In Columbo Goes To College, Columbo learned from the restaurant reservation that "Mr. Rowe" is someone to keep his eye on (bad pun alert). Columbo also planted the idea of plane tickets to Phoenix and Justin and Coop took the bait. As for his lucky break with the murder being broadcast, I think almost every Columbo episode has something like that which requires the suspension of disbelief: Seeing a reverse negative in the photo store, watching a kid have somebody else tie his shoes, noticing a man with a sweat stain on his back sitting in a leather chair, etc.

Columbo is "always in the neighborhood" at exactly the right time. He's at the shipyard when Joe Devlin is talking to the Captain, Dale Kingston's house on the night he brings the stolen paintings home, the military academy when the cider is being investigated and he's in the infirmary when a feather is dropped. I forget the episode where he says: "Thats me, I'm lucky!", but he sure is, although he tends to make his own luck.

I can see why you may not like Columbo Goes To College, the murder is ridiculous for one. But to me the interaction with the kids compensates. The cocky little snots completely underestimated Columbo (as did Justin's father) and they got what they deserved.

I can't say that I'm shocked that somebody knew which episode the line was from. This is an awfully hard group to stump when the category is "Columbo". I miss the quizzes that others used to put up. Maybe I'll try my hand at it.

I look forward to the quiz.