The Shabby Detective: A Columbo Podcast

18/08/2025

The sixth season of Columbo kicks off with “Fade in to Murder,” and we’re right there with it. Yes, we had to scrap our planned chat on Elaine May’s Mikey and Nicky (Mike just couldn’t stomach it), but that means we get to dive straight into William Shatner swaggering his way through one of the great villain roles of the NBC years. Chris can’t help but heap praise on Shatner’s performance as ego-fueled TV detective Ward Fowler, while Mike wrestles with the episode’s meta conceit, its TV-within-TV layers, and Peter Falk’s always-dependable rumpled brilliance. https://bit.ly/4mEjkAs

29/07/2025

Not every Peter Falk performance comes with a rumpled coat and a homicide to solve. In this episode, we take a look at Griffin & Phoenix, a 1976 made-for-TV gem that finds Falk in rare romantic form. As Geoffrey Griffin, a terminally ill professor, Falk trades sharp wit for quiet heartbreak opposite Jill Clayburgh’s Phoenix, a fellow traveler on a limited timeline. What might sound like a recipe for melodrama turns into something far more poignant and disarming, with Falk giving one of his most restrained and vulnerable performances.

We dig into the film’s TV-movie roots, its place in the 1970s “disease-of-the-week” wave, and how its frank, unvarnished take on death—and love—holds up nearly fifty years later. It’s Peter Falk without the trench coat, but not without charm, soul, and a monologue or two.

https://bit.ly/3IJ0p9h

23/06/2025

It’s here. The one we’ve all been bracing for: Last Salute to the Commodore. As the final episode of Columbo’s fifth season and a proposed ending place for the entire NBC run, it manages to sink the ship with an almost gleeful disregard for coherence, tone, and character.

Mike and Chris try to make sense of the chaos—was it Jackson Gillis’s bewildering script? Patrick McGoohan’s direction? Peter Falk’s performance? Or all of the above? Whatever happened, the result is a baffling, self-sabotaging parody of the show itself. Come for the messy nautical metaphors, stay for the analysis of Columbo’s most infamous misfire.

https://bit.ly/3Gb0gu3

20/06/2025

In this special bonus episode of The Shabby Detective, Mike White sits down with author Glenn Stewart to discuss his insightful and wildly entertaining book Columbo Explains the ’70s: A TV Cop’s Pop Culture Journey. Stewart’s book explores the cultural and historical shifts of the 1970s—from Watergate to disco, second-wave feminism to fast food—with the trench-coated sleuth as our shrewd, inquisitive guide.

Mike and Glenn dive into the origins of the project, the writing process behind channeling Columbo’s voice, and how Stewart cultural criticism and TV history into a distinctive, illuminating take on the decade. Whether you're a fan of the show or just obsessed with ’70s Americana, this episode is for you.

In this special bonus episode of The Shabby Detective, Mike White sits down with author Glenn Stewart to discuss his insightful and wildly entertaining book Col

29/05/2025

The Great Santini takes center stage—but Lieutenant Columbo isn’t impressed by smoke and mirrors. In this episode of The Shabby Detective, Mike and Chris shine a spotlight on Now You See Him, the 1976 Columbo classic starring Jack Cassidy in his final turn as a Columbo killer.

The great Santini takes center stage—but Lieutenant Columbo isn’t impressed by smoke and mirrors. In this episode of The Shabby Detective, Mike and Chris sh

22/04/2025

Mike and Chris head south of the border for A Matter of Honor, the rare Columbo episode set in Mexico, where the Lieutenant faces bulls, bravado, and a different kind of justice. Ricardo Montalbán plays a retired matador with a secret—and a motive—and Columbo has to navigate a new culture and language barrier while staying one step ahead. The guys dig into the episode’s unique setting, the ethics of honor killings, and how the show handles cultural sensitivity (or doesn’t). Is this an underrated gem or a misstep in a sombrero?

Mike and Chris head south of the border for A Matter of Honor, the rare Columbo episode set in Mexico, where the Lieutenant faces bulls, bravado, and a differen

21/03/2025

In this episode of The Shabby Detective, Mike and Chris take a diplomatic detour into A Case of Immunity, where political protocol, palace intrigue, and murder collide. Columbo finds himself navigating foreign immunity laws and velvet robes as he tries to outwit a slippery embassy official (Héctor Elizondo) with a taste for treason. The guys break down the episode's unique tone, the curious case of Sal Mineo, and the appearance of Jeff Goldblum.

In this episode of The Shabby Detective, Mike and Chris take a diplomatic detour into A Case of Immunity, where political protocol, palace intrigue, and murder

02/02/2025

New jam just dropped:

Winemaker Adrian Carsini does not enjoy subpar wine. Lieutenant Columbo however thinks it's fine.Featured on the "Any Old Port on a Storm" episode on the bri...

30/01/2025

The Alias / Columbo crossover:

Alias Promo aired in 2003 during ABC's 50th Anniversary Special.

20/01/2025

In this episode of The Shabby Detective, we examine the riveting 1974 TV movie The Gun, a gripping exploration of fate and consequence. Crafted by the legendary writing duo Richard Levinson and William Link and directed by John Badham, the film follows the journey of a single handgun as it passes through various lives, leaving a trail of drama and intrigue. Join us as we unpack the film’s unique episodic structure and the creative forces behind this powerful cautionary tale. https://bit.ly/4h2xYzo

23/12/2024

Between Columbo's Seasons 4 and 5, we're shifting our detective lens to explore another powerful creation by Richard Levinson and William Link: The Ex*****on of Private Slovik (1974). Directed by Lamont Johnson and featuring an unforgettable performance by Martin Sheen, this adaptation of William Bradford Huie's work tells the harrowing true story of Eddie Slovik—a small-time Michigan criminal who made history as the only U.S. soldier executed for desertion during World War II.

https://bit.ly/4gKzwgI

15/12/2024

Happy 99th Birthday to one of Columbo's better foes. https://bit.ly/3Wd6Hku