I hate when Columbo is made to look like a fool, when a killer outsmarts Columbo because that goes against the whole grain of the program. Columbo is the wolf in sheep's clothing. Now this did happen in the 70s a couple of times when Columbo was wrong, but it wasn't as big as this to the story. You felt at some point that Columbo was in danger of losing his job, which is bad. It injects drama, but it takes away from the show's format. To me, the show is like comfort food that shouldn't be messed with. You can tinker with it, but don't make the majority of the show about it.
That being said, it is an ingenious plot to commit a crime and Columbo shines again at the end. I didn't think the acting was that bad, just meh.
That being said, it is an ingenious plot to commit a crime and Columbo shines again at the end. I didn't think the acting was that bad, just meh.