The feeling that something within this episode touches a nerve has proved to be persistent. Through years of time, multiple conclusions have been drawn with respect to the reasoning of that which makes "Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo" so special to me. Consider the 69 episodes which sit in the "Columbo bank" and then visualize making a "withdrawal" of each and every one in which the killer's spouse is the killer's victim. With the undeniable note that we would be taking away such classics as the two pilot episodes, let us focus on that which we would have remaining in that "bank". We must concede that hardly any of those stories make much reference to the villain having a loved one. Occasionally we encounter minor characters such as the daughters of Luis Montoya in "A Matter of Honor" and The Great Santini in "Now You See Him". Bart Kepple's wife is never seen although mentioned in "Double Exposure"--and in "Agenda For Murder", the very preceding episode of that which highlights this post, the wife of Oscar Finch is hardly a factor at all. Then, along comes "Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo"--a treasure which greatly appears to break the aforementioned trend in a most intriguing way. Never before had a "Columbo" story seriously focused on the grief and thirst for revenge of a loved one after our Lieutenant sees to it that the villain is arrested. For example, the anger and shock of Janice Benedict during the conclusion of "Etude in Black" is toward her villainous husband for committing betrayal and then resorting to murder in order to cover it up. We do not see enough of Montoya's daughter in "A Matter of Honor" to formulate a reasonable opinion as to whether or not she resents Columbo, and it is obvious that Elizabeth Van Wyck is far too stunned by the unmasking of her own mother's killer in "Playback" to formulate much distaste for the cop who made the arrest. "Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo" strongly comes across as quite different. In focusing on the sinister intentions of a widow whose deep grief for her husband and the unfortunate circumstances which led to his demise lead to committing murder and planning another killing, a very tantalizing hint is planted--a strong implication that we are going to see such above-mentioned barriers very forcefully broken through. It not only focuses on the loved one of a killer arrested by our hero. The script also heavily implies that the murder of Columbo's wife--a consistently-referenced and beloved woman whom we have cherished yet never seen--is going to be the ultimate highlight and the reason for which this main character finally breaks out of his shell. Throughout our lives we have formulated thoughts and/or fantasized about ideas such as "What if Wile E. Coyote caught the Roadrunner?" or "What if Lucy ever allowed Charlie Brown to kick that football?" And during a first viewing of "Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo", we are teased with that which is perhaps among the greatest fantasies within imagination--the very cagey yet clever Lieutenant Columbo losing his never-seen wife in such a villainous way after many years of adoring this invisible conversation piece. As sincere "Columbo" fans, our pleasures do not end with observing complex murder plots, comical quirks, and clever endings. We are further intrigued by that which is referenced yet not seen: traits of the brother-in-law, a military history, and--most especially--the wife. The concept of Mrs. Columbo actually being murdered is so fascinating--such an unexpected change in a pattern which has remained consistent--that it is my strong belief that we actually want this news to be true as the episode progresses. This proves to be an intense contradiction because throughout its course--especially during the build-up to its climax--we are given hints which clearly imply that this heavily-advertised death is a fake. It is my belief that above-mentioned fantasy-related thoughts result in a strong element of disappointment upon learning that Mrs. Columbo is actually still alive. Even though we wish nothing but the best for our favorite TV detective, our yearns to see his emotional, expressive, and revenge-driven sides at least temporarily make us regret that his wife did not die. On the other hand, the breakthrough from fantasy back to reality within the final lines of the episode proves to be joyfully triumphant. Despite the so-called disappointing realization that "Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo" does not involve the death of our Lieutenant's wife, we find ourselves emotionally charged and ready to celebrate. Columbo has nabbed a nasty cold-blooded killer--one whose icy intentions leave those of many sinister villains from preceding episodes far away in the dust. And he appropriately tops it off with a now-even-more-than-before-treasured conversation with that virtually immortal wife. I will always treasure the intrigue, thought-provocation, and sense of heroics gained from repeated viewings of this episode during a significant number of years. Although I will never again experience the intensity of watching it for the first time, the depth of the surrounding thoughts shall never be forgotten. Peter Falk deservedly won another Emmy for his portrayal of Columbo during this very season. Additionally, the script of "Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo" was among the best of the entire series--out-doing even most of those which are referred to as the "original 45". I very respectfully envy Helen Shaver for taking a challenging role (and one which must be a lot of fun for an actress to portray) and taking it yet much higher. She is as deserving of praise as any actor or actress who ever suited up as a "Columbo" villain. Lastly, many thanks to ABC for allowing this masterpiece to air. It is a classic which succeeds in becoming much more treasured with the passing of time.
Review of Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo
