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An area where fans from all over can ask each other questions and voice their own ideas and opinions on anything Columbo.

This Forum is fondly dedicated in memory of  "cassavetes45"  (Carleen Zink),
Columbo's greatest fan and a great friend to us all.
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The Conspirators

Except of dreadful Salute to the Commodore, this is probably my second least favourite Columbo from the original series. It is too political involved so you don't focus on the traditional fight between Columbo and killer, you see the wider picture, which for me Columbo is not about. Plus of course when you watch it, you know that this is the last episode of original series, so it is always sad
- Joe Devlin was not too smart leaving so many clues on the crime scene (his favourite whisky, marked by his ring, kicking the bottle towards body). And he didn't remove his own book from a dead man's pocket. What a rookie mistake
- Mr Pauley is one of the victims that you totally don't sympathize with. I think even Jesse Jerome was better than him :P
- I just don't care about Joe Devlin, for me is one of weakest opponents to Columbo. Plus his guilt is huge. We see him killing one man, but he was involved in supporting IRA so he has a lot of blood on his hands
- Atmosphere of this episode is not nice for me, all this irish accents, again, not typical Columbo for me
- what the hell is Devlin doing in a hotel room when Columbo is examining the crime scene? could he incriminate himself more?
- very huge plot hole I think: fingerprints. Devlin didn't have any gloves while being in hotel room and murdering Pauley. So he left a lot of fingerprints everywhere. Especially on the whisky bottle. Hard to imagine why it wasn't checked
- Devlin is making so many mistakes! as no other killer in Columbo. Why in the world is he inviting Columbo to his favourite pub? And of course he is given his fabourite whisky there (and his reaction is even more incriminating). This is also the reason why I don't like this episode much - the clues for Columbo are so obvious that everybody would solve this crime
- I'm not sure if I understand - this Kerry guy says he looked through Mr Pauley program log. Where did he get this program log from?
- I think it was not so easy to just call the radiostation and be on line. Columbo did that without problems
- this is quite detailed observation but one thing always bothers me. When Devlin speaks with gun dealer (funny guy), the dealer shows him merchandise. All the packages look like nice rectangular boxes. But when they open it, there is only a gun, without any cartoon, with irregular shape. So why all the packages look so nice packed? :P
- I don't know why but the last scene reminds me a little of last scene from Ransom for a Dead Man, and it is significant, last scene of pilot and last scene of the last episode from original series for me are quite similar :)
This time not so much comments, but also the episode is like it is for me :)

Re: The Conspirators

Matti, as always I enjoy your reviews. Ah, this is one of my favorite episodes, but I completely understand your consternation over the points your raised. I happen to find Joe Devlin as about the most engaging of all the criminals in the Columbo series. He IS extremely careless (rookie mistakes, indeed) and makes the case for Columbo awfully easy. Despite all that, I just enjoy Clive Revill's performance so much. Again, to me, he was easily the most talented of all the criminals on the show. Acting - jovial, sinister, cold-hearted, vengeful, caring, huckster, 'raconteur' - such a range displayed, singing, playing instruments. Nobody else comes close to showing this kind of range of talents during the series.

One point you raised which really got to me was your last point - about how the last scene in the first Columbo and the last scene in the last Columbo are similar. I'd never thought of that. Both take place in a "bar". Ok, one was at an airport, the other in a restaurant, but the point being both Columbo and the killer share a drink (sort of - Columbo gets a root beer at the airport in Ransom for A Dead Man).

Re: The Conspirators

I feel the same way about the political side, which feels out of place in a COLUMBO.

I feel that way about most of the CIA stuff in Identity Crisis (and I also don't really even understand it in the first place).

Speaking of Now You See Him, that one could've gotten really, really topical for the obvious reason. But they decided to keep it a regular detective story instead, which is a good thing.

Re: The Conspirators

I agree with the first sentence of the opening post. This and Last Salute to the Commodore are my least favorite of the 1970s episodes. Joining them are Fade into Murder and Dagger of the Mind. These are the ones I have no interest in watching again.

Re: The Conspirators

Thank you John, it is very nice to hear :)
Honestly I didn't think that much about the variety of Clive Revill's emotions and possibilities, I think it is mostly because the whole atmosphere of episode overshadows it a little for me. And the character of Devlin (not Revill) always annoys me with his behavior :)