July 21, 2025: Our Columbo rewatch concludes (for now) with…The Conspirators!

This episode aired May 13, 1978.

This is the final episode of Columbo’s run on NBC. The show would be revived 10 years later by ABC and Columbo would return in “Columbo Goes to the Guillotine”.

Peter Falk had been open to returning for an eighth season on NBC, but the negotiations apparently broke down. Said Falk: “I wanted more time to do other things but that was only part of the reason. Columbo just wasn’t that important to the network anymore. When the Mystery Movie was around, I think it was important for the network to lock up Sunday night for a season. When we were part of the wheel, Columbo helped nail down Sunday night. Five or six movies weren’t as important to them. On its own, Columbo no longer was life and death to the network.”

Nevertheless, he reflected back warmly on the show’s run: “I don’t expect it to ever have it that good again. The hours were ferocious. There were no other regular characters, so I was goin ten, eleven o’clock, midnight. I was bone-tired. I don’t know if I ever had to work has hard as that. But I’m very proud of those shows and I love that character.”

My thoughts on this episode in chronological viewing order…

It bodes ill when an episode starts with a musical element.

Full’s Irish Dew? I’m more of a Writer’s Tears man myself.

M-11 sales pitch: “Easy to fire. Easy to conceal.” Is it?

Joe Devlin’s “hilarious comedy routine” is excruciating.

This episode – so far, so boring.

Columbo is introduced playing the pinball machine. This is a first.

Columbo talking to the woman at the bookstore reminds me of the times I’ve gone into the big chain bookstores and challenged the staff on their terrible staff picks. (Spoiler: Half the time, they haven’t even read the books they recommend).

Columbo seems pretty interested in that art book of nudes.

Our victim was a diabetic and couldn’t drink alcohol which means he knew his killer. I guess.

Columbo not bad at darts.

Coincidentally, our main suspect’s favorite whiskey was the very same bottle found at the crime scene.

This episode has the worst whistle-dubbing I’ve ever seen/heard.

Aha! The dead man’s was an arms dealer.

“Oh just one more thing, sir.” “Could I borrow a dime.”

Columbo forces the poor toe truck driver to listen to the radio show.

Are these limericks that impressive. Or amusing? Maybe I just don’t “get” limericks.

The ship has sailed. Literally.

Columbo on discovering the murderer: “And I certainly have you to thank.” It’s the way with most of his sloppy murderers.

“Every diamond leaves its own special signature.” I don’t think that’s true.

He notices the needlepoint flag on the tugboat?! Come on. That was is one lame clue.

Columbo’s final line, “This far and no father.”, is an appropriate series ender (for now).

Not with a bang but a whimper – Columbo goes out on NBC. To me, “The Conspirators” felt like an episode of a completely different show guest-starring Columbo. Didn’t find it particularly engaging and I found my mind wandering – a rarity for a Columbo 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. Murder Under Glass, 8. Double Exposure, 9. A Friend In Deed, 10. Double Shock, 11. A Stitch in Crime, 12. Death Lends a Hand, 13. Suitable for Framing, 14. Publish or Perish, 15. How to Dial a Murder, 16. Dagger of the Mind, 17. Requiem for a Falling Star, 18. Prescription: Murder, 19. Murder by the Book/Ransom for a Dead Man (tie), 20. By Dawn’s Early Light, 21. Swan Song, 22. Troubled Waters, 23. Lady in Waiting, 24. An Exercise in Fatality, 25. Etude in Black, 26. Playback, 27. The Most Crucial Game, 28. Blueprint for Murder, 29. Lovely But . A Deadly State of Mind, 31. The Most Dangerous Match, 32. The Greenhouse Jungle 33. Identity Crisis, 34. Lovely But Lethal, 35. Dead Weight, 36. Short Fuse, 37. Make Me a Perfect Murder, 38. A Case of Immunity, 39. Candidate for Crime, 40. The Conspirators, 41. Mind Over Mayhem, 42. Old Fashioned Murder, 43. Last Salute to the Commodore.

Finally, let’s consider if Columbo has enough evidence for a GUILTY verdict, or is our murderer looking at an ACQUITTAL? Well, if they are charging him in relation to the arms dealing, I think they have a case. Murder? I think Joe Devlin will be dancing a happy jig right out of that courtroom.

So that’s that for now.  Or..maybe not.  The plan was to switch to doing these sci-fi themed Spaces over on X.  This month, it’s Best Of, spotlighting the very best episodes of the very best sci-fi shows as chosen by YOU the fans.  Next week was going to be Time Loopalooza, spotlighting EVERY time loop-themed episode ever produced (There’s over 70 of them!).  But the turn out for the Spaces has been underwhelming so am considering dropping them in favor of continuing Columbo in August.  We shall see.

In the meantime, here’s the recording of the Spaces I did on Stargate on Sunday….

https://x.com/BaronDestructo/status/1947008750776111602

 

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