Review of Double Exposure

I cannot blame "Columbo" for this entirely, but the science behind "Double Exposure" is pure bunk. It seems that back in the early 70s, with books like "Subliminal Seduction", folks were convinced that brief frames of information could be subconsciously observed and processed...leading to changes in behavior. For example, if a movie had one frame out of the usual 24 per second replaced with a photo of soft drinks, the theory was that people wouldn't notice it BUT would be drawn to visit the snack bar and buy a soda. A great idea...but one which has not been borne out by research. So, while in 1973 it seemed like a great idea for a "Columbo" episode, by now folks would often realize that the foundation for the show was in error.

Dr. Kepple (Robert Culp, in his 3rd appearance on the show) hates Vic Norris. So, he concocts a very complicated plan (including the use of subliminal messages in films) to kill the man and get away with it. The problem is that Columbo is on the case and eventually you know that the brilliant doctor will be exposed for the murderer that he is.

Apart from the faulty science, this is an interesting and even enjoyable episode. You cannot fault the writers for using the subliminal angle...talk about it was the rage back in the early 1970s. But it makes for a silly plot when seen today. The same could be said for the use of a tape recorder to build an alibi.