An art critic, Dale Kingston, kills his uncle for his valuable collection of paintings. All the clues lead to the dead man's first wife. Can Columbo correct the Lieutenant's error before it is too late?
- Directed by
- Hy Averback
- Written by
- Jackson Gillis
Guest stars
All episodes — Season 1
Open season page
S1 E1Murder by the Book
Sep 15, 19717.676 min
One member of a mystery-writing-team decides to kill his more talented partner when the better writer decides to go solo.
S1 E2Death Lends a Hand
Oct 6, 19717.276 min
A private investigator kills his client's wife after she threatens to expose his blackmail scheme. The client then hires the detective to assist Columbo in the search for the killer.
S1 E3Dead Weight
Oct 27, 19716.776 min
A famous general kills a business associate, then woos a neurotic female witness to thwart Columbo's investigation.
S1 E5Lady in Waiting
Dec 15, 1971775 min
A woman shoots her overbearing brother, claiming she thought he was a burglar. Columbo doesn't buy the self-defense claim - he know's it's murder.
S1 E6Short Fuse
Jan 19, 1972775 min
A chemist rigs a bomb in his uncle's car to gain control of his uncle's company, then plants clues to make Columbo suspicious of the company's Vice-President.
S1 E7Blueprint for Murder
Feb 9, 19727.875 min
An architect kills his business partner and deliberately lets Columbo suspect him, leading Columbo to think that he's hidden the body in the foundation of a building under construction. He plans to let Columbo dig up the site and find nothi