This episode first aired April 29, 1990.
The part of Trish Fairbanks was played by Shera Danese, wife of Peter Falk who makes about a half dozen appearances over the course of the show’s run. She also sings the unmemorable rock song off the top.
The part of Sgt. Habach was played by Sondra Currie who was the wife of director/producer Alan Levi. Apparently , Levi was reluctant to cast Danese while Falk was equally reluctant to cast Currie but in the end they came to an understanding and both wives were cast…perhaps to the detriment of this episode.
Dabney Coleman received an Emmy nomination for his portrayal of Hugh Creighton but ended up losing out.
My thoughts on this episode in chronological viewing order…
Man, this 90’s soft rock song is dire. “I was running like a shadow on a hungry street”. The lyrics stink.
Ah, the classic unfaithful wife.
Oof, this cheeseball cliche P.I. with his fedora.
What is she wearing? Hip boots? Personally, I think they’re an evergreen fashion statement.
Are there any sort of safety regulations on this work site?
Why is he replacing the cork and foils. Is this another sloppy switcheroo like the cigarette butts from last episode.
Now THIS twist I like – sparing the lover to frame him for the wife’s murder.
Columbo’s peugeot always makes an entrance with its trademark backfire.
Nice to see a familiar face in recurring lab guy George.
The victim was his nephew’s favorite singer? Really?
Boy, that redhead sergeant’s make-up is mighty thick. It’s like she’s one of those strippers who dress up as cops.
What’s so weird about opening two bottles of champagne in the kitchen. This feels like a reach.
Hugh Creighton’s courtroom antics really seem juvenile in comparison to the formidable Leslie Williams from “Ransom for a Dead Man”.
I do like the fact that, given his position as a criminal prosecutor, it makes sense for Creighton to be personally involved in this case – and for Falk to apprise him of any updates.
Trish puts the screws to Creighton and, in the following scene, it’s Creighton putting the screws to Columbo. I do like these moments where Columbo finds himself in the vulnerable position of being pressured by his higher-ups.
New York steaks? I’m more of a rib-eye guy.
“Well, I’m not too hungry myself so…” Orders the New York Steak medium-rare, asparagus with Hollondaise sauce, roast potatoes, and the shrimp salad to start and a Caesar salad. Oh, and the fresh corn.” My favorite moment in this episode.
Maybe she took one of his pills by mistake? Nice try, Hugh.
What is going on in this scene where he’s painstakingly recreating the photo of the champagne bottles and annoying the cranky cleaning lady. Unnecessary padding – and not very funny.
The Mystery of the Missing Cork!
He notices the dust from the vent. Eagle-eye!
Trish is promoted so, of course, she needs to redecorate. A cringeworthy scene.
He so loves his champagne that he keeps a dozen bottles in his office. I would critique this is pretty preposterous if not for the fact that, during the production of Dark Matter, I had about 60 bottles of whiskey in my office.
Who is this policewoman kicking in doors? Are they auditioning her for her own spinoff series?
What is this nonsense with the busty mermaid? WTF is going on with the toothless drunk? I’m assuming there’s in the basement that feeds up to the fishtanks/screen, but surely it can’t be two-way. How do Columbo and the mermaid see the drunk watching them?
I do like the Little Richard number.
Is this guy’s British accent legit? It sounds…off.
The PI’s name is Sam Marlowe? Really? The homage just comes off as incredibly cheesy.
What’s the point of this crazed car ride with Creighton?
Peanut butter and raisin sandwich. I do recall him making himself one in a previous episode. Our hero has particular tastes.
Oh, man, I had a bad feeling when they mentioned the “Japanese gardener” and, sure enough, this stereotype is awful.
$175 bottle of champagne would cost you about a grand today.
How convenient that he bought the 2 star champagne but his wife only bought the 1 star champagne. A pretty clunky set-up for a clue.
Columbo under pressure to back off!
How to explain this speeding ticket in Pasadena at the time of the murder? Now that is a twist I didn’t see coming.
Columbo checking the speed trap photos. What is he looking for?
Of course Columbo has to wear his driving glove and hat.
He surmises it was a photo of someone wearing a paper mask based on the way the light falls? Come on.
Haaaaang on a minute. So Creighton got Trish to don a mask of his face and get a speeding ticket in Pasadena and she did so, no questions asked? Did he not realize that the moment word of the murder got out that she would suspect him? THIS is a brilliant prosecutor?
I have to admit, that Columbo mask is pretty creepy.
“The tree that rains berries.”? Seriously? He couldn’t just park the car where he took it? He had to park it two blocks up? GTFO.
The final scene of Columbo driving with the boom box playing the dreadful song is a pretty fitting close to this episode.
Loved Dabney Coleman, but this episode was a stinker. Clever, this script was not. All of the clues and detective work in this one felt false and really don’t hold up under scrutiny. The glove marks on the victim’s throat match the marks on the trunk…but so what? Who’s to say it was Creighton? The ending could have been somewhat saved by having Trish be part of the Gotcha scene but, apparently, the “actress” got into a row with hubby Falk and stormed off the set, forcing them to rewrite the scene. Oof.
