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Columbo - The Complete Third Season  Hot
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Written by Dave Anderson   
Friday, 19 August 2005


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Columbo - The Complete Third Season

Grade

Content Grade: A-
Sound Grade: B
Extras Grade: B-
Picture Grade: B

Specs

Universal 1.33:1 Fullscreen English 2.0 Dolby Digital Mono Spanish Subtitles English Closed-Captioned 684 min., color, 1973-1974 Not Rated - contains some violence

Review

Of all the recurring TV detectives who popped up during NBC's "Mystery Movie" series in the early 70s, "Columbo" remains the most popular and endearing. It had the best writing, attracted the biggest guest stars, and of course there's Peter Falk, so effective and amusing as the title character that we can't picture anyone else in the role. It ain't surprising that his trademark trenchcoat is part of an exhibit in the Smithsonian. This third season boxed set, containing 8 episodes spread out over two discs, is sure to amuse long-time fans of the scruffy detective.
The formula remains the same: There's a clever villain seen doing his dirty work - planning & executing an elaborate murder during the first 20 minutes or so - followed by Lt. Columbo's investigation, in which he feigns being one of the biggest idiots alive, all while duping his foe into making a fatal mishap. Though not really mysteries in the purest sense of the term (we always see right away who the bad guy is), what makes these episodes compelling is the pure pleasure of Columbo's unconventional method of solving these cases, which are arguably the best police-procedurals ever made for television. Sometimes the clues presented on screen are obvious, but just as often, a seemingly throwaway scene later proves to be the final piece of the puzzle. What's equally interesting about the show is that Columbo always seems to outwardly respect the intelligence of his foes, even after he's nailed them. The usual plethora of guest stars provide lots of fun, which include Vincent Price, Jackie Cooper, Jose Ferrer, a surprisingly good Johnny Cash, and Jack Cassidy at his seedy best. But what also makes the show so fun to watch are the amusing asides (almost like comedy sketches) in which Columbo's many quirks are revealed; sometimes they are integral to the plot, sometimes they aren't, but they are almost always amusing. That attention to characterization, more than anything, is why "Columbo" has aged better than some of the other "NBC Mystery Movie" contemporaries like "MacMillan & Wife" or "Banacek."

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Picture and Sound

For a 30-year-old program, the transfer of the show to DVD has always been pretty good, and this third season boxed set is no exception. There's a bit of noticeable grain at times, as well as some artifact & scratches, but for the most part, the image looks great. The audio transfer is rendered in 2.0 Dolby mono, which is adequate enough for a series this old. At least there isn't too much distortion for background hiss.

Extras

The only extra is an episode of the short-lived NBC spin-off, "Mrs. Columbo," whom Columbo refers to in nearly every episode of his own series. While the episode is at least worth watching once, it's easy to see why it didn't take with audiences like the original...she's simply not as endearing; part of what makes "Columbo" so amusing is the fact that we NEVER saw his oft-mentioned wife, even though we hear so much about her that she's sort of a character herself...finally seeing her sort off demystifies all that.

Summary

This is a great collection of feature-length episodes, sure to amuse nostalgics, as well as those unfamiliar with the character. Unlike other detectives in NBC's once-popular series, good writing, attention to detail and Peter Falk's amazing performance in the title role has allowed "Columbo" to age much more gracefully than his counterparts. Similar Programs: "McCloud"; "Monk"

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