I found out about Columbo after watching another show called “Motive” and I was hooked. I rewatch the series a lot and I am excited to watch along you. I’m sad Gene Berry didn't return for another episode. He was great.

@meltyenjoys

9 ай бұрын

Gene Barry was amazing! Sad he never came back. :( Thanks for checking out my channel and joining me for this watch!

@patbannister1

9 ай бұрын

Agreed! You need to watch Burke’s Law. He starred in both the 1950’s and the 1990’s version, and he was great! 🌺🌺🇨🇦

@thomastimlin1724

8 ай бұрын

@@patbannister1 Gene Barry also starred in Bat Masterson 1958-1961. He was quite good in that as well. Burke's Law ran from 1963 to 1966, not the 1950's.

I like to think of "young" columbo as still creating the persona he would use later on (which is also probably true of falk). It makes sense that he would learn what works best after many cases. he also carry's his coat so often in this i wondered if the director was against him wearing it. a younger columbo might care more about his appearence.... or at least care that his wife cares.

@user-ig6lx9vk7x

7 ай бұрын

@lazrael32 right what wife I haven't seen her yet

@HuntingViolets

Ай бұрын

@@user-ig6lx9vk7x She's really great. You're gonna love her.

Thank you for a great reaction! Columbo is one of the most brilliantly written and acted series in TV history. It's amazing to see a police show with no action, no car chases, no gun fights, no fist fights. Just two really interesting people saying really intersting things. So glad you are reacting to this amazing show.

@evaschonfeld5752

8 ай бұрын

And not one four letter sewer word

@7bestthings

8 ай бұрын

@@evaschonfeld5752 that's a really great point.

This is still one of my favorite episodes, if not my favorite. I do like his characterization here. It has the seeds of the man in all that follows. I can easily believe this is the same person, younger and more ambitious. There is a deviousness in his tactics that always remained part of his character.

It's wonderful to watch somebody react to Columbo. It must be the only crime show where can't spoil who the killer is (usually) but try to hide how they are caught

This has probably been mentioned before, but Peter Falk had not yet established the signature look of the character at this time. By the time of the second pilot, it was the Columbo we all know and love.

PPS: The stellar score of this pilot episode was by Dave Grusin, who also scored the theme music for such classic Universal TV mysteries as The Name of the Game & It Takes a Thief. ❤❤❤❤️

[I'd love to say that this is a completely random find for me. But, as a Columbo fan of many years, I can clearly see why KZread would recommend this video to me.] What makes this one unique is that I have not seen Columbo done "reaction-style" before, therefore I'm interested in seeing how it develops. The natural reactions, laughter (cackles at times), and tangent commentary (like the Old Testament being full of flaws) could well make this a very interesting upstart. I look forward to seeing it develop. To jump onto a bandwagon,: I discovered Columbo in my early 20s, whilst recovering from an unexpected illness. A&E was running Columbo (and the other 'wheel' shows) on a daily basis, and I became a captive audience. I'm sure I've seen every episode, many times over. I own the box set(s). With that comes a lot of opinion. I think it's one of the very best shows to ever air on television, but there are definitely a number of clinkers in the mix. Not every one's a winner, but the winners are absolutely phenomenal. Prescription Murder is most definitely in my top ten. Growing up in a house full of dark sarcasm, and being encouraged to show my creative side; the worst episodes are subject to improvement by parody and 're-writes'... intended to be well over the top. All the best.!

TIL the house from the end of this is Tim Allen's house in GALAXY QUEST. Thank you - great watch! I love this movie so much. Amazing scenes between Falk and Barry.

Love Columbo and enjoyed your reaction. Regarding the house, it's a very famous house. The Stahl House (also known as Case Study House #22). which was one of a series of homes that was sponsored by Arts & Architecture magazine and is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. It is the same house that was in Galaxy Quest. As you can probably tell I always wanted to pretend to be an architect.

14:20 William Windom, of Murder, She Wrote (recurring role)

My all time favorite episode. I loved seeing your reaction on the young Peter Falk 😄

@meltyenjoys

Ай бұрын

I can’t get over how different and young he looks here!

