Definitely 'Commodore'. It is just strange the way Columbo is way out of character. I know there are old posts about this episode on how bizarre it is and ideas why..

Even though they're very well-done, I have a funny attitude about episodes with even a little bit of "social relevance," since COLUMBO isn't a TV show I watch for such a thing. Any really obvious kind, I mean. So that means THE CONSPIRATORS and NOW YOU SEE HIM. Neither episode lets the social relevance overshadow the detective story, so maybe I shouldn't have ANY problem with it, but somehow I do. Not enough to make me DISLIKE them, though.

I dislike 'Commodore' with a passion,just have never taken to it from the first time i saw it.

I think the Commodore strayed too far off the Columbo formula for anyone to like it. It was I think the only episode that was a Whodunit, and the only one I think where you don't witness the initial murder. There were simply too many things going on in too many different directions. I also wonder, given that the same season had what I thought were substandard Columbo episodes, that perhaps the creators were running out of material or thought the old formula was getting too tired so they had too try and "spruce" it up.

Commodore and Mind Over Mayhem....

Why Mind over Mayhem?

"Any Old Port In A Storm"

The writing was sloppy on this episode. I had to watch it several times to see if I was crazy or missed something. The clues don't really add up to anything significant against the killer. It's a bit bizarre really.

Another was "Identity Crisis".

Columbo seems a bit "off". He comes across as cocky and a bit unlikeable.

I agree that "Last Salute to the Commodore" was the worst pre-1980 episode, although "A Matter of Honor" is on my A-list.

Commodore seemed 'out of focus' and I wouldnt be surprised if that were due to Mr. McGoohan have too wide a hand. He both directed and added script. While I like some of his acting I don't like his "behind the camera work".

Oh and one more thing.:

I notice in this posting that ANY PORT IN A STORM was found by some to be inferior. Ironically it's one of my top 5.

I think I might have liked Mind over Mayhem if the plot did not involve a robot. It was sci fi Columbo, and to me it just did not work. It might have worked if some reason the head of the institute involved the kid, duping him into helping, but that did not happen.

Good observation about Matter of Honor and Last Salute. It does seem that Columbo does not focus as much on the killers.

I don't like the Conspirators.

The Conspirators is my least favourite of the pre-1980's episodes.. I've only seen it once and found it deeply unsatisfying. I didn't like the actor playing the murderer or his portrayal. I also felt the actual character of the murderer bereft of sympathy and quite simply a nasty piece of work. Even Columbo seems tired and lonely in this glum episode...

As much as I like Clive Reville, to me it has a lot of hills and valleys. This might be a ridiculous complaint, but one of mine is the title, since it's nearly the only title of the whole original series that doesn't try to be colorful at all, so it sticks out for that reason.
I do like things like the comical pub scene with the limericks (I'm pretty sure it's the first place I ever heard that "What a wonderful bird is the pelican" one).
Some people have said they really prefer Jeanette Nolan in THE CONSPIRATORS to Jeanette Nolan as uptight Mrs. Peck in DOUBLE SHOCK, and that's understandable, but to me it's the other way around.

Dead Weight, A Matter of Honor, A Case of Immunity and Last Salute to the Commodore are my least favourites.

Agreed with "A Case of Immunity", also I would add "The Most Dangerous Match." Threw the guy in the large recycle machine like a meat grinder?