May 19, 2025: The Columbo rewatch continues with “Negative Reaction”!

Our Columbo rewatch continues with…

“Negative Reaction”

This episode aired October 15, 1974

Danny Kaye was considered for the role of Paul Galesko but Peter Falk shot down the idea. Peter Sellers was offered the role but he demanded $360,000 which was eighteen times more than the show had ever paid for a guest star. Other actors who were approached but priced themselves out of the running included Omar Sharif (asked for $100,000) and Glenn Ford (who asked for $50,000). Not sure how much they ended up paying Dick Van Dyke, but I thought he was excellent in the role.

Eagle-eyed viewers may have recognized Antoinette Bower, who played the harpyish Frances Galsesko, from her portrayal of Eve Nora in the Twilight Zone episode “Probe 7, Over and Out”.

JoAnna Cameron, who played assistant Lorna McGrath, would later star as Isis in the Saturday morning series “The Secrets of Isis” and attempt to get her raven co-star fired because he was a pain in the ass to work with. She was considered for the part of Jenny in Love Story (1970), a role that launched Ali McGraw’s career.

Peter Falk and Dick Van Dyke hit if off during the filming of this episode and became good friends. In 2013, Van Dyke unveiled Falk’s posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

My thoughts on this episode in chronological viewing order…

The only thing worse than your wife interrupting you while you’re trying to write a script is your wife interrupting you when you’re trying to assemble a ransom note.

Noon is apparently happy hour at the Galesko residence.

That is some hairdo on Mrs. Galesko.

She is demanding to the end: “Untie me. Untie me!”

The leggy Lorna!

“Just go out and get yourself a passport.”
“Will this afternoon be quick enough?
If this was set in Canada it would be more like “They said they’ll send it when it’s ready. We should be good to go by this same time next year!”

Uh oh. Setting up this poor, hapless ex-con.

“Tomorrow morning I’d like to look at that abandoned junkyard.” Hmmmm. “Just for fun, see if you can fit into that trash compactor.”

“By the way, someone broke into my motel and took the camera you told me to buy.”
“Oh, that’s okay.”
This poor patsy.

He’s intentionally suspicious with the housekeeper, and then allows her to overhear his phone conversation.

Wait, is this the second time he’s breaking into that motel room?

“Gee, looks like somebody took your wife.” Shucks, looks like your prints or on the ransom note.

Poor Al.

Isn’t he dangerously close to hitting an artery with that self-inflicted gunshot?

Boy, that’s some classic drunk acting.

“Go back. Go back. Out of business.” The cop warns Columbo as he drives past the “We Buy Junk Cars” sign. And of course Columbo’s car won’t start. Nice day for a walk!

Columbo is not buying the evidence at scene: “Because if he left that camera and that newspaper and that glue laying around like that he’s stupid.”

Dust on the mantel but not on the clock. Suspcious!

This scene with the nun mistaking him for homeless is probably my favorite scene in all of Columbo.

“I’ve had this coat for seven years.”
“Oh, you poor man.”

““I’m from the police force, ma’am. My name is lieutenant Columbo.”
“All are welcome here, lieutenant.”

“Oh, I see. You’re working undercover.”
“And don’t worry. I won’t tell a soul about your disguise. Oh, it’s good. It’s really very good.”

Love Vito Scotti as the erudite drunk.

“After a touch of the grape to induce slumber…”

Love this bit of Columbo searching for an ashtray, briefly considers the dish, no doubt reminded of Mrs. Peck chewing him out for doing the same thing in “Double Shock”, elects to use his pocket instead.

Aha! The timing of the gunshots were off.

The powder burns on Galesko’s leg are a dead giveaway.

Poor Dog. The love of his life, the cocker spaniel next door, has moved.

“I don’t suppose you have a picture of a cocker spaniel around, do you?”
“Something he could look at. Kinda like a pinup?”
“Nah that’s a terrible idea. The dog is dumb but he wouldn’t fall for that. I mean the dog would know it wasn’t her. Forget I mentioned it.”
And this is probably my favorite run of dialogue in a Columbo episode. According to writer Peter S. Fischer: “I wrote that line thinking “He’s never going to do this.” He did it exactly as I wrote it.”

Columbo visits the camera shop and learns Deschler traveled by cab. He also learns about reverse negatives!

Columbo unsubtly snapping photos at the funeral. “Okay, now a fun one!”

Columbo suspects Deschler had an accomplice.

Ah, ye olde “I wasn’t thinking straight” to explain why he didn’t write down the details of the ransom demand.

Columbo compliments the discarded photo found in the fireplace and Galesko breaks down exactly why it isn’t a great photo. He may as well have said: “It didn’t meet my rigorous standards so I couldn’t use it.”

“He must have been a perfectionist like you,”says Columbo. Yes, exactly like him.

Love this beat of Columbo trying to hire Galesko to take photos at his brother-in-law’s party.

“Oh, there’s one other things, sir. A bit of a problem.” The maid cleaned the room so it’s pretty obvious the incriminating evidence was planted in the motel room.

Aha! He worked as San Quentin for 7 years – where he no doubt met Alvin Deschler.

“You’re like a little shaggy-haired terrier who’s got a grip on my trousers and just won’t let go.” Perfect.

Love this sequence with Larry Storch as Mr. Weekly, the driving instructor. He gets picked up at the scene of an accident and then white knuckles throughout the ride as Columbo questions him.

“And you’re willing to sign an affidavit to that effect?”
“Certainly. Unless of course it means you have to drive me to police headquarters.”

Aha! If Deschler had made that ransom note collage, he would have left clippings behind.

Columbo presents Galesko with a reverse print, clearly goading him.

Oh no! He destroyed the first print! Or did he?

“The negative will serve the same purpose.”

“Were you a witness to what he just did?” Yes. Galesko is cooked.

“You just incriminated yourself, sir. You’ve identified the camera.”

Wow. This was a near perfect episode, and the fact that it was one of the longer entries makes it all the more remarkable. Yes, one could argue that certain scenes felt somewhat extraneous to the plot, but I thought they all went to character – specifically our lovable Columbo in his scenes with the nun, the drunk, and the driving instructor. Great lines and exchanges sprinkled throughout and some great investigative work by our rumpled hero who puts together the pieces in expert fashion on his way to setting up one of the show’s top-tier Gotcha moments. Dick Van Dyke was terrific as Galesko and all of the supporting players were in top form as well. Absolutely loved this one from start to finish.

My revised episode rankings: 1. Negative Reaction, 2. Any Old Port in a Storm, 3. Double Exposure, 4. A Friend In Deed, 5. Double Shock, 6. A Stitch in Crime, 7. Death Lends a Hand, 8. Suitable for Framing, 9. Publish or Perish, 10. Dagger of the Mind, 11. Requiem for a Falling Star, 12. Prescription: Murder, 13. Murder by the Book/Ransom for a Dead Man (tie), 14. Swan Song, 15. Lady in Waiting, 16. An Exercise in Fatality, 17. Etude in Black, 18. The Most Crucial Game, 19. Blueprint for Murder, 20. Lovely But Lethal, 21. The Most Dangerous Match, 22. The Greenhouse Jungle 23. Dead Weight, 24. Short Fuse, 25. Candidate for Crime, 26. Mind Over Mayhem.

Finally, it’s time to consider the evidence Columbo has gathered and decide whether it will be enough to secure a GUILTY verdict or will Paul Galesko be looking at an ACQUITTAL. In this case, I think the evidence is pretty damning. Galesko will be returning to his old stomping grounds of San Quentin. GUILTY!

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