As a suspense story with the evil kidnapper, it built and maintained tension.

Our Columbo, of course was totally absent.

That was another cop, also named Columbo, played by someone who looked like Peter Falk.

If you could block any expectations (unfulfilled) the story had it's entertainment value.

Your point is valid about the extra time spent on the door hinges. Investigative plot could have been better enhanced instead.

Awful in all respects. Who cares about the ticking clock on the screen? Or the villain? Who, though unarmed is shot chock full of lead at the end? In front of Columbo, who does not seem to give a crap? Since when does the Peugot run correctly? Since when is Columbo the English Cozy type mystery a police procedural? What were all involved thinking?

Joe

I've been wanting to post about this episode for a long time. (I come here often and read alot, but have never been much of a poster.) This is not a typical episode and it is certainly not my favorite episode, but I do like this episode because of what I believe we learn from it.

I'm afraid what I am about to say may bring people out against me, but that being said, I have always veiwed the Lt. in this episode as the real detective inside Columbo. Here the situation requires the Lt. to drop his usual rumpled, forgetful, off-on-a-tangent style because of the time issue. Usually we see Columbo getting the best of his adversary because they underestimate or eventually get fed up with him and/or drop their guard. Here there is no adversary for the Lt. to match wits with, so we see what he is really like inside his head.

The Columbo we all know and love is an act. He has to be. I'm still not sure most of what we learn from the him about his life is factual. He's a brilliant detective that has used those smarts to create the perfect cover while at the same time leaving himself room to concoct tangents and tidbits to elicit information and evidence. And it works like a charm; normally brilliant and successful men and women are no match for the best detective of our day (if not of all time).

I hate to burst anyone's bubble, but this is the real Columbo. The brain behind the character. This is the man that walks into a crime scene and puts the evidence together and fingers the culprit. The Columbo we see bumbling through everyday life, the one we love, is the persona that gets the bad guy to admit their wrongdoing. The two are equal parts of our favorite crimesolver, yin and yang or in this case: The Lt. and Columbo.