Jessup : "Hey, I don't even live here!" Columbo : "I can verify that. He doesn't live here... I live here." Commissioner (thinking quickly) : "Wow, Columbo's the murderer!"
I will never get over the grace and humanity conveyed in the final scene of Any Old Port In A Storm. Peter Falk and Donald Pleasence's mastery of their craft is an enduring pleasure.
@@exitscreaming4637 I agree. Also never bought into the idea that the wine storage vault could be well over 100 degrees because the cooling system wasn't on.
@@steverino3447 ... If it were 109 degrees outside, many enclosed places -- such as an attic -- could easily surpass 150 degrees... The only thing is if the wine cellar was truly a 'cellar' (i.e., subterranean) then I think you might have something... But, I believe part of the reason the vault had the A/C was because it was not much underground... Also, being 'cooler' underground in Summer only works to a certain depth, and then the heat from the Earth starts to become a significant factor.
@@lesbaguette4381 So true. They tried to hide that fact, but it was kind of hard. And I know he wanted to get rid of the threatening wife, but he took the poor young girl with her. Tommy wasn't the innocent soul that Columbo said he was. Do you know Joaquim Phoenix watch that episode many many times to learn Cash's mannerisms.
@@lesbaguette4381I would like to argue that he could have just not carded the girl before he slept with her. When the woman pointed out his crime she said "statutory r***" rather than kid loving. The episode seemed to paint him as someone who made a mistake and made a far worse one trying to get out of it, than it does him being an irredeemable monster.
@@venlocity2 Whether or not he carded the girl, I cannot imagine that the encounter was particularly consensual - it definitely seemed that Mary-Ann was coerced, at the very least. I doubt with violence, but definitely intimidated or manipulated, which wouldn't be hard to do to a sixteen-year-old girl. Either way, he's definitely *that bad* in my eyes, though I don't know how that would have been viewed by a mainstream audience when the episode released.
I always liked the ending of the "Forgotten Lady" episode with Janet Leigh. She was terminal, so Columbo said he'd slow the paperwork down so she could die in peace.
It was rather sad to realize, just how poorly her character’s judgement and morality became due to her illness. Janet Leigh was wonderful in that episode❣️
Yes, it's one of the only Columbo episodes I've watched where the killer was somewhat sympathetic. It's also Peter Falk's favorite episode ("Any old Port in Storm"). Great episode.
These are all good, but "Suitable for Framing"'s ending, the first I ever watched as a teenager, made me a fan for life. The looks of panic and then sheer defeat on Ross Martin's face are priceless. He knows he's nailed to the wall, and he richly deserved it. Donald Pleasance's ending was pure class personified.
Adrian Carsini's brother was a real jerk, trying to screw Adrian and the Winery just to feed his own lifestyle, and his killing wasn't planned at all... Columbo understood this...
I watched “Suitable for Framing” for the first time the other day, and when Columbo pulled his gloved hands out of his pockets and the episode just ends my jaw dropped.
@@kennikuhlmann-clark9860 Well mayby he gets a lighter sentence then the rest cause it was a crime to protect his livelyhood and legacy. The others pure greed and self-pity.
What a great show this was. The actor who played Artie Jessup was so believable. I love how Columbo(when he likes the killer) does a kind gesture like sharing some wine before taking him in.
I'm just sorry the commissioner never learned the jewels were fake and that Jessup could tell and never would have bothered to take them. An even better gotcha.
Funny you should mention that though. Later on in the series when other cops or the District Attorney are second guessing Columbo I always have to wonder where the hell were they when Columbo arrested the Deputy Police Commissioner, or the famous gospel singer, or the just elected US Senator? One of the worst episodes in that regard is where Columbo is ordered to turn over everything to Dabney Coleman in _Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star_ when Columbo has him pegged as a suspect. That's when I think about the famous murderers arrested by Columbo and the reputation that he must have at least in the department if not with the unsuspecting public at large.
@@rarmai That's what I was going to mention, it's so stupid that your friend accidentally kills his wife and who do you ask to investigate but the best homicide detective you have. Even if the commissioner didn't know anything about Columbo he should have at least looked at his record and saw how good he was. He should have asked a rookie with no experience to investigate and then he may have gotten away with it.
Honestly it’s a wonder Columbo isn’t well known especially by the elites. Especially later in his career… you’d think the rich and powerful would keep a close eye on folks like him.
@@FIREBRAND38 The first of the later series, it was a bad omen for all those episodes, only a minority of which could match some of the earlier ones in quality, be it the endings or any other part. Guillotine was one of the really dreadful ones: Embarrassingly easy proof (which he doesn't even figure out himself), equally obvious 'tests' of the professor (which drag on forever), and horrible acting by the murderer, who acted like a British nobleman fop, rather than a wily spy.
Last Salute To The Commodore is one of the most tedious, awful things I've ever seen, but aside from that nearly every episode is a classic (well, of the '70s era at least)
The ending of Bye-Bye Sky High IQ was brilliantly done. The lead up to the staccato paced back and forth between Columbo (Peter Falk) and Brandt (Theodore Bikel) was brilliantly done as Falk played on the killer's ego. You could see that Brandt seemed confused or in disbelief over Columbo's laying out of the steps the killer took. Then, with the music playing, the intense back-and-forth exchange begins, with Columbo leading Brandt to the point where he exposes himself. The look on Brandt's face at the moment he realizes he just incriminated himself was perfect for the moment.
I love all responses..very observant and true Columbo fans. One ending stands out as perfection. Too many details to go into...but "Sky Hi" ending.....Fall, Bike, the music, editing, direction are all brilliant. And stupid Samantha Eggar calling Bikel after he knows he's going to San Quentin, for life. Come home darling...I need you.. Alas my darling, I shan't be needing you
The last villain, "Adrian Carsini", was portrayed by the renown actor Donald Pleasence, who did a wonderful job with the snooty and proper character. The "Columbo" character is given as an excellent judge of character and knew the villain's propriety would make his arrest a polite matter of course once the snootiness had been deflated out of him. This scene is a great interplay of characters. "You learn very well, Lieutenant" is the key to Columbo's 'super-power'. He freely admits when he is wrong or confused or ignorant and learns better avidly.
