv-show/931652/6 "2021-01-28T00:27:06Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > “Quincy ME” - That one only had a few episodes as part of the rotation before earning it’s own weekly slot. ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbo-tv-show/931652/7 "2021-01-28T00:42:25Z")
They show the reruns on Cozi and Metv at 8pm on Sat and Sun nights, respectively. The Metv ones started a while ago on the very first and work forward from there and the Cozi were doing some of the later ones. ---
**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbo-tv-show/931652/8 "2021-01-28T01:35:18Z")
They’re all on Peacock. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbo-tv-show/931652/9 "2021-01-28T02:02:21Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > If I recall correctly the very first ones were “Banacek” and “Madigan”, neither of which are particularly well-remembered. But they came up with some memorable winners after a few attempts. “Hec Ramsey” was pretty good, and the two you mentioned above. But the ones that folks remember best are “Columbo” and “Quincy ME”. There were two different wheels, aired on different nights. It started out on Wednesdays as _The NBC Mystery Movie_ with _Columbo_, _McCloud_, and _McMillan and Wife_. All three of these series were popular and the show was a hit. It was moved to Sundays (Sundays were considered a better time slot than Wednesdays) and renamed _The NBC Sunday Mystery Movie_. This was when the fourth series, _Hec Ramsey_, was added. A second show _The NBC Wednesday Mystery Movie_ was started in the original Wednesday time slot. This show had three new series: _Banacek_, _Cool Million_, and _Madigan_. This show was not as successful as the original. _Cool Million_ and _Madigan_ were cancelled, _Faraday & Company_, _The Snoop Sisters_, and _Tenafly_ were added, and the show was moved to Tuesdays. But this didn’t help and the show was cancelled. The original series maintained its success on Sundays with the three original series. _Hec Ramsey_ was cancelled. _Amy Prentiss_, _McCoy_ (which meant that the rotation for that season was _McCloud_, _McCoy_, _McMillan and Wife_, and _Columbo_), _Quincy ME_, and _Lanigan’s Rabbi_, were all tried as the fourth series in the rotation. _Quincy_ was the only success and that was spun off into its own series. It appears the network was oversold on the wheel concept. The show’s original success was due to the individual quality of the three series rather than the unusual rotating format. They were unable to duplicate that original success with other series. ---
**Author:** ![TiberiusNeroClaudius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@TiberiusNeroClaudius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TiberiusNeroClaudius)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbo-tv-show/931652/10 "2021-01-28T02:11:46Z")
My understanding is Falk really pushed for quality on his show which is why it is probably the most remembered. He always wanted something where the good detective keeps pulling the noose tighter and tighter to where he looks like he got the murderer but then the murderer comes up with a great explanation that leaves Columbo investigating again. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbo-tv-show/931652/11 "2021-01-28T02:11:46Z")
Name your favorite: Mine is “A Friend in Deed” with Richard Kiley as the murderer, a deputy police commissioner and Columbo’s boss’s boss. ---
**Author:** ![TiberiusNeroClaudius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@TiberiusNeroClaudius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TiberiusNeroClaudius)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbo-tv-show/931652/12 "2021-01-28T02:14:54Z")
“Amy Prentiss” debuted as a back door pilot in two episodes of “Ironside” where Jessica Walter becomes chief of detectives (everyone thinks she will turn it down because she is a woman) to the consternation of other detectives, one of them being William Shatner ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbo-tv-show/931652/13 "2021-01-28T02:15:31Z")
Another wheel was [The Bold Ones](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bold_Ones). My fave in the Columbo wheel was McCloud. And don’t you diss [Banacek!](http://www.thrillingdetective.com/trivia/triv265.html) Utterer of such classic lines as “If you can’t tell borscht from potato soup, then a lot of little children are struggling in the mines.” ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbo-tv-show/931652/14 "2021-01-28T02:20:09Z")
I liked _Banacek_. George Peppard was superb in the role. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbo-tv-show/931652/15 "2021-01-28T02:26:49Z")
I like McMillan and Wife because I still have a mad crush on Susan St James. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbo-tv-show/931652/16 "2021-01-28T02:28:50Z")
Keep an eye out for the Columbo episode _Étude in Black_, it has a very young Gwyneth Paltrow, but she’s unrecognizable. > [@Dinsdale](#): > > And don’t you diss [Banacek!](http://www.thrillingdetective.com/trivia/triv265.html) Utterer of such classic lines as “If you can’t tell borscht from potato soup, then a lot of little children are struggling in the mines.” I’ve caught some episodes of _Banacek_ over the last couple years, one of which I even remember from decades ago because the resolution was so unusual. There are still a few I need to see. It’s fascinating to see Boston from the 1970s. Next time I’m strolling around Beacon Hill I want to try and find Banacek’s house and Mulholland’s Rare Books and Prints. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbo-tv-show/931652/17 "2021-01-28T02:31:24Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > Name your favorite: Mine is “A Friend in Deed” with Richard Kiley as the murderer, a deputy police commissioner and Columbo’s boss’s boss. “Negative Reaction”: with Dick Van Dyke as the guy who’ll helpfully explain that, _oh, hey, you don’t actually need to ask whodunit; I admit it!_ ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbo-tv-show/931652/18 "2021-01-28T02:42:43Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > Name your favorite: Mine is “A Friend in Deed” with Richard Kiley as the murderer, a deputy police commissioner and Columbo’s boss’s boss. _No Time To Die_ from 1992. Columbo’s nephew’s bride disappears from their hotel room on their wedding night. Columbo abandons his scatterbrained persona and shows himself to be a focused tough as nails cop. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbo-tv-show/931652/19 "2021-01-28T02:58:04Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Keep an eye out for the Columbo episode _Étude in Black_, it has a very young Gwyneth Paltrow, but she’s unrecognizable. I believe you’re mistaken, unless Paltrow was in it as a child and went uncredited. The wife of the murderer was played by Blythe Danner, Gwyneth’s mother. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2021, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbo-tv-show/931652/20 "2021-01-28T03:04:57Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > I believe you’re mistaken, unless Paltrow was in it as a child and went uncredited. The wife of the murderer was played by Blythe Danner, Gwyneth’s mother. _Who was pregnant at the time,_ is the joke. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/columbo-tv-show/931652.md?page=2)