Very often there is such a situation that in the film there are not so many characters who are familiar with each other by idea, but in addition to a couple of on-duty phrases, the characters simply have nothing to say. This happens for the simple reason that writers do not pay due attention to the characters of the second plan. The latter act as crutches for the plot, nothing more. It's very sad. No, I understand, the corner will always be the plot of the story, but well-designed characters of the second plan make the world of the picture alive, real. And fortunately for everyone here, that's what our film is today. Alive. There are characters here who not only talk to each other, but they refer to cases from the past over and over again. Yes, we will not know much details, but it is not very important. This shows that the heroes had a life before the terrible events that occurred in the film and it is very possible that they will have a life after, and this is a good sign.
So, the main character, and in combination and the killer in this story is Roger Stanford, the holder of a share of one chemical company. To describe the character of this person can only be one word - "cartoon". Remember the characters in Bugs Bunny or Who Framed Roger Rabbit? That’s exactly how Rodi McDowell’s character behaves, in the worst sense of the word. He is irritable, loud, overly agitated, and jokes only make him smile, while others they are very upset. Of course, there are such people in reality. I have been in contact with one such person for a while. Fortunately, not for long. After all, behind the mask of a carefree fool hides a sharp mind and black thoughts. This statement was true of a friend of mine, and it is also true of Roger Stanford. The young man gives a charming smile, tells silly jokes and looks more than harmless, except that he does not work anywhere and lives at the expense of his aunt, who owns a chemical plant. This state of affairs is much disliked by the husband of an elderly woman, David Buckner, and therefore he is trying to blackmail Roger to give up his shares and go away.
Such news is very upsetting Roger and he, like any self-respecting character of the series Colombo decides to fix the problem in the old, proven way. A young man creates an improvised bomb, hidden in a cigar box, which Devin Buckner smokes with enviable periodicity and with undisguised pleasure hears the next day that the shantigister is dead and can continue to behave like the last bastard. Only one blackmailer is dead, that's right. But the second appears, in the person of Lieutenant Colombo, who will follow Roger on his heels and unnerve the young man with his questions. Uh, Lieutenant, we love you for that, but if Rody McDowell's character offers you a cigar, don't take it. I don't think it's too much.
This series, unlike all those that were before and which will be after notable actors, as the main and secondary roles, and not the investigation itself. In the first case, the actors did not give anything extraordinary, and in the second, the investigation was pushed to the background. The series is primarily remarkable for the elaboration of the world itself and here each action of the characters leads to certain consequences, sometimes good, but most often bad. Here, Peter Falk’s character is less talkative than usual and he only watches with a slight smile how Roger Stanford talks to others, not forgetting to make notes in his notebook and repeatedly referring to the fact that the police lieutenant is very weak in chemistry. Yeah, weak. How weak Colombo is in chemistry has been demonstrated by the Death in the Ocean series. However, Peter Falk’s character was not sidelined. He is still the main character of this show and proof of that scene on the funicular. And there will be two of them, and knowing Lieutenant Colombo's "love" for height, they will be extremely remarkable. I can’t say more, because the spoiler, you know, but these scenes cut into the memory that one, the second.
Outcome? Another extremely curious series, where Lieutenant Colombo encounters a cunning manipulator who hides behind the mask of a fool. Here again, read no evidence, and therefore the hero of Peter Falk have to act blind, while the hero of Rody McDowell with a confident grin will look at the attempts of the policeman and attempts to make ends meet. And we must pay tribute to the criminal – he will not only disparage the work of the police, but he will forge and destroy evidence to get rid of all charges. In general, the series is perfect for passing the evening, and more is not necessary.
7 out of 10