#and i want the columbo set sooo bad

[landofgay]

things I saw in Walmart while wandering around waiting for cats blood work results from the vet that I wanted to buy except. vet bills.

[nelson-riddle-me-this]

COLUMBO THOUGHTS:

s1e2 "Death Lends A Hand"

Okay so kinda big deal bc I'd skipped this episode in my dedicated series watch I started last year! Not on purpose, but the way I was watching e1 & 2 of season 1 were lumped into one big video file and so I forgot it existed. So really delightful to return to early Columbo and with an episode that was new to me!!

SPOILERS BELOW (for this episode and the other 2 Culp appearances)

As far as performances from series favorite Robert Culp this might be my fave of his! Like he's always exceptionally good at being mean and stern and being annoyed with Columbo, but something about the intensity of this feels different.

With how methodical and premeditated Culp's other two murders are, this one being a 'crime of passion'/manslaughter surprised me. Also THE SLOW-MO GLASS BREAKING AND HER FALLING!!! Like it's visually so cool. And very novel. The overlay shot where we see what Culp does after killing her, but as two different reflections in his glasses on an unmoving face - is very cool. It goes on a bit long, but it's very cool and I expect would be especially novel for audiences in 1971.

The score is by 4-time early Columbo composer Gil Mellé. It's got the spooky quasi-aleatoric spacey murder music thing, and a definite jazz flavor. Both me and the jazzer friend I watched it with were a bit thrown by the sudden capital juh-Jazz that starts when Culp gets into his car after killing this poor woman. Not that *J*azz is inappropriate for that moment, but something about that specific cue undermined the shock and weight of the sequence before. Maybe that's what they wanted, but I doubt it. I hear the blu-ray set that's out has versions of these episodes without music. It'd be a fun project to rescore some of these and fix some of those things that bother me.

Loved the detail of Culp knowing the name of one of his P.I.'s kids - just the sort of detail that helps a story feel 'lived-in'. I was shocked by Columbo playing up the astrology and palm-reading stuff LOL. The show depicts that sort of thing from time to time, but I don't remember Columbo himself hyping it outside of this. Of course it's part of the act to lower their guard, to make them think he's a fool, and as an excuse to get what he's really after (in this case examining the killer's hand and ring).

Ray Milland is fun to see, though part of me thinks he's not quite right in the role. He's not especially sympathetic somehow, which is maybe why they brought him back as a killer in "The Greenhouse Jungle". Some really great comic moments - Columbo complimenting Culp as being a 'man of purpose and intent' and immediately walking into a _closet_ is HILARIOUS. Lots of fun moments too with him snuffing out the golf instructor our victim had an affair with. I also thought it was hilarious that the golf instructor kinda lamely admits that he's not even really good at golf, pulling in women is the only thing he's decent at. Which like wouldn't be so bad if we felt he was a thoroughly charming person. But like it reads less as 'local rich women can't get enough of this studly golf instructor' and 'well I'm not really interested in the golf anyway, and at least he's not my husband - so I guess it's exciting enough. I can tell my bookclub friends I slept with my golf instructor and then I'll be cool.'...

The 'gotchya' is effective and satisfying. The mechanics of it are a bit paint-by-numbers. But this was so early in the run, it probably wouldn't have seemed so if I'd watched it in order. Still, the 'trick the killer into searching for evidence and catch them in the act of that' is worn. But also there's only so many ways for this all to play out!

Good episode, good early Columbo. Also shoutout to the victim cuz how she confronts Culp at his beach house is SOOO SATISFYING!!

[charlyritter]

For the tv show meme, I want you to answer everything please, except for 1, 7, 8, 11--14, 16--18, 20--24, 27, 30, 31, 33, 36, 37, 45, 46, 49--51

2 if you could have saved one TV show from cancellation, which one would it be? Deadwood

3 have you ever quit a show before it finished? why? lol all the time, ain’t nobody got time anymore to sit through shows that don’t grip them

4 are there any shows you wish could just be cancelled already? I quit Supernatural when it wasn’t even SUPER horrible yet, so like even earlier than most people, and yet every time I accidentally come across it and it’s on season 58 I’m just like, WHY

5 what’s your comfort show? Columbo or just generally old-timey TV (partly because it’s old which gives it that cozy feeling but also partly because I watched a lot of 60s/70s/80s TV when I was a teenager, so for nostalgic reasons) (I finally found my complete The Persuaders box set when I visited my parents recently and I was OVERJOYED)

