Columbo Investigates The Most Crucial Game | Columbo

[@hubertvancalenbergh9022]

The Lieutenant's face at the end is priceless.

[@christopherecatalano]

I always thought that shot was amazing. Eerie, like he is channelling all of Robert Culp's guilt in that one weird stink face of shame😂😂😂 So busted...

[@SpencerWilliamsIV]

That’s the “Got you, motherf*****” look

[@christopherecatalano]

@@SpencerWilliamsIV , he just took him all the way downtown😃

[@patrickfitzpatrick864]

!😢f​@@christopherecatalanoĺlpp?Iļ😊ĺòo⅘I

[@buckbuck9225]

As would be the defense attorneys...but it would be a smile...

[@Adept_Mel]

That little "Oh look, he did it again." 😆

[@christopherecatalano]

@seanmckenna4155 funniest scene in the episode.

[@modelcitizen2028]

10:00 Actor Robert Culp does a great job of a man under pressure as his alibi starts to crumble. The way he smokes the cigarette and holds his drink betrays his nervousness as the lieutenant moves in for the kill! Great cop TV 👮📺👍

[@marijooneill8015]

Columbo was my all time favorite show. Peter Falk had the best ever role in his show. I tried never to miss it and then watched re runs and they were still the best. Good guest stars, but Peter Falk was absolutely outstanding.

[@JPMM316]

You can see the color drain from his face when he hears that clock chime and realizes that Columbo has him.

[@Vegan123]

Ah yeah - Robert Culp - he was in few Columbo episodes - I guess back in the day of TV and watching every week it didn't matter but when you watch back to back and you see him in 3 episodes you get a laugh from it !

[@christopherecatalano]

Such an interesting actor. I always found on these Colombo episodes, it was a little bit like he was still learning his lines when he delivered them. Always kind of ramping up the agitation as his little rants went on. Comedy gold.

[@bennyhillschineseblokechar3689]

The Robert Culp episodes were all in the top 10.

[@mellowboba9298]

Columbo, world’s greatest detective. Also walks into a pool. I love this guy.

[@Mhill08]

I love how affable and friendly Columbo is, even when he's arresting someone

[@nicholasschroeder3678]

I like how he's enjoying the ice cream right before he's about to spring the trap.

[@jshannon9362]

It is a wonderful touch of the series.

[@giarc888]

I think that's the reason it was so good,you don't have to be a tough s o b .

[@nicholasschroeder3678]

@@giarc888 Somehow, too, his affability--to me--does have a touch of self-satisfied malice to it. He's springing the trap now, and he's enjoying himself. The affability has to be all the more galling to the murderer. It is a bit like the cat playing with the mouse, no?

[@giarc888]

@nicholasschroeder3678 yes very true.

[@philipbaldwin2078]

Robert Culp was awesome in Columbo episodes.

[@lisawilliams2013]

He’s probably my favorite baddie! (Jack Cassidy is another one I get a kick out of!)

[@philipbaldwin2078]

@@lisawilliams2013, yes, Cassidy was awesome too!

[@frankrizzo4460]

Yeah he always seem frustrated in the shows and unapproachable. I used to like him years later in The Greatest American Hero.

[@RDSports5]

He was. And born with the perfect name too, haha. Always CULPable, lol

[@Spruce_Bingsteen]

@@RDSports5 Good one! 😁

[@shelleymcafee8197]

I love Peter Falk, he encapsulated all the wonderful things that Columbo stands for!

[@davidmcmaster2083]

The acting that Culp does is one of the best pieces of acting I've ever seen. They don't play it thru to the end, but when he realizes he's toast, it's all in his face, from surprise to resignation.

[@MrMferg240]

busted. COLUMBO to this very day is one of the best shows ever.

[@RDSports5]

In my top 5 all time, and I would probably put it in my top 3, if Im being honest. Watched a lot of shows from 60s, 70s, 80's, 90's, 2000's, and 2010's, but this show was an absolute masterpiece in storytelling, and Peter Faulk gave a master class in creating and portraying an iconic character

[@aeonise]

The moment he reacted more strongly to hearing that the water around the pool couldn't be from the pool (turning the game off entirely) than to hearing that his "friend" had died (just turning it down) was the moment Columbo knew exactly who he was after.

