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. Like season two, the third season of Columbo is a lot of fun. With eight long episodes running at about fifteen hours, there is more than enough Columbo to keep you busy.

This season continues in the tradition of the past seasons. Falk handles his role as Columbo with expertise. He makes his character a lot of fun to see in action. His goofy appearance and odd behavior are what make him a unique detective. He has an uncanny ability to spot the flaws in the crimes he investigates while his average appearance and odd personality lures his suspects into a false sense of security. It is simply the way Falk carries his character that makes it work.

The episodes in this season follow the same format as before. There is a mix of episodes that are 90 minutes long and two hours long. In the beginning of each episode the crime is unveiled, which can take up to 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 rest of the episode has Columbo working through the mystery and finding some way to connect the perpetrator to the crime.

The cases Columbo deals with are all high profile crimes dealing with the upper class. As such, these individuals are all quite educated and have a fair grasp on how to handle a crime. They try to cover all angles related to forensics, leaving the Los Angles Police Department with almost no leads. In some episodes the crimes are methodically planned while others are pure crimes of passion. Nonetheless, they are homicides and Columbo always manages to finds a way to get the truth out in the open.

In my second season review I made a comment that the way the episodes end is a general weakness of the series. In some of the episodes the bad guys seem to cave in and admit guilt at the end of the episodes and that felt a little too weak. After watching the third season, I have come to the conclusion I was slightly wrong. In some cases it is true, but there are also the episodes when these "weak endings" are not so weak. The perpetrators are not cold blooded killers and have no reason to act like one. So to have them cave in and admit guilt when caught isn't such a bad thing. It only adds to the fact that Columbo leaves the killer absolutely no out and without any other options.

The eight episodes included in this season are all quite exciting. Anyone who enjoys this show should enjoy them thoroughly. As for episodes that stand out, my absolute favorite of the season is "A Friend in Deed". The police commissioner helps his neighbor cover up the accidental killing of his wife. In return, he expects his neighbor to help cover up the murder of his own wife. What makes this episode interesting is the fact it is the police commissioner. He knows enough about forensics and police work to make a crime scene look as if another person committed the crime. He also has the power to direct the investigation down the wrong avenues.

Another fun episode is "Candidate For Crime". Like "A Friend in Deed", Columbo goes up against someone powerful, a corrupt senator. He has even enough political influence and knowledge about crimes to lead the investigation in the wrong way. Fortunately, Columbo's wits are always a step ahead of the bad guy. Another episode I really enjoyed is "Swan Song". It guest stars Johnny Cash as the bad guy, who isn't so bad. What I liked about this episode was Cash's character and the relationship he and Columbo developed during the investigation.

Overall, this third season is quite strong. Fans of the show should pick this up and newcomers to the series should definitely give it a try. For a great mystery with in-depth characters, well thought out stories, and little flash, Columbo is a great mystery series and should prove to be entertaining for years to come.

Episode Guide
1. Lovely But Lethal
2. Any Old Port in a Storm
3. Candidate For Crime
4. Double Exposure
5. Publish or Perish
6. Mind Over Mayhem
7. Swan Song
8. A Friend in Deed

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:
Unlike the season two box set, which had no extras to speak of, this set comes with a bonus episode for Mrs. Columbo. The spin-off series stars Kathryn Mulgrew and has her solving crimes, just as her husband Columbo, by seeing the small flaws in a crime. I think it's nice they included the episode, as I have never seen the series. In a way it has its charm, but it does not compare to the likeness of Columbo.

Final Thoughts:
Columbo is a great show and this season continues to provide excellently written stories with intricate characters without the flash of modern crime shows. This third season has enough entertainment to keep you busy for a while. And if you haven't had the chance be sure to check out season one and season two.