Nah, it wasn't snootiness, it was passion. He was the rare trueblood connoisseur who could actually tell when his experience is suboptimal or forged. Columbo respects that, and Peter Falk confirmed as much in his interview where he mentioned this episode. He even outright said that Carcini was Columbo's hardest arrest- not for the difficulty of the case, but for the respect and sympathy Columbo had for him. Had Carcini killed his brother when he bashed his head in, in a fit of understandable heartbreak and fury, a true 2nd degree, maybe Columbo might've looked the other way. But it was the long, cold, calculated execution that forced Columbo's hand. Besides, as Columbo had illustrated so eloquently- Carcini had already ruined himself and his winery. The man and his overheated wines were one and the same- gone bad, and needed to be disposed of, no matter how relatively minor the flaw. Neither Columbo nor Carcini could abide imperfections.
@@NotAGoodUsername360 That is a more fair and full analysis of Carcini. However, the point of my post was to disclose the true power of Columbo. In doing so I afforded one adjective to Carcini, in passing, as he was not the focus of my post. As a matter of rhetorical style you might reconsider the "Nah" at the beginning of your response. It seems to deny or miss the point of my post. You might, rather, say "To be fair to Carcini". As for abiding imperfection, Columbo certainly can; just look at his overcoat, his car, and his dog. The man is a study in imperfections. What he cannot abide is dysfunctional, destructive imperfections.
McGoohan is fantastic in all of the ones he starred in. In At Dawn's Early Light, his own determination and zeal to expose the cadets is what exposed him, the CIDER!
several episodes deserve an honorable mention. the first ones that come to my mind: the one with johnny cash, the episode where the photographer incriminates himself and the "subliminal cut" episode.
I think subliminal cut is the single best gotcha because Kepler was so rotten, the irony was so exquisite, and Culp's acting was so superb. But the Colonel's and the Matador's downfalls are truly stirring in a Greek tragedy way, and Dr. Mayfield's nabbing is glorious.
In the episode Any Old Port In A Storm, Donald Pleasance gave the best performance of the entire series. It was like he had been playing the part of Adrian Carsini for decades and several episodes, not just one.
Joe, you want to see Donald go one better. He gave best performance in a Twighlight Zone ep. It's the last ep. Of season 3....1962. " The Changing of the Guard". You'll thank me when you see it. And you will say same thing..... It's as if he was playing professor Fowler for years
They brought Don over from England to do the Great Escape and he did Twilight Zone ep at same time. They wanted as many actors who were pows in real life in the movie. Don was in German camp for years
@@brianmiller5265 The Twilight Zone was my all-time favorite show. I have seen every episode many times. What was so impressive about Donald Pleasance in The Changing Of The Guard is that he was only about 40 when the episode was filmed, yet he played a man near 70.
@@josephciccolini1590 yeah Joe. Make up was outstanding and Don did the rest. Just a superior ep. I've had a full life...a very rich life!! Another wonderful flawless performance was Gig Young in Walking Distance. This is the time Martin ..now......there will be no more marygorounds.... I'm Martinnn
I like the ending of Murder By The Book where Columbo speaking about about the murders says something like "The first one - not the second one; that was sloppy." I love the way he's rating the work!
I still get chills when I see Carsini throwing the bottles into the ocean.The ending scene at the winery is perhaps the best television scene ever performed.
You can tell it crushed that man to his very core to have to destroy what was no doubt his most prized possession knowing all his wine had been ruined.
It's hard to remember the impact when we first saw these endings decades ago but I've never forgotten how I was blown away when Columbo pulled his glove covered hands out of his pockets.
The eyes of the woman who was accused and set to inherit looked like Dr. Zira (Kim Hunter) in planet of the apes along with Artemis (Ross Gordon) with his art of disguise.
That was where Colombo took judgement in his own hands where he knew the victim was the bad guy and turn a blind eye to the law but he did it with such passion (the writers of Colombo where people than understood the makeup the human mind)
@@rogerreimer6787 The Victim was her loving husband who knew she was losing her mind and wanted to keep her from the disapointment and stuggle of not being able to preform not a bad guy at all.
I liked the ending for "This far, and no farther" the best. Combines best gotcha, best smug "I'm getting away with it" face, and brinksmanship, all in one scene.
Ricardo Montablan is one of the coldest killer in the series. He murdered a close friend out of pride. I belive the victim would never have revealed the Matadors secret. He was too loyal for that.
Yes, I love the Greek tragedy aspect of it. Pride was the man's downfall. I think the point of the murder was not fear of disclosure: he couldn't stand having a witness to his cowardice. It's heartbreaking having the reveal before the daughter.
The episode "A Friend In Deed" with Richard Kiley is the best IMO. The ending is brilliant. They're all great but that is the one that got me hooked on the show many years ago and is a personal favorite..
One of my favorite endings was with Janet Leigh. That, as I recollect, was the one and only time Columbo let the murderer go. That completely blew my mind. Brilliant and exceptionally well-done.
She would not have been convicted anyways. Having Alzheimer meant she was not competent to stand trial. The most she would had gotten would had been being committed to an asylum.
Technically he didn't let her off, Ned Diamond confesses to the murder to buy Grace time enough to live the rest of her life free. Columbo just went along with it
The absolute best was the episode of George Hamilton being exposed, he knew the man he saw was blind and could not identify him. Colombo statement I have a witness and the witness is you. The only way you know that man was blind you had to have seen him.
I liked the first one, "Prescription: Murder" (Is that right?) Columbo showed a hard and intimidating edge that was missing in all subsequent episodes.
I haven't watched all yet but my vote would be for the episode with Leanord Nimoy as a heart surgeon who used dissolving stitches to commit the perfect murder. Almost perfect.
it was also one of the few times colombo got real mad/frustrated that he had a lack of evidence and he was being derided by his oponent...ended up using his relentless pressure to force nimoy into a trap and nimoy deploying a brilliant hail mary to try and avert it.
The delivery by both in that scene was mesmerizing. I miss the days when tv was so good you couldn't turn away and wanted to take the phone off the hook for a couple of hours.
I really enjoyed the ‘villain’ in the last segment. I don’t know the whole story, but the man took it in stride once he knew he was done. No denial, no outrage- just relief. He remained himself, and straight-forwardly confessed. I liked him right off- and Colombo did too. It’s the mutual respect, I think.
