It is not surprising that “Columbo” is beloved as a detective show. Peter Falk’s titular sleuth waltzes through the toughest cases with relentless precision, using his perceived ineptitude to disarm the slickest of criminals. When these criminals underestimate him and mistake his shrewdness for incompetence, it is incredibly satisfying to watch a smart, amicable fellow like Columbo have the last laugh. Moreover, it is a detective show like no other, taking an unconventional approach to how the mystery unfolds. Instead of operating like a whodunit, “Columbo” reveals the perpetrator in the first act and hinges its suspense on how Columbo gets to the heart of a case that appears unsolvable at first glance. “Just one more thing,” Columbo muses, while poking every aspect of a case until the truth is revealed as plain as day.
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The ABC series, which was released in 1968 on NBC, starts by setting an incredibly high standard. The series premiere, titled “Murder by the Book,” was directed by none other than Steven Spielberg, who inadvertently kickstarted a cultural phenomenon by etching “Columbo” as a must-see, cool-as-heck detective series. This sentiment has endearingly persisted over the years, as “Columbo” is still widely loved for its timeless treatment of genre tropes, which can be scrutinized and reinvented through the evolving lens of our times. The show’s general excellence aside, it is worth noting that Spielberg wasn’t the only big-shot director who took a stab at helming one of its episodes. Jonathan Demme and Patrick McGoohan have also directed episodes of the show, while the likes of Vincent McEveety (“The Untouchables”, “Gunsmoke”) have frequently worn the directorial hat to steer the story in intriguing directions.
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Given the prestige associated with a series known for its incredibly dynamic storytelling, Brian De Palma was involved with writing an episodic script for “Columbo” at one point. Regrettably, De Palma’s script never saw the light of day, and we never witnessed this episodic premise unfold in any capacity. What went wrong here?