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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