An admirable trait which separates our hero from his competitors and counterparts is the ability of Columbo to get a point across in a very subtle way. Sometimes the point gets through to the villain. Sometimes it is so subtle that it can barely be recognized by the viewer. A couple of examples......

In "Prescription: Murder," Columbo asks Dr. Flemming (Gene Barry) if he took the reading material along with him while he went fishing in Acapulco. This subtly implies that in reality Dr. Flemming took along the stolen goods from his apartment (which he later covered up by lying that the reading material was responsible for the weight change with respect to his luggage) and dumped the goods in the water to dispose of them.

Another one, in my opnion on a more subtle scale, takes place in "A Case of Immunity." After looking at the picture of Rahman Habib in the personnel file, Columbo comments that even after 15 years on the force he can still look at a face and say "He can't be the murderer." When asked by Hasan Sallah (Hector Elizondo) if he is often right, Columbo is looking straight at him (the real suspect and real murderer) when giving his answer.

I will leave it open to point out more such special subtleties.

In somewhat the same vein he does this in Dagger of the Mind. After questioning Nicholas Frame and Lillian Stanhope seperately he is amazed at the fact that they remember the events almost exactly....even to the point where they use almost the same words. He tells them when he and his wife are recalling something they hardly agree on anything.

And in Death Lends a Hand he is leaving Brimmer's office and he asks if he had ever been at Kennicut's house..and Brimmer says yes, and that he had met Columbo there. But Columbo says he means the Kennicut's beach house, and that Brimmer's beach house is close by. Brimmer shoots back a NO and says they are a couple of miles apart....and Columbo craftily says "Oh...that close."

I forget which killer Colmbo used this line on -- maybe more than one of them. The set-up is when the killer asks Columbo to let him know when he's solved the murder case.

"Oh," says Columbo, "You'll be the first to know."

OH MY HEAVENS!! I think it is the end of the world!! Ted FORGOT something?!?!?!?

(Just kidding with you. )

I remember one time when he says that...It is in Death Lends a Hand and he is leaving Brimmer's house and he is turning down the job offer because he wants to stay on the Kennicut case and he is getting close to solving it. And Brimmer asks if he will let him know what he finds out...and Columbo 'reassures' him that he will be the first to know.

Another time Columbo uses that phrase is when he is talking to Adrian Carsini in Any Old Port, and he is wondering why there were no water marks on Ric's car. And Carsini asks him to let him know when he finds out the reason....and Columbo comes back with..."Believe me Sir, you'll be the first to know."

Another form of "You'll be the first to know" without using those exact words was in "Agenda For Murder" when Columbo tells Oscar Finch (Patrick McGoohan) "With your assistance, we can put this case to bed."

In "Identity Crisis", Columbo is looking at the
photos on the wall of Nelson Brenner's (Patrick
McGoohan) den. Columbo sees the photo of the
younger but balder Brenner stading in front of the
T-33 jet aircraft. Columbo doesn't say anything,
but he suddenly turns and gives a strange look
at Brenner, and Brenner understands what Columbo
has come to realize, that Brenner is really bald,
just like the mysterious Mr Steinmetz.
Not a single word is said, but Columbo conveys
to Brenner that he is on to him.

Here's another subtle one, said shortly before Columbo even decides on a prime suspect....

"Blueprint For Murder"
Columbo, Goldie, and Jennifer Williamson are gathered in a room together trying to sort out why Bo (Beau?) has disappeared. When Goldie makes reference to Dr. Moss being her ex-husband's heart specialist, Columbo says "He had a bad ticker, did he?" "Did" is past tense, implying that Columbo suspects Williamson has been murdered. His suspicion was recent and justified because in the previous scene he took notice of that radio/tape player music discrepancy in the car. Moments later, Jennifer says that Elliott Markham saw her husband before he "left town," and the scene ends with Columbo pinpointing a suspect.