July 7, 2025: Our Columbo rewatch continues with…Try and Catch Me!

This episode aired November 21, 1977.

Richard Alan Simmons, a friend of Peter Falk who wrote season six’s “The Bye-Bye Sky High I.Q. Murder Case”, took over as the show’s producer, bringing with him a fresh perspective and, in some ways, atypical approach.

In The Columbo Phile, author Mark Dawidziak breaks down the three things that typified the Simmons era:

Columbo always made a grand entrance. In contrast to the disheveled unremarkable detective searching for a pencil, Simmons’ version of Columbo always made a splashy debut. According to Simmons: “Right away the murderer should think “Oh oh, I’m in trouble. I’ll have to be careful, but I can handle this guy.” “Columbo’s entrance should be entertaining and interesting – a little theatrical.” Last episode, he rear-ends the cop car. In the episode, he walks out of the safe.

At some point, we hear the murderer’s story. In contrast to Levinson and Link’s erudite upper-crust villains, the murderers in this iteration of Columbo would be sympathetic to a certain degree. We would get to now why they did what they did and perhaps even understand why they did it. More Adrian Carsini than Dr. Barry Mayfield.

While learning about the murderer, Columbo will reveal a little about himself as well. That was the high point of the last episode and another terrific scene in this one where we learn Columbo has lost both parents.

Said Simmons: “I’m pretty good at what I do and there is a natural sync between Peter and me. I guess that’s why I ended up doing Columbo. I want to entertain myself when I make a tv show. If I like it, maybe other people will like it too.”

Ruth Gordon, at the age of 80, was the oldest actor to play a murderer on Columbo.

Mariette Hartley makes her second guest appearance on the show. Said Hartley: “Oh yes, the belly dancing outfit. That was great fun. And it was great getting to play opposite Ruth Gordon, although she knew she was the queen on the set. Of the two Columbus I did, that was the one I enjoyed ore. The role was a little better.”

My thoughts on this episode in chronological viewing order…

This beach looks like the beach where Charleston Heston discovers the Statue of Liberty at the end of Planet of the Apes.

Oh, Abigail blames Edmund for the death of her niece!

“It’s not a question of what you want. It’s what I want.” Oh, I can already tell she is going to be a handful.

So kind of her to draft his will for him. What a sweet old lady.

Why did it look like she was about to shut the vault door given she knew she was waiting for the wills to arrive for signing?

What does Edmund believe he’s sneaking back for? An amorous rendezvous?

Why does she hide the keys in the sand of the ashtray? Why didn’t she just take them with her?

Great scene – Shot of the jet with the voice-over of her learning about Edmund’s death…and then ordering another scotch.

Columbo makes his grand entrance by exiting the safe.

Aha! Columbo already doubts it was an accident.

“Oh I can’t really imagine you confused,”Columbo tells Abigail. “Not someone who can plan a murder like you.” Her brief look! Already on to her or a perfectly innocent comment?

Of course Mrs. Columbo is her biggest fan. The first to put her order in…at the library.

She’s going to help him figure it out and he’s like “Oh, I would appreciate that, ma’am. That would be a big help.”

When Columbo asks if he can pull up the chair: “Well, that’s what it was made for – four hundred years ago.” She is delightfully snarky. And Columbo is delightfully awkward sitting in that antique chair.

She lays out the possible accident scenario – and he’s not buying it.

The Mystery of the Missing Keys!

Columbo admiring the dead man’s shoes. Too bad they’re not his size.

She fishes the keys out from under the flower pot and then suddenly realizes: ““Uh oh. Fingerprints. Is it too late?” Clever girl.

Columbo gets a flower for his wife. A true romantic.

Abigail evidently speaking in front of The Ladies Hat Society.

This crowd is full of what my wife would call “easy laughers”.

I love the women applauding the notion of poisoning someone.

This is a terrific sequence – Abigail putting Columbo on the spot and Columbo availing himself nicely, even offering some kind words back at Abigail –
“Even with some of the murderers I meet, I even like them too. Sometimes I like them and even respect them.”
“Because there’s niceness in everyone.”

“My car is French,”says Columbo. “Very rare.”
“Yes, oh I can see why”replies Abigail drily.

Columbo gets to drive the Rolls!

