Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 16

April 13, 2025: Sharky Sunday!

Out and About with Sharky: The Waterwork Food Hall!

Dental health is important!

Dream dancing…

What is Sharky dreaming about now?

Fish cake…

Sharky continues work on his memoirs…

 

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April 12, 2025: 100 Supervillain Stories – #19-#21: Loki! Two-Face! Thunderbolts!

19  “Loki” (2004)

The god of mischief finally achieves victory over his brother Thor and seizes the throne of Asgard, only to confront the dark consequences and personal toll of his long-sought triumph.

Writer: Robert Rodi
Artist: Esad Ribic
Letterer: Virtual Calligraphy’s Cory Petit

Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown – especially if you’re a covetous Norse god who has just assumed control of Asgard. This tragic tale paints Loki as a conflicted victor, a pariah driven by a desire for validation yet burdened by deep resentments and insecurities. Speaking of painting, Esad Ribic’s art is as epic as this story itself, every impressive panel worthy of being framed and hung on display. Powerful and poignant.

20  “My Own Worst Enemy” (All-Star Batman #1-5)

Batman accompanies Harvey Dent/Two-Face on a cross-country trip to fix his scarred face and end the Two-Face identity forever. But when the former Gotham City D.A. sets a plan into motion to free himself, what deadly secrets from the past will bubble to the surface?

Writer: Scott Snyder
Penciler: John Romita Jr.
Inker: Danny Miki
Colorist: Dean White
Letterer: Steve Wands

The high concept story never quite realizes its full potential, weighed down by a convoluted narrative and suspect logic.

21  “Justice Like Lightning” (Thunderbolts #1-4, Annual 97)

Into the chilling void of superheroes created by Onslaught appear a new team, The Thunderbolts. But these heroes hide a dark secret. They’re not heroes at all. They are Masters of Evil.

Writer: Kurt Busiek
Penciler: Mark Bagley
Inker: Vince Russell
Colorist: Joe Rosas
Letterer: Colmicraft’s Dave Lanphear

The dialogue is a little expository and the artwork is of its day, but the late first issue reveal still lands as strongly as it did almost 30 years ago. There are hints of the character work and self-examination and self-doubt that would typify the later run but, here in the early goings, it’s a fairly straightforward battle-driven stuff.

The post April 12, 2025: 100 Supervillain Stories – #19-#21: Loki! Two-Face! Thunderbolts! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

April 11, 2025: Our Columbo rewatch continues with…The Most Dangerous Match!

This episode aired March 4, 1973.

Universal’s head of post-production, Charles Clement, was a chess enthusiast who served as a technical advisor for this episode, providing the game play and dialogue for many of the scenes.

At one point, Clayton walks by the shop “Lovejoy’s Antiques”. This is a tip of the hat to the British series Lovejoy that featured a roguish antique dealer named Lovejoy who helped the downtrodden.

Actor Laurence Harvey, who played Emmett Clayton, was the father of famed British bounty hunter Domino Harvey. A heavy smoker and drinker, he died of cancer at the young age of 45, the same year this episode aired.

Peter Falk: “I remember in the show about the chess champion, I had certain problems with the clues. I didn’t think it was strong enough. I talked to them [show co-creators Levinson and Link] about it on the phone, and one of them came up with the idea of the salt shaker and the game in the restaurant.”

My thoughts on this episode in chronological viewing order…

Man, that is one trippy chess dream sequence.

How fast can that overweight 70-year-old move? He’s down that side street in a flash and then he’s gone!

At first, I was wondering “What’s with the earpiece?”. Ah, he has a hearing disability.

I love the waiter’s “Whatever” reaction to the chess playing, and then trying to just close up so he can go home – to no avail.

Instead of sneaking in the back, why not just go in through the front door at different times?

I thought we had skipped the murder entirely when Berozki comes banging on Clayton’s door, looking for Dudek. Boy, that is one cartoonish Russian accent.

Great cut to Columbo playing checkers.

Ah, nice to see his dog putting in another appearance!

“I don’t even know what a pilot light is.” You and me both.

