This episode first aired February 20, 1991.

This episode marks George Hamilton’s second appearance as a murderer after playing a killer psychiatrist in “A Deadly State of Mind”. In both episodes, a dog proves his undoing.

The second paragraph of the article that Bud Clarke hands Anders reads: “This reporter has unearthed some of Mr. Anders earlier work which, if nothing else, graphically demonstrates the shortcomings that he has had to overcome to achieve his current success in the media.”

At episode’s end, Columbo has Randy trot out his dog, Sheba for the big Gotcha moment. Randy is, coincidentally, wearing a t-shirt with the word “Gotcha” on it.

My thoughts on this episode in chronological viewing order…

The contemporary music in these later episodes always and instantly takes me out of the episode, so this non-contemporary music off the top of this episode is greatly appreciated.

Although you can see it coming, this Crime Alert fake-out intro is a lot of fun.

This episode was co-written by three female writers, one of whom was Peter Falk’s assistant.

I suspect Bud will meet the same fate as most blackmailers in this series.

He’s an ex porn star? Today, that would actually be a huge career boost!

“The rest of the evidence is on my home computer where you will never be able to access it…unless you somehow find your way into my home and choose to do so.”
“Say, why don’t we meet at my place tomorrow?”

Doctoring the security video. Shades of last episode!

That is one of the clunkiest insert shots I’ve ever seen – him checking the titles on that disk.

Holly Does Houston. Is this a sequel to Debbie Does Dallas?

Told you those things were gonna kill you.”
Touché!

Why would he feel the need to bring his own cigarette butt and ashes? What is the purpose of this misdirect?

I get why he deletes the incriminating story from the computer, but why does he feel the need to plant another story?

Both of the aforementioned feel like unnecessary steps that the writer(s) chose to include in order to set up clues for Columbo to pursue. Shame on you, ladies.

Enter Columbo, some 30 minutes in.

Love the fact that he likes dogs so much. And dogs, in turn, seem to love him.

“Obviously a heavy smoker,”he says while side eyeing Columbo and his cigar.

Why is Columbo at the scene of an apparent heart attack? As a homicide detective, must he attend the scene of all fatal heart attacks?

Aha! The case of the unsmoked cigarettes!

Sheba, the dog, is his new best friend.

I like this moment of Columbo being challenge on set. Back on Stargate, we used to have a 1st AD whose “schtick” would be to (seemingly) angrily challenge friends and family members visiting set for the first time and then, when the visitors would respond in their flustered way, he would be like “Juuuuuust kidding! Haha!”

Mrs. Columbo is a big fan of the show. Of course.

He was killed by three times the amount of nicotine! To be fair, he looked like a guy who would consume three times the amount of nicotine on a regular day.

George the lab guy! A familiar face!

Is having a different format for these stories really that suspicious? I do it all the time.

Aha! Prints on only one side of the sheet of paper!

Why is Columbo already suspicious of Anders?

Like the fact the police about to storm a motel room to capture armed and dangerous suspects have to wait for the cameras to set up first.

Great scene of Columbo availing himself of the hair and make-up department.

The fact that the cigarettes were put out in a different way suggest someone else was there. Again, why the need to plant those at the scene of the crime?

Why would Columbo be sharing breaks in the case with the suspect? It would make more sense – and be more fun – if Columbo was confiding in him given his experience in the field of crime investigation (or had Anders offer his expertise as a way of keeping abreast of any developments).

“Check on porno film” is on the victim’s to-do list?

“Hope we both have fun tonight, pal,”says the pervert in the porno shop in an unnecessarily creepy scene. Apparently, in the original script, Columbo walks up to the counter and exchanges looks with the other customer who is wearing the exact same raincoat. It would have been a quick and funny bit, but Falk and the producers wanted to really milk the moment.

If the owner of the store knows what Anders starred in a porno, then it’s really just a matter of time before it’s common knowledge – which would suggest Anders’ killing of Clarke was pointless.

Ah, the classic 90’s dance sequence.

“Is Roseanna Barr here?”
“Oh, I’d like to see her.”
Not sure if this is an inside gag but Barr was somewhat notorious for being, uh, somewhat unapproachable.

This silly car sequence takes me back to several other ill-advised comedic moments inflicted upon the unwitting Columbo audience.

Columbo in a tux and his fancy Korean dress shirt! His wife made him wear it. “Gee, she was here a minute ago.” The ever- elusive Mrs. Columbo.

Good ole Dog getting the spa treatment.

The Classic “There’s something bothering me but I don’t know what it is” moment as he reviews the security video.

Ah. The trimmed/untrimmed hedges give him away. I was wondering why the hell an office would have a glass door to outside. It didn’t make any sense at the time but now it does. It’s yet another lame illogical narrative element to set up a clue.

The claw marks on the car match the claw marks of the dog who is, conveniently, missing a claw. Hoo boy.

Hmmm. The evidence against Anders is pretty weak.

Overall, not very good. But, to be fair, I’ve watched worse. But not many. My biggest issue with this episode was the “result writing”, the insertion of illogical decisions on the part of the murderer that only serve to provide clues that will eventually lead to his downfall. Pretty lame. Also, Hamilton was a surprisingly bland villain this time out. Still, Columbo was back to his more serious self in this one and it’s always nice to see Dog.

Next up is “Columbo and the Murder of a Rock Star” which, I suspect, does not bode well for my dislike of contemporary music and fashion.