[@robertwheatley2471]

In my Top 10 Columbo episode list. Robert Culp was arguably the best villain in the series but Jack Cassidy is right there also..

[@marijooneill8015]

I agree, Jack Cassidy was great. The best show ever on

[@GillAgainsIsland12]

The thing that's remarkable about Falk's performance is how he captures the focused determination of Columbo who never lets go of the case until it's solved.

[@Spruce_Bingsteen]

I love the episode where Patrick O'Neal refers to Colombo as an Arachnid (Tick) .... 'excessively tenacious' ... 'they hang on' '... 'they let go only under extreme prodding' . Colombo had a smiling smirk and seemingly appeared to get a kick out of that description as an accepted compliment.

[@christopherkraft1327]

Lieutenant Columbo is still the greatest detective ever!!! 👍👍

[@philipbaldwin2078]

Absolutely!

[@BKKfreak]

Agreed... But his son, Monk, is also great.

[@christopherkraft1327]

@@BKKfreak Very true!

[@donarthiazi2443]

​@@BKKfreak If I were Monk's shrink then I'd need therapy myself 🥴🥴 (oddly enough irl therapists usually do have their own shrink)

[@jackclements2163]

There is a slight formula or logic to Columbo honing in on the main suspect. 1, who stands to gain the most by the death and 2, who has the intelligence to pull it off. Measure those two things against every character in each episode and you'll find it's the primary suspect he chases.

[@jeanharper2790]

I always thought that killing someone with a block of ice while he's swimming in the pool is a fabulous idea! Too bad the perpetrator blew it! Way more complicated than it needed to be...My darling detective always outsmarts the evil murderer!

[@marvintremblay3262]

Did you notice, there is no blood in the swimming pool. It's weird

[@jeanharper2790]

@@marvintremblay3262 The victim's blood was considerably thinned by all the alcohol he drank until the wee hours of the morning! He got into the pool to sober up. That, and the fact that one stops bleeding immediately upon death, mean that hardly any blood would have reached the pool. I think he died right away, so wasn't at all surprised to see no blood evidence. Ratio of thinned blood to gallons of pool.

[@bethanyh1637]

He didn't blow it. The script did. Similar to the ice melting in the pool, the water on the deck would have evaporated after an hour leaving Columbo no clue to start with.

[@toastnjam7384]

Love Columbo. I recall seeing an interview of him probably from the 80's where he said a TV station in a foreign country (IIRC European) ask him to record a public statement for them. Apparently Columbo was extremely popular there and the people started to really pester the TV station for more episodes. So, he said in their language that there's no more episodes.

[@kfhroe8262]

Romania.

[@aneonfoxtribute]

I believe that was Romania. Things were actually far more serious than that. That was during the Soviet era, where American TV was heavily regulated. The population loved Columbo, and when episodes stopped airing, people were apparently getting ready to start actual riots because they believed the government banned Columbo.

[@AntonioSzytulskyj]

Robert Culp, three times the CULPrit in Columbo. Lol

[@robertperry4439]

He is a serial killer; he changes his name and Colombo cannot remember faces.

[@Spanner249]

3:45 is exactly when Colombo knew

[@curtisbryce5096]

The flaw in the story is, in the hot LA weather, the water on the hot deck would have evaporated in an hour.

[@Musictroper76]

I agree with that

[@marvintremblay3262]

In less than 30 minutes, I made the test, it is a FLAW

[@todwest]

Robert Culp, James Gregory, Dean Stockwell. Great cast.

[@jeanjohnstone4384]

colombo was a polite little enforcer.

[@andrewfreeman9437]

"But Columbo, that clock had stopped on the day of the match."

[@oot007]

🤣

[@rcherrycoke7322]

Exactly! There’s any number of explanations he could come up with to explain this.

[@rcherrycoke7322]

Or his lawyer

[@SHARKTIC5]

Purchase all Columbo Episodes. Excellent decision.

[@DreckbobBratpfanne]

Columbos face at the end is priceless

[@colinlinskey9678]

I keep on watching the clock chiming the half hour, and Columbo's priceless "Gotcha" expression...

[@dominichazell7862]

4:00 Love Culp’s shooing of the hand when Columbo’s hypothesising.

