In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in Columbo, and if you're eager to revisit Peter Falk's iconic detective, both of the recently released Blu-ray collections are currently available at significant discounts on Amazon.
Released last holiday season, the original seven-season run of Columbo is now priced at just $60 on Amazon. Initially announced at $150, this collection often sells for $75-$85 nowadays. Meanwhile, Columbo: The Return, which hit Blu-ray in July, is discounted to an impressive $37.49. This is the lowest price yet for The Return, allowing you to own the complete Columbo series for under $100.
The 1970s collection includes 43 episodes and two movies, while The Return box set features the final 24 episodes. It's important to note that each episode of Columbo runs at least 70 minutes, with many surpassing 90 minutes, making them feel more like movies than typical TV episodes.
If you're new to Columbo, the show's premise is straightforward. Unlike other mystery series that focus on unraveling clues to identify the murderer, Columbo reveals the crime before the detective even arrives on the scene. The real joy comes from watching Columbo gather clues, wear down suspects with his affable demeanor, and uncover a critical piece of evidence linking them to the murder. Always courteous yet relentless in his pursuit of justice, Columbo stood out as a refreshing change from the rule-breaking detectives often depicted in film and TV.
Columbo's original TV run concluded in 1978 after seven seasons. However, over a decade later, Peter Falk returned as the beloved sleuth in 1989 for a new 24-episode run. These later episodes maintained the high quality, occasionally deviated from the standard formula, and saw Columbo outsmarting truly despicable characters. Notable episodes include Columbo taking on arrogant magicians, a Hollywood director, and even William Shatner as a murderous radio DJ.
The Seasons 1-7 box set includes an original series score and a booklet. However, the audio commentary tracks for each episode, initially announced, were later canceled for undisclosed reasons.
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