Show: Columbo
Episode
Particulars: S10EP14, “Columbo Likes the Nightlife”, original airdate
January 30th, 2003.
Standalone
Thoughts: I actually think this episode’s pretty decent, though I should
probably confess my bias upfront. Not only does Price have a British accent
(which I’ve already established is a weakness of mine), but Matthew Rhys is a
close friend of my favorite actor, so I like him just by association. However,
I think I’d be fine with this episode even if Price was played by someone else,
American or otherwise. The pacing is good, it doesn’t feel like there’s much
padding, and the acting is solid. It wouldn’t be the episode I’d have chosen to
end both the “season” and the show with, but I’m not going to feel disappointed
that this is the ending, either.
Of course, there are still some issues. First, and most
minor, the show once again misses an opportunity for culture clash, given that
Columbo is absolutely not the type to go clubbing. Can’t you just imagine
Columbo trying to do his usual routine on the dance floor at a rave? But as I
said, that’s not as important in the grand scheme of things; it just would have
been amusing. Secondly, I have trouble buying that Galper would be killed by being
pushed backwards and slamming into a glass coffee table. Based on what we see,
it seems more likely to stun him or cut him up rather than kill him. I’m
guessing the script was going for the “broken neck” gambit, but I’m only
somewhat buying it. Thirdly, there’s a scene that you just kind of accept, but
is absolutely terrible continuity. When Price kills Coben and removes all the
incriminating evidence, he makes sure to go through Coben’s filing cabinet and
takes out any photos in Vanessa’s file. Later, Columbo goes through the file,
and notices that there’s nothing in the folder labeled 6/22, two days before
Coben’s death. He learns shortly thereafter that Vanessa was married to Galper,
and goes back to see if Coben had anything on Galper. He did…but the photos
from 6/22 are missing there too, even though we never saw Price take something
from it (nor can we construe it happened offscreen). This is never explained or
discussed, even though it could have been excellently handled. After all, why
would Price think to check if Coben had a Galper file? So Columbo finds one
photo Price missed, one that might not even have him in it but proves to
Columbo that there’s foul play. Then he presents that photo to Price and
watches the thinly disguised panic and excuses ensue. We might even have got a
“dancing around the issue” scene out of it. Instead, we’re left with something
that isn’t an episode-ruiner in the grand scheme of things, but really could
have been handled a lot better.
While those are the big ones, there are also the bits
that depend on each person’s individual taste. For example, Columbo walking in
at just the right time to learn that Galper’s gone missing may smack of Admiral
Plot Device to some (like me), while others might accept it as economy of storytelling.
And while I kind of like the club music that plays throughout the episode (and
the flashy opening credits to go along with it), others may find that grating.
In general, though, the good outweighs the bad on this one, and it’s worth
checking out. Besides, it’s probably easier on the eyes and ears than going to
a real rave…
Number of
“Columbo-isms”: 4/6. We see Columbo’s car (looking an odd shade of light
blue, as though it was painted), he mentions his wife twice, he does a bit of
fumbling, and he literally says “Just one more thing” in addition to doing a
few variations of it. It’s not a perfect score to close things out, but at
least we got a literal “Just one more thing” in there.
Other: *The
technology on display in this episode is particularly interesting, because it’s
incredibly close to the modern day but yet just different enough that it allows
you to marvel at how quickly technology changed in just fourteen years. Price
has a flip phone, not a smart phone. They use computers and email, but the
computers are big and boxy. Even the club atmosphere is different, because I
get the impression nowadays the music would be more dubstep than techno. That’s
one of the things Columbo is good for;
being an inadvertent time capsule.
*If you want proof that Columbo is dedicated to his job,
look no further than his sticking his hand in a toilet in a rat-trap apartment
just so he can try to find some toenail clippings. Whatever he’s getting paid,
it’s clearly not enough.
*When Columbo needs to climb a ladder/tree combination,
he mentions that he’s never been a fan of heights, thus returning to the
continuity from the old days instead of what we were seeing in more recent
fare. However, he doesn’t seem overly nervous while he’s up there, either, so
perhaps this is a “I don’t like them but I’ve learned to tolerate them”
situation. Again, I’m doing my damndest not to blame the script for this.
*“Season” wrapup: As evidenced by the use of my
quotations around the word “season” throughout this set, it’s not entirely fair
to judge these fourteen episodes as a unit, since they were done at various
times and not over the course of one year. However, if we do accept them as a
unit, I’d say this isn’t the greatest season. It started out decently, then had
a very long spate of “meh” episodes (the two odds ones out notwithstanding),
before getting its second wind around the time of “Strange Bedfellows” (or
“Undercover”, if you want to include that one). There are ones that are worth
watching, and some of the “meh” ones might appeal to you more than they did to
me, but it may be better to mix those in with the older seasons, to prevent the
blahness from wearing on you so much. It’s not the greatest note for the show
to go out on, but it’s not awful, either.
*Show wrapup: Leaving aside the fact that this probably
isn’t a show you should binge watch in any capacity, Columbo is a fine piece of television. The 70’s fashion and
technology for most of the show’s run doesn’t damage the material; in fact, it
enhances it by giving us the time capsule effect I’ve mentioned a few times.
Besides, Columbo himself is almost always relatable and watchable, thanks to
Falk’s performance. No wonder he won so many Emmys and is still thought of
fondly even today. The mystery format was structured in such a way that you
could either play along and try to figure out how Columbo would catch the
murderer, or just sit back and enjoy the interactions. I don’t know if I could
say there’s something for everyone here, but I think most people would be able
to find something entertaining about it. I’d heartily encourage anyone who’s
interested to check it out. With luck, you’ll find yourself wanting to go back
for “just one more episode…”
Would This Hold Up
in Court?: Yes. I think we can safely say Columbo’s got some definitive
proof, one that didn’t require any trickery on his part to boot. Now, the fact
that he managed to come to the right conclusion based solely on a casual
observation seems a bit suspect, but I’m blaming that on the script rather than
Columbo himself.
And thus, my investigation of Columbo comes to an end, and I begin the last show of this project,
where we’ll be returning to a familiar stomping ground, albeit one that’s been
unfairly stomped on for over a decade…
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