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The Best Episodes of Columbo

Every episode of Columbo ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Columbo!

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Columbo is a friendly, verbose, disheveled-looking police detective who is consistently underestimated by his suspects. Despite his unprepossessing appearance and apparent absentmindedness, he shrewdly solves all of his cases and secures all evidence needed for

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    Columbo Season 3 Episode 8 - A Friend in Deed
    8.1/10(34 votes)

    #1 - A Friend in Deed

    S3:E8

    A police commissioner provides an alibi to a friend who has just killed his wife. Later the commissioner kills his own wife and gets the friend to repay the favour.

    Director:Ben Gazzara
    Writer:Peter S. Fischer

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  2. Columbo Season 7 Episode 1 - Try and Catch Me
    8.0/10(31 votes)

    #2 - Try and Catch Me

    S7:E1

    A writer of murder mysteries wreaks revenge on her nephew-in-law by blaming him for her niece's murder.

    Director:James Frawley
    Writers:Gene Thompson, Paul Tuckahoe

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  3. Columbo Season 2 Episode 6 - A Stitch in Crime
    7.9/10(39 votes)

    #3 - A Stitch in Crime

    S2:E6

    Leonard Nimoy plays a heart surgeon whose talents turn to murder. Stung by jealousy, he's planning a surgical death for his brilliant but ailing associate. Will Geer plays the intended victim.

    Director:Hy Averback
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. Columbo Season 1 Episode 7 - Blueprint for Murder
    7.8/10(46 votes)

    #4 - Blueprint for Murder

    S1:E7

    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 nothing, knowing that its the perfect place to hide the body since Columbo would never look in the same place twice.

    Director:Peter Falk
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. Columbo Season 3 Episode 2 - Any Old Port in a Storm
    7.8/10(39 votes)

    #5 - Any Old Port in a Storm

    S3:E2

    A wine connoisseur kills his half- brother to prevent him selling the family winery to a merchant company so he can pay off his gambling debts.

    Director:Leo Penn
    Writer:Stanley Ralph Ross

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  6. Columbo Season 4 Episode 2 - Negative Reaction
    7.8/10(31 votes)

    #6 - Negative Reaction

    S4:E2

    Brilliant photographer Paul Galesko plans to murder his domineering wife, Frances, and pin the crime on an ex-convict named Alvin Deschler. His plan is to make it look as if Alvin kidnapped his wife and killed her before picking up the ransom money.

    Director:Alf Kjellin
    Writer:Peter S. Fischer

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Columbo

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  7. Columbo Season 9 Episode 3 - Agenda for Murder
    7.8/10(25 votes)

    #7 - Agenda for Murder

    S9:E3

    Columbo matches wits with a brilliant attorney responsible for the murder of the one man who could stifle his meteoric political career.

    Director:Patrick McGoohan
    Writer:Jeffrey Bloom

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  8. Columbo Season 3 Episode 4 - Double Exposure
    7.7/10(32 votes)

    #8 - Double Exposure

    S3:E4

    A filmmaker kills one of his clients. in a break, during the screening of a new ad campaign

    Director:Richard Quine
    Writer:Stephen J. Cannell

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  9. Columbo Season 3 Episode 7 - Swan Song
    7.7/10(35 votes)

    #9 - Swan Song

    S3:E7

    A Country and Western singer kills his overpowering wife in a plane crash while he parachutes to safety.

    Director:Nicholas Colasanto
    Writer:Stanley Ralph Ross

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  10. Columbo Season 4 Episode 3 - By Dawn's Early Light
    7.7/10(31 votes)

    #10 - By Dawn's Early Light

    S4:E3

    The head of a military school kills one of the governors by sabotaging the gun which is used on founders day.

    Director:Harvey Hart
    Writer:Howard Berk

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  11. Columbo Season 4 Episode 4 - Troubled Waters
    7.7/10(30 votes)

    #11 - Troubled Waters

    S4:E4

    While holidaying on board a cruise liner, Columbo helps capture the killer of the singer with the ship's band.

    Director:Ben Gazzara
    Writers:Jackson Gillis, William Driskill

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  12. Columbo Season 10 Episode 7 - It's All in the Game
    7.7/10(25 votes)

    #12 - It's All in the Game

    S10:E7

    Nick Franco is a violent, two-timing gigolo and his current paramour, Laura Stanton, has had enough. With the help of a young woman named Lisa, she murders her lover and sets herself up with an airtight alibi. When Columbo starts sniffing on her trail, Laura quickly works to seduce the married detective, hoping that her sex appeal will throw the usually stubborn Lieutenant off the scent.

    Director:Vincent McEveety
    Writer:Peter Falk

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  13. Columbo Season 1 Episode 1 - Murder by the Book
    7.6/10(61 votes)

    #13 - Murder by the Book

    S1:E1

    One member of a mystery-writing-team decides to kill his more talented partner when the better writer decides to go solo.

    Director:Steven Spielberg
    Writer:Steven Bochco

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  14. Columbo Season 1 Episode 4 - Suitable for Framing
    7.6/10(49 votes)

    #14 - Suitable for Framing

    S1:E4

    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?

    Director:Hy Averback
    Writer:Jackson Gillis

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  15. Columbo Season 3 Episode 3 - Candidate for Crime
    7.6/10(34 votes)

    #15 - Candidate for Crime

    S3:E3

    A Senate Candidate running for office kills his campaign manager by making it look like he was the target for the killer's bullet.