He’s concerned about the strange noises coming from his dog – that turns out to be snoring. As a pug owner, I can tell you he got off lucky.

I find this scene of Columbo and the vet very strange. Even though he makes mention of the fact that he was called in to investigate the missing Dudek (Why?) it feels like this was just the writer honoring a request from the network to introduce the Columbo character sooner.

What a way to go. Mulched to death. This will no doubt be one of the most gruesome murders in the show’s run.

The look Columbo throws Clayton as he laments Dudek’s death suggest he’s on to him.

Aha! Dudek assumes he’s dead. But he’s not!

To be fair, I assumed he was dead too. How the hell did he survive his juicing?

Aha! Garlic on the shirt. THAT…is a bit of a reach.

I love the way Columbo sends the shirt off for analysis after manhandling, then handing it off to Sergeant Douglas who does his own fair share of manhandling. Did they not have evidence bags back then?

Couldn’t Dudek have accidentally packed the toothbrush? Hell, I once accidentally packed my wife’s panties for a trip to L.A. I wonder what Columbo would have made of that.

Clayton consoles a grieving Linda with: “You can’t take all the blame for this mess.” If I was Linda, I’d answer: “I’m not. I’m just sad. What the fuck is wrong with you?”

Columbo doesn’t know how to play chess and wants Clayton to teach him – yet earlier said he was a big fan? Of what? His hearing aid?

Aha! The notepad he wrote the note on was not in his room!

“Wish I could find someone who would benefit from his death.” Columbo just thinking out loud. Yep, sure would be nice to find someone with a clear motive…

“I like fish, anything that comes out of the water.” Again, I continue to be amazed by how alike we are.

Aha! He forgot to take his chess set with him! The circumstantial evidence continues to mount!

Love this little sequence where Clayton (and the audience) think Columbo is talking to a doctor in relation to Dudek but is really chatting with the vet in regards to his dog. Probably one of my favorite bits in this episode.

Ye olde tape-on-the-door trick works yet again.

Uh, wouldn’t the hospital have these meds? Would they really need someone to bring them from home?

Dudek looks pretty good for a guy put through the literal wringer.

Perhaps the weirdest line of the episode is this response to the increasingly unlikely attempts to resuscitate Dudek: “We aint winning.”

Then, we hear the flatline. And Columbo asks: “Is he gone?” First time in a hospital, detective? No, that just means the heart is taking a little break.

Okay, they may have thrown away the syringes but surely they could do a tox screen.

Why is Clayton holding the phone upside-down in his bed? How is he hearing the other side of the conversation?

As his ex, wouldn’t Linda be privy to the fact that Clayton has a photographic memory?

Columbo still hasn’t named his dog?

Wait. There’s a safety measure in the contraption. And he’s JUST finding out about it now? What?!!!!!

“Dog like that wouldn’t get hurt much in there.” Probably not because the fall would kill him.

Aha! His pen matches the same ink as that of the suicide note!

“Maybe the grand jury will feel differently”. Honestly? Probably not.

So what if he didn’t realize the machine was off? That doesn’t prove anything – beyond the fact that this incredibly loud machine apparently doesn’t reverberate in any way while in operation.

Columbo is pretty lucky the guy’s hearing aid wasn’t working that night. Yessireee, pretty lucky.

Hmmmm. Not one of my favorites. Clayton was too unhinged to prove much of a match for Columbo. I also noted more contrivances and leaps of logic in this episode than most of the others to date. I did, however, love Dudek and genuinely felt sorry for the affable old guy. Also, it was great to see Dog put in an appearance. All in all though, I’d consider this one less successful than many of the preceding outings.

My updated episode rankings: #1 A Stitch in Crime #2 Death Lends a Hand, #3 Suitable for Framing, #4 Dagger of the Mind #5 Requiem for a Falling Star #6 Prescription: Murder, #7 Murder by the Book/Ransom for a Dead Man (tie) #8 Etude in Black, #9 Lady in Waiting, #10 The Most Crucial Game, #11 Blueprint for Murder, #12 The Most Dangerous Match, #13 The Greenhouse Jungle #14 Dead Weight, #15 Short Fuse

Finally, let’s weigh the evidence Columbo has gathered and decide whether he has enough to secure a GUILTY verdict – or will our murderer get an ACQUITTAL? Well, in this case, I think the case against Clayton is pretty weak. He lives to play another day. ACQUITTAL.

