I have to agree. I enjoy McGoohan's performance in "Dawn" more than "Identity" - it's a little more restrained, but there's a tremendous amount of characterization in it.

I never really liked the episodes in which Columbo would try someone else's profession and turn out to be an instant expert - psychology in "Murder, A Self-Portrait" and the spy business in "Identity" stand out. Plus the ending clue in "Identity" doesn't really confirm that Brenner was the killer, it only breaks his alibi.

Having Leslie Nielson in the episode is another little drawback. At the time he was still seen as a dramatic actor, but now he's been doing zany comedy for so long that anything he says is hilarious. "What's that over there?" "That's the wet bar, sir." I couldn't stop laughing.

I don't think the mystery aspect of either episode is fantastic, but the solution of "Dawn" adds an almost tragic dimension to things. Rumford could have avoided capture if he had chosen to ignore the cider - but his devotion to the rules prevents him from doing that.