Simply brilliant.

The television series Columbo started out as a TV movie in 1968 and later in 1971 there was another TV movie. In that same year, Columbo aired as a television series. The series is a mystery drama that revolves around Lieutenant Columbo (Peter Falk). Columbo is a well respected LAPD homicide detective, who has a unique way of solving crimes. Unlike many others, he has the ability to see things in a crime scene that others miss. The series is one of my favorite mysteries. It is riveting, gripping, and entertaining.

What really makes this series strong is the way that Falk handles his character. Unlike other detective mysteries, the main character is not dashing, handsome, charming, and overtly intelligent, but rather, Columbo is simply himself, a scruffy trench coat wearing cigar smoking detective. While Columbo isn't the physically handsome or dashing hero, he is still very likely. Falk carries his role exceptionally well, making Columbo feel like a real person.

Part of Columbo's charm is that he does not come off as a very intelligent investigator. He appears to be an average looking guy, but it becomes apparent that he is very smart when watching him work a case. He has the ability to see small things about a crime scene that others miss. These details become very important, as they turn out to be major flaws in what the perpetrator believed to be the perfect crime. Columbo's personality becomes an important part of the series, because in each episode he always manages to lure the bad guys into a false sense of security. Another great aspect of Columbo's personality is that the way he interacts with others is always worth a laugh. While not slapstick funny, he has this way that he can annoy suspects and drive them crazy that it comes off comical.

In this second season, there are a total of eight episodes, six of which are 90 minutes long. The other two are two hour long episodes. In the beginning of each episode, the crime is unveiled, which generally takes 30 minutes. During which, the entire crime is revealed, including important whodunit details--(the who, the why, the where, the when, and the how). The remainder of the episode is spent with Columbo slowly unveiling the truth and finding some way to connect the perpetrator to the crime.

The criminals are generally from the upper class and they are very smart about the way they conduct the 'perfect crime'. They cover all angles, like issues dealing with forensics--fingerprints, footprints, murder weapon, and so on, such that Columbo and the rest of the Los Angeles Police Department have nothing solid to track the criminal to the crime. Of course, there is always one very small mistake that allows Columbo to connect the dots and reveal the truth.

As mentioned in John Sinnott's review of the first season, this generic format becomes a slight drawback of the show. In a few instances, the way that the episodes close, in how the suspect caves in and admits guilt, sometimes feels a little too weak. The weak endings are typically the major flaw with this series. However, the episodes are still carried very well.

In general, I felt that all of the second season episodes were entertaining. It is really a treat to watch Columbo weave through a web of lies and find that one loose strand that unravels the truth. For instance, the episode "Dagger of the Mind" offers Columbo in a different light. In it, our scruffy hero travels to London, England to learn the ways of British law enforcement. This is where Sherlock Holmes and the Scotland Yard became legend in mysteries of all kinds. While Columbo is there as the student, he becomes the teacher. It is that element that makes this episode standout amongst the rest. Of course, there is still plenty of mystery.

Another great episode was "The Greenhouse Jungle". What really makes this episode great isn't the story (it's still good), but rather the other interesting characters that Columbo gets to interact with. While we're used to seeing Columbo flying solo, he gets set up with a younger detective who is all about the modern (for the 80s) forensic approach to criminal investigation. However, Columbo's keen sense continues to prove itself over the young detective's methods. Another fun episode is "A Stitch in Crime", which guest stars Leonard Nimoy (Star Trek: The Original Series). I really liked having the chance to see Nimoy in a dark role.

As I have mentioned before, the stories in this second season are all quite good. They are long enough to provide abundant amounts of detail, good supporting characters, and other elements needed to create solid episodes. The second season of Columbo continues the tradition of a great series.

The DVD

Video:
The video is given in its original television aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame color. The picture quality is good considering its age. The image is a bit soft at times. For the most part, it looks good with a slight grain and no noticeable issues attributed with video compression.

Audio:
The audio in this release is in English 2.0 Dolby digital mono. The quality is quite good. The audio is fairly flat, which is due the show being dialogue driven and the mono track offers very little in terms of dynamics. There is also a portion during the third episode where the audio track sounds like it is undergoing a major distortion. However, it is a part of the episode. This release also supports closed captioning and has subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.

Extras:
There are no extras included with this release.

Final Thoughts:
Columbo is one of my favorite mystery series, and the series clearly deserves the praise. The writing offers great mysteries, without a lot of flash, but enough substance in the characters that make you want more. In addition, the way that Peter Falk carries his role as Lieutenant Columbo is both amazing and breathtaking. The second season continues to provide a great look into mystery television. It is outright fun and holds up very well against modern television programming. Columbo is great television. I highly recommend the second season.