Plot twist: Columbo is the greatest and most terrifying murderer in this entire series and no one has ever caught him as he uses his detective job to frame countless people. Maybe we should get Columbo to arrest Columbo
I like all endings but 'Playback' is one of my top favourites , I still get goosebumps when the camera zooms in and the faint music plays in the background. There's no way he's talking himself out of that one.
The end of "The Forgotten Lady" is my favorite. Columbo: " You know it's not going to take much to break your story." Ned:" It might take 2 or three months." Columbo:" Yes, it just might."
@@david10101961 She doesn't want to watch Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner together on Star Trek you ninny 😂 ..... What's she's saying is that they were both playing A Holes who were a pleasure to watch getting caught by Columbo although Jack Cassidy was an even more despicable character than those 2 other Messrs put together 😂.
Ah, but which Jack Cassidy episode was the best, hard choice. Murder by the Book. Now you see him. Publish or Perish. Also found out that Peter Falk's real life wife was Shera Danese who was in three episodes...... As well as the recurring use of guest stars, they really did have a huge list of actors who were recycled throughout the series.
I still watch Columbo instead of the modern-day TV shows, because it is still unique. You see how the murderer did the crime, so there is no mystery for the viewer. The joy is seeing how Columbo put the pieces together (which we already knew), and trap the bad guys.
Some of the best indeed! Before my father passed, I would watch these ith him and my mother. Still do with my mom to carry on the tradition. We eat chipotle, dim the lights, and enjoy us a few episodes, these being some of our favorites.
My favorite for absolute mind-f-ing of a killer is Short Fuse. Making him think the cigar box was the bomb was absolute mastery, and Columbo just sitting there watching Roddy MacDowell scramble over the floor trying to find the rigged cigar and calmly saying he'd tricked him was pure Machiaveli.
Candidate for Crime ending scene still leaves me in awe. Magnificent acting by all participants. Worth watching several times and studying each character's performance.
A Stitch in Crime, Swan Song and Dagger of The Mind have my three favourite endings but to be quite honest, every single episode was a gem. My top three fictional detectives are Sherlock Holmes, Poirot and Columbo. RIP Peter Falk.
The episode entitled “Short Fuse” with Roddy MacDowell is in the Top 3 for sure, where they’re in that suspended tram at the end with the cigar box. And also: The Bye-Bye Sky High IQ Murder Case ending is BEAUTIFUL, with the record player arm knocking the marker off balance to hit the dictionary and trigger the blanks in the fireplace. AMAZING.
Good choices, the 1st two are ones I have seen at least 20x. I guess I like them. Saw them on NBC, you got 1 of 3, Mac & wife was 2nd and always happiest for the Columbo week.
The Johnny Cash ending was the best one. That was a true tear jerker. My Dad loved Johnny Cash and I saw the episode around the time he passed away, so I suppose it is especially effective for me.
Forgotten Lady is the best Columbo ending, when John Payne allows himself to be arrested by Columbo for a crime they both know he didn’t commit so that Janet Leigh can have her last few weeks on earth free. That was so touching.
The end of the twin ep with Martin Landau, the time he cooked for killer chef, so many great endings. Even when he tells person flat out he does not like them, he still treats them with respect and dignity.
I really appreciate that these actors are so skilled at their profession. I have a personal favorite (Donald Pleasence), but all of them are SO GOOD! The sternness of the commissioner, the unbelieving consternation of the art critic, and the frustrated but classy wine producer!
The brilliant Ross Martin deserved a brilliant ending to live on. Sad that even a well-known actor of the time shares all our fates as he is unknown and forgotten by succeeding generations.
Excellent Top 3 and hard to make any valid arguments against any of them. The original episodes were all outstanding...okay, perhaps one or two mediocre ones, but them produces gem after gem after gem. Too bad they didn't vault a dozen or so episodes because that would be a quite a treat!
An extraordinary character Falk may well live on forever as the greatest of the genre I can’t watch an episode for the multiple time without regretting there is a finite number of these gems
@@johnhindsman9399yeah that ending was great! That episode was used in the early 60s in a play. Yes that episode was used for a play. That is one episode that the Columbo writers didn't write.
A fantastic episode! The only one when I've seen the villain have a breakdown as Columbo got closer. The scene where Columbo tells him about the petrol station call. You could see him flailing.
When I was a little girl, I lived with my grandmother from infant to 10 yrs old. She watched Columbo faithfully every week. They were reruns by this time. This must be why I love this series so much. Even now whenever I have a chance I'll watch it no matter how many times I've already seen it. Columbo is my all time favorite oldie. When Peter Falk passed I was heartbroken.
One of my favourites was with George Wendt (Norman of Cheers) who gets caught in a bit of a twist. Columbo doesn’t have enough evidence to charge him with murder so he uses the mob to get him to confess. Mob wants to kill him due to money owed to them. He learns that if Columbo can arrest him the mob won’t be able to kill him.
Columbo used the same method on the man with diplomatic immunity. He confessed to murder and agree to an american prison rather than face the fate his own country offered.
"Hey, I don't even live here!" "What?" My favorite dialogue in the series. Rule of thumb, if you are police personnel planning to kill someone, wait until Columbo is on vacation to do it.
My favorite ending after the gloves reveal is the sky gondola ride, where the man thinks Columbo is opening an un-detonated bomb of his creation, him being a chemical engineer, disguised to look like a box of cigars. Columbo won because he's a cigar expert.
Columbo never held hate for any of his captures, he respected them and always gave them their own space and grace. There will only ever be one Columbo, what a great TV detective what a great TV detective series, well contrived and portrayed with excellent story writers. 10/10
Peter Falk said that 'Any Old Port In A Storm' was his favourite episode and loved working with Donald Pleasence.
It certainly showed!
What season and episode ? December 3,2022
Mine too! FALK and Pleasence were lighting in a bottle
@@sheiladavis6523 season 3. Episode 2, top notch! You will enjoy
@@baymaxc1647 Thank 🦋 You l'll try and squeeze it in today and you have a pleasant Tuesday December 6,2022 😊
“ Hey I don’t even live here” 😳 One of the best lines in the series 👏
The look on Richard Kiley’s face. What a great actor!
