# Columbo (1971)

> A rumpled, seemingly absent-minded homicide detective unravels elite murderers one meticulous clue at a time.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/825

## Facts

- Seasons: 10
- Episodes: 67
- Episode runtime: 76 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: crime, mystery
- Created by: William Link, Richard Levinson
- Network: ABC, NBC
- Cast: Peter Falk, Martin Sheen, Robert Walden, Tisha Sterling, Danny Goldman, Gregory Sierra, Robert Walker Jr., Johnny Cash
- TMDB rating: 8.3/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1466074/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: mild
- Tone: witty, gentle, cozy, playful, clever

## What critics say

Viewers broadly acclaim Columbo as a defining detective series, celebrating Peter Falk's low-key, rumpled lead and the pleasure of watching a killer undone by his cleverness.

## Synopsis

Columbo (1971-2003) is an American national-television crime mystery series created by William Link and Richard Levinson, broadcast across ABC and NBC. Peter Falk plays Lt. Columbo, a friendly, verbose, disheveled Los Angeles homicide detective whose shabby raincoat and seemingly scattered manner lull wealthy suspects into dismissing him. The engine of each episode is an inverted whodunit: the murderer is shown at the outset, often a respected doctor, executive or artist who believes the crime is perfect, and the drama lies in watching Columbo circle back with patient questions, small inconsistencies and quiet persistence until the trap closes. Guest stars such as Martin Sheen and Johnny Cash appear in individual installments, and each season is built from self-contained cases rather than a continuing storyline. Across ten seasons and sixty-seven episodes, the tone stays gentle, witty and cozy, with a playful rapport between detective and culprit. Fans of Murder, She Wrote, Monk and Mystery! will find resonance in the unassuming sleuth and the clever puzzle-box pleasure of watching an intelligent investigator outmaneuver the overconfident.

## Shows like Columbo

- [Elementary (2012)](https://ember.film/tv/1331)
- [Sherlock Holmes (1964)](https://ember.film/tv/21230)
- [Murder, She Wrote (1984)](https://ember.film/tv/454)
- [Dragnet (1951)](https://ember.film/tv/3536)
- [Death and Other Details (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/110483)
- [Wallander (2005)](https://ember.film/tv/29246)
- [Kojak (1973)](https://ember.film/tv/3397)
- [The Streets of San Francisco (1972)](https://ember.film/tv/2342)
- [Castle (2009)](https://ember.film/tv/1335)
- [Ironside (1967)](https://ember.film/tv/4361)

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