Columbo: The Complete First Season

Arguably the best detective series in TV history, Columbo starred Peter Falk, who justifiably won four Emmys over the years playing the indefatigable cop with a cigar, rumpled raincoat, and uncanny knack for putting his finger on the one mistake that invariably trips up the suave murderer whom we've witnessed committing the crime but who dismisses the bedraggled little fellow as hopelessly out of his league. (The mind boggles to ponder the fact that the series' creators, William Link and Richard Levinson, first wanted Bing Crosby for the title role!) This collection contains beautiful transfers of the two TV-movie pilots, Prescription: Murder and Ransom for a Dead Man, that persuaded NBC to schedule Columbo as part of its rotating Sunday night Mystery Movie package, and the seven episodes that comprised its first season in 1971-72. The quality of the nine programs varies somewhat, of course, but is remarkably high overall, with not a single clunker among them. The highlight is probably Murder by the Book--a brilliant puzzler written by the young Steven Bochco, starring perfect villain Jack Cassidy, and directed by a kid just starting out in the business named Steven Spielberg--but the others, featuring the likes of Gene Barry, Ross Martin, Robert Culp, and Roddy McDowall, aren't far behind. This is a wonderful set, marred only by a complete lack of extras--a real crime, especially since the fifth disc contains only a single episode (under 75 minutes). Still, this is highly recommended. (F. Swietek)