@@Jimeo722 - Yes you’re right, Kiley was excellent he should have done another Columbo
"You're a liar!"
“He doesn’t live here. *I* live here.” I was so confused the first time I saw that. Brilliant.
I prefer “these are my underwear”.
Jessup : "Hey, I don't even live here!"
Columbo : "I can verify that. He doesn't live here... I live here."
Commissioner (thinking quickly) : "Wow, Columbo's the murderer!"
I wonder how Columbo explained to his wife his reason for renting an apartment? "Honestly dear it is police business."
My first thought as well, lmao. At the very least, that Columbo is in on it.
@@earlleeruhf3130 he wasn’t married
@@kobyashimaru1353 Of course he was
@@kobyashimaru1353 He was. There's a couple of episodes where he talks to Rose on the phone. The one with the fitness nut murderer, and one more.
I will never get over the grace and humanity conveyed in the final scene of Any Old Port In A Storm. Peter Falk and Donald Pleasence's mastery of their craft is an enduring pleasure.
Wonderfully directed by Sean Penn's dad, Leo.
Yes , however Carsini returning to the place where he dumped his brother's body , to chuck bottles of wine into the ocean made absolutely no sense
@@exitscreaming4637 I agree. Also never bought into the idea that the wine storage vault could be well over 100 degrees because the cooling system wasn't on.
It's also almost as if Falk and Pleasence were toasting to each other's performances, and to the great episode they had just made.
@@steverino3447 ... If it were 109 degrees outside, many enclosed places -- such as an attic -- could easily surpass 150 degrees... The only thing is if the wine cellar was truly a 'cellar' (i.e., subterranean) then I think you might have something... But, I believe part of the reason the vault had the A/C was because it was not much underground... Also, being 'cooler' underground in Summer only works to a certain depth, and then the heat from the Earth starts to become a significant factor.
The ending, when he tells Tommy Brown (Johnny Cash) that any man that could sing that song could not be all bad, was classic.
My problem with that scene is that Brown is established as a pedophile at the beginning of the episode, so he really is *that bad*.
@@lesbaguette4381 So true. They tried to hide that fact, but it was kind of hard. And I know he wanted to get rid of the threatening wife, but he took the poor young girl with her. Tommy wasn't the innocent soul that Columbo said he was. Do you know Joaquim Phoenix watch that episode many many times to learn Cash's mannerisms.
@@lesbaguette4381I would like to argue that he could have just not carded the girl before he slept with her. When the woman pointed out his crime she said "statutory r***" rather than kid loving. The episode seemed to paint him as someone who made a mistake and made a far worse one trying to get out of it, than it does him being an irredeemable monster.
@@venlocity2 Whether or not he carded the girl, I cannot imagine that the encounter was particularly consensual - it definitely seemed that Mary-Ann was coerced, at the very least.
I doubt with violence, but definitely intimidated or manipulated, which wouldn't be hard to do to a sixteen-year-old girl.
Either way, he's definitely *that bad* in my eyes, though I don't know how that would have been viewed by a mainstream audience when the episode released.
@@lesbaguette4381 aye fair enough
I always liked the ending of the "Forgotten Lady" episode with Janet Leigh. She was terminal, so Columbo said he'd slow the paperwork down so she could die in peace.
It was rather sad to realize, just how poorly her character’s judgement and morality became due to her illness. Janet Leigh was wonderful in that episode❣️
That definitely was a lovely episode.
In the whole Columbo series, she's the only murderer that Columbo allows to go Scott free, and rightly so.
No, her friend who loved her falsy confessed to the crime.
That's right. Forgotten Lady was great. Truth be told, if I was Columbo, I would have let half of them go.
I almost feel sorry for Donald Pleasance. He just wanted to take care of the vinyard.
Yes, it's one of the only Columbo episodes I've watched where the killer was somewhat sympathetic. It's also Peter Falk's favorite episode ("Any old Port in Storm").
Great episode.
I feel bad for his secretary
I don't. He left his brother to die in quite possibly the most horrible way in Columbo history.
@@sondragramse1770
Huh... "the iron maiden"? dafuq you feel sorry for her??
He left his brother to suffocate in a locked wine cellar, so he wouldn't sell the family vineyard. We've got to address that...
These are all good, but "Suitable for Framing"'s ending, the first I ever watched as a teenager, made me a fan for life. The looks of panic and then sheer defeat on Ross Martin's face are priceless. He knows he's nailed to the wall, and he richly deserved it. Donald Pleasance's ending was pure class personified.
Adrian Carsini's brother was a real jerk, trying to screw Adrian and the Winery just to feed his own lifestyle, and his killing wasn't planned at all... Columbo understood this...
I watched “Suitable for Framing” for the first time the other day, and when Columbo pulled his gloved hands out of his pockets and the episode just ends my jaw dropped.
@@Fake_Cow I'm on that episode right now actually lol
Martin so perfectly nailed that smarmy art critic character that it was pure pleasure watching Columbo take him down.
@@kennikuhlmann-clark9860 Well mayby he gets a lighter sentence then the rest cause it was a crime to protect his livelyhood and legacy. The others pure greed and self-pity.
What a great show this was. The actor who played Artie Jessup was so believable. I love how Columbo(when he likes the killer) does a kind gesture like sharing some wine before taking him in.
character actor Val Avery potrayed Artie Jessup..
I'm just sorry the commissioner never learned the jewels were fake and that Jessup could tell and never would have bothered to take them. An even better gotcha.
Do you remember MASH? That last killer he arrested, played a posh doctor on MASH.
Ah yes, you mean the Carsini caper
@@oliviastar3812 or his twin Brother 😀
Really, the commissioner should be impressed. To have such a stellar detective on the force.
Funny you should mention that though. Later on in the series when other cops or the District Attorney are second guessing Columbo I always have to wonder where the hell were they when Columbo arrested the Deputy Police Commissioner, or the famous gospel singer, or the just elected US Senator? One of the worst episodes in that regard is where Columbo is ordered to turn over everything to Dabney Coleman in _Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star_ when Columbo has him pegged as a suspect. That's when I think about the famous murderers arrested by Columbo and the reputation that he must have at least in the department if not with the unsuspecting public at large.
