The bestColumboepisodes show why the series has been called one of thebest murder mystery shows of all time. Peter Falk created one of the most unique and brilliant fictional detectives with his performance as the titular cop. Columbo is a lieutenant who investigates murders and suspicious deaths with his own distinct oddball approach. He comes across as a bit of a bumbling sleuth, but as he gradually and politely digs deeper into the truth, he always cracks the case.
Columboset itself apart from many murder mystery shows of its kind by showing the audience who the killer is upfront. The format of the show then focuses on the killer’s attempts to get away and cover up the crime, only for Columbo to start snooping around. It is a series that perfectly blends murderous intrigue with a charming sense of humor. Falk is unforgettable in the lead role. and he has some amazing guest stars to play with. While not every storyline is memorable, the bestColumboepisodes are both thrilling and satisfying.
10Swan Song
Season 3, Episode 7
Peter Falk is the magic behind the series in the titular role, but it is a lot of fun seeing the variousguest stars onColumbo. One of the most unexpected and memorable was country music icon Johnny Cash, who fully embraced his outlaw persona in playing the killer in the episode “Swan Song”. Cash’s Tommy Brown is a country gospel singer whose career is held in blackmail by his wife, who pulled him out of his convict life to force him to be part of her mission to spread the word of God.
In an effort to escape her control and make some real money, Brown stages a small plane crash. It is certainly one of the most elaborate murder plots on the show, even straining credulity at times. However,Cash brings his natural charisma mixed with darkness to the role. Tommy is also a killer who is able to catch Columbo off guard at times, making for some hilarious scenes with Falk.
9The Bye-Bye Sky High I.Q. Murder Case
Season 6, Episode 3
One of the best things about the character of Columbo is how much people underestimate him.Because of his bumbling nature and seemingly confused questions, many of the criminals he comes up against feel like they can easily outsmart him,which is exactly what he wants them to think. In “The Bye-Bye Sky High I.Q. Murder Case”, Columbo comes up against a certified genius with Oliver Brandt (Theodore Bikel) being a member of a society of high IQ people. Brandt feels that he has pulled off the most undetectable murder of his snooping friend and associate.
Brandt makes for a very entertaining killer as this tortured genius, and his conversations with Columbo help to reveal aspects of the titular detective that have never been addressed. The episode is also one of the funniest of the entire series, a reminder of its great mix of comedy and crime. This builds to the wonderful ending with Columbo using Brandt’s massive ego against him in a truly satisfying way. As a bonus, the episode also features a small early role for Jamie Lee Curtis.
8Murder By The Book
Season 1, Episode 1
The first episode ofColumboalso has the distinction of beingdirected by Steven Spielbergbefore his breakout Hollywood hit,Jaws. In an apt way of addressing Columbo as a new detective on television, this opening mystery centers around a crime writer being killed by his business partner. Jack Cassidy plays the murderer, Ken Franklin, the business-minded of the two partners, who is not only getting back at his partner for attempting a solo career but also wants to flex his own ego by pulling off the perfect crime.
From the stunning opening shot, Spielberg shows his confidence as a filmmaker and the skills he would later bring to blockbuster movies. The filmmaking helps to establishColumboas something special on television, while the writing presents a gripping thrill ride. Cassidy is a terrific villain with his arrogance only outmatched by his ruthlessness.Along with being one of the best episodes ofColumbo, this first glimpse of the show’s brilliance is also one of the most important.
7Étude In Black
Season 2, Episode 1
Though he is best known for his role as Columbo, Peter Falk had a terrific acting career outside of the show, including appearing in a number of John Cassavetes movies. Cassavetes returns the favor by appearing as the villain in this standout episode ofColumbowhile also giving one of his best performances. The late actor plays Alex Benedict, a celebrated conductor who murders a young and talented pianist to conceal his affair with her.
Not surprisingly, it is a lot of fun seeing Cassavetes and Falk share the screen and play off each other as adversaries. However,“Étude in Black” delivers some of the most charming moments for Columbo himself, really cementing him as a great character. The episode also introduces his trusty dog, Dog. However, the best moment comes as Columbo finds himself at the deserted Hollywood Bowl and begins playing “Chopsticks” on the piano with glee.
6By Dawn’s Early Light
Season 4, Episode 3
While Columbo might maintain an amiable demeanor even when investigating murders, he has proven many times that he is not intimidated by anyone, including those of great authority. “By Dawn’s Early Light” sees Columbo investigating a murder at a military academy with Colonel Lyle C. Rumford (Patrick McGoohan) taking out a fellow officer and framing a young cadet for the crime.
McGoohan makes for one of the most memorableColumboguest stars,providing a cold and calculating villain whose plan is one of the most thrilling of any murderers on the show.However, the real treat in this episode is how the titular hero goes about his investigation. Wanting to get immersed in the lives of the cadets, Columbo moves into the academy and lives like them, sleeping in the bunkhouse, eating meals with them, and going through their drills. It delivers some of the funniest moments in the series.
