Columbo: Intrigue Without Mystery

Columbo is a wonderful and unique show that often gets overshadowed by Peter Falk’s titular Lieutenant. I talk about some of the things that made Columbo compelling, beyond the character, such as the inverted detective story, duels with the murderers, the dour tone of the endings and more.

So if you like Columbo or detective shows, grab some chilli, feed the dog, get the wife, and settle in as I try to explore how Columbo creates intrigue without mystery.

All the videos, songs, images, and graphics used in the video belong to their respective owners and I or this channel does not claim any right over them.

“Columbo” is the property of NBCUniversal Syndication Studios.

SOURCES:

Johnny Carson interview (1972):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhTD9k7voVc

Columbo statue in Hungary:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zZHEQLVyWE

William Link interviews (Archive of American Television):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N92Mju_FVMQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewotKGUUkLk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZJrUqUS83w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WV9kiXpZJU

Steven Bochco interview (Archive of American Television):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2wOnLS7lqc

Just One More Thing: Columbo! (BBC Radio 4 documentary by Mark Billingham):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGrmCJd9m4Q
https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/radio4/2011/08/just_one_more_thing_columbo.html

The art of the Detective Story by R. Austin Freeman:
https://web.archive.org/web/20070707182218/http://gaslight.mtroyal.ca/detcritF.htm

Steven Spielberg and the Small Screen (Duel 1971 Featurette):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0urZ8QzDh4
MEDIA:

Prescription: Murder (1968)
Columbo (1971-2003)
Poirot (1989-2013)
Animaniacs (1993-1998)
The Benny Hill Show (1969-1989)
Knives Out Trailer (2019)
The Good the Bad the Weird (2008)
L.A. Confidential (1997)
Dial M for Murder (1954)
Murder, She Wrote (1984-1996)
The Chevy Mystery Show (1960)
Crime and Punishment (1935)
Death on the Nile (1978)
The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)
Octopussy (1983)
MUSIC:

Columbo OST - Bernardo Segall, Billy Goldenberg, Dick DeBenedictis, Oliver Nelson, Patrick Williams, Dave Grusin.
Thomas Newman - The Player OST - Funeral Shark
Mark Isham - Bad Lieutenant Port of Call New Orleans OST - Scene of the Crime
Mark Isham - Bad Lieutenant Port of Call New Orleans OST - Steak-Out
Keith Mansfield - Morning Broadway
The San Remo Golden Strings - Hungry For Love
String Quintet in E major, G.275 (by Luigi Boccherini) - Musicians from Ravinia's Steans Music Institute
Baby Elephant Walk for Piccolo (by Henry Manicini) - Seonmi Seo / Rinnai Pops Orchestra
Christopher Young - Rounders OST - The Catch
Christopher Young - Rounders OST - Ode to Johnny Chan
Thanks to Cătălin Mesaru and Cătălin Moise for text editing and feedback!
00:00 Intro
01:59 Prologue: Columbo 101
06:34 Part 1: Sympathy for the Devil
08:26 Part 2: Starstruck
11:29 Part 3: Duel
16:13 Part 4: Getting caught red-HAMded
17:39 Part 5: "Sad" Pop
19:22 Part 6: The Lieutenant
21:57 Part 7: Evidentiary, My Dear Viewer
23:30 Epilogue: And the rest is...

Видео Columbo: Intrigue Without Mystery канала Radu Pericol Tiganas