Not when he's the murderer , it's the last thing he wants .
The commissioner was so uninformed he requested Columbo for the case.
@@rarmai That's what I was going to mention, it's so stupid that your friend accidentally kills his wife and who do you ask to investigate but the best homicide detective you have. Even if the commissioner didn't know anything about Columbo he should have at least looked at his record and saw how good he was. He should have asked a rookie with no experience to investigate and then he may have gotten away with it.
Honestly it’s a wonder Columbo isn’t well known especially by the elites. Especially later in his career… you’d think the rich and powerful would keep a close eye on folks like him.
So many Columbo's endings are Great ! For me, every single episode is a masterpiece ! Rest in peace Peter Falk : we miss you !
Well, _Columbo Goes to the Guillotine_ was actually pretty stupid.
@@FIREBRAND38 The first of the later series, it was a bad omen for all those episodes, only a minority of which could match some of the earlier ones in quality, be it the endings or any other part. Guillotine was one of the really dreadful ones: Embarrassingly easy proof (which he doesn't even figure out himself), equally obvious 'tests' of the professor (which drag on forever), and horrible acting by the murderer, who acted like a British nobleman fop, rather than a wily spy.
Hear, hear.
Couldn't agree more
Last Salute To The Commodore is one of the most tedious, awful things I've ever seen, but aside from that nearly every episode is a classic (well, of the '70s era at least)
I miss this show. I think the ending when Columbo shows he's wearing the gloves is my favorite.
Then Ross Gordon melts down, great!
Suitable for Framing. Brilliant episode.
Yes, the way Ross Martin just fell apart was some great acting
@@billiev.9719 Man, his character was unbearably smug & smarmy. I sure loved his takedown!!
mine two
The ending of Bye-Bye Sky High IQ was brilliantly done. The lead up to the staccato paced back and forth between Columbo (Peter Falk) and Brandt (Theodore Bikel) was brilliantly done as Falk played on the killer's ego. You could see that Brandt seemed confused or in disbelief over Columbo's laying out of the steps the killer took. Then, with the music playing, the intense back-and-forth exchange begins, with Columbo leading Brandt to the point where he exposes himself. The look on Brandt's face at the moment he realizes he just incriminated himself was perfect for the moment.
It’s as though Columbo and Brandt were dancing
@@xenolambrose7261 So many musical metaphors to describe various Columbo reveals.
That was the first Columbo episode I saw, and the ending made me a fan for life.
I love all responses..very observant and true Columbo fans. One ending stands out as perfection. Too many details to go into...but "Sky Hi" ending.....Fall, Bike, the music, editing, direction are all brilliant. And stupid Samantha Eggar calling Bikel after he knows he's going to San Quentin, for life. Come home darling...I need you.. Alas my darling, I shan't be needing you
@@brianmiller5265 There is only one flaw in that ending. Anything, Dear God! ANYTHING but that dreadful saccharin-over-cyclamate Tchaikovsky!
The last villain, "Adrian Carsini", was portrayed by the renown actor Donald Pleasence, who did a wonderful job with the snooty and proper character. The "Columbo" character is given as an excellent judge of character and knew the villain's propriety would make his arrest a polite matter of course once the snootiness had been deflated out of him. This scene is a great interplay of characters. "You learn very well, Lieutenant" is the key to Columbo's 'super-power'. He freely admits when he is wrong or confused or ignorant and learns better avidly.
Kind of crazy that Columbo doesn't even cuff the villains though. Lucky for him they don't pull out a weapon and stab him in the back!
Nah, it wasn't snootiness, it was passion. He was the rare trueblood connoisseur who could actually tell when his experience is suboptimal or forged. Columbo respects that, and Peter Falk confirmed as much in his interview where he mentioned this episode. He even outright said that Carcini was Columbo's hardest arrest- not for the difficulty of the case, but for the respect and sympathy Columbo had for him.
Had Carcini killed his brother when he bashed his head in, in a fit of understandable heartbreak and fury, a true 2nd degree, maybe Columbo might've looked the other way. But it was the long, cold, calculated execution that forced Columbo's hand.
Besides, as Columbo had illustrated so eloquently- Carcini had already ruined himself and his winery. The man and his overheated wines were one and the same- gone bad, and needed to be disposed of, no matter how relatively minor the flaw. Neither Columbo nor Carcini could abide imperfections.
@@NotAGoodUsername360 That is a more fair and full analysis of Carcini. However, the point of my post was to disclose the true power of Columbo. In doing so I afforded one adjective to Carcini, in passing, as he was not the focus of my post. As a matter of rhetorical style you might reconsider the "Nah" at the beginning of your response. It seems to deny or miss the point of my post. You might, rather, say "To be fair to Carcini". As for abiding imperfection, Columbo certainly can; just look at his overcoat, his car, and his dog. The man is a study in imperfections. What he cannot abide is dysfunctional, destructive imperfections.
both are the same character in a different situation. "carsini" is a wine columbo.
I first remember Donald Pleasence from The Great Escape, the forger of escape documents who goes blind.
Let's not forget Patrick McGoohan at the end of the episode set in a military academy.
McGoohan is fantastic in all of the ones he starred in. In At Dawn's Early Light, his own determination and zeal to expose the cadets is what exposed him, the CIDER!
I always love when Columbo would say "one more thing"
Just one more thing ❤️
I Love when he would say That ⭐❤️👏
That was his trademark phrase
"One more thing" means I know it is you.
I am coming back later to cuff you.
several episodes deserve an honorable mention. the first ones that come to my mind: the one with johnny cash, the episode where the photographer incriminates himself and the "subliminal cut" episode.
Great choices
My choices exactly !
Ijm,m.
Also Playback with invitation being on the table.
I think subliminal cut is the single best gotcha because Kepler was so rotten, the irony was so exquisite, and Culp's acting was so superb. But the Colonel's and the Matador's downfalls are truly stirring in a Greek tragedy way, and Dr. Mayfield's nabbing is glorious.
In the episode Any Old Port In A Storm, Donald Pleasance gave the best performance of the entire series. It was like he had been playing the part of Adrian Carsini for decades and several episodes, not just one.
