Sunday, June 11, 2006

Columbo: Murder by the Book (1971) (TV)

Synopsis: A writing duo splits, and one kills the other. An investigation ensues. 
Appraisal: This is the first aired episode of the regular series Columbo. It was preceded by two pilots, one in 1968 (which was based on an earlier TV series episode) and another in 1971. Also, it was filmed after the one that was aired next. The story is very entertaining, at least for people like me that enjoy old fashioned TV shows. I detected at least one plot hole, though: there were two phone calls from the beach area to the widow, but she thought the second one came from his husband's office. Lt. Columbo checked the existence of these phone calls, so why didn't he double-check with the widow the exact number of phone calls that she recalled having received and from whom these calls were from?

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