    Director:Boris Sagal
    Writer:Dean Hargrove

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  16. Columbo Season 5 Episode 1 - Forgotten Lady
    7.6/10(41 votes)

    #16 - Forgotten Lady

    S5:E1

    A fading actress kills her husband when he refuses to back her comeback show.

    Director:Harvey Hart
    Writer:William Driskill

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  17. Columbo Season 7 Episode 4 - How to Dial a Murder
    7.6/10(26 votes)

    #17 - How to Dial a Murder

    S7:E4

    A famous psychiatrist uses an appointment with his doctor as his alibi while he calls his house, where his dead wife's lover is. The call serves as the first step in a conditioning reflex on the psychiatrist's dogs. The other part is the word Rosebud as uttered by the victim. When Columbo arrives on the scene, the psychiatrist is very understanding when police say they may have to put his dogs to death. But Columbo notices how friendly the dogs seem, and then there's the telephone that's hanging from it's hook.

    Director:James Frawley
    Writer:Anthony Lawrence

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  18. Columbo Season 2 Episode 5 - Requiem for a Falling Star
    7.5/10(37 votes)

    #18 - Requiem for a Falling Star

    S2:E5

    A fading movie star tries to murder a writer who is attempting to blackmail her, but accidentally kills her P.A.

    Director:Richard Quine
    Writer:Jackson Gillis

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  19. Columbo Season 2 Episode 8 - Double Shock
    7.5/10(40 votes)

    #19 - Double Shock

    S2:E8

    A wealthy man is murdered; his twin nephews stand to inherit, but which one committed the crime?

    Director:Robert Butler
    Writers:Steven Bochco, Peter Allan Fields, Richard Levinson, William Link

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  20. Columbo Season 4 Episode 5 - Playback
    7.5/10(30 votes)

    #20 - Playback

    S4:E5

    An inventor video tapes his mother-in-law's death, and then replays it back to the security guard, to give himself an alibi.

    Director:Bernard L. Kowalski
    Writer:Booker Bradshaw

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  21. Columbo Season 6 Episode 1 - Fade in to Murder
    7.5/10(33 votes)

    #21 - Fade in to Murder

    S6:E1

    Ward Fowler, who plays debonair television detective Lieutenant Lucerne, has a reputation for being a difficult actor. His series is a hit, however, so the network and studio executives again and again capitulate to his demands. Although separated, husband and wife team Sid and Claire Daley continue to produce the Inspector Lucerne program. Claire continually advises everyone else to go along with their stars demands. Not even Sid knows that Claire is blackmailing Ward. Claire discovers Ward in Canada. She knows he deserted from the United States Army during the Korean War. If that information got out ,it would ruin Ward's career. When Claire takes a phone call in Ward's trailer, the actor overhears her saying she’ll be getting a sandwich at Tony’s Deli. Ward gets to Tony’s Deli just after Claire disguising himself with a ski mask and bulky parka he pretends to be a hold up man.

    Director:Bernard L. Kowalski
    Writers:Lou Shaw, Henry Garson, Peter S. Feibleman

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  22. Columbo Season 6 Episode 3 - The Bye-Bye Sky High I.Q. Murder Case
    7.5/10(33 votes)

    #22 - The Bye-Bye Sky High I.Q. Murder Case

    S6:E3

    Two former college friends, now partners in an accounting firm, become enemies when one realizes the other has embezzled funds. The reason for his embezzling ways is his wife, she demands nothing but the best.

    Director:Sam Wanamaker
    Writer:Robert M. Young

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  23. Columbo Season 7 Episode 3 - Make Me a Perfect Murder
    7.5/10(30 votes)

    #23 - Make Me a Perfect Murder

    S7:E3

    Mark McAndrews a top network programmer is promoted to a New York position. His assistant, who is very ambitious and his lover, expects to get his old job. But of course he feels she is out of her league and needs more experience. Kay, feeling betrayed, decides to seek revenge.

    Director:James Frawley
    Writer:Robert Van Scoyk

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  24. Columbo Season 10 Episode 4 - Death Hits the Jackpot
    7.5/10(24 votes)

    #24 - Death Hits the Jackpot

    S10:E4

    After winning a $30 million lottery, photographer Freddy Brower, who wishes to keep the money a secret from the wife who is divorcing him, arranges with his uncle, wealthy jeweler Leon Lamarr, to pretend the lottery ticket is Lamarr's, until the divorce is final. Little does Brower know his uncle is having an affair with Brower's wife. Lamarr kills Brower in order to keep the lottery winnings for himself.

    Director:Vincent McEveety
    Writer:Jeffrey Bloom

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  25. Columbo Season 2 Episode 1 - Étude in Black
    7.4/10(45 votes)

    #25 - Étude in Black

    S2:E1

    The mistress of a conductor becomes a target for murder after threatening to tell all to her lover's wife.

    Director:Nicholas Colasanto
    Writers:Steven Bochco, Richard Levinson, William Link

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Best Episodes Summary

"A Friend in Deed" is the best rated episode of "Columbo". It scored 8.1/10 based on 34 votes. Directed by Ben Gazzara and written by Peter S. Fischer, it aired on 5/5/1974. This episode scored 0.1 points higher than the second highest rated, "Try and Catch Me".