Great observation if Don was still alive he would say to you that's the greatest compliment he's ever gotten. You learn very well
Joe, you want to see Donald go one better. He gave best performance in a Twighlight Zone ep. It's the last ep. Of season 3....1962. " The Changing of the Guard". You'll thank me when you see it. And you will say same thing..... It's as if he was playing professor Fowler for years
They brought Don over from England to do the Great Escape and he did Twilight Zone ep at same time. They wanted as many actors who were pows in real life in the movie. Don was in German camp for years
@@brianmiller5265 The Twilight Zone was my all-time favorite show. I have seen every episode many times.
What was so impressive about Donald Pleasance in The Changing Of The Guard is that he was only about 40 when the episode was filmed, yet he played a man near 70.
@@josephciccolini1590 yeah Joe. Make up was outstanding and Don did the rest. Just a superior ep. I've had a full life...a very rich life!! Another wonderful flawless performance was Gig Young in Walking Distance. This is the time Martin ..now......there will be no more marygorounds.... I'm Martinnn
I like the ending of Murder By The Book where Columbo speaking about about the murders says something like "The first one - not the second one; that was sloppy." I love the way he's rating the work!
the episode with Johnny Cash was also very good and i loved that ending too. Another show of Columbo's humanity even towards a killer.
“I guess freedom is truly relative”, what a line. This writing is just something else.
😂
@@ParDiss-e4i 🤣
I still get chills when I see Carsini throwing the bottles into the ocean.The ending scene at the winery is perhaps the best television scene ever performed.
You can tell it crushed that man to his very core to have to destroy what was no doubt his most prized possession knowing all his wine had been ruined.
He was scarier in James bond.
It's hard to remember the impact when we first saw these endings decades ago
but I've never forgotten how I was blown away when Columbo pulled his glove covered hands out of his pockets.
The eyes of the woman who was accused and set to inherit looked like Dr. Zira (Kim Hunter) in planet of the apes along with Artemis (Ross Gordon) with his art of disguise.
I just saw it for the first time and that blew me away, too. I laughed out loud and had to rewind a few times.
I have always thought the episode with Jack Cassidy playing the magician was the best one. Colombo said "The perfect crime, thats just an illusion."
I hope you were watching carefully, that's my best trick
Brutal ending for the killer
Ah yes, The Great Santini.
This is my favourite episode and defiantly one of the best endings!
When Santini gets out of the special handcuffs Columbo had made up and Columbo says: "I knew you could do it"... CHILLS
I read in an interview that that was also Peter Falk's favorite Columbo episode. He really liked working with Jack Cassidy.
Columbo is my all time favorite television show! I can watch episodes over and over, never gets old.
Me tooooooo 😃👏❤️
Me as well
For some reason,Columbo is so calming to me.....watch over and over!
No one like him! Columbo is a masterpiece that will never be repeated.
I like the ending of the Janet Leigh episode. Very emotional ending. Columbo makes a rare decision not to do the arrest. Bravo.
That was where Colombo took judgement in his own hands where he knew the victim was the bad guy and turn a blind eye to the law but he did it with such passion (the writers of Colombo where people than understood the makeup the human mind)
Yea, agree that one sticks in my mind as one of the best
@@rogerreimer6787 The Victim was her loving husband who knew she was losing her mind and wanted to keep her from the disapointment and stuggle of not being able to preform not a bad guy at all.
That was the compassionate Columbo…
Forgotten lady ending, was heartbreaking . ( didn't want to give the ending away , in case some one never saw it.)
"Any Port in a Storm" is hands down my favorite episode. Donald Pleasance was a great (and underrated) actor.
You must have watched “barchester chronicles” then. He was superb in that
I've only seen him in this, You Only Live Twice and Escape from New York and I fully agree, he was a fantastic actor.
I liked the ending for "This far, and no farther" the best. Combines best gotcha, best smug "I'm getting away with it" face, and brinksmanship, all in one scene.
Agree fantastic gotcha. The conspirators.
And then he has a final drink. It was superb!
“What?” is a very effective response when the light begins to break through.
Ricardo Montablan is one of the coldest killer in the series. He murdered a close friend out of pride. I belive the victim would never have revealed the Matadors secret. He was too loyal for that.
Yes, I love the Greek tragedy aspect of it. Pride was the man's downfall. I think the point of the murder was not fear of disclosure: he couldn't stand having a witness to his cowardice. It's heartbreaking having the reveal before the daughter.
It's as they say, you CAN'T have a good hero without a GREAT villian. R I P Mr. Peter Falk
It's so difficult to choose 3 from so many fantastic endings!!! To me, all of them deserve an honorable mention!!! 👍👍🙂
The episode "A Friend In Deed" with Richard Kiley is the best IMO. The ending is brilliant. They're all great but that is the one that got me hooked on the show many years ago and is a personal favorite..
Yessss I Agree 💯
I Love Columbo ❤️⭐❤️
Peter was a Fantastic Actor ⭐ I Don't have a favorite ‼️ I Love them
ALL ⭐❤️⭐RIP PETER
Greatest TV Detective of all time.
I love it too.
Rest in powerful peace Peter Falk 🙏
16 September 1927 ~
23 June 2011⚘
Also the fantastic Donald Pleasance (1919-1995)
“Just one more thing….” 🤪🤪🤪 Good, clean entertainment at its best👍
One of my favorite endings was with Janet Leigh. That, as I recollect, was the one and only time Columbo let the murderer go. That completely blew my mind. Brilliant and exceptionally well-done.
She would not have been convicted anyways. Having Alzheimer meant she was not competent to stand trial. The most she would had gotten would had been being committed to an asylum.
Technically he didn't let her off, Ned Diamond confesses to the murder to buy Grace time enough to live the rest of her life free. Columbo just went along with it
Peter Falk was really made for the role. NO ONE ELSE could made it so perfectly ……j’adore 💕👌
He was a superb actor and he died a terrible death and he deserved better. Rest in peace Mr Falk, you were a gift.
TOTALLY agree.
A heart attack when in his 80's isn't really a terrible death.
@@jimzafiriou7808 he was in the end stages of Dementia, I hope anyone reading your comment reads about just how dreadful his final years were.