@brainy1977

Ай бұрын

@@meltyenjoys I know right 😝

I've always loved Columbo (bought the DVD box set several years ago and must have watched each ep at least half a dozen times) and enjoyed your energetic and (I mean this in a good way) unique style of analysis. Keen to watch your take on Ransom. Thanks for uploading Melissa. :)

☺📽 I stumbled onto your/this channel while 'Watch It for Days' is on hiatus. Kudos for disclosing the fact that - as of the taping - you have not viewed the whole of this telefilm - honesty ought to be praised. For later telefilms/episodes I do hope that you use more than a single reference source. Until the next video...👍

@isabellind1292

2 ай бұрын

I'd rather see the episode enlarged or half/half on the screen.

The scene where Columbo confronts Dr.Flemming's mistress Joan is, I think, very unlike the Columbo we get to know in later episodes. I mean he gets very, very angry with her. That just rarely happens with him in subsequent episodes, and I am kind of glad about that.

@diosoth

7 ай бұрын

Dr Mayfield & Milo Janus had it coming too, if anything...

@petercofrancesco9812

6 ай бұрын

The screening test could have revealed audiences disliked his aggressive demeanor. I was put off by it, he crosses over from persistent and annoying to being mean and threatening. It's not consistent with the character we came to love.

@makeupandtheology1821

6 ай бұрын

​@diosoth agree, those are the only 2 times we see him mad in the regular series

@HighLordBlazeReborn

4 ай бұрын

How much of it was an act to scare her though?

@hitchcol2030

3 ай бұрын

Totally surprised he came at her that way. I can’t think of any other time. He came at a suspect as hard as that since that then.

You were really amped for the music. As others have noted, the music for this episode was composed by Dave Grusin who also composed the theme of "The Name of the Game" which starred Gene Barry. I first became familiar with Grusin with the soundtrack of "The Graduate". While Simon & Garfunkel did all the singing, Grusin composed all the instrumentals. Dave Grusin turns 90 on June 26th.

Prescription Murder was one of the very first Columbo episodes and from there on all the episodes were worth watching even if some weren't as good as others due to the acting ability of Peter Falk who was perfectly cast as Lt. Columbo one of the greatest if not the greatest of all TV detectives.

@user-ig6lx9vk7x

7 ай бұрын

@vicmartinoofficial1331 he was a great detective but very nosey and had a bad habit of following people around a very bad trait cause if he was Soo sure of himself he would have gone to a judge and pertain a search warrant and then and only then he was suppose to arrested the person not follow them around like he was a stalker cause they could have hurt him if they wanted to

@user-ig6lx9vk7x

7 ай бұрын

cause they really didn't owe him anything he was suppose to find out about them through a search warrant not like how he was going about it he could have easily gotten killed cause he was badgering them

@user-ig6lx9vk7x

7 ай бұрын

alot daily

@vicmartinoofficial331

7 ай бұрын

@@user-ig6lx9vk7x Had he done what you say he should of done there would be no Columbo television series.

@vicmartinoofficial331

7 ай бұрын

@@user-ig6lx9vk7x Had he obtained a search warrant that might have been the proper way but would of made for a less interesting show.

"This guy is horrible" ... is something you'll be saying about a lot of the murderers on this show. Also... "The music is so chaotic, I love it" Again, something you'll say about LOTS of Columbo episodes. In the case of some, like "Identity Crisis" from Season 5, you may even say the plot is chaotic.

This is so fun! I just started rewatching/watching - I'm not sure how many I watched as a kid/teen (80s/90s for me). It was one of my favorites but I'm sure I missed quite a few. I've been wanting to revisit Columbo for a while now.