And good news, Columbo fans!  We will be continuing our rewatch by rolling into seasons 3 and 4.

Updated viewing schedule:

Monday, April 14th: Double Shock

Friday, April 18th: Lovely But Lethal

Monday, April 21st: Any Old Port in a Storm

Friday, April 25th: Candidate for Crime

Monday, April 28th: Double Exposure

Friday, May 2nd: Publish or Perish

Monday, May 5th: Mind Over Mayhem

Friday, May 9th: Swan Song

Monday, May 12th: A Friend in Deed

Friday, May 16th: An Exercise in Fatality

Monday, May 19th: Negative Reaction

Friday, May 23rd: By Dawn’s Early Light

Monday, May 26th: Troubled Waters

Friday, May 30th: Playback

Monday, June 2nd: A Deadly State of Mind

I believe the dates and episode order make sense – but feel free to correct me!

The post April 11, 2025: Our Columbo rewatch continues with…The Most Dangerous Match! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

April 10, 2025: Recent Yes/No’s – Best and Worst!

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BEST: Coda alla Vaccinara

WORST: The Flying Jacob

And you?

A reminder that our Columbo rewatch resumes tomorrow with…

“The Most Dangerous Match”

A chess player murders his opponent before a big match. Lt. Columbo must out-maneuver this crafty, but craven, killer.

Our updated viewing schedule:

Friday, April 11th: The Most Dangerous Match

Monday, April 14th: Double Shock

Only two more episodes to go.  What do you think?  Shall we keep going and include seasons 3 and 4 in this rewatch?

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April 9, 2025: Amazing Covers!

A few that caught my eye this week…

Doctor Strange of Asgard #2 – cover art by Dan Panosian

The Amazing Spider-Man #1 – cover art by Lee Bermejo

The Amazing Spider-Man #1 – cover art by Nimit Malavia

Green Hornet/Miss Fury #4 – cover art by Jonathan Case

Green Hornet/Miss Fury #4 – cover art by Francesco Francavilla

Absolute Batman #7 – cover art by Nick Dragotta

Batman and Robin #20 – cover art by Christian Ward

Fire & Ice: When Hell Freezes Over – cover art by Jeff Dekal

Dune: House Atreides, vol. 3 – cover art by Julian Totino Tedesco

So, which were YOUR favorites?

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April 8, 2025: Stargate questions, questions, questions, and questions!

So, I’ve been asking some Stargate-related questions over on X.  Would love to know what you think…

What was your least favorite season of Stargate: SG-1 and why?

I received numerous nteresting responses. I expected to see seasons 1 and 2 given the fact that it was in the early goings and, like most shows, SG-1 was finding its creative footing. I expected to see season 6 given Daniel Jackson’s departure. I also expected to see seasons 9 and 10 given it was a departure from the longstanding goa’uld mythology. Season 8 was a bit of a surprise but, in hindsight, I get it now given that fans felt Jack’s absence.

Okay, so what was your FAVORITE season of Stargate: SG-1?

More great responses. It’s always interesting to hear the specifics of why certain seasons stand out to viewers. In my case, my favorite remains my first season on the show, season 4, simply because I’m fond of so many of the episodes we produced that year: Upgrades, Point of No Return, The Curse, 2010, fan favorite Window of Opportunity, and the first of our many season finales, Exodus, which saw us blow up a sun. Not many jobs let you do that nowadays.

What was your favorite Stargate season finale?

Another round of great and varied takes here. I tend to be partial to those season finales that put our heroes in grave danger in myriad ways. In that respect, for me it’s hard to beat SG-1’s Camelot or SGA’s Siege II. For pure story, however, I do love Atlantis’s The Last Man (My writing partner, Paul Mullie, did the heavy lifting on that one). But for the one that hits the hardest, I would choose SGU’s Gauntlet.

