Columbo: The Complete Series [DVD]

I'll be the first to admit that I am greatly biased toward Columbo. I absolutely adore the late, great Peter Falk and have been a fan of his most famous character since childhood. There really isn't much one can say negative about this series except that with just 69, there were too few episodes/movies!Peter Falk was always brilliant in everything he was in. He was equally as comfortable in a flat-out comedy role as he was drama. He brought all of his characters to life and you cared about them because they had that something special that a truly good character always does.Lt. Frank Columbo was no exception to that.The good Lt. always had an idea from the start who the murderer was. The joy of each episode was watching him expertly lead the killer into giving him/herself away. It didn't matter how carefully they thought they had planned out the crime, once Columbo was on the case, he would exploit their greatest weaknesses and end up letting the bad guy catch himself.Along the way, there was a lot of humor to lighten the atmosphere, but the shows never turned into a comedy. Let's face it, murder isn't exactly a light-hearted thing so it can always be welcome when our hero can bring a smile into an otherwise dark situation. Whether it was always commenting on what he and Mrs. Columbo enjoyed or liked (Mrs. Columbo has to have had some of the most eclectic interests and tastes of any human being as she was a fan of everyone and everything!), Columbo whistling "This Old Man" or even bringing Dog along on the investigation, he could always make you smile. Rarely did he lose his temper and even when he did, you couldn't fault him for it.The "Columbo" series can also boast something that so precious few series of today can: superior writing. A good mystery is nothing if the writing is poor and doesn't have the characters to back it up. The crimes in "Columbo" were unique for their time and kept you on your toes looking for that one thing that told Lt. Columbo that his prime suspect was guilty. The supporting characters were just as well-written as the regular series characters. None of them were there just for the sake of bringing in a big name guest star. They had background and could be pretty complex.And about those guest stars. Some of the biggest and best names in Hollywood were on the receiving end of Lt. Columbo's razor-sharp wit or were the victim he fought so hard to find justice for. Leonard Nemoy, George Hamilton, Patrick McGoohan (he also directed five episodes), Robert Culp, Robert Vaughn, William Shatner, Jeanette Nolan, Ray Milland, Jack Cassidy, Ida Lupino, John Dehner, Leslie Neilson, Dean Stockwell, Dabney Coleman and dozens of others. To say "Columbo" was 'star-studded' would be an understatement. We even get to see Peter Falk's real-life wife, Shera Danese in six episodes.Along with well-known actors and actresses, some of the cream of the Hollywood crop worked behind the scenes. Steven Speilberg, Steven Bochco and Johnathan Demme served in roles of directors and writers. Two of the episodes were based upon two of Ed McBain's "87th Precinct" novels. Even Peter Falk himself served a double role as actor and director for the last episode of the first season. Henry Mancini and Mike Post were two of the many, and very talented, composers who worked on the show. Over the course of its run, Columbo won thirteen Emmys and two each of Edgar Awards and Golden Globes. Well deserved recognition for such a fine show!There is a reason why "Columbo" ran from 1968 to 2003. The quality of the acting and writing was top-notch, The story lines were unique and compelling. It was a pleasure to learn a new Columbo movie was on the network schedule because you knew that the two hours you would spend watching the show meant a great way to spend an evening with good entertainment that challenged your mind.Oh, and just one more thing...you'll really regret it if you don't add this brilliant complete series to your DVD collection. Anyone who is a fan of well-written, brilliantly acted drama would be proud to own this collection!

O-K, so the evidence would NEVER hold up in a real court; and real cops aren't as nice; intelligent; or as conscientious as Columbo - things that would normally turn me off of any other show....but Columbo is much more than any other show! Despite my opening criticisms, this is a show that one can become totally engrossed in. It keeps you engrossed from beginning to end- not with gimmicks, like action or gore, but with intrigue. Yes, I said intrigue- even though we know at the start who committed the crime; the intrigue enters when we try and fathom how Columbo will solve it! Truly a brilliant concept for a show, and so well executed in this series. In addition, there is always amusement/humor at Columbo's mannerisms; attire; car; dog, etc.But wait- there's MORE! This series is a treasure trove of past acting greats whose names most generation-Xers such as myself may have heard of, but we have never really had the chance to see perform. These were actors and actresses who took the craft seriously and had some real talent- unlike most of the ilk that inhabits Hollywood today. Sheesh! I'll give you 18 actors of today for one Jack Cassidy!(Who is in three episodes!)There's even more! Something about this show that I can't even put into words. It's the kind of show that you just want to sit and watch endlessly on a rainy night. It's pure entertainment, as it is so engrossing, and transports you to another world- as only the most well-made shows can. Not to mention the nostalgic aspect- as we get to see the cars and appliances and decor and fashion of the upper-middle-c lass-and-above world of the period (Which, in my case, brings back so many memories of how much better the world was then).I am SO thankful to be able to have the entire series to watch whenever I want and without commercials! Some of these eps I haven't seen since they first aired (Yes, I was a fan of this show even when I was 10 !!)- If you're already a fan of this show, you wouldn't be reading these reviews; if you have never seen Columbo.....you are in for a rare treat. This show is totally unique. I don't like cop shows in general- but this is no mere cop show! And it is suitable for everyone and the entire family, as there is no real violence shown, nor profanity. Even in the few scenarios where the villains are involved in affairs, you never see anything that you'd have to censor. A true class-act. This one has truly stood the test of time: I enjoyed it when I was 10- and I enjoy it even more now that I'm 50 !