Double Exposure

I am a big fan of Robert Culp. Before his acting career took off he and a pal would make some money weekends by racing motorcycles. His friend was Steve McQueen. There was something that Robert Culp brought to each role, a unique quality. He was always cerebral and wiley. He is always a step ahead, even as the end approached, his character maintained a touch of class. I always liked episodes with Robert Culp in them. As his friend Steve McQueen was able to do, Robert Culp brought his own touch of style and McQueen grade of coolness.

I don't put Double Exposure up there with the very best of the Columbo episodes, but it is one of the better and more interesting ones. While the episode does start off a tad slow, where Double Exposure interests most is in the subliminal images/cues which are very well-done.

Visually, once again Double Exposure looks great with fine photography, lighting, costumes and locations, and the music both adds to the atmosphere and fits well with the 1970s period. The story has very rare a dull moment, has some great interaction between Falk and Culp, has some decent clues and a well thought-out ending where Culp's character is at his most interesting, while the script has its funny and thoughtful moments as one would expect.

The cast do very well and are helped by some good direction. Peter Falk is stellar as always, and Robert Culp is also rock-solid and delightfully snotty. Overall, very interesting, well thought-out and beautifully played. 8/10 Bethany Cox

A Season 3 Columbo episode that is particularly underestimated for its engrossing qualities, which are facilitated by a very tightly-structured plot and script with very few secondary characters, brisk pacing and an enormous amount of screen time between Columbo and villain.

Robert Culp makes his third and final appearance as a Columbo villain, playing a motivational research specialist whose blackmailing scheme, involving his potential (married) business clients and a model he is using for the advertising campaigns, is threatened to be exposed by one of his clients...

Quite possibly this is Culp's best performance of the three; remarkably calm, assured and purposeful throughout despite the increasingly intrusive nature of Columbo's questioning. There are some great scenes between the two in a supermarket and (even better) on a golf course.

The quality of the episode is all the more remarkable given the moderate quantity of circumstantial clues, yet the basic murder set-up is really quite ingenious, particularly as the murderer is able to hide the murder weapon in a very clever and almost foolproof manner. This accentuates the lack of predictability in this story as Columbo has to be really smart to uncover the truth: the finale is superbly ironical and the elements of smartness possessed so markedly by the villain in the preceding sequences are wonderfully transferred to the dogged and ultra-persistent hero.

Addicts may also note that Columbo mentions the "Hayward case" early on in this story, which interestingly refers to the previous episode entitled "Candidate for Crime."

An undoubtedly solid episode, which is precise in its intentions and very competent in its delivery.

"Double Exposure" is one of the best in this long running series that peaked in the 70's to my opinion. As these films are no whodunnit's, the detective's opponent needs to be a strong character. You bet Robert Culp is one.And he is in top-form as Bart Keppel with his 'subliminal cuts' in advertisement. I think I've seen this one about ten times now and it's still very good entertainment. Note : Culp is also in one or two other episodes, notably in 'The Most Crucial Game'. Brilliant cat-and-mouse-play.

DOUBLE EXPOSURE is another strong contender for the early series of COLUMBO. Clocking in at just over an hour in length, it features a delightful guest star villain in the form of series regular Robert Culp, playing a man who makes a living from inserting subliminal messages into his advertising films. Guess how he kills his victim in this one?

Culp plays an exceptionally slick character and alternates between friendliness and snottiness in his dealings with Columbo. The early murder sequence is executed very professionally and Columbo is on top form in the way he takes little clues and runs away with them. Chuck McCann has a nice supporting role as a friendly projectionist who shows Columbo his 'nickel trick'. As is the usual for this stage of the show, DOUBLE EXPOSURE has strong production values and the episode is complemented by Peter Falk's effortless charm.