Columbo

Take one intricately plotted, masterfully executed murder mystery where the identity of the killer is revealed to the audience from the outset, then add one shabbily dressed, mildly exasperating and seemingly disorganised Los Angeles homicide lieutenant. This character, inspired by none other than Porfiry Petrovich from Dostoevsky’s literary masterpiece Crime and Punishment, masks a razor-sharp intellect beneath his unassuming exterior. The result? A consistently captivating series of cat-and-mouse encounters, where the central question was never “whodunnit?”, but rather “how is he going to prove it?”

Now universally associated with the role, Peter Falk was in fact the third actor to portray Lieutenant Columbo. The character’s television debut came in a 1961 live broadcast episode of The Chevy Mystery Show, entitled Enough Rope, with Bert Freed in the title role. This episode was later adapted for the Broadway stage by creators William Link and Richard Levinson under the title Prescription: Murder, with Thomas Mitchell, of Gone with the Wind fame, assuming the mantle of Columbo.

Subsequently, Prescription: Murder was reimagined as a one-off television movie. It was in this film, uniquely, that Columbo’s first name, Philip, was revealed, a detail never again mentioned throughout the show's run. Interestingly, the role was initially offered to Bing Crosby and Lee J. Cobb, both of whom declined, thus opening the door for Peter Falk’s iconic and career-defining performance.

Despite favourable audience reception, a full series did not materialise immediately. Both the creators and Falk himself were sceptical that the format could sustain a standard weekly hour-long slot. The breakthrough came with NBC’s creation of the “Wheel” programming concept—an alternating rotation of feature-length mystery series, including McCloud, McMillan & Wife, and Banacek. Even then, Columbo was not assured a place in the rotation, as some believed the concept had already peaked with Prescription: Murder. Nevertheless, a new pilot, Ransom for a Dead Man, was commissioned, and from that moment, Columbo’s success was assured.

The series became so successful that it even spawned a spin-off, Mrs. Columbo, during the mid-1980s, although it failed to capture the magic of its predecessor.

With a steady stream of high-profile guest stars and Falk’s pitch-perfect portrayal of the central character, Columbo ran beyond its original 1971–1978 schedule, later returning as an occasional television event. Over its lifespan, it garnered numerous accolades, including eight Emmy Awards—four of which went to Falk himself, and two to recurring guest star Patrick McGoohan. The series also provided a young Steven Spielberg with one of his earliest directing opportunities, further solidifying its place in television history.

The once-innovative format, where viewers know the perpetrator from the beginning, has since become as familiar and comforting as a well-worn cardigan or a favourite pair of slippers. But like the crumpled, persistent detective at its heart, the show remains quietly brilliant in its deceptive simplicity.