June 30, 2025: Our Columbo rewatch continues with…Old Fashioned Murder!

This episode aired November 28, 1976.

When the original writer of the script, Peter S. Fischer, was unable to rewrite the script due to other commitments, Peter Falk brought in his friend Elaine May and script doctor Peter S. Feibleman to handle the revisions. Feibleman, also played Milton Shaeffer, the museum’s slovenly ill-fated security guard in this episode.

Script revisions were ongoing during production and the initial 10-day shoot ballooned to 30 days before NBC and Universal pulled the plug.

Original writer Fischer was so unhappy with the results that he used a pseudonym in the credits. Said Fischer: “My idea was to have Burgess Meredith as a Richard III character who ran a medieval museum with his two nephews. He wants to get rid of both of them, so he kills one and frames the other. That was my vision of the show. It got all turned around. It was out of my hands and all turned around.”

Eagled-eyed viewers may recognize Joyce Van Patten as the sympathetic nun in “Negative Reaction”.

My thoughts on this episode in chronological viewing order…

Boy, that is one slob of a security guard, flicking his cigarette butts onto the floor. Wouldn’t be surprised if he also pees with the bathroom door wide open.

That is one vibrant green velvet jacket.

Aunt Ruth needs to get out more.

That PUSH IN ON Ruth’s troubled face as Edward talks about selling the museum makes it pretty clear where this is headed.

The mousey museum curator plotting the perfect heist…and murder no doubt.

Wow, this episode spends an inordinately long time dwelling on the lives of its supporting players.

She guns down the security guard in cold blood. Didn’t think Ruth had it in her.

And then kills her brother!

There will be no powder burns on the victims’ hands. Will this come into play later? (Spoiler alert: No it does not.)

Columbo fighting off a cold. Is this relevant? (Spoiler alert: No it is not.)

This back-and-forth between Columbo and Tim Shaeffer is oddly edited. Also, this actor’s performance is…how shall we say…not very convincing?

Columbo notes Ruth isn’t upset by the murder, no doubt triggering his suspicions.

What is going on with all the sneezing? If you’re going to do something like this, at the very least have it pay off in some way. It’s as annoyingly silly as Phyllis Brandt’s serial fainting.

The silent scream segue to the next scene was done much better in a previous episode. Here it comes off very awkward and borderline silly.

Columbo rear-ending the cop car is in character I guess.

No one has bothered to check in on Edward because he was up late last night? Seems…a little preposterous.

Do they really have to work in the dark? Come on. Is this guy an idiot? The gags in this episode are pretty lame.

This whole line of investigation – the new shoes, tropical shirt, the manicure – is pretty lame writing.

This intercut between Columbo smoking and thinking and Ruth in her office is pointless.

“I thought you were…”
“An old maid. Yes.”
Ouch.

Where is his luggage and where is his passport? Again, this line of investigation feels pretty contrived.

Another suspect that does a lot of theorizing to explain away elements of the crime. The downfall of many a Columbo killer.

The angry hairdresser and Columbo’s new hairstyle is pretty funny and the only genuinely amusing bit in this entire episode.

Also love the fact that he leaves the Sergeant to pay for his haircut – and tip.

We’ve seen the Columbo-steps-on-robe-causing-it-to-rip in a previous episode. It’s less funny second time around.

Why is this maid so damn jumpy?

Why assume that someone would have to wait until midnight to reset their watch?

Boy, they are really milking this fainting gag.

So, hang on. Ruth is willing to frame Janie for murder but, in the end, agrees to confess to the double murder in order to spare Janie the truth about her father’s death? How does that track?

Alas, this episode was a real stinker. I’m surprised because they only did three episodes this season. You’d think they would take the time to make sure the scripts were solid. The investigative beats were contrived and silly, Ruth’s motivations inconsistent, and, aside from the hair cut gag, most of the humor in this episode fell flat.

My revised episode rankings: 1. Forgotten Lady, 2. Now You See Him, 3. Fade in to Murder, 4. Negative Reaction, 5. Any Old Port in a Storm, 6. Double Exposure, 7. A Friend In Deed, 8. Double Shock, 9. A Stitch in Crime, 10. Death Lends a Hand, 11. Suitable for Framing, 12. Publish or Perish, 13. Dagger of the Mind, 14. Requiem for a Falling Star, 15. Prescription: Murder, 16. Murder by the Book/Ransom for a Dead Man (tie), 17. By Dawn’s Early Light, 18. Swan Song, 10. Troubled Waters, 20. Lady in Waiting, 21. An Exercise in Fatality, 22. Etude in Black, 23. Playback, 24. The Most Crucial Game, 25. Blueprint for Murder, 26. Lovely But Lethal, 27. A Deadly State of Mind, 28. The Most Dangerous Match, 29. The Greenhouse Jungle 30. Identity Crisis, 31. Dead Weight, 32. Short Fuse, 33. A Case of Immunity, 34. Candidate for Crime, 35. Mind Over Mayhem, 36. Old Fashioned Murder, 37. Last Salute to the Commodore.

Finally, let’s consider whether Columbo has enough evidence to get a GUILTY verdict – or is Ruth looking at an ACQUITTAL? Well, I usually discount the after-the-fact confessions that typify many of these episodes but, in this case, the confession is a key story element. So I’ll allow it. In which case, it’s lights out for Ruth. GUILTY!

***

And a reminder that tomorrow, I kick off the BEST OF month-long marathon highlighting the very best episodes of the very best sci-fi shows as chosen by YOU, the fans.  Tomorrow, at 9pm Easter Time, I’l be discussing Andor (season 1, episode 10) “One Way Out” and Babylon 5 (season 3, episode 10) “Severed Dreams” on X Spaces.  See you there?

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