This episode aired March 4, 1973.
Universal’s head of post-production, Charles Clement, was a chess enthusiast who served as a technical advisor for this episode, providing the game play and dialogue for many of the scenes.
At one point, Clayton walks by the shop “Lovejoy’s Antiques”. This is a tip of the hat to the British series Lovejoy that featured a roguish antique dealer named Lovejoy who helped the downtrodden.
Actor Laurence Harvey, who played Emmett Clayton, was the father of famed British bounty hunter Domino Harvey. A heavy smoker and drinker, he died of cancer at the young age of 45, the same year this episode aired.
Peter Falk: “I remember in the show about the chess champion, I had certain problems with the clues. I didn’t think it was strong enough. I talked to them [show co-creators Levinson and Link] about it on the phone, and one of them came up with the idea of the salt shaker and the game in the restaurant.”
My thoughts on this episode in chronological viewing order…
Man, that is one trippy chess dream sequence.
How fast can that overweight 70-year-old move? He’s down that side street in a flash and then he’s gone!
At first, I was wondering “What’s with the earpiece?”. Ah, he has a hearing disability.
I love the waiter’s “Whatever” reaction to the chess playing, and then trying to just close up so he can go home – to no avail.
Instead of sneaking in the back, why not just go in through the front door at different times?
I thought we had skipped the murder entirely when Berozki comes banging on Clayton’s door, looking for Dudek. Boy, that is one cartoonish Russian accent.
Great cut to Columbo playing checkers.
Ah, nice to see his dog putting in another appearance!
“I don’t even know what a pilot light is.” You and me both.
He’s concerned about the strange noises coming from his dog – that turns out to be snoring. As a pug owner, I can tell you he got off lucky.
I find this scene of Columbo and the vet very strange. Even though he makes mention of the fact that he was called in to investigate the missing Dudek (Why?) it feels like this was just the writer honoring a request from the network to introduce the Columbo character sooner.
What a way to go. Mulched to death. This will no doubt be one of the most gruesome murders in the show’s run.
The look Columbo throws Clayton as he laments Dudek’s death suggest he’s on to him.
Aha! Dudek assumes he’s dead. But he’s not!
To be fair, I assumed he was dead too. How the hell did he survive his juicing?
Aha! Garlic on the shirt. THAT…is a bit of a reach.
I love the way Columbo sends the shirt off for analysis after manhandling, then handing it off to Sergeant Douglas who does his own fair share of manhandling. Did they not have evidence bags back then?
Couldn’t Dudek have accidentally packed the toothbrush? Hell, I once accidentally packed my wife’s panties for a trip to L.A. I wonder what Columbo would have made of that.
Clayton consoles a grieving Linda with: “You can’t take all the blame for this mess.” If I was Linda, I’d answer: “I’m not. I’m just sad. What the fuck is wrong with you?”
Columbo doesn’t know how to play chess and wants Clayton to teach him – yet earlier said he was a big fan? Of what? His hearing aid?
Aha! The notepad he wrote the note on was not in his room!
“Wish I could find someone who would benefit from his death.” Columbo just thinking out loud. Yep, sure would be nice to find someone with a clear motive…
“I like fish, anything that comes out of the water.” Again, I continue to be amazed by how alike we are.
Aha! He forgot to take his chess set with him! The circumstantial evidence continues to mount!
Love this little sequence where Clayton (and the audience) think Columbo is talking to a doctor in relation to Dudek but is really chatting with the vet in regards to his dog. Probably one of my favorite bits in this episode.
Ye olde tape-on-the-door trick works yet again.
Uh, wouldn’t the hospital have these meds? Would they really need someone to bring them from home?
Dudek looks pretty good for a guy put through the literal wringer.
Perhaps the weirdest line of the episode is this response to the increasingly unlikely attempts to resuscitate Dudek: “We aint winning.”
Then, we hear the flatline. And Columbo asks: “Is he gone?” First time in a hospital, detective? No, that just means the heart is taking a little break.
Okay, they may have thrown away the syringes but surely they could do a tox screen.
Why is Clayton holding the phone upside-down in his bed? How is he hearing the other side of the conversation?
As his ex, wouldn’t Linda be privy to the fact that Clayton has a photographic memory?
Columbo still hasn’t named his dog?
Wait. There’s a safety measure in the contraption. And he’s JUST finding out about it now? What?!!!!!
“Dog like that wouldn’t get hurt much in there.” Probably not because the fall would kill him.
Aha! His pen matches the same ink as that of the suicide note!
“Maybe the grand jury will feel differently”. Honestly? Probably not.
So what if he didn’t realize the machine was off? That doesn’t prove anything – beyond the fact that this incredibly loud machine apparently doesn’t reverberate in any way while in operation.
Columbo is pretty lucky the guy’s hearing aid wasn’t working that night. Yessireee, pretty lucky.
Hmmmm. Not one of my favorites. Clayton was too unhinged to prove much of a match for Columbo. I also noted more contrivances and leaps of logic in this episode than most of the others to date. I did, however, love Dudek and genuinely felt sorry for the affable old guy. Also, it was great to see Dog put in an appearance. All in all though, I’d consider this one less successful than many of the preceding outings.
My updated episode rankings: #1 A Stitch in Crime #2 Death Lends a Hand, #3 Suitable for Framing, #4 Dagger of the Mind #5 Requiem for a Falling Star #6 Prescription: Murder, #7 Murder by the Book/Ransom for a Dead Man (tie) #8 Etude in Black, #9 Lady in Waiting, #10 The Most Crucial Game, #11 Blueprint for Murder, #12 The Most Dangerous Match, #13 The Greenhouse Jungle #14 Dead Weight, #15 Short Fuse
Finally, let’s weigh the evidence Columbo has gathered and decide whether he has enough to secure a GUILTY verdict – or will our murderer get an ACQUITTAL? Well, in this case, I think the case against Clayton is pretty weak. He lives to play another day. ACQUITTAL.
And good news, Columbo fans! We will be continuing our rewatch by rolling into seasons 3 and 4.
Updated viewing schedule:
Monday, April 14th: Double Shock
Friday, April 18th: Lovely But Lethal
Monday, April 21st: Any Old Port in a Storm
Friday, April 25th: Candidate for Crime
Monday, April 28th: Double Exposure
Friday, May 2nd: Publish or Perish
Monday, May 5th: Mind Over Mayhem
Friday, May 9th: Swan Song
Monday, May 12th: A Friend in Deed
Friday, May 16th: An Exercise in Fatality
Monday, May 19th: Negative Reaction
Friday, May 23rd: By Dawn’s Early Light
Monday, May 26th: Troubled Waters
Friday, May 30th: Playback
Monday, June 2nd: A Deadly State of Mind
I believe the dates and episode order make sense – but feel free to correct me!
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