7.7/105,518 votes#1 - Murder by the Book
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 9/15/1971
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
7.7/103,992 votes#2 - Death Lends a Hand
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 10/6/1971
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.
Director: Bernard L. Kowalski
Writer: William Link, Richard Levinson
6.9/103,563 votes#3 - Dead Weight
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 10/27/1971
A famous general kills a business associate, then woos a neurotic female witness to thwart Columbo's investigation.
Director: Jack Smight
Writer: John T. Dugan
7.7/103,815 votes#4 - Suitable for Framing
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 11/17/1971
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
7.2/103,419 votes#5 - Lady in Waiting
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 12/15/1971
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.
Director: Norman Lloyd
Writer: N/A
7.1/103,318 votes#6 - Short Fuse
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 1/19/1972
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.
Director: Edward M. Abroms
Writer: N/A
7.6/103,268 votes#7 - Blueprint for Murder
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 2/9/1972
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: N/A
The Best Episodes of Columbo Season 1
Every episode of Columbo Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Columbo Season 1!
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...
Genres:CrimeDramaMystery
Season 1 Ratings Summary
"Murder by the Book" is the best rated episode of "Columbo" season 1. It scored 7.7/10 based on 5518 votes. Directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Steven Bochco, it aired on 9/15/1971. This episode is rated 0.0 points higher than the second-best, "Death Lends a Hand".