Double Exposure

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.

Dr. Bart Keppel (Robert Culp) styles himself as a "motivation research specialist," and it's true he has written several books on marketing and made a name for himself on the subject of "subliminal advertising"—which involves inserting frames of an advertised product into the reels of a film. The frames go by too fast for the conscious mind to note them; but subconsciously the mind picks them up and makes the viewer crave what is pictured. But this advertising expert's more lucrative sideline is blackmail. He takes secret pictures of his married clients with a girl hired to tempt them. His latest victim, Vic Norris (Robert Middleton), balks and wants to turn in Dr. Keppel (don't call him Mr. Keppel) to the D.A. The blackmailer prevents this by murdering Norris during a screening of a promotional film. He finds a clever alibi and an even cleverer way of tempting his victim into the wrong place at the wrong time. But his projectionist (Chuck McCann) finds out and blackmails the blackmailer. It's up to our rumpled Lt. Columbo (Peter Falk) to use subliminal tricks of his own to unmask the killer.

This enjoyable "Columbo" episode, directed by Richard Quine from a script by Stephen J. Cannell, bears resemblance to "Columbo: Death Lends a Hand," which also featured Robert Culp as a killer who blackmails one victim too many. The subject of subliminal advertising is amusing, though I think the idea was discredited at some point. The last I heard of it was when some Japanese animators innocently inserted frames of American flags into episodes of the TV cartoon, "Alf." There was an uproar, but the idea of hypnotizing people with frames of film came to look silly. Still, give this episode your willing suspension of disbelief, and you'll enjoy it.

Classic episode. Cannell's script is spot on with great Columbo traits and dialogue. Holds up thirty yeas later as good as any writing currently on TV. Culp is well cast and has the right amount of smugness--"Dr. Keppel" is the type of character you love to see foiled by his own invention.

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

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.