[@KelliRocks]

I remember the clocks with the spinning balls from my childhood! Ever elderly person I know still has one!

[@buffstraw2969]

My mom had one.

[@fergusonto-2032]

That’s my favorite episode , the clinched fist when the clock goes off is my favorite part.

[@jimmikulsky4810]

"COLUMBO, I'M GONNA THROW YOU OUT OF HERE ON YOUR EAR!"

[@Brando_M]

"I wouldn't do that sir... I might say... JUST ONE MORE THING!"

[@StriKe_jk]

He said Rear not ear.

[@drytoon1507]

​@@StriKe_jk...probably an ear problem

[@StriKe_jk]

@@jackturner7048 I'm not sure what you are arguing about, he does say rear.

[@VinceBlack536]

Out on your ear was a common phrase. In the 40-70s

[@lucygold23]

one of my favorite episodes,top 3!!!!!

[@markdrake2715]

This one is definitely a favorite. The acting is stellar...

[@charless239]

This is a great episode, the former house at 944 Airole Way prior to being torn down by Nile. The neighborhood was much nicer in 1972!

[@ЕвгенийКлименко-ю6о]

Коломбо лучший детектив всех времен 😊спасибо создателям сериала!)

[@edwardwilliams3216]

"Like what?" The way he says it makes it sound like he knows the jig is up, he's just wondering what the hell went wrong.

[@fab92n15]

Thanks for the video, great EPISODE

[@parasharkchari]

That look at the very end. He's only got one eye and it's looking straight at you.

[@miramar7607]

El mejor capítulo de Columbo!!! Con este episodio me hice fan de la serie... Todos los capítulos con Robert Culp son espectaculares!!!

[@julianlockwood3040]

Oh that's easy to explain. The clock was annoying me during the game so I stopped it running, and reset it to the correct time later. Case dismissed !

[@master-kq3nw]

Fantastic episode

[@LucysPop]

Columbo was a great show. Only Falk could play it.

[@QueSeraSeraaaa]

It's me or Columbo was the most intelligent and friendly cop out there? He even take the time to set a trap on the criminals.

[@January.]

*Is it me or was Columbo the most... *He even takes... *set a trap for...

[@QueSeraSeraaaa]

@@January. ok Karen.

[@January.]

@@QueSeraSeraaaa *illiterate

[@QueSeraSeraaaa]

@@January. shut-

[@January.]

@@QueSeraSeraaaa 無奈良奈良

[@rudeboyjohn3483]

Man, i love Columbo

[@marioricardo8060]

Robert Culp foi um dos melhores antagonistas de Columbo, tendo interpretado o assassino da vez em 3 ótimos episódios! Eu sou fã incondicional desse seriado e do trabalho formidável do Peter Falk.

[@mikezdee85]

best detective show ever

[@Sabaa81]

They used the same house here as ‘ murder by the book ‘ my all time favourite episode

[@oludotunjohnshowemimo434]

Colombo is a lot slicker than he appears to be. He plays the incompetent idiot to catch out the murderer when they least expect it, getting them to incriminate themselves and confessing to the murder. The killers often mocked Colombo's "incompetence", until they discovered too late how deadly and clever Colombo really is

[@judoclawplays962]

That guy has been the villain at least 5 times now

[@hellbach6268]

I think, exactly 7 times he has been the bad guy.

[@robertperry4439]

He is a serial killer; he changes his name and Colombo cannot remember faces.

[@stoytrivia1126]

Robert Culp was the killer in three episodes, and appeared in one other episode as the father of the murderer in an episode from the reboot of the show. Interestingly, he played very different personality types in his three guest starring performances, it's really impressive.

[@titiparisien5915]

Robert Culp was truly a great actor. Outstanding but underrated.

[@RADIUMGLASS]

Peter Falk, Robert Culp, James Gregory, Dean Stockwel have all passed on.

[@QueSeraSeraaaa]

Their legacy still live on.

[@January.]

*Stockwell

[@January.]

​@@QueSeraSeraaaa*still lives

[@QueSeraSeraaaa]

Ok grammar-nazi.

[@January.]

