Last updated: June 24, 2026. More for You ...

Lieutenant Columbo, played with average Joe charm and unshowy, easy-to-miss dexterity by Peter Falk, is more than meets the eye — to the bad guys, not us, because we know how things will turn out.

There’s something I’ve never loved about the way shows like Columbo, Elsbeth, and Poker Face are structured. We know who did it before the detective even walks into the room. The body’s still warm, ...