Last Salute to the Commodore

The Columbo formula was thrown out the window here. Unfortunately, so was the pacing. The result is one of the most boring entries of the series -- complete with a Columbo who seems to be making fun of himself half of the time. At the end, since Columbo didn't seem to care that much about catching the killer, I lost interest too.

An offbeat (literally) episode from the original run, in which Falk and director Patrick McGoohan tried a different angle on the familiar formula. The result is a rather fey, whimsical Lieutenant - all smirks and knowing winks - on a case that twists alarmingly before he can nail the suspect. Guaranteed to either enchant...or send viewers screaming from the room.

I do say this with a heavy heart, because I have been a fan of Columbo for a long time. Last Salute to the Commodore had the ingredients for a good episode, starting with the fact that Patrick McGoohan who is a fine actor and capable director directed it.

Last Salute to the Commodore does have its good points. The photography, costumes and locations are striking, Columbo humming the unofficial theme song was a treat and Diane Baker while slightly overdoing it at times is at least enjoyable. And McGoohan's direction at least gives the episode some style.

However, as others have said, Last Salute to the Commodore departs from the usual formula, the audience here don't know who the murderer is until the last fifteen minutes or so and the prime suspect bites the dust. Initially I had no problem with that, though that decision kind of subtracted from the fun due to the lack of any memorable scenes and dialogue from Columbo and the culprit. That said, apart from me being okay with the change initially and the change with the prime suspect is interesting and does work, the change concerning the murderer not being revealed until the last fifteen or so minutes is a change that doesn't work. There are far too many drawn out scenes, the whole story takes far too long to get going while the final solution was both disappointing and uninteresting.

The idea of the story was good, it's just that on screen the whole plot is uninteresting and lacking any spark on the whole, and it's not just the drawn out scenes and the disappointing conclusion. The pace really spoils it, I usually don't mind slow-paced films and TV episodes but when the plot and writing are not that good I found it a chore to watch to be honest. The writing was poor mostly, it lacked the wit and sparkle a Columbo episode usually does, it lacked intelligence and some of it felt as though the actors felt uncomfortable delivering it. Mind you, it did have some moments of infectious humour, the sailing jokes were quite fun, but it wasn't enough. Also maybe I am not right, but did anyone else feel the episode was too long, an hour-and-three-quarters instead of about eighty minutes?

Baker aside, the acting is not so good. There have been a few disappointing Columbo entries(Dead Weight, Murder with Too Many Notes, one with William Shatner) but they do have some decent scenes or a good cast to elevate. Here, Peter Falk isn't bad as such, but the way Columbo is written shocked me in a bad way. Here Columbo seems to be going to caricature and the constant sending-up of himself got tired fast unfortunately. The usually good Robert Vaughn seems bored and disconnected too, while Joshua Bryant overdoes it dreadfully. Even the music was a disappointment, here it is often obtrusive and took me out of the setting.

Overall, I love Columbo but this didn't work. 4/10 Bethany Cox

I thought I'd already did a review but I hadn't and no there's not much to add to what most everyone else had on here. But seriously what was Peter Falk thinking taking weird cues from his friend McGoohan? Or was he really drunk? If it wasn't for all the bizarre uncharacteristic things Columbo does in this episode this would be a great story and mystery that's why I mark it at 5 instead of 1 etc like some have. Those uncharacteristic things being letting someone else drive his car(and having the roof down), putting his arm around everyone, almost picking up a young hippy and being on the waters and boats without his usual problem with that. Also a pity that this is the episode with Dennis Duggan which is actually the highlight of it. Along with the likes of Wilfred Hyde White.

Basically because of the bad bizarre scenes in this you give up caring halfway through about anything going on.

I pray and hope this isn't the first episode someone who's never seen decides to watch. Nothing more to say except I wish they re did the whole episode again and properly.

I am a huge fan of the Columbo series. He is one of my favourite detectives and Peter Falk is a fantastic actor. And the original formula of Columbo works great and is both funny and interesting at the same time. They tried something different in this episode. And it really did not work out. The usual one more question is missing and the ending and how they figure out who murdered who was really just one big confusing and strange thing. There is still part of this that is good. The whole meditation thing i thought was very Columbo. So this episode has got some good things. But mostly its just one big mess. And it falls way out of what you would normally think of a Columbo episode. So this mighy be one of the few Columbo episodes to avoid.