The point i was trying to make is that there's a grandness in feel to season seven, in terms of the overall look of the show, and the music is perhaps a big part of that, which carries through to the newer Columbo's - 'Columbo Goes To The Guillotine', 'Sex And The Married Detective' etc. By season nine, i notice the show tends to loosen up a little more, and a more natural freshness and vitality emerges, replacing the more formal and more filmic feel, a little. I notice Richard Alan Simmons had a hand in the first season of the later Columbo films too, so that may explain why.

Season seven is great, i feel, because, although the formula was the same, there was a different tone, so the show didn't feel especially in danger of repeating itself. The mood is a little darker, and there does seem to be a little more intimacy between Columbo and the killer, which goes beyond simply looking for clues (although of course that was the goal, ultimately).

My feelings exactly Bryce, concerning Peter Falk's portrayal in season seven. Peter seems so much different, visually as well as in his acting portrayal of Columbo. Even his voice doesn't sound the same. He sounds so much older, and his previous sharp New York tones, have been replaced by a more muffled, and slower, and aged style of speech. I would have guessed there must have been ten years between his portrayal of Columbo here, to the previous season (although 'The Bye Bye Sky High I Q Murder Case' was the true introduction of this change). However, there couldn't have been much space in time at all.

Of course the big difference between season seven of the original series, and the later ones is the caliber of the killers, in terms of their portrayal. Sometimes that can make the difference between the film appearing truly great to being just another run-of-the-mill episode of the show. Falk's form in season seven and the first season of the new Columbo films often lacks sharpness, and precision, yet i have noticed when Peter, is playing opposite Patrick Mcgoohan in 'Agenda For Murder' or George Hamilton in 'Caution: Murder Can Be Hazardous To Your Health' in those later Columbo's he tends to raise his game, somewhat. Not of course to the point of his classic early form, but he's much much more watchable. By the last few films however, i think his age become much more of a problem.