So here’s a question I have yet to ask over there…

If you could swap out a member of SG-1 for a member of the Atlantis expedition (and vice-versa) who would they be and why?

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April 7, 2025: Our Columbo rewatch continues with “A Stitch in Crime”!

This episode aired February 11, 1973.

This was Shirl Hendryx’s sole writing credit on the show – which is a damn shame.

This episode was directed by Hy Averback who also directed the equally memorable “Suitable for Framing”

Majel Barrett, the wife of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, provided the voice of the hospital announcer.

Leonard Nimoy, who played the part of Dr. Barry Mayfield (and is, no doubt, best known for his portrayal of Spock on the original Star Trek) reflected on his Columbo experience: “I had a great time working with Peter Falk. I found him a challenging and delicious actor to work with. Playing opposite a good performer, you play your top game. It’s a challenge that makes you rise to the occasion.”

This episode includes one of the few instances where Columbo loses his cool, actually snapping at a suspect. Series co-creator, Richard Levinson, did not like the scripted outburst: “I think Peter wanted his moment as an actor. And I thought it was a mistake. Peter pointed out that we had Columbo lose his temper in the pilot. He seemed to, but he didn’t really. That was an act calibrated to get a red iron.”

Peter Falk, however, defended the moment: “A little more of that might not have been bad. That grounds him and makes him human.”

My thoughts on this episode in chronological viewing order:

Doc Hidermann sprung back from that heart attack pretty quickly. Spry old gent!

Is that monkey in the cage an experiment or a pet?

Nurse Martin is worried. She clearly knows what Dr. Mayfield is capable of.

Uh oh. She’s on to him! Zeroing in on that suspicious suture.

Double uh oh. The deserted parkade!

Terrific reveal of Mayfield stepping out of the shadows and lifting the tire iron.

Because his wife was sick, Columbo presumably had to make his own breakfast – so he’s peeling hardboiled eggs at the crime scene. Reminds me of someone I know who attended a film screening and had to sit through the movie with the guy seated beside him peeling and eating hardboiled eggs.

Him breaking his egg on the murder weapon feels a little…ridiculous.

Columbo once again lets himself in unannounced.

Lighting up a cigar – in the doctor’s office no less.

Mayfield resetting his clock upon receiving the news of Sharon’s death is the first tip-off, like Ken Franklin checking his mail.

Is Columbo lying about feeling queasy in a hospital setting? Judging from his reaction to the crime scene photos in the previous episode, I’d guess not.

I like nurse Dalton, lamenting the fact the only single men who visit her work are the ones who come in for face lifts.

Aha! No fingerprints on the bottle of morphine.

Love this sequence of Columbo at the buffet, helping himself off Mayfield’s “Gathering evidence, detective?”, then grabbing a few olives (“They look very good.”) before wolfing everything down while asking questions.

Mayfield feeding Marcia a potential theory about Sharon’s suspicious ex-boyfriend. He is truly a worthy adversary.

Poor Marcia really thought she had a chance with Mayfield.

Not sure what’s going on with the sneezing. This doesn’t really tie in anywhere – or am I missing something?

Should Columbo really be bringing a cigar into the hospital room of a patient recovering from heart surgery? At least the nurse lets him have it.

Nimoy is fantastic, playing the role of the ruthless killer with all of the distant coldness of a homicidal Vulcan.

Harry doesn’t seem all that upset by the news of his ex-girlfriend’s death. Usually, this is something Columbo would glom onto.

Boy, the cleaning lady is really polishing up that decorative plastic brain.

Hmmm. The fact that Columbo assumes MAC, in all caps, is a name rather than some sort of acronym makes him look a little dumb here.

“You’re right about that,”admits Columbo. “No motive at all.” The game’s afoot!

Nimoy does the eyebrow thing in the scene out. Nice.

Now that is one easy-peasy break-in.

Boy, this is one coldhearted killer. That’s 2.5 murders (He left HIdemann half finished).

Casually walking about with his black medical bag.