I got here, and i'm Subbing to your Channel, RIGGHT NEEOOW.. I love watching episodes with other Columbo fans, laughing together, talking together, discussing together.. Awesomeness

I enjoyed this video, your breakdowns are great. Ive been a Columbo fan since my Dad got me into it when I was young. My favourite scene in this is when Columbo is screaming at Miss Hudson. It is not like him, although in future episodes he screams at Leonard Nimoy and Robert Conrad. Im watching reruns again in Canada. Its on once a week in Toronto. keep up good work Mel

You would love Falk and the recently late Alan Arkin in the 1979 movie [the original] In Laws. I often call it Columbo Goes Wacko...key word for this movie is "Serpentine!"

@meltyenjoys

8 ай бұрын

I love The In-Laws! I could watch it over and over again - it's sooooo good. ❤

I just came across this and enjoyed it very much. This pilot movie features those famous words for the first time, "Oh, just one more thing...". William Windom was in a lot of TV shows like Murder She Wrote and Streets of San Francisco. I will be watching more of your reactions.

Your brain will be more chaotic at the end of all episodes.

Melissa.. ..thanks for making this video!! Love your videos❤ love your interesting viewpoints ❤

I just recently started Columbo myself, and the writing in this similarly blew me away. What a phenomenal start to the franchise. Very enjoyable reaction!

@meltyenjoys

4 ай бұрын

It's an incredible way to kick off the show! Thanks so much for checking out my video! :) Glad you enjoyed it.

I can understand anyone falling asleep during this. The first attempt at Columbo with Peter Falk was more about the story than the full developed Columbo series and character that came later. Columbo became this intelligent but plain ordinary man, coming across as obnoxious, unkept, but a great cover for fooling the murderer. This "pilot episode" was far from the Columbo our generation came to know, which was both intriguing and comical. He always used to sidetrack his conversation with the murderer with some ridiculous observation: "That's a mighty fine couch you have sir....my wife would love one of those for Christmas...how much did you pay for that, if you don't mind my asking....ten thousand dollars eh? Must be made of diamonds...of course I couldn't afford that with a cop's salary....maybe if I could one that looks like at at K-Mart...." William Windom is the guy you've seen before....but in so may TV shows and movies even BEFORE 1968, if you're as old as I am anyway. He did both drama and comedy. one of those you would say "Hey, there's that guy!" Mad Magazine once did a spoof on this called "Clodumbo." The murderer was called Robert Culprit, after the real actor Robert Culp who appeared on the show a couple times I think.

PS: Dr. Ray Fleming is played by Gene Barry, who starred as Glenn Howard, from one of my favorite mystery series, The Name of the Game. ❤️

Somebody said that, from the point of view of the murderer, this is a horror movie and Columbo is the monster that keeps coming for them and from whom they cannot escape.

Yes, Joan’s house was the famous “Stahl House” in LA, on the National Register of Historic Places, and has been used as a location for many films and tv episodes, and even was drawn as a location for a Simpson’s episode in 2009.

The actor you. couldn't remember the guy who played the best friend was, William Windom. He's known particularly for an episode of Star Trek "The Doomsday Machine" He plays, Commodore Matt Decker.

@Oppeldeldoc1

8 ай бұрын

One of his odder roles is the completely silent character at the start of PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES, and in the little stinger at the end.

@Aileil

2 ай бұрын

@@Oppeldeldoc1 I know that he wasn't ever in "MacGyver", but every time I see him I always think of "MacGyver" before remembering that it is a mistaken association.

I feel like Columbo and his wife is one of the great love stories of all time.

Bert Gordon, the DA was played by William Windom, aka Dr. Seth Morley from Murder, She Wrote. ❤️

@janetwalker5308

4 ай бұрын

actually Seth Hazlette

Awesome work - loved listening to your take on this 😁👏

@meltyenjoys

4 ай бұрын

Thank you kindly! ♥️

The beginning... after the short story, the play & The Chevy Mystery Show version(of which has been impossible to find to actually watch, for some reason). Falk has that Jack Webb haircut & a character not yet defined, because he's almost like the secondary character in the story, with no real idea there would be more to come. No mention of him not even carrying a gun as it's not really relevant. He's almost like Hannibal Lecter in Red Dragon in regards to the plot, there for necessity but has yet to become the main focus of the franchise as there is no franchise yet.