6 which shows do you think are underrated and need more love? Boston Legal, Sirens (US), honestly idk why it just seems to be me but I still think the first season of the British Mad Dogs was AWESOME, Jennifer - Sehnsucht nach was Besseres 😂, Bron/Broen, just generally all that good non-English TV but I mean there are obviously reasons why it’s not as well-known especially when it’s not on netflix

9 what’s one show you thought you’d hate but turned out to really enjoy? I am not very familiar with that feeling since I just know myself way too well and always know what I’ll like and what I won’t like and I’m right 99% of the time. I didn’t expect to like The Good Wife that much because it’s a CBS show and I only watch highbrow television. jk but I did think it would have that ~vibe to it and I mean it does to a certain extent but it’s also just pretty well-written

10 what’s one show you thought you’d love but turned out to really hate? can’t think of anything, also I hardly ever hate shows that I just find them boring and with my list, I don’t have time to spend time on boring sows

15 do you feel like there are any overrated TV show formats? Formats? I don’t know about formats. I mean I can never believe procedurals are still so popular but I did also just watch 2 seasons of The Good Wife in two weeks so (tho I’m not actually sure if it’s strictly a procedural because there is an overarching storyline but there are a lot of case of the week episodes as well)

19 are there any shows on your “to watch” list right now? Nah, nothing. JUST KIDDING, I’ve got 77 shows and 10 miniseries on my listography list and more on my netflix list, what is this questions?! I never get people that are like “I finished my show, so I don’t know what to watch now :(” I always have at least 70 shows in the pipeline. I also hate it because I am never gonna be caught up on everything in my entire life and that thought is just depressing to me. 

25 do you prefer proper opening credits, or a simple title card? my attention span is so low that I somtimes even skip title cards, so definitely those

26 favourite TV show theme song? oh god I think it’s the girlfriends theme song :/ But it’s just so ~90s girlpower and it does fit the show so ://

28 who would be your dream cameo on your favourite show? I honestly do not know what part Colin Firth could play on Breaking Bad

29 do you tend to quote TV shows a lot? have you ever started using a word/phrase because of a TV show? All the time. “Not great Bob” is a mood for eternity

32 what’s one show you could watch over and over? I first had “I could watch all my favorite shows over and over” as my answer to this but actually, some of them are too painful to watch again (like Bron/Broen) sooo? Boston Legal maybe. Or my comfort shows (see 5)

34 what are your top 5 shows right now? shows that are still airing or shows that I am currently watching for the first time: The Good Wife, Santa Clarita Diet, Grace and Frankie, Dark, The Good Place

35 who are your top 5 TV characters right now? right now I’m all about Will Gardner but it’s basically the usual suspects Saga Norén, Jesse Pinkman, EB Farnum, Peggy Olson, Frank Columbo

38 do you prefer hour long episodes, or 30 minute? Out of those two I prefer hour long episodes esp since 30 mins tend to be comedy shows which I can’t get into that often but in general I think 40-50 minutes max per episode is perfect

39 do you prefer 22 episode seasons, or 13? 13!!!!! THIRTEEN!!!!!! 22 episode seasons are an atrocity and yes I am looking at you, The Good Wife

40 is there a show coming out soon that you’re really excited about? I generally don’t really get excited for new shows, just new seasons. Right now I’m excited for Santa Clarita Diet season 3

41 if you could change 1 detail about any show, what would you change and why? I don’t knoooooow I’m not creative enough for these questions. If I had it my way, there definitely wouldn’t be any romance on Stranger Things

42 what’s the longest amount of time you’ve ever watched a show in one sitting? I think probably like around 10 hours?

43 what do you think is a good amount of seasons for a TV show? Five. (It’s not my fault everything about Breaking Bad is perfect and they did everything exactly the way it should have been done…….)

44  if you could replace any actor on TV in playing their role, who would you like to play and why? Alicia Florrick so I’d get to experience what being smart is like?

47 are there any shows you love but your friends aren’t interested in? I mean tbh I have the best taste in TV out of all my friends so lots. My friends don’t even know most of the shows I love. 

48 are there any shows your friends love but you aren’t interested in? unfortunately my irl friends are all like “The big bang theory is so hilarious!!” kinda people sooo… In terms of online friends, right now I don’t see what could ever make me want to watch Grey’s Anatomy but never say never I guess (I did say the same thing about Tatort so.)