Actually, the first time we meet Columbo in "Prescription Murder," he's a well dressed, and intelligent young detective.
Posted on 05/08/2007 4:35:02 AM PDT by Caleb1411
I used to say that Lt. Columbo was an ageless character. Well, age may have just caught up with one of television's most durable, delightful and beloved detectives.
Universal Television, which has been in the "Columbo" business since 1968, has a script in hand titled "Columbo's Last Case." First announced as "Hear No Evil," the story would mark the 70th and final time Peter Falk plays the role that has brought him four Emmy Awards and an international following.
Falk likes the script and is eager to don Columbo's wrinkled raincoat one more time. If the cameras started rolling fairly soon, this 70th "Columbo" mystery could air in February. That would be the 40th anniversary of the TV movie that introduced the wily sleuth to America, "Prescription: Murder."
Seems like perfect timing, right? What could possibly be wrong with this scenario?
The problem is that none of the broadcast networks wants to air "Columbo's Last Case." Universal took the project to ABC, which has aired 24 "Columbo" movies since 1989 (the original 45 mysteries were aired over a 10-year span, 1968-78, by NBC). The assumption was that ABC would be happy to air Falk's swan song as the rumpled Los Angeles police lieutenant.
ABC passed on the project.
"It took a long time and a lot of hard work to come up with a script that Peter would approve," said Charles Engel, executive vice president of current programming at NBC Universal. "It's a darn good script with a really clever twist ending, but ABC opted not to go forward. We can't find a network to do it. We're anxious to proceed, but Peter is going to be 80 and nobody seems to want a leading man who is 80." Yes, but "Columbo" never was about street realism. Masterfully portrayed by Falk, who turns 80 on Sept. 16, he always was a character in the tradition of literature's super sleuths.
"That's certainly our feeling," Engel said. "But the networks say, 'He's 80 and we want to appeal to young viewers.' Look, we understand it's a demographic business and that the young demographics rule the world. The fallacy is thinking that 'Columbo' doesn't appeal to young people. He appeals to all ages."
Universal took the 70th "Columbo" to the character's original TV home, NBC. Why not? It's the same corporate family. Both NBC and Universal are owned by General Electric.
NBC isn't in the TV movie business these days, so Universal took the project to USA Network. It airs "Monk," the quirky detective series that was influenced by "Columbo." And the cable channel is owned by, uh, NBC Universal.
It didn't matter. USA Network passed, as well.
Is this any way to treat one of television's iconic characters? Before we address that question, I should, as a matter of full disclosure, confess that I wrote "The Columbo Phile," a 1989 history of the good lieutenant.
OK, where was I? Oh, yes: Is this any way to treat one of television's iconic characters? Has Hollywood's youth-obsession reached such an extreme state that there's no room for Columbo's ancient raincoat, pet basset hound and wheezy silver Peugot?
"Maybe so," said William Link, who created the character with his writing partner, the late Richard Levinson. "Ageism is rampant in Hollywood, at all levels, but this might be more than ageism. The detective shows on the broadcast networks are all police procedurals dominated by endless discussions of forensic evidence. 'Columbo' was a classy, clever, witty show that challenged you to use your mind."
Still, there is a glimmer of hope, and Engel has adopted a never-say-die attitude. That glimmer is provided by dozens of countries where ageism isn't an issue for television viewers. Lt. Columbo has a strong foreign following, and he remains an iconic figure in Japan, Germany, England, France, Italy, Romania, Holland, Brazil, Ecuador and even Iran.
An American cable channel doesn't have the bucks to underwrite a "Columbo" movie, but Engel and Universal are pursuing foreign partnerships. If they can find significant funding overseas, they will go back to the American broadcast networks and again make the case for Columbo's last case.
"We owe it to the 'Columbo' fans, to Peter and to this great character to keep trying," Engel said. "We're attempting to put together the right blend of domestic and foreign partnerships. There's an ongoing effort to get this done."
Columbo's most famous catchphrase was, of course, "just one more thing." He pestered one supremely confident killer after another with that line. But there may not be "just one more thing" for Columbo and Peter Falk.
No killer, no matter how ingenious, ever defeated Lt. Columbo. The insidious combination of ageism and demographics might manage this trick. And that would be a crime.
The real mystery is how does he keep that Peugeot 403 functioning.
(aculeus is a Peugeot survivor.)
We boomers spend money on the big-ticket items—refrigerators, real estate, new cars, boats, grand pianos, art, major pieces of furniture—that kids in their twenties can’t usually afford. Those aren’t the kinds of things you can readily advertise on TV, I guess. Still, they advertise cruises on TV, and those are usually purchased mostly by boomer-age and older people.
When I’m asked what I’m spending more money on these days, I answer,
“Depends.”
Trying to deprive us closure? What are you some kind of anarchist?
Thanks. I was waiting for a place to tee-off.
My favorite episode ends with the perp asking when Columbo first suspected him, and is told "about five seconds after I met you".
"Ridiculous!" the perp says, "how can this be true?"
Columbo tells him "when I called you from the scene, and told you the man you had supper with had died of food-poisoning, and asked you to come right over.....you know what you did? You came right over. You didn't ask what kind of poison, you didn't go to a doctor or hospital, you didn't ask any questions at all. You came right over. That's the damndest act of civic responsibility I ever saw!"
I loved that show.
Actually, the first time we meet Columbo in "Prescription Murder," he's a well dressed, and intelligent young detective.
I got the original “Presciption Murder” on TiVo and DVD.
Change the setting, characters names and professions, not necessarily actors. The same guy can be a murdering doctor in one episode and a lawyer in another. Who was it, Patrick McGoonan, he musta killed half a dozen people, as a CIA agent, campaign manager, military school commandant...
Supposedly, the Columbo character was based on Chesterton's Father Brown character. That may be true, but Columbo is much more.
Excellent suggestion. I love that line.
That being said, Colombo should at least be the Head of the Homicide Division if not the Chief of Police after 40 years of successful detective work!!
I remember that scene well. The only other similar display of righteous anger is in the 1968 made-for-TV movie. It's a great episode. The villian is a psychologist who's a moral relativist.
Columbo is the same morality play told over and over again: pride vs. humility. It's never tiring because the theme is eternal.
I'm nowhere near retirement age, and my wife and I both love "Columbo." In fact, our wedding anniversary was last week, and one of her gifts to me was a box set of DVDs of the 5th season. We fired up the video projector and watched one on the big screen, and it was GREAT! It's no wonder network TV ratings are going down the toilet.
That "special" might even supplant an edition of Desperate Housewives.
I knew there had to be reasons he's such a hit among FReepers.
Yeah, there's always today's fare to gorge on, shows that feature ersatz men whose life's quest is getting in touch with their feminine sides.
'Columbo' was a project, from inception, of McGoohans. Few had as much to do with it as he, none had more. It was McGoohan that brought Peter Falk in. I believe he directed some as well.
| Don't forget this guy! Might be my favorite show. I miss Banacek! |
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Yeah, McGoohan definitely directed some episodes.
“Murder under glass” with Louis Jordan
(At the end of a long, rambling email thread I like to include this picture.)
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