The Columbo Podcast

The thirty fifth episode of Columbo was titled Last Salute to the Commodore and was the highly controversial final episode of the show’s fifth season. An array of suspects are presented as the show departs from its usual format. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at what was changed and the extent to which it helped or harmed the […]

The thirty fourth episode of Columbo was titled Now You See Him and was the fifth episode of the show’s fifth season. A popular magician kills to conceal his darkest secret. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at Columbo’s efforts to outsmart a master of illusion.     Returning for the third and final time, Jack Cassidy is our killer […]

The thirty third episode of Columbo was titled A Matter of Honor and was the fourth episode of the show’s fifth season. An ageing matador kills a dear friend to conceal an uncomfortable truth. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at a vacationing Columbo and his unofficial contribution to the investigation.     As legendary matador Luis Montoya, Ricardo Montalban […]

The thirty second episode of Columbo was titled Identity Crisis and was the third episode of the show’s fifth season. A double agent kills a CIA operative in Columbo’s jurisdiction. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the way the lieutenant takes on a skilled opponent.     Patrick McGoohan returned to Columbo after his debut in Season Four’s By Dawn’s Early […]

The thirty first episode of Columbo was titled A Case of Immunity and was the second episode of the show’s fifth season. Internal conflicts lead a diplomat to kill two colleagues while the US government pressures Columbo to drop the case. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the way Columbo builds his case and a dramatic resolution.   […]

The thirtieth episode of Columbo was titled Forgotten Lady and was the first episode of the show’s fifth season. A one-time star of stage and screen kills her husband to fund a comeback. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the unusual circumstances that impede Columbo’s investigation and the unlikely resolution that follows.     Holywood icon Janet Leigh […]

The pilot episode of Columbo was titled Ransom for a Dead Man and preceded the show’s first season. An ambitious wife disposes of her husband to take control of their assets. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the story of this pilot episode and its relationship to the series that followed.     The original run of Columbo spanned […]

The twenty-ninth episode of Columbo was titled A Deadly State of Mind and was the final episode of the show’s fourth season. A psychologist gets close to a patient and kills first to protect her and next to protect himself. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the important evidence and Columbo’s unorthodox investigation.     There was a familiar […]

The twenty-eighth episode of Columbo was titled Playback and was the fifth episode of the show’s fourth season. A disagreement between a man and his mother-in-law escalates dramatically as a murder is committed on camera. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look frame-by-frame at a story underpinned by new technology.     Harold Van Wick (Oskar Werner) is the chief […]

The twenty-seventh episode of Columbo was titled Troubled Waters and was the fourth episode of the show’s fourth season. A cruise to Mexico is disrupted when a businessman kills his lover to escape her blackmail attempt. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the breaks and swells of a unique episode.     This mystery takes place entirely on board a cruise […]

The twenty-sixth episode of Columbo was titled By Dawn’s Early Light and was the third episode of the show’s fourth season. A colonel looks to preserve the status of his military academy by rigging a cannon to take care of a perceived threat. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the setting, characters and circumstances that give Columbo a taste […]

The twenty-fifth episode of Columbo was titled Negative Reaction and was the second episode of the show’s fourth season. An emasculated husband goes to extreme lengths to escape a miserable marriage. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at Columbo’s difficulties in ruling out a framed man and the errors that lead him to the true culprit.     No introduction […]

The twenty-fourth episode of Columbo was titled An Exercise in Fatality and was the first episode of the show’s fourth season. A health and fitness entrepreneur kills to prevent his dodgy dealings being exposed. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the leads and deductions that leave Columbo convinced the death was no accident.     The killer in An Exercise […]

The twenty-third episode of Columbo was titled A Friend in Deed and was the eighth and final episode of the show’s third season. A police commissioner takes advantage of leverage over a friend to murder his wealthy wife. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the schemes and slip-ups that faced Columbo in his investigation.     The two murderers in […]

The twenty-second episode of Columbo was titled Swan Song and was the seventh episode of the show's third season. A country music legend plans a plane crash to escape his wife's cult. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the investigation to see whether Columbo can hit the right notes.

The twenty-first episode of Columbo was titled Mind over Mayhem and was the sixth episode of the show’s third season. A robotic accomplice clears the way for a genius to commit a brutal murder. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at a battle of two great minds and analyse the crucial mistakes that set Columbo on the right track. […]

The twentieth episode of Columbo was titled Publish or Perish and was the fifth episode of the show’s third season. Self-incrimination, home-made explosives and literary rivalries make for a dramatic combination. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look between the lines for clues and mistakes that let Columbo turn the page on this mystery.     The cast of Publish or […]

The nineteenth episode of Columbo was titled Double Exposure and was the fourth episode of the show’s third season. Subliminal messaging helps in both the commission of a murder and in solving it. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the overt and covert messages that lead Columbo to his killer.     Robert Culp returns for his third tour […]

The eighteenth episode of Columbo was titled Candidate for Crime and was the third episode of the show’s third season. A would-be senator looks to convince Columbo that he is a victim, not a killer. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the schemes, slip-ups and shocks that lead the Lieutenant to his culprit.     Jackie Cooper takes centre […]

The seventeenth episode of Columbo was titled Any Old Port in a Storm and was the second episode of the show’s third season. Fratricide and fermentation are the key themes in a classic tale. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the critical relationships and circumstances as Columbo looks to prove a scuba accident is more than it seems.   […]

The sixteenth episode of Columbo was titled Lovely but Lethal and was the first episode of the show’s third season. Espionage and double-dealing in the cosmetics industry lead to a brutal murder as the new season begins dramatically. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the foundation of Columbo’s case and some important concealed evidence.     The dark underbelly […]

The fifteenth episode of Columbo was titled Double Shock and was the eighth and final episode of the show’s second season. Motive and opportunity are the critical questions as Columbo tries to distinguish between a pair of identical suspects. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the detail of this case and consider how each of Season 2’s killers would fare at […]

The fourteenth episode of Columbo was titled The Most Dangerous Match and was the seventh episode of the show’s second season. When a legendary chess grandmaster is seriously injured Columbo must outwit a sharp-minded killer to piece together the vital evidence. In this podcast Gerry and Iain consider whether the case has been made effectively, following the twists and turns of the investigation....

The thirteenth episode of Columbo was titled A Stitch in Crime and was the sixth episode of the show’s second season. A brilliant doctor is forced to improvise when a suspicious nurse begins to investigate his behaviour and Columbo goes head-to-head with the killer. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at a popular guest star on what is a well-regarded episode.     […]

The twelfth episode of Columbo was titled Requiem for a Falling Star and was the fifth episode of the show’s second season. Columbo returns to the world of showbusiness and to Hollywood, looking to solve an apparent case of mistaken identity. In this podcast Gerry and Iain look at the show’s return to a familiar setting and a very unusual twist.     In Requiem […]