Columbo

Columbo (1971)

6 mistakes in season 7 - chronological order

(34 votes)

Starring: Peter Falk

Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller

Make Me a Perfect Murder - S7-E3

Continuity mistake: When Kay retrieves the gun from the elevator ceiling, they switch shots several time looking up at the ceiling and down from the ceiling. In one shot looking up, the barrel and grip of the gun are over the edge of the ceiling tile. In the next down shot, just the barrel is near the edge and the grip is inches away. Back to an up shot and the gun returns to barrel and grip over the edge.

The Conspirators - S7-E5

Factual error: Devlin proclaims himself to be a staunch Irish Republican but he refers to the Northern Irish city of Derry as "Londonderry." This is the name imposed upon the place by the British and is despised and rejected by Republicans. Devlin would refer to the city as "Derry."

The Conspirators - S7-E5

Plot hole: Columbo is in the Pauley's hotel room trying to figure out how the bottle landed upright next to his body after he was shot. Devlin - the murderer - turns up unannounced and uninvited. How did Devlin explain that he knew where the victim was staying when he was murdered? Media reports might have mentioned the name of the hotel but there is no way they would have included the room number.

The Conspirators - S7-E5

Plot hole: Just before Joe Devlin kills Vincent Pauly in the hotel room, he picks up the Full's Irish Dew whisky bottle with his bare hands. The same bottle falls to the floor when Pauly is shot, and Devlin then kicks it over to the body. Devlin didn't wipe the bottle clean at any point, therefore it will be covered in his fingerprints, but this is never mentioned throughout the episode. There's no way the police would overlook such a basic clue.

Columbo: Oh, I didn't come to ask any more questions. I came to arrest you.

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A Deadly State of Mind - S4-E6

Trivia: Unusually enough for a television show devoted to a homicide detective and the way he unravels the plans of cunning murderers, the fact is that Columbo has nothing to do in this episode. Doctor Collier is seriously assaulted by Carl Donner who then goes on to violently attack his wife. Use of deadly force to prevent such an attack is allowed in the United States. Collier does not commit murder; he doesn't even commit a crime. You'd think such a hightly educated man would know enough to keep his head, call the police and explain what had happened. He wouldn't even be charged.

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Suggested correction: Collier would have lost his licence to practice medicine as a result of his having a sexual relationship with a patient, and his killing the woman's husband - justified or not - would have made this much worse. For a start, the lucrative book deal he is about to sign would certainly have been cancelled. He stands to lose everything. Of course he is going to try to cover it up by any means possible, including committing another murder.

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Show generally

Question: Why was Columbo never promoted, given that across the whole show he solves all the murders in such a spectacular fashion?

Answer: In the show, he was already a Lieutenant. A promotion would put him in the next rank up, which for the L.A.P.D. would be Captain. However, some of a Captain's duties would be overseeing other officers and ensuring they're compliant with policies, regulations, and standards. It would also most likely take him out of the field. This is something Columbo has no desire for as he rarely goes to police HQ's. Nor does he show interest in compliance and standards (for example, not going to his semi-annual evaluation at the firing range). However, he could still be assigned to a higher pay grade based on expertise, which is a form of promotion that does not include rank advancement. This would be going from Lieutenant I to Lieutenant II. I don't believe in the show it's ever started what his pay grade is. Although, in s02e01 (I believe) he mentions making $11K a year. Whether or not this was a true statement on his part, if you could find pay scale information for an LAPD Lieutenant in the 70's, it could give you an idea of his pay grade.

Bishop73

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