I love her scooting after him as he investigates. Her character is quite endearing…for a cold-blooded murderer.

Edmund had no pictures of his wife. Does that mean he killed or? Or does that mean he is so grief-stricken he can’t bear to be reminded of her.

Veronica angling for a raise – and an invitation to the cruise. Or potentially an invitation to murder her? This is a great scene.

Columbo distracted by the belly dancers. Yet again!

Why does he find it strange that her assistant is joining her on the cruise?

This is a fun little beat of Columbo of completely encircled by belly dancers, unable to escape.

Columbo appears before she can get rid of the evidence – just like last episode. Not sure why she offers up those keys though.

This is a wonderful moment between Columbo and Abigail in which he shows compassion and understanding for the loss of her daughter.
And then…
“I’m beginning to be very fond of you, lieutenant. I think you’re a very kind man.”
“Don’t count on that, Miss Mitchel.. Don’t count on that.”

“Oh, lieutenant Columbo. Just one more question.” And the hunter becomes the hunted.

“And call me any time you find a body in your safe,”says her lawyer. The look they exchange suggests…he knows.

No keys in the crime scene photos. Oh, Abigail. Why didn’t you just ditch the keys the night of the murder?

“Ah, his message from the grave,”she says. I love how she toys with him as he struggles to put it together.

Y? “Dear Edmund in a safe, questioning the meaning of life.”

The writing in this scene is top-notch.
“Oh, every character that I write knows exactly why he was murdered. Let’s try again.”
An arrow pointing straight down. “Do you think he wanted to call attention to his new shoes?”
An arrow pointing straight to heaven. “Heaven’s my destination.”

The Night I was Murdered = I Was Murdered by Abigail Mitchell. Now THAT is bad luck. She should have chosen another title.

“Death bed testimony. That’s considered very strong evidence, ma’am. ” Is it?

She appeals to him, but he remains the true professional he is.

“If you would have investigated my niece’s death, all this need never have happened.” Possibly? I do like the fact we never receive a satisfactory answer as to whether or not Edmund was really responsible for the death of her niece.

Abigail Spencer is my favorite Columbo murderer to date. Snappy, sarcastic, yet seemingly harmless – she essentially uses Columbo’s old M.O. against him, her seemingly benign and humorous facade belying a formidable foe. Ruth Gordon is fantastic in this episode and her scenes with Falk also rank amongst my absolute favorites. This episode had it all – a true battle of wits, a seemingly unsolvable murder, some great Columbo moments – and a brief appearance by Dog! My only issue with the episode was those damn keys! Why didn’t Abigail just take them with her and dump them somewhere or dump them after encountering Columbo at the pier? But it feels like a minor quibble in an otherwise stellar episode.

My revised episode rankings: 1. Forgotten Lady, 2. Try and Catch ME, 3. Now You See Him, 4. Fade in to Murder, 5. Negative Reaction, 6. Any Old Port in a Storm, 7. Double Exposure, 8. A Friend In Deed, 9. Double Shock, 10. A Stitch in Crime, 11. Death Lends a Hand, 12. Suitable for Framing, 13. Publish or Perish, 14. Dagger of the Mind, 15. Requiem for a Falling Star, 16. Prescription: Murder, 17. Murder by the Book/Ransom for a Dead Man (tie), 18. By Dawn’s Early Light, 19. Swan Song, 20. Troubled Waters, 21. Lady in Waiting, 22. An Exercise in Fatality, 23. Etude in Black, 24. Playback, 25. The Most Crucial Game, 26. Blueprint for Murder, 27. Lovely But Lethal, 28. The Bye Bye Sky-High IQ Murder Case, 29. A Deadly State of Mind, 30. The Most Dangerous Match, 31. The Greenhouse Jungle 32. Identity Crisis, 33. Dead Weight, 34. Short Fuse, 35. A Case of Immunity, 36. Candidate for Crime, 37. Mind Over Mayhem, 38. Old Fashioned Murder, 39. Last Salute to the Commodore.

Finally, let’s consider the evidence against the delightful Abigail Spencer and decide whether it’s enough for a GUILTY verdict. Or is Abigail looking at an ACQUITTAL? Sadly, I think that in this case, the evidence will be enough to put her away. So…guilty. But, on the bright side, she will have time to work on many more novels, free of the distractions of the outside world.

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