Aha! Harry was left-handed!

“Oh, actually I think she knows less than she’s telling.” Great line.

The Marcus and Carlson Supply Company. Of course!

“You ask tough questions, doc,”says Columbo, to which Mayfield replies: “So does the jury.” The game of cat and mouse continues!

“When the suture dissolves the valve would separate” A line so important they had the actor repeat it.

Columbo slamming his hand down on the desk briefly rattles the good (bad) doctor.

Columbo sets this up beautifully, promising an autopsy should Hideman die, forcing Mayfield’s hand. But Mayfield has one more card up his sleeve – or, in this case, Columbo’s pocket we will learn.

The normally queasy Columbo toughing out the operation.

Columbo storms into the operating room in scrubs and a mask. I’m surprised he isn’t smoking his cigar.

The search for the sutures comes up empty. This is a true battle of wits.

With minutes left in the episode, Columbo admits defeat and leaves – only to re-enter seconds later to deliver the coup de grace. “I mean there was only one thing we didn’t search. You know what it was? Me.” And he produces the suture.

That nod of acknowledgement from Mayfield – brief and perfunctory – is the perfect out. Very well done.

Wow. This was a fantastic episode. Finally, a worthy adversary for Columbo who comes very close to being outwitted, losing his cool along the way. Nimoy is brilliant as the brilliant Dr. Mayfield and the other guest stars are all very good, especially Nita Talbot as the delightfully loony Marcia Dalton. Tight script and inspired direction vaults this one into first place for me.

My revised rankings: #1 A Stitch in Crime #2 Death Lends a Hand, #3 Suitable for Framing, #4 Dagger of the Mind #5 Requiem for a Falling Star #6 Prescription: Murder, #7 Murder by the Book/Ransom for a Dead Man (tie) #8 Etude in Black, #9 Lady in Waiting, #10 The Most Crucial Game, #11 Blueprint for Murder, #12 The Greenhouse Jungle #13 Dead Weight, #14 Short Fuse

Finally, let’s consider the evidence Columbo has gathered and decide whether our murderer is looking at a GUILTY verdict or an ACQUITTAL. Alas, there’s insufficient evidence tying him to the murders of Sharon Martin and Harry Alexander. The best they can hope for is a guilty verdict on the attempted murder of Dr. Hidemann. So, specifically to the charge of murder (much less double murder): ACQUITTAL!

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April 6, 2025: Sharky Sunday!

Home from Montreal…

Sharky’s April Fools gag (in case you missed it)!

Continuing work on his memoirs…

Doesn’t want to be bothered…

He’s got it!  No he doesn’t!

Lotus root…

His new music video just dropped!

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April 5, 2025: 100 Supervillains Stories – #16-#18 (Deadshot! Bullseye! Ra’s al Ghul!)

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16 “Deadshot: Bulletproof”

When Deadshot discovers he has a daughter living in a neighborhood plagued by violence, he decides to clean up the area by any means necessary.

Writer: Christopher N. Gage
Penciler: Steven Cummings
Inker: Jimmy Palmiotti
Colorist: James Sinclair
Letterers: Comicraft, Jared K. Fletcher

The promising premise is ill-served by a story and script too predictable in its plotting and too heavy-handed in its character moments. As the body count rises, Green Arrow finally confronts Deadshot after he kills a cop – only to have the two of them sort things out over a meal. Yes, it’s a tough one to take seriously. Ultimately, this one feels like a less nuanced DC version of Garth Ennis’s The Punisher.

17 “Bullseye: Greatest Hits”

As interrogators race against time to get Bullseye to give up the location of some missing nukes, the master assassin takes them on a trip down memory lane.

Writer: Daniel Way
Artist: Steve Dillon
Colorist: Avalon Studios’ Dan Kemp
Letterer: Virtual Calligraphy’s Randy Gentile

This somewhat slow paced, dialogue-driven tale places Bullseye in the Hannibal Lecter role, an unreliable narrator manipulating a desperate captive audience. At times it feels more like Preacher, at other times Garth Ennis’s The Punisher, but it mostly never really feels like Bullseye.

