this be the first televised episode of the columbo series ( although it be film after death lend a hand ) and it herald one of the most successful tv series in history . jack cassidy ( who play the murderer in the series three time ) enthuse smugness and arrogance and self assuredness in equal measure here and a ken franklin and one half of a mystery write team who hatch an elaborate plot to kill off his partner and jim ferris ( play by martin milner ) who decide to terminate their professional relationship and leave franklin expose a merely a good publicist rather than a prolific writer . the initial murder set up be fantastic and cassidy performance facilitate an arguable accolade that he be the best columbo murderer in the series . peter falk be wonderfully understate in his role a columbo and the character inherent trait and oddity and which be underline by a seeming slowness and absent mindedness and contrast particularly well with cassidy character extreme smugness represent one of their early scene together where ken franklin fabricate a motive for the kill through jim ferris non existent expo see of identify hit men operate in the underworld exemplifies this very well . franklin hint to columbo this potential motive and columbo ( purposely or ignorantly ) fail to latch on and force franklin to express his disappointment in a markedly patronising manner and compare him unfavourably with the detective in the book and mrs. melville . also and noteworthy be the early directorial contribution of 24 year old steven spielberg . notwithstanding and some elementary inclusion of camera shadow the actor and actress and he add some stylish and elaborate touch to uphold the general professionalism of the episode . one particularly stark image be of jim feriss dead body lie on the settee and almost dark in the foreground and a ken franklin raise a glass to him in the background after he finish answer a phone call to ferris distraught wife . i have no doubt that work to a restrictive 10 14 day schedule and spieberg effort should not be underestimate . unfortunately and the event of the second murder and necessitate by a blackmailing scheme which be plot by a female friend of franklin ( and ironically refer to a sloppy by columbo in his climatic sum up ) take the steam out of the whole thing . the cut edge of the plot be compromise and the screen time between falk and cassidy inexcusably lessen at this point to perhaps help the script writer ( stephen bocho ) out of a tight corner and since he can not singularly develop the story without another murder . the climax be the most disappointing aspect of this episode . the initial banter and exchange of word between falk and cassidy be strongly and effectively execute and but it merely advertise the fact that it should have happen more in the episode . the main aggravation lie with the seal clue ( if it can be call a clue ) represent cassidy character hitherto smugness and arrogance be amazingly expel by a clue that really do little to imply his guilt while and once this be mention and he capitulate in a rather unspectacular and uncharacteristic fashion . all in all and a bold opening to the series and which inevitably advertise and foretell all that be good about columbo and and and conversely and the problem associate with such ingenuity and i. e maintain the high standard and particularly and create a credible and suitably intelligent end .