Try and Catch Me

A top notch Columbo from beginning to end. I particularly like the interaction between Columbo and the killer, Ruth Gordon.

As an avid Columbo fan, I can't recall another one in which he doesn't set up the killer at the end as he does in other episodes. In this one, as he's trying to determine the correct sequence of the boxes and the "message" that the nephew left behind, it finally dawns on him.

The music in this episode is very good as well, as it is in many of other ones.

For Columbo fans, such as myself, this is the episode of episodes that made a case for why Columbo was so popular, and just how good it really was. Ruth Gordon has a field day (as ever) playing the wittily intelligent crime novelist Abigail Mitchell. Seems Abigail calls her nephew-in-law to sign some papers making him her heir. She never got over her niece's death, and is convinced her dead niece's husband (Charles Frank) did the dirty deed. To tell more would be unthinkable. Mariette Hartley has a sly role as Abigail's personal assistant. This episode of Columbo is in a class by itself. It's a truly well made television movie. I recommend it most highly.

I love this episode of Columbo. Maybe it's because Ruth Gordon is in it and she is wonderful as successful mystery writer Abigail Mitchell, an American version of Dame Agatha Christie. She is delicious to watch as the perky, lovable author who suffered a terrible loss when her niece died in a drowning accident. She blames her niece's husband, the nephew. She plans to kill him to avenge her death since the police have abandoned her. I would have loved somebody else than Mariette Hartley to play Veronica. I never really like Hartley in anything personally. And of course with Columbo, there are some laughs like when he questions Veronica at a belly-dancing class. Ruth's Abigail is a smart sleuth herself and she matches wits with Columbo always played wonderfully by Peter Falk.

As others have undoubtedly pointed out, the generic weaknesses in this series tend to be 1) the motivation for the murderer is often insufficient, and 2) the hints are sometime so obscure, it's implausible to think that even Columbo's well-hidden genius would suffice to solve the case. But, in this episode, neither of these issues are weak points. The motivation for the murder is strong and the hints are sufficient, but not too obvious (so that Columbo gets to do some very clever detective work).

Here, the writing, dialog, humor, music, and acting are all top-notch.

The writing couldn't be better. There's never a dull moment.

The dialog is excellent, especially during the interactions between Columbo and the murderer (Ruth Gordon). To take one small example, there is a subtle role reversal when the murderer asks Columbo "one more thing...". Watch closely, since there are a lot of little gems like this.

Television shows from this era that take themselves too seriously---think "Mannix"---have not aged well, so IMHO, reviewers should lighten up when it comes to humor. But, I do have to admit that the humor in Columbo doesn't always hit the mark. However, here there are some true laugh-out-loud moments (the footprint/shoe scene is hilarious and "dog" does some of his best "acting"). Best of all, the humor fits perfectly into the flow, adding to the sum total instead of being a mere distraction or time filler.

Usually, the music in Columbo doesn't make much of an impression on me. This episode is an exception. The music heightens the dramatic scenes and seems to move from background to foreground (and vice-versa) at just the right times.

Peter Falk is in top form and Ruth Gordon is dynamite---it's hard to believe she was 80 years old at the time.

This is television from a different time, when some thought and effort went into each episode (at the opposite extreme is the "reality" drivel that dominates TV today). Of course, it didn't always work. In truth, it failed far more often than it worked. But on those occasions when it did succeed, greatness was possible.

Try and Catch Me has to be one of my all-time favourite episodes of the Columbo series, of which I am a big fan of. The production values are as slick as ever, and the music is outstandingly composed and atmospheric. Try and Catch Me also has one of the wittiest Columbo scripts, and one of the most original and completely diverting(apart from a tad pedestrian first 10 minutes) story lines. Peter Falk once again embodies Columbo, and Mariette Hartley is appropriately sly, but other than the delicious writing Try and Catch Me is memorable for the unforgettable performance of Ruth Gordon, who looks as though she is having the time of her life, whether with Columbo or not. As much as I loved the performances of Susan Clark(Lady in Waiting) and Janet Leigh(Forgotten Lady), enjoyed the episodes and found their characters interesting, Gordon for me was the best guest villain actress on Columbo, she really is that good. Overall, a must catch, one of the best of the series, and certainly a favourite of mine. 10/10 Bethany Cox