“Just one more thing…”
In this month’s Single Serving Selection, we join Ask an Atheist‘s Sam Mulvey to snoop around the first episode of the beloved inverted-mystery series, starring Peter Falk’s rumbled detective: 1971’s Columbo: Murder By the Book.
When one half of an award-winning mystery writing team learns that his more-talented partner is leaving for a solo career, he sees his meal ticket slipping away. The only way to save his career and claim a sizeable insurance policy is to commit the perfect murder. The only hitch is that the crime is being investigated by a personable and seemingly-clownish police detective who just might have his number.
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Nice discussion, gentlemen – although I would think that the whole Columbo phenomenon would merit an entire regular episode rather than a single serving. It’s a show that I think holds up really well. Also nice to know that there’s a few episodes posted on YouTube – I’ll have to check that out.
Thanks for the kind words, as always!
I did have some thought about this being a full-on Columbo panel episode, but two things made me ultimately decide to tackle it as a Single Serving:
1.) We only do two panel episodes a year — one moderated by me, and another by Casey. And I’ve already chosen my 2020 panel, and Casey is putting his to a vote later this year, after his 2019 panel is released. So, we’re booked for a while.
and…
2.) The combination of this episode being a Spielberg/Bochco joint as well as Columbo’s consistent structure and format meant that we could talk a bit about all of Columbo through the prism of this specific episode of Columbo. I think we did an alright enough job of squaring that circle. Or I hope we did.
I got referred to your podcast by Council of Geeks. I was interested when I heard that you are going to review every Arnold Schwarzenegger movie. But when I saw this episode about Columbo I was sold. I’ve been a huge fan since I was a kid and I was so excited to listen to the podcast. Hope to hear more in the future. <3
Welcome aboard, Sara! As a fan of both Arnold and Columbo, you are a person after our own heart!