Got news for you: we all die a terrible death sooner or later.
@@Chanesmyname Sure, were all gonna die, that's a given, but not all deaths are terrible.
The absolute best was the episode of George Hamilton being exposed, he knew the man he saw was blind and could not identify him. Colombo statement I have a witness and the witness is you. The only way you know that man was blind you had to have seen him.
My favourite too. Love how he panics to try and prove Mr Morris was blind! 😅
I liked the first one, "Prescription: Murder" (Is that right?) Columbo showed a hard and intimidating edge that was missing in all subsequent episodes.
Yes
My favorite.
Yeah, because intimidation was Columbo's last ditch effort. It makes sense we don't see him to it much.
I got my 🍿 freshly popped and I'm not going anywhere for the next 14 minutes and 33 seconds! 😃
I haven't watched all yet but my vote would be for the episode with Leanord Nimoy as a heart surgeon who used dissolving stitches to commit the perfect murder. Almost perfect.
I second this one
it was also one of the few times colombo got real mad/frustrated that he had a lack of evidence and he was being derided by his oponent...ended up using his relentless pressure to force nimoy into a trap and nimoy deploying a brilliant hail mary to try and avert it.
I am with you on this
And the winner is: Suitable for Framing. Kingston goes down fighting, blustering and bullying to the end! 🎬🎥👍
The delivery by both in that scene was mesmerizing. I miss the days when tv was so good you couldn't turn away and wanted to take the phone off the hook for a couple of hours.
@@WatchingTrainsGoBy-PassingTime Are you a witness to what he just typed?
@@jjr1728 lol
@@jjr1728 , I saw how you did that (or rather, the episode you quoted)…excellent…
He was an absolutely disgusting dude…most fun ever watching a Columbo suspect go down.
This was the Columbo golden era!
I really enjoyed the ‘villain’ in the last segment. I don’t know the whole story, but the man took it in stride once he knew he was done. No denial, no outrage- just relief. He remained himself, and straight-forwardly confessed. I liked him right off- and Colombo did too. It’s the mutual respect, I think.
Never realized how often Columbo uses the logic of "either you're the murderer or I am" to catch them.
Plot twist: Columbo is the greatest and most terrifying murderer in this entire series and no one has ever caught him as he uses his detective job to frame countless people.
Maybe we should get Columbo to arrest Columbo
I like all endings but 'Playback' is one of my top favourites , I still get goosebumps when the camera zooms in and the faint music plays in the background. There's no way he's talking himself out of that one.
The end of "The Forgotten Lady" is my favorite. Columbo: " You know it's not going to take much to break your story." Ned:" It might take 2 or three months." Columbo:" Yes, it just might."
One of the few episodes where Columbo never arrests the killer. Such a tragic ending.
They both wanted to protect the great lady
@@renerpho It's the ONLY episode in which he doesn't arrest the murderer.
I dearly loved watching Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner get caught but Jack Cassidy... what a bad guy. No remorse, ever.
If you love watching Messrs Nimoy and Shatner you can view both of them simultaneously on Star Trek. :)
@@david10101961 She doesn't want to watch Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner together on Star Trek you ninny 😂 ..... What's she's saying is that they were both playing A Holes who were a pleasure to watch getting caught by Columbo although Jack Cassidy was an even more despicable character than those 2 other Messrs put together 😂.
True.....but Jack was the best bad guy ever. Peter Falk had nothing but praise for him.
Ah, but which Jack Cassidy episode was the best, hard choice.
Murder by the Book.
Now you see him.
Publish or Perish.
Also found out that Peter Falk's real life wife was Shera Danese who was in three episodes......
As well as the recurring use of guest stars, they really did have a huge list of actors who were recycled throughout the series.
@loveisall hahaha I love that line. It's such a perfect example of what made Cassidy a great Columbo villian. So smarmy and full of fake sincerity!
Where is Candidate for crime?,one of the best ever episodes.
Agree.
Yes, I love that episode - so very clever
Great ending.
I still watch Columbo instead of the modern-day TV shows, because it is still unique. You see how the murderer did the crime, so there is no mystery for the viewer. The joy is seeing how Columbo put the pieces together (which we already knew), and trap the bad guys.
Some of the best indeed! Before my father passed, I would watch these ith him and my mother. Still do with my mom to carry on the tradition. We eat chipotle, dim the lights, and enjoy us a few episodes, these being some of our favorites.
My favorite for absolute mind-f-ing of a killer is Short Fuse. Making him think the cigar box was the bomb was absolute mastery, and Columbo just sitting there watching Roddy MacDowell scramble over the floor trying to find the rigged cigar and calmly saying he'd tricked him was pure Machiaveli.
Levinson and Link. Two of the finest writers ever for television. And kudos should also go to Falk who made the character his own
Peter Falk was the best.
One of a kind.
The writing for Columbo was outstanding!
For me, the "candidate for crime" and "negative reaction" endings are outstanding too ! But a lot of Columbo's endings are excellent !!
I Agree 💯👍
These are 2 of my favorites also!😊
Same for me!
After reading the book, I'm so glad Columbo wasn't played by Bing Crosby.
That would’ve been a disservice
He was a genius in solving crimes--love Columbo.
Candidate for Crime ending scene still leaves me in awe. Magnificent acting by all participants. Worth watching several times and studying each character's performance.
Beautiful. Columbo is so much a part of me ever since the 70s, I watch these scenes as if they happened in my own life...
A Stitch in Crime, Swan Song and Dagger of The Mind have my three favourite endings but to be quite honest, every single episode was a gem. My top three fictional detectives are Sherlock Holmes, Poirot and Columbo. RIP Peter Falk.
Who are your top three non-fictional detectives?
Ruth Gordon and Johnny Cash were in the running as well
Definitely the three top best finales of all Columbo episodes! The first viewings on these episodes are always great.
The episode entitled “Short Fuse” with Roddy MacDowell is in the Top 3 for sure, where they’re in that suspended tram at the end with the cigar box. And also: The Bye-Bye Sky High IQ Murder Case ending is BEAUTIFUL, with the record player arm knocking the marker off balance to hit the dictionary and trigger the blanks in the fireplace. AMAZING.