My thoughts on the episode: *Barry was a nice choice for the murderer as he had been on Burke's Law previously as the star . So nice reversal here. *William Windom who played Columbos superior officer was quite good in this movie. Windom later played the doctor in another Link and Levison series Murder She Wrote. * The dialogue in Prescription Murder is far better than most episodes of Columbo: crisp, literate, great to listen to. You can tell this was initially a play. *Actually Barry is the only character in the Columbo universe who completely pulls the veil off the Lieutenant when he tells him he is intelligent but hides it behind his persona and lack of looks. * Prescription is a decent concept but rather unimpressive compared to a number of episodes of The Columbo series. The battle of wits between Colombo and the psychiatrist is nice but the main murder plot is so-so.

In many ways this was a natural progression. A young man possesses the same traits that he will once he gets older. And as we age those things grow with times and experience. He will learn what works and what doesn't work when doing your job. Of course the coat would have to have been new at some point.

If you enjoy battle of wits, you should watch BBC’s Sherlock with Benedict Cumberbatch. When he interacts with Moriarty, it is electric.

Been a Columbo fan since my teenage years in the late 80’s where I saw my first episode. I was hooked immediately. Columbo is so adorable. ❤ It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I found out about his first name (Frank). I love that we never get to meet his wife, even though he talks about her in all(?) episodes and I love that his dog never got a name. Thank you for these reactions. Can’t wait to watch them all. 😊

That Leprechaun speech sums up Columbo. William Link described the way the actor that played him in the original stage play as such. Well pointed out. I have uploaded a nice copy of the 1960 tv version. I’d give it 4 out of 5 cigars :).Would be nice to know your thoughts.

@meltyenjoys

4 ай бұрын

Woah! I'll definitely have to check it out!

Hi, just found your channel and can’t tell you how happy it’s made me ☺️ I’ve been a Columbo fan for decades and now looking forward to following your journey…especially the Robert Culp episodes. For me he had a style a cut above the other scoundrels 😄

Peter Falk played in a TV Anthology episode “The Price of Tomatoes” with Inger Stevens who was in the series “The Farmer’s Daughter” with William Windom.

Mt three favorite episodes are A Stitch In Time with Leonard Nimoy, Double Negative with Dick Van Dyke, and The Conspirators with Clive Revill. This pilot is also very good. Gene Barry was always a very suave guy. Really wore a suit well, too. This one has the coolest intro.

My compliments! Favorite scene also, where doctor analyzes Columbo, Masterful….

@meltyenjoys

2 ай бұрын

The writing is so great for this show.

I noticed Columbo has clothes more like Jack Webb on this first episode, before he ended up with the rumpled raincoat. Also, this first episode had some of the Dragnet regular stars, like Virginia Gregg, and Sid Haig. Also stars William Windom from Star Trek. Great movie.

~ You could be recalling the D.A. (William Windom) from almost anywhere, as he was everywhere on tv in that era ~

@westlock

3 ай бұрын

I best remember him as Commodore Decker in Star Trek.

Poirot with David Suchet is another excellent detective series.

~ He also Carries his overcoat more than he he wears it in this initial episode ~

My favorite episode is “murder smoke and shadows “ because I had just started art school to study film and animation when the episode aired!

Well, he didn't do it as a weekly series; he did it as a rotating show on the NBC Sunday Mystery Movie, along with _McMillan & Wife_ and _McCloud_ (I think) and various other shows over time, so I think he was still able to have his movie career too.

It doesn't get noted, but William Windom was the voice of McGruff the Crime Dog. There is a man who adapted a couple of "Columbo" episodes into audio plays: "Candidate for Crime" and "Murder By the Book". The killers really have to stop saying, "You can't prove it". Columbo used a lookalike woman to get Dr. Fleming, which is exactly how Dr. Fleming tried to establish an alibi for himself. In hindsight, it was a good thing that Crosby turned down the role, because he couldn't have done the reboot series.