18 “Batman: Death and the Maidens”

A dying Ra’s al Ghul reaches out to Batman for help against a woman who once shared his life, centuries ago. In exchange, he offers the Dark Knight a chance of a lifetime: the ability to speak with his dead parents.

Writer: Greg Rucka
Artist: Klaus Janson
Colorist: Steve Buccellato
Letterer: Clem Robins

This story is as much about Ra’s al Ghul and Batman as it is about Ra’s al Ghul’s eldest daughter, Nyssa, and her machinations of revenge against her father. For all the hardships she persevered early in her life, Nyssa comes across as surprisingly unsympathetic while Batman’s purported conversation with his dead parents ultimately feels much ado about nothing. The most interesting character in all of this is the doomed Ra’s al Ghul whose condition is never fully explored.

The post April 5, 2025: 100 Supervillains Stories – #16-#18 (Deadshot! Bullseye! Ra’s al Ghul!) appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

April 4, 2025: Our Columbo rewatch continues with “Requiem for a Falling Star”

This episode aired January 21, 1973

Much of this episode was shot on the Universal lot.

The black and white film that Columbo watches in Nora’s bungalow is an homage to All About Eve (1950), a movie in which Anne Baxter plays the part of the titular character, Eve, a demented fan who stalks Broadway star Margo Channing played by Bette Davis.

Famed costume designer Edith Head, who earned eight Oscars over the course of her career in addition to 35 nominations, makes a cameo in this episode, playing herself. The next year, Peter Falk would present her with an Academy Award for her work on The Sting.

At one point, the character of Frank Converse, the studio head, says: “Avoid actors. They’ll kill you.” This was an amusing reference to the ongoing battles between series star Peter Falk and the studio at the time.

My thoughts on this episode in chronological viewing order…

Great mislead in the opening scene. I was wondering why it was taking so long for that guy in the shower to fall.

Snazzy car. Wonder how much one of those would go for today.

Woof. Them’s some garish yellow bungalow curtains.

Also, that is one ugly dress her assistant is wearing.

Ah, the seedy unethical writer. Classic.

I’m not so sure igniting a pool of gasoline beneath a parked car would immediately cause it to blow up – but, who knows? Maybe cars were built differently back then.

Oh! Mistaken identity! Twist! I love it.

“This isn’t for the demolition derby sequence?”the security guard asks Columbo about his rust heap. Great.

He may be a terrific detective, but Columbo isn’t much of a skilled parker. The front of his car ends up on the grass!

I like the bit where he checks his nails before heading in.

“I’ve been in love with you all my life,”says Columbo. Her response is perfect: “I know. You never expected to meet a legend.” Wonder if George Lucas stole this for Han.

I really liked this sequence where Columbo calls home so Nora can speak to his wife. It’s a very funny bit but also puts to rest the theory that Columbo’s wife is actually a figment of his imagination. Also, does his brother-in-law, George, live with them?

Speaking of living, the fact that Nora actually lives on a set is very weird.

Columbo mentions the fact her assistant was trapped in her car by the fire…but how? What prevented her from just opening the driver’s door and stepping out? Did the fire instantly melt the frame shut?

“Mrs. Chander, would you mind coming for a ride with me down to police headquarters?” What a way to end the scene.

Nora is very fainty – first at the restaurant after being told of her assistant’s death, then here at the sight of the burnt out car.

At this point, Columbo casts doubt on whether or not she actually intended to murder her assistant with his mention of the flat tie. But surely there is no way she could assume they would switch cars. That’s a pretty preposterous assumption to make – and be right about.

Great out to this scene – Columbo’s car backing out of frame to reveal the torched vehicle.

The way Columbo runs to the door here, I assumed he was going to ask to use the bathroom.

“Where do you get your ideas?” The age-old question every writer gets asked.

Jerry doesn’t seem that broken up about his girlfriend getting killed.

Noar’s threats against Jerry don’t really hold much water. The best she can do is cast suspicion on him.

Columbo has it all figured out here, laying out the case for why Nora may have wanted to kill him.