@@wildmercuryfilms , excellent episodes with stunner finishes…
Sky High IQ Murder is #1.
all 3 great endings - but its hard to top Candidate for Crime with Jackie Cooper.
My favourite too.👍
And mine! 🙋🏽♀️
Give me your job, columbo uploader. How dare you take my dream away from me.
Good choices, the 1st two are ones I have seen at least 20x. I guess I like them. Saw them on NBC, you got 1 of 3, Mac & wife was 2nd and always happiest for the Columbo week.
Columbo was such a great show. He'll become your best friend, right before he puts you away.
We have to give some credit to the writers too. Brilliant.
I also like Robert Vaughn on the cruise ship.. Great ending.
Peter and Donald - fine actors - working together beautifully
The Johnny Cash ending was the best one. That was a true tear jerker. My Dad loved Johnny Cash and I saw the episode around the time he passed away, so I suppose it is especially effective for me.
'you learn very well' is an excellant compliment!!
I love columbo from childhood until now. Superior to all other detectives. He knows the killers from the outset and just hunts them down.
Forgotten Lady is the best Columbo ending, when John Payne allows himself to be arrested by Columbo for a crime they both know he didn’t commit so that Janet Leigh can have her last few weeks on earth free. That was so touching.
what fun for the ex con to bring down the police commisioner
Anything with Patrick magoohan or jack Cassidy as the villian. Peter falk sure enjoyed working with them.
Patrick Macgoohan was a close friend of Peter Falk (4 eps)
The last one with wine tester is easily one of my favorite. He accepts his loss with such respect and dignity.
Goodness, I LOVED watching Columbo for years. I felt immense sadness when Peter Falk passed away. God bless him.
The end of the twin ep with Martin Landau, the time he cooked for killer chef, so many great endings. Even when he tells person flat out he does not like them, he still treats them with respect and dignity.
I really appreciate that these actors are so skilled at their profession. I have a personal favorite (Donald Pleasence), but all of them are SO GOOD! The sternness of the commissioner, the unbelieving consternation of the art critic, and the frustrated but classy wine producer!
To know a great series is to never get tired of watching it & that's how I feel about Columbo.
The brilliant Ross Martin deserved a brilliant ending to live on. Sad that even a well-known actor of the time shares all our fates as he is unknown and forgotten by succeeding generations.
His smarmy art critic was superb.
Ross certainly won't be forgotten for this fantastic ending. Likely to be repeated on TV forever...
He was very good in this episode, but he could hardly be called brilliant. Perry much a run of the mill actor.
I don't think he'll ever be forgotten. To me he'll always be remembered as Artie on Wild Wild West!
@@TheRmm1976 Absolutely, one of my favorite shows as a young boy!
Excellent Top 3 and hard to make any valid arguments against any of them. The original episodes were all outstanding...okay, perhaps one or two mediocre ones, but them produces gem after gem after gem. Too bad they didn't vault a dozen or so episodes because that would be a quite a treat!
My favorite ending was the one with the Irish poet, and the scratching on the bottle for when to stop drinking.
Think this needs a top 5 at least!, impossible to label three the best!
An extraordinary character Falk may well live on forever as the greatest of the genre
I can’t watch an episode for the multiple time without regretting there is a finite number of these gems
Pilot episode doesn’t get enough attention it was great, really like a movie.
it was a movie, along with the second episode
That "faked suicide" at the end was brilliant! That was the only way to get Gene Barry to confess.
@@johnhindsman9399yeah that ending was great! That episode was used in the early 60s in a play. Yes that episode was used for a play. That is one episode that the Columbo writers didn't write.
For Me: Candidate For A Crime, " Your Under Arrest Sir ". With All The People In The Room. That One Stood Out For Me. Jackie Cooper-good Villain.
Yeah, the public Columbo take-downs are the best - and with that episode all the press-corps were crowded on the other side of the door.
A fantastic episode! The only one when I've seen the villain have a breakdown as Columbo got closer. The scene where Columbo tells him about the petrol station call. You could see him flailing.
No one could of played the part of Columbo Better than Peter Falk Did !
When I was a little girl, I lived with my grandmother from infant to 10 yrs old. She watched Columbo faithfully every week. They were reruns by this time. This must be why I love this series so much. Even now whenever I have a chance I'll watch it no matter how many times I've already seen it. Columbo is my all time favorite oldie. When Peter Falk passed I was heartbroken.
Columbo is a class act. No one compares.
Add one more, "Now you see him" ROTF as Columbo and team perform the last trick, brilliant.
THIS would not be an easy poll to fill out. Hard to pick just 3. It would be hard to argue with anyone's list here.
One of my favourites was with George Wendt (Norman of Cheers) who gets caught in a bit of a twist. Columbo doesn’t have enough evidence to charge him with murder so he uses the mob to get him to confess. Mob wants to kill him due to money owed to them. He learns that if Columbo can arrest him the mob won’t be able to kill him.
My favorite line from the Mob Boss: "If something should happen and you are found not guilty, you will face my Justice."
Columbo used the same method on the man with diplomatic immunity. He confessed to murder and agree to an american prison rather than face the fate his own country offered.
I thought Rod Steiger was great as the mob boss. To look at him and hear him, you would never know he wasn't of Italian decent.
As if the mob can't reach into a prison!
"Hey, I don't even live here!" "What?" My favorite dialogue in the series. Rule of thumb, if you are police personnel planning to kill someone, wait until Columbo is on vacation to do it.
My top 3 :
1. Candidate for crime
2. Negative Reaction
3. A friend in deed
But in a way, every Columbo is a masterpiece...
3 excellent choices. My favorite Columbo is Swan Song with Johnny Cash. The Ending reminds me of the Any Old Port in a Storm ending. Just wonderful.
Never tell Columbo, "You can't prove it." He will always find a way to prove it.
My favorite ending after the gloves reveal is the sky gondola ride, where the man thinks Columbo is opening an un-detonated bomb of his creation, him being a chemical engineer, disguised to look like a box of cigars. Columbo won because he's a cigar expert.
Columbo never held hate for any of his captures, he respected them and always gave them their own space and grace. There will only ever be one Columbo, what a great TV detective what a great TV detective series, well contrived and portrayed with excellent story writers. 10/10