Laura

But we know that it was us that scorched the sky.

Columbo: Season 9, Episode 4 Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo (31 Mar. 1990)

What an unfortunate misfire of an episode. There were so many intriguing ideas bouncing around in this one – the fake funeral, the Rashomon-style storytelling, the audible internal dialogue of the supporting cast, the wronged spouse returning to avenge herself on Columbo – but nothing came together fluently, or even coherently for the most part. 

Additionally, it’s something of a waste of talent. Did we know that Ian McShane was a great actor back in 1990? Or had he not yet received a sufficiently toothy role to exploit his talents? Mostly, prior to Deadwood, I remember him from Lovejoy, an episode of Space 1999 and If It’s Tuesday This Must Be Belgium. I also know that he played a character with the relentlessly British name of Edwin Clutterbuck on Magnum PI once, but that’s neither here nor there.

Ditto to be said of Roscoe Lee Brown, by the way, who would have made for an INCREDIBLE murderer on some episode. A genuine missed opportunity.

One thing which definitely spoke in the episode’s favor was the introduction of young detectives to act as sounding boards for Columbo’s advice. We encounter a lot of them in the 90s episodes, and we should – Lt.Columbo would basically be an elder statesman of the LAPD Homicide Dept at this point, the rookies would be nuts not to constantly pick his brains. Still, the revolving door of assistant cops is to the concept’s detriment, since we’re robbed of evolving characterization – only Columbo should be unknowable and unchanging. If EVERY cop on the force has an unseen wife and an occluded internal life, then Columbo is the rule rather than the enjoyable exception…