Finally, I haven’t been considering the evidence of these later episodes with the intent of judging whether the murderer would be found guilty or not but, in this case, there’s no doubt – Creighton walks.
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You’re tough! I didn’t mind the episode but it wasn’t a favorite. Great review and I’d agree with you.
Did that red haired cop lady remind you of one of Charlie’s Angles? When she rushed into that room near the end and pushed Columbo aside, my eyes rolled up into my head. Meanwhile, Columbo’s heart rate didn’t even spike.
My thoughts in order:
I’d keep a secret copy of the tape for protection if I was that private investigator.
The main house and the beach house were very nice!
I wondered why the girlfriend greeted Dabney’s character at work (after being locked out of the house) as if nothing had happened? This must be a familiar dance between the two of them.
I’ve heard about beach combers but it seems like a ridiculous concept.
I miss boom boxes.
Dabney’s courtroom antics= 🤯. Reminds me of Michael Connelly’s Mickey Haller character.
That opening statement in Dabney’s trial would have lead me to convict his client: “Look at those eyes. Does this look like the eyes of a killer” Yes.
Dabney’s character manipulating the body was weird. Just look at the Xrays.
Carpet on the beach house’s outside stairs?
I could NOT handle the politics of Columbo’s job. He was going to have to tip toe around to solve this crime.
A weak episode but entertaining.
“The ending could have been somewhat saved by having Trish be part of the Gotcha scene but, apparently, the “actress” got into a row with hubby Falk and stormed off the set, forcing them to rewrite the scene. Oof.” I really dislike working with the boss’s wife. You can’t speak freely and you have to watch every step.
Yeah, I do wonder how the rest of the cast felt working with Falk’s wife. The fact that she was so unprofessional that she stormed off the set is one thing – but having her back for TWO MORE episodes is something else.
First of all, thank you for the excellent review. Secondly, after the “Murder of a Rock Star”, I have to revise what I had said about the previous episode ( starring George Hamilton as a villain). That was a very good episode as compared to this “Festival of Wives”. However, I must confess I loved the good food and the champagne. Overall, it was a tasty and bubbling episode… and your review was the perfect desert!
testing, testing, testing. Just making sure it will accept my comment. Sometimes it doesn’t and I don’t have the strength to type it again.
I will check the spam folder to see if any past posts may have been swallowed up.
My thoughts in order:
Here we go again with another PG17 ep. She sleeping with others too?
I wouldn’t fight with someone on top floor of construction site.
Living together for 4 years. His mistress. He’s married. She wants 5 million to keep quiet.
There is the motive.
Gardener every Wednesday at Rockingham’s.
Spiking champaign bottle using syringe. The hole was clearly visible.
Boyfriend passes out.
Huge dressed as gardener to catch them together. He replaces cork with hole.
Huge tidy-ups bottles and glasses in kitchen. Shouldn’t he take that to the bedroom?
Boyfriend wakes to find her dead next to him. I thought her body was too neatly placed in bed. He runs away.
$299 for a boombox.
Huge did terrible job raking out his footprints in sand.
Columbo practically laying on the body!
Huge is a murder lawyer. Comedy in the courtroom.
She was murdered between 3-4 yesterday.
Huge’s assistant? blackmails him. He confesses to her. She wants to marry him but will settle for a partnership in firm. Deal.
Columbo meets Huge in nice restaurant and orders a ton of food, steak, etc. Shows Huge report of death and autopsy.
Columbo goes to crime scene. Sassy maid is there. He sees white paint dust ON TOP of pictures. Not believable with how short Columbo is. Opens vent where camera was.
Huge’s new partner girl is redecorating!
Columbo goes to boyfriend’s apartment. Does he always have his pants 1/2 unzipped??
I’ve never seen a tiny mermaid like that before! That was freaky!
Little Richard!
Columbo eating Peanut Butter and Raisins!
Huge realizes Columbo thinks he did it. Gets mad and goes to Columbo’s boss. Loved this scene.
Huge has no alibi until new partner pulls speeding ticket from purse they got in mail that morning. Speeding ticket by camera!
Columbo takes ticket to camera company.
Very complicated. The driver was wearing paper mask of murderer? (But who was driving at time of murder?)
Also, his car was parked under tree that drops berries. That’s MY kind of luck!
My notes stop here.
I think a good lawyer would get him off on all charges based on hard to believe evidence.
Yes, I agree. The evidence against him is as flimsy as the writing on this episode.
I really like this episode – one of my favorites in the newer batch. I don’t know why…maybe it’s the stereotypical Japanese gardener. 😉
das
Das – yeah, I actually liked this one too. And everybody knows the best gardeners are Hispanic. Oooops….
Also, I just realized I misspelled Hugh (Huge = Hugh) all through my review. I can be so annoying sometimes… Frequently… All the time…
And Joe, once you hit the send Comment button, the system will either say “Comment Sent” or give you some sort of Failed Code. Then you know it went nowhere. Not even to your Spam Folder. Once I typed my comment 3 times before giving up. Now I quit after the first time. Too tried to fight with it.
That’s odd.