@@QueSeraSeraaaa *illiterate

[@MrAitraining]

Ding-a-ling ice cream 😁

[@mikes9959]

There is a plot hole which exists, in that both the phones in both the home of the deceased and the office of his killer were bugged. The case could've easily been solved by listening to the tapes of the killer's phone calls. However, since the wiretaps were illegal, those tapes couldn't have been admitted at trial. Nonetheless, it was never adequately explained why those tapes were never heard by Columbo.

[@walternullifidian]

I almost didn't recognize Bill Maxwell without Ralph Hinkley by his side! 🤣

[@chriscosby2459]

Robert Culp was awesome -- I like all of his work.

[@NormFoss]

Great gotcha moment in this one

[@ranjanivaradpande381]

I is so sad that although these series are quite old ,but still we can't see full episodes on KZbin !! please some one where can I atch them FREE ??

[@johndillon1924]

A favorite for sure

[@adamv242]

Columbo is the best TV ever.

[@Heavilymoderated]

I gotta say, Ding A Ling Ice Cream doesn’t sound all that appetizing…

[@drxym]

And then during trial his lawyer gets an expert witness to say the clock is slow, or wasn't wound that day and the entire case collapses.

[@asullivan4047]

Never thought of Culp as a “ Good Humor “ ice cream 🍦 sales man He probably used that out fit in a prior “ I Spy” epsode.

[@markpage9886]

My favorite episode and one I least believe Columbo would catch the bad guy. Recognizing fresh water around the pool instead of chlorinated water....everything else is good, but the water...

[@tommym321]

Unrealistic in that there is ALWAYS one minuscule, irrelevant thing that he immediately zeroes in on, which is the key to solving the crime.

[@miketype1each]

Perhaps my favorite episode.

[@jimmykovalak6442]

How cool it must be. The street cop. Waiting outside listening to the gotcha speeches 😂😂😂

[@JoanMcCants-cs9tq]

COLOMBO IS QUITE A BIG REALIZATION OF THE TRUTH ...

[@susanwest8239]

I love Columbo and his show❤

[@alpha7ization]

Great ending...I had to watch it several times to get it with the clock

[@marvintremblay3262]

There it is, at 6:02, Columbo violates the 4th amendment. Robert Culp would have been acquitted in court

[@AmbiguousMotion]

Are you seriously telling me, that the water around the pool didn’t dry up over 1,5 hr in full California sunshine?

[@marvintremblay3262]

I made the test on a driveway, water dries out completely in less than 30 minutes. That makes no sense this scene.

[@D87ify]

9:44 “he did it again”

[@pdrey100]

"I don't even live here!"

[@mikemcgrath6150]

Very difficult to hold and swing down a big block of ice like that w force without it slipping out. Not a reliable weapon in that situation. Maybe 2 hands but not reliable.

[@mm-yt8sf]

ohh i thought he was going to find that the phone in the bugged box had a buzz but it wasn't there when he called from the phone booth. though...if the victim's phone was bugged poorly then the buzz should have been there anyway...i guess the clock was a better giveaway. though i guess a persistent murderer could have claimed that he forgot to wind the clock and it wasn't running for a while..

[@robertperry4439]

Suspect: Oh, you think that I killed the victim because the recording of my conversation did not include the sound of my clock chiming on the half hour? Well, I forgot to wind it the night before, so it ran down. I reset the time and wound the clock before you came.

[@patrickjohnson5658]

I suppose the police or a clock expert could check on that. If he claimed he wound the clock before Columbo came. They could take it apart and if his claim was true they would find the mechanism fully wound up.

[@robertperry4439]

@@patrickjohnson5658 Then, the suspect explains that he never fully winds the clock, which is why it runs down all the time.

[@patrickjohnson5658]

@@robertperry4439 If that came to court a good prosecutor who has heard all the excuses suspects use before, would demolish that argument. I don't know how long that particular type of clock he had would take to run down. Some types need to be wound once per day, and others only once a week depending on its mechanism.

[@mkassis713]

This episode is not on my top 10 favorites , nevertheless it's a very good one , thanks for posting !!!

[@mkassis713]

@@January. i DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE NOMINATED GRAMMAR TEACHER OF THIS PAGE,ANYWAY , MY SENTENCE HAPPENS TO BE CORRECT.

