i have watch this a couple of time now and it get bad the more you analyse . compare it to the episode in mexico where a a fish out of water columbo have to help the local police . that episode be tightly script with a believable mexican policeman and reason for columbo to help out . here we have lazy scriptwriting ( exchnage visit ) and cartoon english policeman go to their club . laughable . the theatre setting and luvie murderer have possibility but mar by basehart canadian drawl . the pub scene with cockney be just ludicrous . the difference between the location shoot and the californian and studio scene be glare and off put . the problem be falk be not on camera enough to lift it and and a wealth of british character actor be waste with not enough nuance in the script and and no interesting villain like patrick macgoohan and jack cassidy or robert culp to mask the story shortfall with screen presence . the murder and denouement be just lame and it be surprising this episode come so early since it bear all the hallmark of the type of episode you get when the series be go down the drain and a desperate attempt be make to liven the pattern up with a new location . columbo have do far good than this and but i must admit that compare to more standard tv fare a bad columbo be still good than a lot of other thing you can pass the time with because peter falk be in it .