I was talking to a friend today about this episode and he whet my appetite into watching it again. He had mentioned the beginning, and how it was probably the creepiest and eeriest of all Columbos. And watching it again tonight made me realize he was right.
The music starts up and we see a shot of the infamous 'K' gate enclosing Dr. Mason's home. We are then led into a darkened house and we travel through the rooms. It is a frightening trip. The phone rings and we see the dogs racing into the house...and then the macabre scene of the dummy hanging in the kitchen and the dogs attacking. Someone who is watching this episode for the first time has to be amazed. What is going on here?
Mason is ruthless in so many ways. He probably killed his wife. He kills his best friend out of revenge. He almost kills the young woman who loves him. He tries to kill Columbo. And if that is not bad enough, he had been willing to sacrifice his beloved Laurel & Hardy. As a dog owner, I don't understand.
A couple of quickies.....the associates who take over the seminar at the beginning, when Mason wants the group to be talked back into the cradle, are named Burt, Ian, and Betty.....now come on!!! Take the first letter of each of their names.......B I B.....bib..a baby's bib!!....in Citizen Kane, Kane's full name was 'Charles' Foster Kane...and his last word was Rosebud...in this episode it was 'Charlie', whose one of his final words was 'rosebud'......(i won't even get into the 'foster' part)
Lots of talk about 'games' here, ala Identity Crisis...love that stuff. And also there is made some mention of a time frame that took place as Columbo worked on the case. That is very rare. He mentions that it was 'a few weeks ago' that he had played the 'mind-game' with Mason...
oh...and KUDOS to Laurel & Hardy...those beloved bandana-wearing, gang member, pups!! They were terrific! And I must say....they had to be the same 'Lads' that were in Magnum P.I......they were wonderful!
I love this episode so much...it really fills the bill for me. I suppose my favourite thing about it is that simple little line that Dr. Mason utters to Charlie in the very beginning. He says he is just so weary (I think some days 'weary' would be my secret word!) and then he tells Charlie, "Let's run away and be Indians, Charlie." Think of the free abandonment of that line. Just to run away from everything and be with our bestest friend. Wouldn't we all want to do that?

It seems you may have hit upon one of the characteristics of the really villainous villains in Columbo. The "betrayers" or "traitors" of their profession, especially the supposedly "helping" professions.

Maybe you are right Michael. And this is coming from me, a woman whose oldest sister is a psychologist!!! She's a handful, but I love her.

The mention by Columbo that he and Dr. Mason played the mind game "weeks ago" brings up an interesting point. Of course it logically had to be weeks ago because Columbo and the dog trainer needed time to work on their plan of de-programming the dogs, which could not have been done overnight. The point is that the case took at least "weeks" to solve. This is generally rare for a Columbo case, which seems to end in a matter of days or one week at most

(For example, notice the timeline of start to finish in "The Most Crucial Game," "A Stitch in Crime," "Candidate For Crime," "By Dawn's Early Light," "Troubled Waters," "A Deadly State of Mind," "A Case of Immunity," "A Matter of Honor," "Columbo Goes to College," and very necessarily "No Time to Die.")

There are other episodes in which a very short case is implied though uncertain, such as "The Most Dangerous Match." (Everything after the murder attempt and prior to the chess simul scene took place in one day, and it is fair to assume that the climax was very soon after because Clayton refers to the simul as a tribute to Thomlin Dudek.)

Conversely, has anyone ever noticed some Columbo episodes where the action doesn't seem to plausibly stretch out long enough? Much as I love the episode, "Dagger Of The Mind" is the worst offender in this category with far too much action taking place over the span of 24 hours.

I do not think "Dagger of the Mind" was only 24 hours. The investigation, the play, and the planting of the umbrella took place in one day. However, the blackmail and subsequent murder of Tanner had to take place on a different day.

"I do not think "Dagger of the Mind" was only 24 hours. The investigation, the play, and the planting of the umbrella took place in one day."

That's what I was referring to. Way too much happens in that time frame when you have to add in the fact that Columbo arrived in the morning, went sightseeing, then went out to Sir Roger's house, and before it was night and the premiere you also had an autopsy report confirming it was murder AND a visitation where Columbo met Lily, during which Columbo did more sightseeing in London as well. That is just way too much action taking place over the course of a single day and it was entirely necessitated by the need to get that clue about the rain spots on Sir Roger's car.

Cassa, your original post up there was just so thoughtful. What wonderful insight into a terrific episode!

I just felt I had to write that.

Headache, I was just about to post exactly the same thing. Great points Cassa, and what did you mean when you said you wouldn't get into the foster thing...you lost me there,...

Aww Headache and Aww Paul That was so sweet of both of you, thank you. I just really love this episode a lot. It is probably in my top 3 favourites.
Paul, the foster thing is just silly. It has to do with a family member, just a silly joke between me and her. I shouldn't have put that in because no one will understand it but me and her. Sorry about that, Chief!