The sixth season of Columbo kicks off with “Fade in to Murder,” and we’re right there with it. Yes, we had to scrap our planned chat on Elaine May’s Mikey and Nicky (Mike just couldn’t stomach it), but that means we get to dive straight into William Shatner swaggering his way through one of the great villain roles of the NBC years. Chris can’t help but heap praise on Shatner’s performance as ego-fueled actor Ward Fowler, while Mike wrestles with the episode’s meta conceit, its TV-within-TV layers, and Peter Falk’s always-dependable rumpled brilliance.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shabby-detective-yet-another-columbo-podcast--5084441/support.
--------
47:13
--------
47:13
Griffin & Phoenix (1976)
Not every Peter Falk performance comes with a rumpled coat and a homicide to solve. In this episode, we take a look at Griffin & Phoenix, a 1976 made-for-TV gem that finds Falk in rare romantic form. As Geoffrey Griffin, a terminally ill professor, Falk trades sharp wit for quiet heartbreak opposite Jill Clayburgh’s Phoenix, a fellow traveler on a limited timeline. What might sound like a recipe for melodrama turns into something far more poignant and disarming, with Falk giving one of his most restrained and vulnerable performances. We dig into the film’s TV-movie roots, its place in the 1970s “disease-of-the-week” wave, and how its frank, unvarnished take on death—and love—holds up nearly fifty years later. It’s Peter Falk without the trench coat, but not without charm, soul, and a monologue or two.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shabby-detective-yet-another-columbo-podcast--5084441/support.
--------
31:30
--------
31:30
Last Salute to the Commodore
It’s here. The one we’ve all been bracing for: Last Salute to the Commodore. As the final episode of Columbo’s fifth season and a proposed ending place for the entire NBC run, it manages to sink the ship with an almost gleeful disregard for coherence, tone, and character. Mike and Chris try to make sense of the chaos—was it Jackson Gillis’s bewildering script? Patrick McGoohan’s direction? Peter Falk’s performance? Or all of the above? Whatever happened, the result is a baffling, self-sabotaging parody of the show itself. Come for the messy nautical metaphors, stay for the analysis of Columbo’s most infamous misfire.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shabby-detective-yet-another-columbo-podcast--5084441/support.
--------
48:30
--------
48:30
Columbo Explains the Seventies
In this special bonus episode of The Shabby Detective, Mike White sits down with author Glenn Stewart to discuss his insightful and wildly entertaining book Columbo Explains the ’70s: A TV Cop’s Pop Culture Journey. Stewart’s book explores the cultural and historical shifts of the 1970s—from Watergate to disco, second-wave feminism to fast food—with the trench-coated sleuth as our shrewd, inquisitive guide.Mike and Glenn dive into the origins of the project, the writing process behind channeling Columbo’s voice, and how Stewart cultural criticism and TV history into a distinctive, illuminating take on the decade. Whether you're a fan of the show or just obsessed with ’70s Americana, this episode is for you.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shabby-detective-yet-another-columbo-podcast--5084441/support.
--------
31:37
--------
31:37
Now You See Him
The great Santini takes center stage—but Lieutenant Columbo isn’t impressed by smoke and mirrors. In this episode of The Shabby Detective, Mike and Chris shine a spotlight on Now You See Him, the 1976 Columbo classic starring Jack Cassidy in his final turn as a Columbo killer. Cassidy plays the arrogant nightclub magician who thinks he can make murder disappear, but the rumpled detective sees right through the act.Chris and Mike unpack the episode’s sleight-of-hand plotting, its eerie undertones of Nazism and blackmail, and Cassidy’s show-stealing performance. Along the way, they ponder Robert Loggia’s mustache, comment on the trickery of typewriter ribbons, and debate whether this outing is one of Columbo’s best.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shabby-detective-yet-another-columbo-podcast--5084441/support.
Over The Shabby Detective: Yet Another Columbo Podcast
Podcasters Chris Stachiw (The Kulturecast) and Mike White (The Projection Booth) look at the enduring character of Lt. Columbo (Peter Falk) and his creators.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shabby-detective-yet-another-columbo-podcast--5084441/support.
Netherlands