I agree, Fielding was much more lethal. Just why was it that he didn't want his step-daughter to go off on her own? Creepy. Very creepy!

And he tried to kill Columbo! Killing your original victim, sure, that's part of the game, but don't mess with our Lieutenant!

Actually, I never had much of a stomach for the man, and I couldn't stand Shatner as an actor in anything outside of his role as Kirk. Look at him today.

I have to agree that William Shatner is a very
uneven actor, but I think he was quite good
in "Fade into Murder" and it is a very good episode.
In my opinion, his career really nosedived after
Star Trek, and he was particularly bad in the
Star Trek remake movies. It is a classic case
of reaching a peak in your career when you are
relatively young, and then you have to ask yourself
where you go from there.

Interesting question, although the answer is pretty definite -- if only because Chase tried to murder Columbo, whereas Fowler seemed almost thankful for the opportunity to confess.

Lt. Lucerne's conversations with Columbo, in which both men pretend that Ward Fowler is another person, whom they both suspect and have interrogated, are among my favorite "Columbo" scenes of all time. The dialogue really captures the "game" aspect of the show -- that moment when killer and cop both know what happened, and the killer knows that Columbo knows, but they both find a way of conversing about the evidence in a purely hypothetical way. This has been a "Columbo" trademark since "Prescription: Murder" ("Even if I did it -- and I said 'if' -- you'll never prove it"). And I find it an especially brilliant variation on this formula when the 2 police lieutenants, Lucerne and Columbo, share and discuss their suspicions and analyses about the case.

And I like it even more when, under steadily increasing pressure, Lucerne suddenly breaks out of character and says, "Columbo, for one minute, let's stop pretending that I'm brilliant and you're simple."

Great stuff! The resolution of this episode is not as astounding or as Columbo-centric as many others, but on the whole it's great fun and all in the best "Columbo" traditions.

Ted, I have to agree with you. (well...there haven't been many times when I haven't agreed with The Grand Maestro! )
And when you talk about that particular scene, and how they both know the jig is up, and that both of them realize that it is an open book as far as who committed the murder..and the bit about the whole 'game' thing...you have truly hit the nail on the head. It was a fanciful and fun scene, and I enjoy it tremendously.
I also agree that the ending was a bit lackluster...I mean, where the heck did that come from? But I enjoy this episode so very much. It is fun and playful, and I have a secret crush on William Shatner!

"Butterfly in Shades of Grey" was one of the best Columbo episodes from the ABC years, and William Shatner had a lot to do with making that happen.

Cass: Your secret is out. Wonder if Mr. Shatner ever reads these pages....

oops!! did I said that out loud??