Make Me a Perfect Murder

The ambitious lover and chief assistant to a top TV network programmer exacts murderous revenge when he gets promoted to a high-profile New York post and decides that she has not had enough experience to accompany him in that job.

Quite a freshly plotted Columbo episode considering it was made at the tail-end of the original series; it features quite an engaging and gritty performance from Trish Van Devere as the murderess who is very good at exhibiting her character's misfiring and impatient ambition.

The plot is cleverly and systematically developed: the murderess's grip on the prize job she temporarily acquire's after her lover's demise is dramatically loosened by the ironically erratic decision-making that her lover alluded to prior to his death, in line with the other harassment of Columbo's increasingly revealing investigation.

The main weakness of this Columbo adventure is that it wreaks of padding to satisfy a 120 minute slot - it could easily have been done in 90 minutes: the plot is bloated with prolonged scenes that add no value to the story, particularly the misjudged sub-plot involving a trouble-stricken actress on a TV show.

The circumstantial clues stack up against the murderess quite entertainingly and many of Columbo's intuitive observations are of a reassuringly high-standard, but the murder weapon scenario is rather unconvincing to say the least.

A Columbo story that probably would have had a higher mark but for its damaging protractedness; nevertheless, a story that is not without its merits.

Trish Van Devere goes all out. A woman so ruthless and ambitious but also very flawed. I cannot figure out if she is "Bi-Sexual" or just pretending to be one or the other to get ahead. She does cover for her friend who has a melt down. But does not even hesitate to take out another lover who spurns her and does not reward her attentions with a new job. A very enjoyable episode. She makes a formidable and dangerous adversary

I've read previous comments on this movie. The premise of this movie is a Television executive [Trish Van Devere] wants a promotion she feels is justly deserved. She finds out that her boyfriend has been given the job, he gives her a Mercedes as a consolation prize, of course, she kills him. Temporarily the affiliate gives her the job, until they can find a replacement. This was a great episode! Columbo once again makes the suspect sweat as he gets closer to solving the crime. Ms. Van Devere plays the part of the villain perfectly. She isn't a trained killer, she knows it, and plays the part of a frightened novice criminal with perfection. I'm a die hard Columbo fan from the very beginning of the show. This episode is one of the best.

Kay (Trish Van Devere) is the personal assistant for a network programmer. When she learns he's getting a promotion, she's shocked to learn that he is NOT giving her his old position. So, she's apparently been sleeping with the guy but for nothing! However, she is NOT a woman to be trifled with and she comes up with a plan to murder him and get away with it. Can she do this and still manage to defeat Columbo?!

This is a decent episode (though my wife disliked it quite a bit) but it was heavily padded. For example, in one worthless scene, Columbo is staring at some computerized graphics...and it went on and on and on. Unnecessary and evidence that there just wasn't enough plot. It's a shame they didn't make the show 10-15 minutes shorter....it would have improved it.

By the way, if you DO watch the episode I'd love to know your opinion, as in some ways I think they were vaguely hinting at Kay having a lesbian relationship.

Trish van Devere makes for a good killer. A woman scorned, she murders her lover who she thinks is a partner producer for a TV network. She's cold and steely but also human and, like the best Columbo villains, very sympathetic, and not just because she's a woman.

The problem with this episode is the problem with the entire final Season 7, before the show was done... until returning years later, which don't really count in my book... For true Columbo fans, THIS was the show's final season...

Herein, Falk is no longer being natural as Columbo, but seems to be doing a Columbo imitation by acting like his Murder by Death character channelling Bogart. He crosses his eyes in a cartoonish fashion and his voice sounds like Bugs Bunny...

Here, though, he's kept in check, and it's mostly because of the villain, Devere, who the producers of Columbo obviously thought wasn't strong enough to lead the show in the usual 15 minute murder first after which Columbo rolls in to figure things out...

Instead, vapid scenes of Columbo getting his neck injured in a car wreck are spliced into the prologue murder, and with the exception to this episode's acting and writing, it's rather awkward.

This and Clive Revill's turn as an Irish Revolutionary poet in the final episode are the top episodes of this quirky final season when Falk seems done with Columbo, and he might've been trying to tell us something. If that's true, only a few caught on...