Very interesting take on it Matthew!!

I always enjoy the endings in which Columbo visits the murderer and an argument he gives him or her for allowing him inside is "I promise this will be the last time," or words to that effect. This is a continuation of his "humility" until the very end. The murderer reluctantly lets him in--and the rest is a part of Columbo history. I especially enjoyed this in Playback.

Good point Michael......it is almost like a spider to a web......"I promise, this will be the last time." ....and the murderer is standing there thinking..."ok...I'll indulge the idiot one more time. He's got nothing on me.".........and in the end..it is the last time!!

oops!!....I screwed up on the analogy of the spider....I guess I meant to say "the fly to the web", wherein, the spider takes him into the web and finally traps him..................Oh Dear!! Sorry to get so analytical!!!!

Your point is well made regardless . . . "Welcome to my parlor, said the spider to the fly."

Exactly Michael!

I suppose the quality of an ending is a combination of music score, intensity, and final clue. In the case of the aforementioned ending to "Short Fuse," which happens to be my favorite episode of the entire series, Roddy McDowall's performance has a lot to do with it as well. Here are my nominations for episode endings which stand out above the rest, despite the fact that many are different in style from one another.........


Ransom For a Dead Man
Suitable For Framing
Short Fuse
Blueprint For Murder
The Most Crucial Game
A Stitch in Crime
The Most Dangerous Match
Candidate For Crime
Double Exposure
A Friend in Deed
Negative Reaction
Playback
Forgotten Lady
A Case of Immunity
A Matter of Honor
How to Dial a Murder
Columbo Cries Wolf
Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo
Uneasy Lies the Crown
Columbo Goes to College
Butterfly in Shades of Grey

Of course viewers in the UK saw 'Negative Reaction' on Monday on channel 5.

Something American viewers might like to comment on is when Columbo refers to the bullet hole in Dick Van Dyke's 'trousers' and not 'pants' and later on in the film there was another reference to 'trousers' - I did not know Americans used the word trousers.

My favourite ending (i've forgotten what episoed it's from) is when Columbo reluctently takes an IQ test, and tops the charts. You see then just how clever he is, leading you to smile even more when the murderers look down on him.

The word "trousers" is used but not as often as pants. I think years ago people were more likely to say trousers rather than pants.

Waylander, that was....oh heck!!! here goes!!! The Bye-Bye Sky High I.Q. Murder Case....Heavens!! How I hate that title!!
But you are right. It is wonderful to see Theodore Bikel (Oliver Brandt) skipping to the harder questions on the I.Q. test because Columbo was beyond any simple questions. Even though there are a lot of kiddies here that really don't enjoy that episode all that much, (and I realize that there are a lot that do enjoy it) that scene is a favourite here for me and for others....Columbo exposes his past experiences of when he first entered the police force and his feelings of inadequancies......it was a very touching scene....and it turns out.....(what we all knew already!!) that Columbo is the genius we always thought he was.

Since the discussion is endings, perhaps you experts out there can clarify something that's puzzled me for a while. I just don't get the ending to Any Port in a Storm. Granted, I've only seen the chopped up version on cable, but I just don't see how Carsini identifying the wine as spoiled incriminates him. What's going over my head here?

Ok C.G. (can I call you that?) Seeing that it is a little late in the day, I will try my best.
Any Old Port is probably the one episode which is riddled the most in plot failures...I suppose all those who love the episode...myself included...are blurred a bit by the beauty of it and the relationship which blossoms between Columbo and Carsini.
The bit about the spoiled wine........Columbo deduces that Carsini had to have shut off the ventilator/air conditioner/air duct to the wine cellar, so that he could suffocate Ric. Ergo...(I don't think I have ever used that word before! )...well, ergo, the wine was spoiled due to the lack of proper cooling. Now since this particular wine was taken from Carsini's own cellar Columbo knew that Carsini must have shut down the A.C., and that he had not anticipated the heat wave. The wine spoiled, Ric died, and well....Columbo didn't have to pay the bill at the restaurant!!!
Again I will say, there are so many factors to this episode that do not add up....but in the end, I still find it charming.

Sure you can call me C.G. Can I call you Franco? Thanks for the explanation. As I got further into the message board it became clear that I'm not the only one who had a problem with that ending. The rest of the episode was enjoyable overall.

I am a moron at times...and I haven't watched my tape of The Dirty Dozen in quite a while....although it is one of my top 10 movies...so I sort of missed the "Franco" reference at first.....but thanks...and yes, you can call me Franco anytime!!