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Category: Episode

Skipping Cigars, Giving up Beer, No More Chili

March 6, 2016
12 Comments

Episode Card - An Exercise in Fatality

In “An Exercise in Fatality,” gymnasium chain magnate Milo Janus’ (Robert Conrad) business double-dealings are about to be exposed by a disgruntled franchisee! What’s his wisest course of action? Why, cancel the fellow’s contract with a metal pipe to the throat and make it look like a tragic gym accident! As Columbo tries to put it all together, you’ll be plunged into a world of vitamins, sweaty dudes, X-rated Italian horror films, soulless bureaucracy, and Jim Rockford’s ladyfriend in a bikini. Critic Phil Dyess-Nugent is here to spot Jon and RJ as they try to lift the heavy, heavy barbell of 70s murder show recapping.

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You Call That a Lining?

February 21, 2016
18 Comments

Episode Card - Agenda for Murder

GOTV! Time to vote for your candidate for killer with a mustache in a 90s Columbo who’s tripped up by not finishing a tiny snack. Your clear choice is Patrick McGoohan, in “Agenda for Murder.” McGoohan (who also directs) is Oscar Finch, a criminal defense attorney and political fixer whose ambitions are put in jeopardy when a racketeer threatens to expose some past sins in exchange for a favor. Instead of a favor, the guy gets a faked suicide. Not a good IOU. Anyway, it’s a great chance to see late-era Lt. Columbo go up against one of the best villains from the 70s run. Joining the show are guests Chris Sims (Movie Fighters, War Rocket Ajax, X-Men ’92) and Matt Wilson (Movie Fighters, War Rocket Ajax, Copernicus Jones: Robot Detective).

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A Cold Supper, a Hot Tub and Bed

January 4, 2016
8 Comments

Episode Card_Rest in Peace Mrs Columbo

Hopefully, “Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo” will put lie to the “There is no Mrs. Columbo” conspiracy theories out there. Because, in this one, someone actually tries to take out the Lieutenant’s wife! Helen Shaver plays Vivian DiMitri, a crooked real estate agent whose husband was sent to the pen by Columbo a few years ago. The guy died in the joint, so she kills her boss (who may have ratted the husband out), mostly to bring Columbo into the case. Her grand plan to take down Columbo? Find his wife’s favorite type of toast spread, apparently. Illustrator Stevie VanBronkhorst (@spoolses)is here to help Jon and RJ make some sense of all of this. Also, we all learn a bit about the wonderful town of Warrenton, Virginia.

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CRMNOLG

December 19, 2015
8 Comments

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In the later episode, “Columbo Goes to College,”  Columbo goes to a college. There you go.

Wait, no, there’s more- while Columbo’s at the college, guest lecturing before a criminology course, the professor is murdered. Thankfully for justice, the Lieutenant was the one who drew the short straw to be there that night and get the case. Not so thankfully for the two rich frat guys who engineered the murder (Via a gun under the hood of a monster truck?), the Lieutenant was the one who drew the short straw to be there that night and get the case. Also, Robert Culp is sort of in this, but he doesn’t murder anyone, so that’s a bit of a wash. This was not an easy episode. Comedian Richard Massara returns to talk about the whole thing, along with murder cars, buckets of cocaine, and lots of imagined backstory.

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I Get Paid Not to Count

November 29, 2015
13 Comments

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“Lady in Waiting” stars Susan Clark as Beth Chadwick, heiress to the fabled Chadwick advertising fortune. When she shoots her brother after years of his holding her back and trying to sabotage her relationship with Leslie Nielsen, Columbo is the only one who sees not a tragic accident, but a calculated murder. Daniel Kibblesmith (Late Show with Stephen Colbert) and Jennifer Wright (It Ended Badly: Thirteen of the Worst Breakups in History) join Jon and RJ to talk about Strawberry Shortcake hats, 1971’s most popular whiskey, creepy haunted baby dolls, the best way to propose to someone on Wall Street and oh, so much more.

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It Happened

November 15, 2015
10 Comments

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Robert Culp’s first outing as a killer is a really, really good one, the first season’s “Death Lends a Hand.” When an attempt at blackmailing newspaper publisher Ray Milland’s wife turns into murder, private detective Culp makes sure that his firm is involved in the investigation. Of course, he doesn’t count on Columbo being assigned to the case and his attempts to derail the inquiry never trick the Lt. for one second. Hollywood personality J.D. Ryznar (Yacht Rock, Drunk History) joins Jon and RJ to break it all down.

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Barney, Shut Up

November 1, 2015
5 Comments

All In The Game_Episode

In “It’s All in the Game,” Faye Dunaway is a very wealthy woman (who throws awful-looking parties) plotting with Claudia Christian to murder the gambling Lothario who’s been two-timing them both. When Lt. Columbo is assigned to the case, Dunaway tries to distract him with gifts, smooching and cocktail dates. Wait, what? Columbo, unfaithful to Mrs. Columbo? Say it ain’t so! Well, turns out it ain’t. Who’s playing the game in the title? You might be surprised. A very patient Carolita Johnson (The New Yorker, carolita.org) returns to the show to listen to Jon and RJ jabber incessantly about Cheers robots, kink shaming, John Finnegan, lesbian signifiers and oh, so much more.

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I Need Another Bum for This Wall

October 4, 2015
9 Comments

Episode Card_Butterfly in Shades of Grey

In “Butterfly in Shades of Grey,” William Shatner is popular conservative talk radio host Fielding Chase. He’ll do anything to advance his political agenda and sphere of power, as well as keep his adopted daughter Victoria close. You see, Fielding was in love with Victoria’s late mother and for him, creepily, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. When she is on the verge of leaving to seek a literary career, Chase murders her friend who set it all in motion. What follows is actually a rather good episode of Columbo! Shatner ended up two-for-two! Also keeping that perfect record is our returning guest, Alex Knapp (Forbes).

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Quid Quo Pro

September 20, 2015
9 Comments

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In “A Friend in Deed,” (dir. Ben Gazzara!) Richard Kiley is an LA police commissioner who helps a pal cover up the murder of his wife. Then, on top of it, Kiley tries to crisscross-Strangers-on-A-Train the guy into helping with the murder of his wife! Not cool. How does Columbo manage the case when he suspects the boss’ boss’ boss? Pretty well, actually. Author and critic Ron Hogan (Beatrice.com, The Stewardess Is Flying the Plane!: American Films of the 1970s) talks about what is an awfully good episode and our odd meta theories (Did you know that television is an organism? It’s true, ask your pastor!). Plus, Jon & RJ address a recent serious item.

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I Think I’m Too Suspicious

September 6, 2015
9 Comments

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Ever wonder exactly where Columbo came from? Well, wonder no more, as we delve into the origins of the show while talking about “Prescription: Murder,” the TV movie that started everything. Okay, well, first there was the short story, then the play, then the 1950s anthology show episode, then this, but it’s all covered in the podcast. Gene Barry is Dr. Ray Fleming, the first in a long, long line of homicidal rich and powerful jerks who don’t count on Lt. Columbo being so awfully good at his job. Tilt Araiza (The Sitcom Club) joins Jon and RJ with an astonishing amount of research and knowledge in the field of Columbology. This is the one that started it all and it’s rather in place from the get-go.

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