June 2, 2025: Our Columbo rewatch continues with A Deadly State of Mind!

This episode aired April 27, 1975

Dr. Mark Collier is the first of two murderers George Hamilton would play on the show. He’d return to play the equally treacherous Wade Anders in “Murder Can Be Hazardous to Your Health”.

Writer Peter S. Fischer talked about the episode’s final Gotcha: “That was Dick Levin’s idea. It was a clue he could never work into a story. Well, I had written the plot of the psychiatrist, but I didn’t know how to end it. One day, Dick said “I’ve always had this clue I wanted to use. A blind man at the driveway when the murderer escapes” I said “Oh yeah? Watch this.” I took my story and put it together with his clue.”

Three weeks after this episode aired, Peter Falk would take home his second Emmy for his portrayal of Columbo.

My thoughts on this episode in chronological viewing order…

Boy, this woman has some real daddy issues.

Not sure how professional that is but, to be fair, I don’t know what the physician code of conduct was like in the 70’s. Could doctors kiss their patients?

Wow. He’s not even the fifth man she’s had an affair with.

The guy is twice his age. Did he really need that poker to deal with him?

Whoa, careful! You almost hit the poor dog.

By way of an apology, he tries making out with his co-worker.

Isn’t this an active crime scene? Where are the rest of the police and investigative unit? A representative from the coroner’s office? The guy who takes the photos for the year book?

Columbo aint buying the grieving widow’s version of events.

I find it weird that Columbo is sitting on the couch, going through the events in his head with the corpse lying not two feet away.

Eagle-eyed Columbo notices and picks something up off the floor. But what is it?

The tire tracks suggest a European car. Now all they have to do is match the dent in the car and it’ll be case closed. They are going to do that, aren’t they? [Spoiler alert: They never do.]

Oh, it was a beach house. For a moment there I assumed they owned two homes.

And she suddenly remembers details about the gun. How convenient.

“The city’s number one collection of white rats, rabbits, and guinea pigs.” Wut?

“f’m sorry, I don’t have a willy.” Pardon me?

Wow. That is some hairdo on the secretary.

Love the fact we see Columbo following similar colored lines down the hall as the maze rat in the previous scene. P.S. Those colored lines remind me of the floor of the SGC.

Columbo opens door. Woman screams. “Oh I’m very sorry.” He doesn’t seem particularly bothered. Wonder if that exchange was added in post.

Columbo confides his misgivings about her story to Collier – thereby putting a target on her back. Nice one, Columbo.

This whole hypnosis bit is on the same suspension-of-disbelief level as the subliminal messaging from “Double Exposure”. But it feels a bit sillier.

Columbo, who was always more than happy to accept a drink in those early episodes, now asks for cream soda.

Columbo regales the guests with his insights into the case. Their improvised chitchat is pretty bad.

I love the woman who presumes the case was “solved” because the murder was committed by a couple of burglars. Well, that’s it. On to the next one!

I like how Collier immediately discards his cigarette off Columbo’s: ““We know there was a smoker there.”

“Come on, lieutenant. Surely you don’t suspect Mark.”

The discarded flint + his use of matches = Murderer!

THAT is one of the sultriest suicides I’ve ever seen.

That idiot cop who explains the phone receiver was off the hook and too noisy for him so he put it back (!)

The stolen items from the beach house!

Columbo suspects…hypnosis! Hmmmm.

Drugs in her body similar to truth serum!

Collier informing Columbo that Nadia murdering her husband would be “consistent with her personality” is a pretty transparent attempt to cast suspicion on her.

“I’m not sure that suspect is a strong enough word.” Great line.

Columbo assures Collier that when he makes progress on the case “You’ll be the first to know.” I think he’s used this line a couple of times in previous episodes and it’s still great.

The eyewitness is…a blind man!

Hmmm. Not sure about that Gotcha.

Overall this one was fine, but ultimately my least favorite episode of season 4. I wasn’t a fan of the hypnosis bit and I thought it incredibly fortunate for Columbo that Collier was stupid enough to fall into his clumsy trap and attempt to call out the presumed blind man. Also, why make mention of possible damage to the car if that angle is never pursued? Finally, I did miss some of the lighter moments that typified some of my preferred episodes.

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. By Dawn’s Early Light, 15. Swan Song, 16. Troubled Waters, 17. Lady in Waiting, 18. An Exercise in Fatality, 19. Etude in Black, 20. Playback, 21. The Most Crucial Game, 22. Blueprint for Murder, 23. Lovely But Lethal, 24. A Deadly State of Mind, 25. The Most Dangerous Match, 26. The Greenhouse Jungle 27. Dead Weight, 28. Short Fuse, 29. Candidate for Crime, 30. Mind Over Mayhem.

Finally, let’s consider whether or not Columbo has enough evidence to ensure Collier be found guilty. Or is the good/bad doctor looking at an acquittal? In this case, I think the drugs in Nadia’s system, Collier’s fumble at episode’s end, AND the damage to his car which they’ll eventually get around to will be enough to put him away. GUILTY!

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