[@f0urstr1ng]

Should have consulted Ziggy and got Sam to come and save him

[@ganimed1976]

The fact that you couldn't hear the ringing of the clock on the tape recording during the phone call could also be because the clock is too far away from the telephone. If I'm on the phone with someone who has the TV on, I don't hear anything of the TV because the phone's microphone doesn't reproduce the noise of the TV. You could have argued that way in this case too, if you were smart.

[@hockeyfanism]

So what if the suspect lowers the sound. I don't get that.

[@angelique7250]

Thank you. I don't either. He really doesn't have a case. Also he's the general manager what's his motive for killing him?

[@bartkepple6721]

Couldn’t hanlon just say he put the plug out of the clock because it was irritating?..

[@seraphinaaizen6278]

I'm not totally convinced they'll get a conviction on this. Even if you could convince a jury that he knew the phones were bugged, he could just argue: "I didn't want to step into the shitstorm between Eric and his wife, so I just pretended not to know". And you could probably think of a million excuses why the clock isn't making a sound on the recording. You've got him in the booth before the game. You've got him talking to the coach right before kick off. You've got him back in the booth, coming out of the bathroom as the coach arrives at half time. And you've got him being aware that the phone was blocked (suggesting he'd been trying to phone it). You've got no murder weapon, or even the ability to prove a murder actually took place. Even as far as motive is concerned, it's sketchy, because Eric was going along with everything Handlin was proposing for the franchise, even if he was grouchy about it. I don't think Columbo would get a conviction here. Or, at least, it'd be an uphill battle. I don't think there's enough to overcome reasonable doubt. However, it is possible true that Handlin's career would be over because, even if he was found not guilty, a lot of people in the industry would think he did it.

[@CorelUser]

I love this gotcha moment with the clock because it gives me Ace Attorney vibes

[@gregorywall2479]

The Most Crucial Game (Series 2, Episode 3). Val Avery plays Ralph Dobbs (bug guy) in this episode. Val also played Artie Jessup in A Friend in Deed (Series 3, Episode 8).

[@mairamaira1235]

O melhor detetive de todos!❤

[@paulodingle2142]

My favourite episode

[@raysulenski7687]

Water doesn't evaporate in hot California sun?

[@Musictroper76]

I thought the same thing

[@nigelwilliams9307]

Wow..this must be the only Columbo movie I've never watched.

[@JohnFiocchi]

No Columbo you struck out now will you please stop pestering me?

[@basharabuali5514]

I love the man

[@JojoBruton-eu6fi]

AWESOME 🤩 guy LEGEND COLUMBO yesIRee ✅✅✅👍 BRILLIANT 👌

[@mik9007]

Can you tell me: 1. What was the motive for the murder? 2. Do you agree with me that there is no evidence for the murder?

[@shopins2002]

battery in clock needed to be replaced

[@KimberlyMitchell-jf7nv]

lol no it was on central time

[@SpencerWilliamsIV]

The Cliff Notes version

[@exitscreaming4637]

Poorly written episode but Robert Culp was great

[@KimberlyMitchell-jf7nv]

Totally agree he could have been on the phone with the guy while someone was there killing him

[@arthurlevine1840]

If 1 single bonk on the head with a chunk of ice could put a problem away forever, easy cleanup, I would've tried it by now. Maybe I still will...

[@Orionstar8]

When Columbo was going down the swimming pool steps, where did he think was taking him, if not the water?

[@KimberlyMitchell-jf7nv]

I’m a bit confused if the killer made the call from a pay phone how does the clock sound come into play

[@classictvandfilmfan-y6t]

Because the killer claims he was in his stadium office/box suite at the time that he made a phone call to the (intended murder victim). Just before/close to the victim's time of death. Yet, at that time, a clock chime would be heard in the background from the stadium office. Never heard the clock. Killer was really at a payphone -- near victim's house -- About to commit murder.

[@shrapnel77]

and yet another suspect fails to contact an attorney and refuses to speak to Columbo.

[@lisandro73]

That proved he lied but it doesnt prove he murdered the guy

[@lewisner]

He could say the clock had stopped and he had to rewind it.

[@samirkumar8652]

The legend Pat Riley is in this one!

[@qdiace80]

What can I hear on the record? The question was wrong. The correct question is: what do I NOT hear on the record?

[@Del-Canada]

01:19