I will surprise some of you maybe but I like this episode. Only thing I really hate about it is the ending. Maybe the worst „gotcha” in the whole Columbo. Completely impossible to happen. I know Columbo planted the pearl but come on... by this he broke them? So that really ruins the episode for me, but the whole rest? I like it because of many many funny scenes. It has more comedy moments than almost any of other Columbo (maybe except of Negative Reaction only).

1. It bothers me a little that I am aware of the fact that most of filming was done in LA, so it also kind of „ruins” the atmosphere of episode for me. By the way, I love to see the places of filming in google maps. Sir Haversham's mansion is easy to find and see on street view
2. As I said I like the comedy accent of this and these are some things that make me laugh: death by small jar of cream (or something like that); attempts of Nick on Miss Dudley; the repairman himself; Columbo's reaction for Sir Roger wearing a suit and blue tie: „while he wes reading? Isn't it something? I can't even stand a necktie”; Columbo saying about his mother-in-law almost hitting him with a frying pan; when the coffin is exposed Nick says to reporters „please gentelmen, not now”, and then one of them says „hold it just like that Mr Frame”, and then he actually poses to the picture :P Scene like from Naked Gun or something like that; Columbo telling the details about his suitcase and flight (11 hours) to the woman in mourning; Durk, patting some women's butt; Columbo saying „my father was an Elk once”, so funny!!; Columbo's reaction on pathologist's pictures while eating; „I always wanted to be in a horror movie; you certainly qualify”; Columbo says „you want to bet they hang up a figure of Mr Tanner too”. So as you can see quite a lot funny moments for me here. And that's the biggest strength of this episode for me
3. Surpsisingly a lot of people have a purple suitcase with flowers on it :P by the way, what are those people doing on the airport with those luggages? Are they waiting for luggage to be checked? Or what?
4. Does this british of constable really sound so strange for Americans? Or Columbo is just exaggerating?

This episode has really grown into one of my favorites. I love the setting, characters, and humor. I agree that the ending has its weak points, but it is still clever, a lot of fun to watch, and somewhat fitting. I think they could have developed the growing madness a bit more throughout the episode. But according to the "Shooting Columbo" book, NBC wanted all the location footage to be used, so some cuts had to be made. I wonder if there were more scenes depicting the slowly increasing insanity of Nick and Lilly which ended up not making it into the episode?

One of the smallest funny moments I like is Nick being upset that Tanner is blackmailing them but relieved that Miss Dudley wasn't Sir Roger's informer. He has such a thing for Miss Dudley that it's hard to blame him for being relieved.