This is an end of season episode which usually means (at least on American television) that it is going to be the weakest episode of the year. Short Fuse from the first season was at the end of the season and Falk called it the worst of the year. This end of season episode comes after nearly completing 5 seasons of Columbo, and I imagine all involved were getting a little worn out (perhaps bored) with the show like McGoohan was getting with Secret Agent/Danger Man before quitting it. The result here is an original Columbo if only because it is so bizarre.
I am a bigger fan of The Prisoner and Secret Agent than I am a Columbo fan so i rate this episode higher than most because it has a strange flare like some episodes of The Prisoner. There aren't any nods to that series like in Identity Crisis but McGoohan does have a certain style that is evident. Offbeat. The very first shot has a close up of a boat named "Titanic" and we see how tiny it is as the camera pulls away to tue sound of some sea shanty being awkwardly sung.
Peter Falk loved working with McGoohan and I think they together came up with some improvised scenes. The reason for this may have been a script that was on the short side and they needed to fill time. I think that is more likely the reason some strangely comic scenes go on a little long like Columbo trying to meditate or the yelling scene with Fred.
This scores points for originality and for having the distinction of not revealing so much early on for a uniquely different payoff in the end. This also has less unbelievableplotholes leading up to the conclusion than other episodes. Some universally loved episodes have plotholes like having details that a detective as sharp as Columbo would never miss but he somehow does for the sake of maintaining the narrative like not checking phone records to prove where a call the killer claims took place actually did take place.
I am a bigger fan of The Prisoner and Secret Agent than I am a Columbo fan so i rate this episode higher than most because it has a strange flare like some episodes of The Prisoner. There aren't any nods to that series like in Identity Crisis but McGoohan does have a certain style that is evident. Offbeat. The very first shot has a close up of a boat named "Titanic" and we see how tiny it is as the camera pulls away to tue sound of some sea shanty being awkwardly sung.
Peter Falk loved working with McGoohan and I think they together came up with some improvised scenes. The reason for this may have been a script that was on the short side and they needed to fill time. I think that is more likely the reason some strangely comic scenes go on a little long like Columbo trying to meditate or the yelling scene with Fred.
This scores points for originality and for having the distinction of not revealing so much early on for a uniquely different payoff in the end. This also has less unbelievableplotholes leading up to the conclusion than other episodes. Some universally loved episodes have plotholes like having details that a detective as sharp as Columbo would never miss but he somehow does for the sake of maintaining the narrative like not checking phone records to prove where a call the killer claims took place actually did take place.