Mondays With Columbo: DOUBLE EXPOSURE

(Revised 11/29/2024)

Sometimes, Columbo reflects the concerns of its time...as well as the early talents of its writers.

In this case, writer Steven J. Cannell, one of the most underrated writer/producers in the television industry.

Yes, I wrote that. Out loud. Look at any of his work, and there is a very nice, well-honed sense of hitting the public taste. He manages to work out the Columbo formula in this third-season entry, and integrating the then-popular idea of subliminal advertising makes this a rather enjoyable tale

It also helps that Robert Culp plays the lead villain - a marketing research specialist with a background in psychology (hey, imagine that) who sidelines in blackmail. When one of his victims decides to turn the tables, an interesting - and nasty - twist ensues. Culp pays the villain to the hilt - unlike the cool, detached detective of Death Lends a Hand or the boisterous coach of The Most Crucial Game, there's a nice balance of malice and detachment.

But what makes this work is the script - we see Columbo working through the case in his usual manner, and there is quite a bit of "behind the scenes" exposition within the episode. But most importantly - it never feels dull. (To put it another way, Cannell's script has little, if any, filler). Even the resolution - the how of Columbo's final confrontation with the murderer - has a great sense of irony, even more so that Suitable for Framing.

(Which we'll cover next week. Seriously).

But this is one of the best Columbo episodes created, and well worth watching.

It's easy - here's the link to it on Tubi.