Columbo - Complete Season 1-10 Boxset [DVD] [2019]

I'm sure others would argue about who the "ultimate detective" is, but it's the format of "Columbo" that makes it so appealing, as well as (of course) Peter Falk's lovable portrayal of the perpetually rumpled, rain-coated detective. Amid all the other mystery shows, where the question is "whodunnit?" and you feel as if you really should have been able to work it out yourself if you'd just paid closer attention, the question in every Columbo episode is more "how will *Columbo* figure out whodunnit?" Actually, the really existential question that arises over multiple episodes / series / decades of watching, is: "does Columbo basically ID the killer from almost the beginning, and from that point is just trying to prove it, or does he really not know and just follows some instinct that draws him to the homicidal?" The fact is that Columbo generally seems to attach himself to the killer like a limpet early on, suggesting he has a strong suspicion that they did it. But then there are several episodes in which the killer strikes again, even after Columbo comes into the picture, which one might think should be avoidable if he does. ANYWAY, the main point is that every episode gets to revolve around Columbo and a famous guest star playing the killer (sometimes a second famous person plays another role), resulting in numerous delicious scenes in which they play a game of cat and mouse. Patrick McGoohan holds the record for playing the killer no fewer than four times, while Jack Cassidy and Robert Culp both played the killer three times - how lovely to be able to write that without worrying about spoilers (as one might in a typical mystery show). My personal favourite episode is "Make Me a Perfect Murder" from season 7, in which guest star Trish Van Devere plays Kay, a TV network executive who decides to off her boss, who is also her lover, when he's promoted to New York but fails to recommend her for his former job. As a whole, I suppose this episode could be viewed as unfortunate in terms of portraying women in the workplace as expecting to sleep their way to the top even if they lack talent - HOWEVER, Van Devere plays Kay as having such verve and competence, such that sleeping with her boss seems incidental (or maybe pragmatic and cynical - but hey, she also murders him, so she's not going for the ethics award!) Aside from the acting, which is great throughout, the best bits in my view are the music (by Patrick Williams) and direction (by James Frawley) - especially during the scene in which Kay has to move very quickly through the building to both carry out the murder and establish her alibi, in which we hear her pre-recorded voice, noting how long she has left, over a beautiful minor key fugue that conveys her growing urgency and desperation. In each episode, there is a typically a "trick" devised by the killer that Columbo needs to figure out (such as a clever alibi, or a claim to psychic powers) and/or a trick that Columbo plays to catch the killer (often involving lying to them in some way)... and we can always expect at least one "Oh, just one more thing" per episode as Columbo appears to leave but then returns to keep the killer just a bit annoyed with him and off balance. But the best episodes are usually those in which the killer has some admiration for Columbo, and vice versa. There is a big gap between seasons 7 and 8 (1978 to 1989), and in my view the earlier seasons are better, although in fact I liked most of the season 8 episodes too ("Sex and the Married Detective" is another one in which Williams' score shines for a female killer, and it was also directed by Frawley). But somehow by the 1990s the writers seemed to have forgotten what made Columbo so special: the uncertainty and mystique about whether he really does suspect the killer from the start; the way we'd always see him discussing the case with the killer, not other cops; I think there was even an episode in which we the audience didn't know whodunnit, which for Columbo was simply wrong! Yet I'm still looking forward to watching these episodes again when I get to them, because even when it wasn't "perfect", Columbo was still wonderful.

Bought this for my mum for Christmas then ended up buying it for myself too. It's TV that doesn't age. Picture quality is good and clean. Also includes the original pilot episode where Columbo has a completely different character and looks. Very cool. Outer box is sturdy and strong. It's a bit fiddly with the paper slides for disks so not sure how long it will last but if cared for I'd say it will. Gives easier access if watching a few in a row. Would buy again. Great value for money and a fantastic gift.

Every episode. Fantastic. He makes the best omelettes

A wonderful collection of quality plots and the inevitable game of cat and mouse. Easy viewing

Husband loves these really good quality

Since PRIME stopped streaming the movies, I was left with no alternative but to buy the box set. Actually these were the first DVDs I've bought in many a year. All the episodes of the classic show are here, slapped onto barebones DVDs and crammed into what might be the most awkward box set ever produced. Some of the older videos have nasty artefacts, but do you really care? It's Columbo! And it's cheap! Get it!

Picture and sound quality are very good for such a classic series. Would recommend this product to anyone.

Great to have all these marvellous shows in an easy to use box set.

The Playback UK Season 1-10 edition is great. True - the packaging leaves a lot to be desired, with 34 disks packed into a smallish case and not even a listing of episodes (though I guess that's why we have the internet). However - the video quality is great. It's non-interlaced PAL 576 in very a crisp transfer. The extra lines of resolution mean that this will be superior to the NTSC US version (which only goes up to 480). Hence, even though its only DVD quality it still looks great on a large screen TV with everything appearing very sharp. It isn't HD - but, with this as your starting source, if you have the right upscaling software you can get as good an approximation as is possible until someone actually releases a BD edition. All seasons, except season 3, have subtitles. The collection seems complete - as the name says. Season 1 includes the 1968 and 1971 pilots. Season 10 appears to also include the so-called "movies" taking us up to 2003's "Columbo Enjoys the Nightlife" which was the very last Columbo outing. Highly recommended. The shows, themselves, are what you'd expect. Very enjoyable and relaxing to watch - character-driven and entertaining without resorting to too many loud bangs and car chases. The format means that you know up front who did it (I think with the exception of one episode) - and its just a matter of seeing Columbo's interplay with the characters and how he finally figures it out. Each episode is full of faces that you'd recognise from days gone by - including a few who pop up again and again in various guises across the 10 seasons Edit: Looks like three episodes in Season 10 (e12, e13) are interlaced ... needing a bit more work to upscale. Colour grading in some later episode is also slightly off. I see that a US Region-coded BD version for seasons 1-7 is now available with remaining seasons likely due soon also.

Pas de traduction francaise . Produit renvoye par colissimo avec accuse de reception aussitot a amazon retour produit orleans.

Ich habe wirklich schon sehr viel an Kriminalserien gesehen doch nach wie vor nichts kommt an Peter Falk als Inspektor Columbo heran. Auf diese Box habe ich sehr lange gewartet und endlich kann man Columbo in vollem Umfang genießen und das in einer tollen schlichten Holzbox mit Booklet zu allen Eckdaten der Serie. Der Preis geht absolut in Ordnung und für das z.T. hohe Alter der Folgen ist die Qualität der Filme wirklich super. Oft wiederkehrende Schauspieler und hoher Wiedererkennungswert (Hund, Mrs Columbo, Auto oder Mantel) machen Columbo zu einer absoluten Kultserie und die spannende sowie intelligente Aufklärung der Fälle dürften selbst jüngere Zuschauer zu denen ich mich ebenfalls zähle, vollkommen begeistern. Einfach nur unerreicht - Absolute Kaufempfehlung, für Fans schon fast ein Muss !!

La serie genial en inglés, sólo unos pocos capítulos se pueden cambiar a otro idioma. El precio muy bueno. La caja de plástico se estropeó después de abrir un par de veces. Aún así lo recomiendo, me encanta.

Alors là !!! Seules les deux premières saisons disposent de la VF ou de sous-titres en français. Les reste du coffret, soit les 8 saisons suivantes, ne sont QUE en allemand ou anglais. Alors, quand on lit les langues disponibles dans le descriptif, on ignore totalement que cela ne couvre en rien l'intégraltié ! C'est scandaleux !