May 28, 2014 - 3:59AM
Oldies but Goodies

This has always been a strongly opinionated room. That might be the reason it has lasted. I've noticed some new lists of favorite 10 episodes, hated 10 episodes, 10 episodes that made me drink, etc. So now I wish to express my take.

I am biased. I need a good plot and even better acting for success. Without that the director is doomed. So when I read people voting Best Episode because Spielberg directed it, I wince. A subpar episode becomes a favorite because of a director?

I happen to like certain actors. Faye Dunaway, Lee Grant, Louis Jourdan, Robert Culp.

My list of eight very good shows due to writing and acting has to include:

1. "Any Old Port in a Storm- Pleasance

2. "Murder Under Glass"- Louis Jourdan Jonathan Demme

. "Ransom for a Dead Man" part 2 Lee Grant

3. "Suitable for Framing"

4. "A Stitch in Crime"

5. "The Most Dangerous Match" Lawrence Harvey

6. "Make Me a Perfect Murder" Trish Van Devere

7. "It's All in the Game" Faye Dunaway

8. " Double Exposure" Culp

Is there anything you see in common?

To me all the leading players and writers made Columbo shine brighter than usual. They brought out his best. Look again at Culp and Dunaway and Pleasance. They challenged him and he acted slightly differently.(especially Dunaway who got him to flirt back).

So that's my list.

You don't have to have anything against Steven Spielberg to have the problem you mention when it comes to MURDER BY THE BOOK. Speaking of "wincing," that's what I do when I look at the Season One box set and notice that he's the only director who's mentioned by name on it. You'd think they'd at least have balanced things by doing that with Peter Falk himself when it comes to BLUEPRINT FOR MURDER.

Murder Under Glass was definitely one of my favorite. Louis Jourdan was a fantastic,stylish villain, and I love when the two of them admitted they did not care for one another. I think that is the only time Columbo lets you know exactly how he feels about a murderer.