“Hollywood is fighting for survival.” Back then, as now, we must pity the millionaires.

Another wonderful little misdirect – opening on the detective questioning her and then pulling back to reveal the set.

Director: “We’ve got to go with the script here. It’s television.” Riiiiiiight.

Columbo stumbling around set like a producer-in-title’s first visit. Reminds me of the time a producer nervously requested a set visit and I obliged – only to have him walk off the edge of the pitch black set during filming and doing a face plant.

Guess Jerry is a blackmailer – and we know what happens to blackmailers on this show…

That crew member! I shall call him Reginald Highpants!

What the hell is that studio head wearing? Red slacks, a red crew neck sweater, and a light red jacket? No award nominations for this episode!

His parting “That’s alright. I would never typecast you as a detective either.” is great.

Cameo by the legendary Edith Head in this sequence that sees Nora attempt to reimagine Columbo in a whole new wardrobe – only to have Columbo ask for his tie back given his anniversary is coming up and he will need it. Apparently, he only wears the tie for special occasions: anniversaries and murder investigations.

“Hey, look at some raincoats while you’re at it.”

Ah, another twist. There goes her motive for murder.

The fact that Columbo places a call to his wife while no one else is around against confirms she is real. And the fact he gets his brother-in-law against strongly suggests George is a freeloader.

Wait! Hang on! She let the air out of the tire because she assumed they would switch cars?! Really? THAT is a fair assumption to make? Or maybe she assumed he would drive her back and drop her off(which is what I would assume) which would amount to the same thing – with the both of them dead. This isn’t stated, but it makes a lot more sense.

“Who else knew where she was going to be that night?” Anyone who knew they were dating!

Another great misdirect in the car. Very well done.

She tried to kill him to redirect the investigation back to the original assumption that he was the target of the first murder attempt. Seems unnecessary. And risky.

Another of Columbo’s unannounced entrances into someone’s home.

He bumped on the fact that the fountain wasn’t running? Come on. She lives on a studio lot. I’d be surprised if the shower was even hooked up.

She looks like she’s about to faint. Again.

“Drink, lieutenant?” “Thank you.” He never misses the opportunity to raid a suspect’s liquor cabinet.

The Shriner ring presumably tipped her off that her assistant may have told Jerry about where she buried her husband, so she was rushing back to…what? Dig him up and move the body?

This whole bit of her dressing up as her husband at the beach feels really unnecessary. That huge leap about the non-functional fountain is enough.

She takes it pretty well all things considered, offering up a full admission and then going quietly. Class act.

This was an atypical episode in that the audience was in the dark for the most part concerning the murder and motive, and I loved that about it. I also loved the various visual misdirects, a starstruck Columbo, and confirmation that Mrs. Columbo actually does exist. Having said that, I did find the ending a bit of a letdown. When you think about it, there really is no reason for him to pull the Shriner’s ring gag when all it does is get her back to her house where he can present his case. He didn’t need the ring to do that. Also, the fact that he bumps on the fact the fountain doesn’t work…on a studio lot…is a HUUUGE reach (“Yes, detective – because it’s a prop!”) but I guess we’re not supposed to focus too much on it – even though it IS the linchpin to the entire solution.

Overall, a pretty good episode. Anne Baxter was fabulous. But I can’t get past that fountain bit.

So, my revised Columbo episode rankings: #1 Death Lends a Hand, #2 Suitable for Framing, #3 Prescription: Murder, #4 Murder by the Book/Ransom for a Dead Man (tie), #5 Dagger of the Mind, #6 Requiem for a Falling Star, #7 Etude in Black, #8 Lady in Waiting, #9 The Most Crucial Game, #19 Blueprint for Murder, #11 The Greenhouse Jungle #12 Dead Weight, #13 Short Fuse

Finally, we must consider if the evidence Columbo has gathered will be enough to convict our murderer, or is Nora looking at an acquittal. Disregarding for the moment her admission of guilty, if they dig up that fountain and discover the body of her dead husband – which they will – then Nora is going to jail. GUILTY!

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