That's right E....why the heck did he have to smoke a cigar at that moment?...and the entrapment was probably the lowest form of "getting" the murderer in all of Columbo episodes....yes he has trapped other murderers before...Negative Reaction, Death Lends a Hand..etc....but those were clever entrapments...the one in Mayhem is just ridiculous.
And Steinmetz...Arlene Martell does not appear on the dvd even though she is credited.

Arlene's part must have been cut very late in the proceedings before the episode first aired, to have caused that credit being there.

Ironically, she was Robert Culp's co-star in one of the most memorable episodes of "Outer Limits", the Harlan Ellison scripted "Demon With A Glass Hand."

Eric..there was also that credit of Gregory Sierra(Barney Miller) in the episode Publish or Perish..he was never there..................

I hate "Mind over Mayhem" because it seems they
made it for a Saturday Morning Cartoon version
of Columbo. The robot is just ridiculous,
and I didn't like the child genius "Steven
Spelberg" (yuck, yuck). Regarding the robot,
I realize that Columbo is not a truly realistic
show (as is Rockford or Kojak), but the robot
just turns it into Science Fiction, and if I
want that I will watch Outer Limits. I like
Columbo because he is "every man" and the
directors make you feel that you are a detective
accompanying Columbo on his investigation (which
is also why I hate it when Columbo is arrogant,
as opposed to humble). "Mayhem" is simply bad
and I am surprised that Levinson and Link would
have agreed to produce that turkey.

that kid in mind over mayhem was almost as bad as the little girl in the most crucial game...the little bratty girl going after the ice cream truck........but little stevie from mayhem was absolutely annyoying......."oh..yes..i am a boy genius"..................stop it!! that is so creepy..and the whole "robbie the robot" thing was really ridiculous...the only good thing that i loved about that episode was the fact that Dog had so many scenes in it...he was wonderful......from the get-go where he was at the academy and the "teacher" was saying that Dog couldn't stay there because he "demoralized" the other students...and his time spent with Murph......and yes..the time he spent with steve spelberg......Dog was a standout in this episode......i want him...he is so sweet...but my benny the beagle would be jealous...i couldn't do that to him....

I think we do SEE Tanya Baker in Double Exposure. During the sales movie Kepple shows during the murder, we catch a glimpse of a bikini-clad model. Since Tanya was hired as a model for the film, I always assumed Tanya was that model in the sales film.

I really don't care for Mind Over Mayhem even though I don't hate it. The cigar clue is too contrived for the reason already stated: it doesn't make sense that Cahill would take the time to smoke a cigar since he has to get back to the institute. The mileage clue for the car had already been used in Etude in Black. There is no final clue, just a "frame" by Columbo whereby characters lie to force a confession. Not very clever. I mean, you could end ANY Columbo episode by trotting out "witnesses" that Columbo has lie to trick the suspect. And the episode is so depressing - woman loses husband, son is disgraced and then loses father. The murder ended up being for nothing anyway since Neal confesses the fraud. I know murder isn't supposed to be cheery, but jeez, what a downer.

John..I was intrigued with your idea about the model in the film being Tanya Baker...so I went to the dvd...and checked it out.....but sadly it was not the actress Arlene Martell...I was really hoping that your theory was right.

I think "Double Exposure" is the quintissential Columbo episode. That's not to say it's the best but it is just a classic example of the Columbo formula. A clever, cold blooded murderer with a brilliant murder and alibi set up. The plot is elegantly simple avoiding the unnecessary soap opera-esque personal insights into the killer's life and motivations that plague the new episodes. The cat/ mouse dialogue is a pleasure to behold and both actors play the niceties and politeness just long enough before they let on that they know what each other is up to. The acting is strong, the locations good and the premise of subliminal cuts, fascinating.
I like it.

Sounds as if you'd want this one to be used in the hypothetical "Columbo" weekend college course!

You got it Michael!!

Mark, you sound like someone who's trying to impress us with your la la language. As if Columbo eps would turn your blood cold. It's just Television. You make them sound like a horror movie.

Columbo just television?!?!??!?!? Sharon no no....Columbo is so much more.....
Mark is a dedicated fan, as we all are, and he is only voicing his opinion...........and quite eloquently, I might add.