My mother, an enthusiastic reader of crime and mystery stories, got me hooked on the original Columbo series back in the 70s. During our latest family get-together for New Year’s, my wife and I spent the night with her. The Sundance channel ran a Columbo marathon over the weekend, and of course, we watched several classic episodes together. It was great to spend time with my mom and revisit old memories.
Much of the series’ appeal was its implied critique of fashionable debauchery. Detective Columbo was solidly middle class, as was his code of ethics. Though he often assured suspects he was “only doing his job,” he was actually defending blue-collar values. His suspects were affluent and rootless jet-setters. Besides being murderers, they casually resorted to blackmail, adultery, and theft to get what they wanted. Columbo never lectured or grandstanded about his morality, but championed it through the way he lived his life.
For example, in “Sex and the Married Detective,” a world-famous sex therapist suggests Columbo should attend one of her workshops to loosen him up. He turns her down with his usual politeness and propriety: “Oh, but I’m a married man.” To Columbo, that meant something. It also meant something to his fans.
The show was funny, too. Here’s an exchange that could’ve fit into a scene from “Naked Gun”:
Columbo: So far, sir, we don’t have a thing.
Nelson Hayward: Well, that’s heartening.
Columbo: Officially, that is.
Nelson Hayward: And unofficially?
Columbo: Unofficially, we don’t have anything either.
And then there were the running gags, which were highlighted for me by seeing them in back-to-back episodes. Columbo was always borrowing things and forgetting to return them. I don’t know how many times I saw him borrow a pen or a lighter and absent-mindedly walk off with them. The owner always had to remind him to return their property, to his red-faced embarrassment.
The Columbo marathon was great entertainment and heady inspiration for anyone who writes mysteries. My mother, still going strong at 91, thoroughly enjoyed it. After a traditional Southern New Year’s feast of pork, cabbage, black-eyed peas and pecan pie, it was a much-appreciated trip down memory lane.
Among other on-going gags were his coat, car and dog.
Yes, I enjoyed them when they were originally on – although not-so-much the reruns.
Alie,
Oh yeah, those things always got a laugh. Columbo lived a modest, gentle existence. His shabby coat and car and not-so-bright dog were natural parts of his life.
You inspired me. I set the TV to record several episodes just to see how I feel about them now.
Ray
alie,
I’ve discovered (to my great delight) that the older I get, the more I can appreciate stories from long ago.
Your show mention and your New Year’s feast brought back memories.
Michele,
Then it was a good post.
Yes!
I love Columbo! He’s a lot smarter than people take him for. I get a kick out of the puzzled look on criminals faces as they get hauled away wondering how the bumbling detective took them down 🙂
Jacquie,
And they all thought that puzzled look was a ruse. He was just focusing on the facts.
I loved him so much I created a character in one of my books like him 🙂
I like Columbo, I really like murder mysteries (which one is your favorite?), and I love trivia! So did you know that Columbo (Peter Falk) brought in his own clothes/wardrobe for the Columbo character? I thought it added “character” to him 🙂
Tough choice. I think the coolest ending was with Dick Van Dyke, when our boy tricked the perp into pointing out the camera that marked him as the murderer.
Ooops, not one I’ve seen. I’m curious, though: do you know what is the source of the black-eyed peas traditional food you mentioned? (I don’t)
It all goes back to having anything to eat in hard times — and Southerners have had more than their fair share of hard times.
Columbo is one of my favorites. Richard Levinson and William Link, the show’s creators, were inspired by Crime and Punishment, hence each episode starting with the murderer committing their crime. MeTV airs old Columbo episodes, though they do edit them down to add more commercials.
Robert,
One of my favorites too. Thanks for the background on what inspired Levinson and Link.
Columbo was the best!!
GP,
One of a kind! He’s always in the back of my mind when I write mysteries.
I loved this show, Mike. You really got to the core of why Columbo was so appealing to his viewers, so ‘right’ as a person. Thank you for a new word, rootless. And by the way, I had pork and sauerkraut on New Year’s day, too. Best to you, Mike.
Jennie,
Peter Falk definitely made that character meaningful for a lot of people. Sounds like you got 2022 off to a good start!
How wonderful to enjoy Columbo time with you mother. Happy New Year Mike.
Elizabeth,
Wonderful indeed. A happy new year to you!
That time with your mother is golden fun 🙂
June,
So true!
I remember watching The Princess Bride as a kid and my mom saying, “Hey, that’s Columbo” when the boy’s grandpa showed up. That was my first experience with Peter Falk. He made for a cool grandpa in that movie.
Indeed he did. It was risking using a frame story in the movie, but it worked.