Columbo: Columbo Likes the Nightlife

I suppose the main reaction when watching this particular episode is the fact that it is very hard to ignore Peter Falk's age. He was 75 when this edition was recorded in 2002 (broadcast in January 2003), but he simply threw himself into his legendary role comfortably and easily. This is a fun episode to watch! It's certainly a more 'modernised' interpretation than previous editions, with fast directing and electric-style music in the background during some scenes.

When Vanessa Farrow (played expertly by Jennifer Sky) accidentally kills her ex-husband, it's down to nightclub owner Justin Price (Matthew Rhys) to dispose of the body. But a surprising twist to the story will certainly keep viewers hooked! In steps our favourite Lt and the fun begins! Columbo Likes the Nightlife still contains the legendary trademarks that make the series so popular, including the "just one more thing" phrase, the talk of his wife, as well as his ageless car, but I do fear that it may be ignored by many viewers simply because of Peter's age. He may have been in his mid 70s at the time, but Lt. Columbo doesn't have to be! It's not the best by any means, but is certainly watchable.

This edition marks a satisfactory enough conclusion to a brilliant detective drama that I've had the privilege to watch every single episode of! Peter has kept millions of viewers entertained as Columbo for nearly 40 years, and the shabby Lt will sure be missed! Nevertheless, Columbo will in no doubt be adored by the masses for many many years to come! 7/10

A very young Matthew Rhys ("The Americans") is one of the stars of the final "Columbo," "Columbo Likes the Nightlife" from 2003. Also starring is Jennifer Sky, who has since become a journalist, and The Sopranos actor Steve Schirripa.

Rhys plays Justin Price, the owner of a soon-to-be-open rave club, but he's waiting for money to be transferred from his business partner Tony Galper (Carmine Giovinazzo). Before the money can be confirmed to be in his bank account, Galper's ex-wife and Justin's girlfriend (Sky) accidentally kills him. It's imperative that Tony not be discovered as missing or dead before the money lands. Unfortunately, a tabloid reporter puts the screws to Justin for blackmail money. When the reporter is found dead from an apparent suicide, Columbo doubts that's what it is.

Very good episode and a fitting farewell to Columbo, who in the last years has been hit or miss thanks to the producers using scripts that fiddled with the formula, including one that was a script by 87th precinct author Ed McBain.

Here, Columbo doesn't depend on the killer making a mistake but figures this out anyway, and it's very clever.

At 75 years old, Columbo would have been retired, not to mention that, were he still working, he would be a Police Deputy Chief, a Captain, a Commander - something! So I tell myself in these last years he was called in as a consultant.

I didn't like Peter Falk - I adored him. I interviewed him in the late '90s. The day he died I sat in an airport and cried. An amazing actor who left a great legacy and will always be fondly remembered as Columbo.

The greatest detective series in history comes to an end with a fine send-off. What made many (though certainly not all) of the later Columbos disappointing relative to the early ones were a) the turning of Columbo into a caricature - making himself look dumb and comical, and explaining everything five times as if speaking to a two-year old; b) excessive tampering with the tried and true Columbo formula; c) poor writing, with far fewer of the subtle and comic quotes, less successful humor, and wasted stretches with silly chatter or events that have nothing to do with the main plot. Well, this last episode does not have much humor, nor some of the great dialogue between the murderer and Columbo that many of the great episodes had. But it makes up for it by providing a ton of real sleuthing by the master, as he solves the puzzles by noticing the types of things only he would notice, and brilliantly tying it all together. It is a tight and well-written screenplay, with Columbo getting right down to business from the moment he first arrives on the scene until the very end, with the only sideshow being a minor, well done and humorous mafia subplot. After quickly identifying that it is a murder, not a suicide, and finding the suspect through astute observation and a neat detective trick, he sets out to trap the killers - not by acting like a semi-senile old man, but simply by acting naive and acceptive of their explanations - so that they say things they might not have volunteered otherwise - while at the same time dropping subtle hints to make them scared and confused. And while the music and scenery is updated to fit the modernizing times, he stays true to his character throughout. Other than one or two far-fetched things he does in finding clues (like sticking his hands into a toilet bowl), the plots and clues, and the manner in which he solves them, are quite believable. Not one of the very best episodes, but still a highly enjoyable one that honors the series and has very few uneasy or boring moments.

The "New Columbo" of the 1990s and into the 21st century have been a bit too whimsical at times but this story has much more edge to it. Columbo behaves more like an LA detective and the villains are shown to be more complex. The filming of the episode shows much more inventiveness than in recent episodes and the acting is first rate by all the cast. Falk gives an effective performance and conveys Columbo as being a little world weary - he's seen this all before but still loves his job too much. The makers of this episode have clearly tried to inject some energy into what was threatening to become a stale property. Overall, a refreshing return to form and a good finale for Columbo if this turns out to be the last ever episode.

Columbo has been going for over 30 years in some form. The dear detective must be the oldest copper in the world. He also solves all these murder cases and never gets promoted or even a raise. In some ways that is the great charm of Columbo. A new episode is really comfort TV. You basically know what you're gonna get. Any deviations from the formula have been disastrous.This particular one is fairly routine fare with a silly script. Still, the bad folks are totally obnoxious as usual and you are always glad when they get what's coming to them.Peter Falk is magnificent as always, a fantastic seriously underrated star. Nightlife is not great but Falk makes it all work fine.