The Columbo idea was originally slated for Bing Crosby who turned away from the time commitment.

It was NOT "an ugly kitchen." It was a MCM kitchen, totally appropriate for the house and era.

@FritzMonorail

Ай бұрын

Whether or not it's ugly is subjective. A plaid three-piece suit isn't out of place in the '70s. That doesn't mean I'm not going to make fun of it if I see it.

The Old Testament reference may have been a nod to the fact that Gene Barry was an ordained rabbi in real life.

I love the Columbo series, I rewatch them all the time. I think you do too, do you know Columbo's first name? I think it was only shown once in an episode. 😁 The guy you said was the judge, it wasn't. the judge in "My Cousin Vinny" was actually "Fred Gwynne" he was "Herman Munster" in the tv series "The Munster's"

The mystery in Columbo isn't who dunnit. We know that from the start. It's how he traps the scumbag in the end.

Johnny Carson once did a hilarious skit about Columbo. You can probably find it on KZread.

@meltyenjoys

4 ай бұрын

I've seen it! He did a pretty good impression of Falk 🤣

Considering how you can ask five witnesses to something for a description and get, He was tall; he was short; kind of medium; no, it was a woman; I think the expectation of the plane passengers not remembering her voice or how young she looked is not out of line for our good doctor.

_Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine_ is the sister publication to _Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine_ (sort of a little sister). Every submission to one is a submission to the other. Hitchcock leant AHMM his name for a fee, but wasn't involved with the magazine (also true of the series of anthology books whose stories were supposedly selected by Hitch). EQMM was originally edited by Frederic Dannay (one-half of the Ellery Queen pseudonym with his cousin, Manfred B. Lee -- another writing team like Levinson & Link) under the EQ moniker. An interesting thing about Ellery Queen is that their detective also had that name. There was, as you probably know, an _Ellery Queen_ television series developed by Levinson & Link.

Brilliant Episode.. i'm watching this now, and i'm watching Negative Reaction episode on Tv at the same time.. Dick Van Dyke is in the Episode.

I think Peter Falk is pretty good-looking, actually.

Is there a way to watch an unedited version of your reaction to the entire episode? Thanks.

@meltyenjoys

4 ай бұрын

Thinking about opening a Patreon for this!

That would be funny, if he'd hired a serial confesser to commit the murder. Who would believe it?

It does look like the house from Galaxy Quest but I always thought it looked like the house from the James Bond film Diamonds are Forever where he fought Bambi and Thumper 🦌🐇

It is interesting how our culture used to be so Christian. That it was assumed that everyone had at least a general belief. As a believer it sort of makes me whimsical,but i definitely see drawbacks to it.

The scene in the at killer place of work is showcase of intense cat and mouse funny dark straightforward possible calling you out and trying catch you off guard war of will without guns and physical fighting but calm professional body language plus with reasonable tone of voice but still with intent to beat each other situation

The villain is smooth successful plain sight professional charming talented calm but also manipulative cold hearted prepared murderous beautiful deep voice person

~ Why would Barry have his girlfriend come to his apartment while being under suspicion?….. Dumb ~

31:00 34:30 35:00

This detective first show is good vs evil theme senseless murderous non gun or non sexual but still fast pace cat and mouse entertaining video

❤

The thing is, if I say I think you're staging this stuff to get to me, I have to admit you think I'm a suspect. And . . . 1, 2, 3 . . .

You are beautiful stunning charming down to earth likable real intelligent insightful lady host

The doctor room situation classic funny intense war of will without guns and fighting physical with each but cat and mouse plain sight call out each appearing be professional and charming tone situation

John Gotti would have put a hit on him.

Maria santissima….

Does anybody else think the ink blots at the beginning look like a female reproductive system?

@Cathy-xi8cb

9 ай бұрын

That would be the reason they use these in analytic psychotherapy...

The cop is aggressive thinking prepared experience everyday man passionate patient professional but also will to break the rule heroic manipulative plain sight cool willing play dumb person