5Negative Reaction
Season 4, Episode 2
Dick Van Dyke’sMary Poppinsperformancecemented his joyful and amiable personality that most fans remember him for. That makes his role as a killer inColumboall the more effective. Van Dyke stars in “Negative Reaction” as Paul Galesko, an acclaimed photographer who is married to a controlling and meanspirited woman. However, Galesko takes a dark approach to taking care of his marital issues by staging a ransom situation with his wife in which he kills her in the process, then proceeds to frame an innocent man and murder him as well.
Van Dyke’s performance is chilling in how reserved it is. There is an especially effective scene in which Galesko explains to his tied-up wife all the ways she has mistreated him over the years, justifying his actions but showing no emotion as he does so. It is a great subversion of the actor’s reputation and shows new sides of the legendary performer’s talents.
4Try And Catch Me
Season 7, Episode 1
Thebooks by Agatha Christielikely had a big influence onColumbo, which is what makes the episode “Try and Catch Me” so much fun. Oscar-winner Ruth Gordon takes on the murderer role as a mystery writer, Abigail Mitchell, who is convinced her nephew-in-law is responsible for the murder of her beloved niece. With the police ruling it an accident, Abigail decides to get justice herself, killing the supposed killer and using her mystery knowledge to throw off the police.
This makes for an ideal setup, as Abigail is confronted with the kind of brilliant detective that she would include in her own novels, in the form of Columbo. Another highlight of the episode isthe interactions between Gordon and Peter Falk, as Columbo seems to sympathize with Abigail more than most killers on the show, even if that doesn’t mean he’s willing to let her get away with it.
3A Stitch In Crime
Season 2, Episode 6
“A Stitch in Crime” isanother example ofColumboexcelling in casting the episode’s villain. In this case, Leonard Nimoy steps far away from his iconic hero role asSpock onStar Trekand plays one of the most cold-blooded killers onColumbo. Nimoy’s Dr. Barry Mayfield is an opportunistic doctor who wants full credit for developing a groundbreaking new drug. In an effort to do so, he attempts to kill the project’s lead researcher, another respected doctor, by sabotaging the man’s routine surgery.
Interestingly, the murder in question is not the one that was initially intended. Instead, Mayfield’s actions are noticed by a nurse who he kills to cover his tracks. The emotionless way Nimoy plays the character is wonderfully contrasted with his later scenes of arrogance in the face of the investigation. It is also a great episode for Peter Falk as it allows new shades of Columbo with him butting heads with Mayfield and showing genuine anger towards the man which is not often seen from the laidback detective.
2A Friend In Deed
Season 3, Episode 8
“A Friend in Deed” begins as a uniqueColumboepisode as the chief villain is not the murderer. Instead, Mark Halperin (Richard Kiley) decides to help his friend cover up the fact that he killed his wife by accident. However, Halperin’s true villainy is shown when he then forces that friend to return the favor and kill off Halperin’s own wife. To add to the diabolic nature of the man, Halperin is also revealed to be a police commissioner and Columbo’s boss.
This episode highlights the fact that Columbo has often seemed like an outcast in the police force. His methods are unorthodox and some of his fellow police officers laugh at him behind his back, but Columbo is ultimately the best cop around because he cannot be corrupted.Seeing him narrow in on his superior officer without hesitation gives Columbo one of the most heroic episodes of the serieswithin one of its darkest stories.
1Any Old Port In A Storm
Season 3, Episode 2
Before taking on the role of Dr. Sam Loomis intheHalloweenfranchise, Donald Pleasence played a killer himself in the best episode ofColumbo. In “Any Old Port in a Storm”, he is Adrian Carsini, a wine connoisseur who murders his half-brother when he plans to sell the land on which their winery is located. While he stages it to look like a scuba diving accident, it doesn’t take long for Columbo to see past this ruse and look for the truth in the world of wine.
Columbo usually seems one step ahead of the murderers from the beginning, but this episode presents something interesting as he doesn’t understand wine and the techniques behind it, but has to gain this new knowledge to crack the case.The performances are the highlight of the episode as Peter Falk and Pleasence play off each other wonderfully, with Carsini offering a different kind of villain who is more desperate than malicious.
Columbo
Cast
Columbo is a crime drama TV series featuring Peter Falk as Lieutenant Columbo, a shrewd but unassuming homicide detective in the LAPD. Known for his disheveled appearance and seemingly scatterbrained demeanor, Columbo uses his keen insight and relentless questioning to solve complex cases. The series is noted for its unique format where the audience sees the crime unfold and watches Columbo piece together the clues to catch the culprit.
