The Lt. Columbo Forum

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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Grand Deceptions

As I said before, this episode was growing on me for a long time. I like it. Of course villain is not charismatic, easily forgetable, but still, I just enjoy watching it
- it took me a long time to realise that Gen. Padget is the same actor who was also in Deadly State of Mind as a husband and victim. By the way, he's not the luckiest guy, both of his wifes are cheating on him :P
- I don't know.. All this institution of soldiers looks more like a fun and games rather than real soldier training for me
- maybe the episode would be better if not this music. I claim that Columbo episodes are top notch music score. But in this case it is disappointing and annoying
- once again I will ask: what is this scene "this object that I have in my hand is a flashlight, is that right?" about? I don't get it
- they call the guy "Sergeant Major" Keegan. Is it something like "upgraded sergeant"? In our country there is "sergeant" and then, much higher is "major". But we have something like "upgraded sergeant" so maybe that is what they mean?
- I don't like the scene where Gen. Padget tells Columbo "I don't know why are you telling me this, it is police business". That was him who wanted Columbo to solve the case. So why this attitude?
- what is this special project funds about? it seems that there were couple of copies of the "right one" and the "false one". Why the secret one even existed? Makes me thinking...

PS. I know that maybe sometimes I repeat myself from previous posts but the reason is to arouse conversation and discussion. Which I love to do with all of you, Columbo fans. But lately I see that the posts are not answered at all so maybe I will skip posting next reviews

Re: Grand Deceptions

I'm not a big fan of this episode, but I also don't really hate any episode, besides no time to die, and I like the special project fund idea in here.

As for the reasons for not answering, some people might not check here often, especially since the forum is not very active, I for example haven't been checking here for a few weeks, and also most of your questions are pretty difficult to answer, for example I don't really have any experience about the army ranks, but I think you might be right about sergeant major being the meaning of upgraded sergeant, even in my mother tongue, italian, we have "sergente maggiore", which is the same as in the english version.

As for the project funds and the 2 copies, I remember, and the woman that tried to show them to columbo when he asked, from what I remember, makes a confusing loop of words about which is the updated report.

I think the secret one existed cause the murderer wanted to hide his shady dealings.

You're right being surprised about general padget telling columbo he doesn't want to hear and that it's police business after telling him to solve the case, but perhaps he didn't imagine it would be a case of murder when he called him first.

I don't remember the flashlight and I also don't remember there were 2 wives cheating on general padget, I only remember Jane, who was the other one?

Re: Grand Deceptions

Hello, yes you are right about the forum. Lately I am active here but there are times when I don't enter for weeks or months. Maybe I overreacted
As for wife - I mean wife from another episode. From Deadly State of Mind. The same actor played a victim in that 70's episode. He was killed by Dr Collier (and his wife was cheating on him too - with Dr Collier)

Re: Grand Deceptions

Hi Matti. I enjoy your posts, but I, too, don't visit the forum very often. Anyway, to a few of your points...

In an otherwise forgettable and tedious episode, I actually found the music for this one to be pretty good. The opening march adds the right flavor to an anticipated military episode. That being said, it's not on the same level of top tier episodes, musically speaking.

As for the military, it is indeed painful to see the half-baked soldier wannabes parading and stumbling about, dropping by to interview with Columbo. Poor scripting, poor envisioning by the director and poor acting dooms the military aspects of this dreadful episode. The only positive soldier portrayal is turned in by veteran Andy Romano, who, of course plays the victim, thus robbing the episode of his solid presence by being killed off early.

I think the flashlight was supposed to be significant because it was found UNDER a rock overhang on a DOWNHILL slope? How did it get all the way over there and crawl back up the hill unless it was placed by someone? Col. Braille would argue that it was thrown by the explosion. That's fine - it could definitely get launched over to the rock. But how did it back up the slope? Lucky bounce? Backspin? Not sure. Anyway, my recollection is that's why it was significant.

The Special Projects Fund is where Col Braille hides his military shenanigans. He doesn't want Gen. Padget to know about the details, so he concocts a phony report to help keep him in the dark.

Keep posting away, Matti!