Columbo: Columbo Likes the Nightlife

They actually called it 'Columbo Likes the Nightlife.' He didn't seem to be enjoying it much, though. He thought the music in the rave dance clubs was too loud, and so did I. And they even had that same awful music as background in scenes outside the clubs.

An actress has a fight with her ex-husband who was jealous of her new boyfriend, with deadly results. The boyfriend helps the survivor deal with the situation but one of the parties receives an 'I saw what you did' call. As a result of the blackmailing, the movie's murder is committed but made to look like a suicide, complete with a suicide note on a computer. Then the familiar broken-down car shows up at the murder scene with the increasingly elderly detective in his wrinkled raincoat. And he is not fooled. For those new to the 'Columbo' series of movies, the Lieutenant with no first name is very polite and appears sincerely interested in everything (usually, it turns out, because he sees a clue), but also quite obnoxious. And while he didn't appear as completely ignorant as usual to the guilty parties, he seems to know just enough to make them nervous, but he tends to be satisfied with their explanations of why things don't make sense. I have been watching these movies for about 10 years, and while there may be no reason to consider this one anything special, it did not disappoint. Unlike most murder mysteries, the audience nearly always knows who did it, but the fun is in watching the detective solve the crime.

In recent years the character of Lt. Columbo had become a caricature of itself. He had a comical theme accompanying his every move and to everyone involved, until he solved the crime, he appeared to be an idiot. Many of the culprits were caught because of their own stupidity and inherent lack of respect for Columbo. That's not the case here, as the detective goes back to deploying real sleuthing skills. You can see from the first interaction with the opposition that Columbo is regarded as a very serious threat, even though one of the killers maintains he "has nothing". Early on, Columbo shows he means business when he asks his suspect "do you find something funny about this?". There is less interaction with the protagonists in this one, which some may find distressing, but it's only because Columbo spends most of the episode doing realistic detective work, rather than relying on the killers' stupid mistakes(there aren't any). He really pieces this one together, and the climax where he determines the location of the missing man is very good. All in all, I enjoyed a return to the more realistic Columbo of the seventies.

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

I have been a huge fan of the Columbo episodes. I liked this episode, it was pretty solid if somewhat ending to a great series, that has had some treasures(especially in the early seasons) as well as the odd disappointment. The story is pretty gripping mostly, but a little too formulaic and offers little new really. I liked the disco music, but felt the background score could at times have been more atmospheric and less obvious. Also Matthew Rhys tries his best but I found Justin one of the blander Columbo murderers for some reason and I can't quite put my finger on why at the moment. However, Jennifer Sky manages to be sexy as well as fun and touching, and while he is a little too old and perhaps too mellow Peter Falk delivers still as Columbo. Columbo Likes the Nightlife is filmed beautifully, looking modern but the darker scenes give it some suspense and foreboding, it is well directed and the script is engaging, not as clever or as intelligent as most of the other Columbo scripts, but above average still. All in all, decent episode but part of me was wanting of a stronger finish. 7/10 Bethany Cox

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.