No really, as a fan of Columbo I still find it a mystery as how I didn't see this episode until fairly recently. It is a wonderful episode and up there with Ashes to Ashes, Any Old Port in a Storm, By Dawn's Early Light, Etude in Black, Blueprint for Murder and How to Dial a Murder as one of the best episodes of the show.
As is always the case with Columbo, visually A Stitch in Crime is very striking, with skillful photography, lighting and I liked the use of locations too. The music score is good too, not the best, most memorable or most atmospheric of all the Columbo episodes, but it is suitably haunting and there are some memorable parts that don't feel obtrusive.
I was also taken with the story. What I loved most about the other episodes I mentioned in this review was that they all had great premises especially How to Dial a Murder. A Stitch in Crime is no exception. As for the story construction it is very interestingly done, is well paced and the ending wraps things up nicely never being too obvious or confusing. The writing once again is very strong, it is thoughtful sometimes yet the exchanges between Columbo and Mayfield also never fail to amuse and delight.
The acting is very good. Will Geer is quite good, not my initial idea for his character, but he plays him well, and as good as the support playing is without completely standing out particularly from Anne Francis, it is the two leads who really impress. Peter Falk is exceptional as Columbo, which came of no surprise really seeing as he always is even in the odd episode when Columbo isn't quite as well written as he can be. Mayfield for me is one of the most intriguing, smartest and calculating villains/suspects in the Columbo canon, and Leonard Nimoy played him to perfection.
Overall, wonderful and I am cross with myself that it took me so long to see it. 10/10 Bethany Cox
As is always the case with Columbo, visually A Stitch in Crime is very striking, with skillful photography, lighting and I liked the use of locations too. The music score is good too, not the best, most memorable or most atmospheric of all the Columbo episodes, but it is suitably haunting and there are some memorable parts that don't feel obtrusive.
I was also taken with the story. What I loved most about the other episodes I mentioned in this review was that they all had great premises especially How to Dial a Murder. A Stitch in Crime is no exception. As for the story construction it is very interestingly done, is well paced and the ending wraps things up nicely never being too obvious or confusing. The writing once again is very strong, it is thoughtful sometimes yet the exchanges between Columbo and Mayfield also never fail to amuse and delight.
The acting is very good. Will Geer is quite good, not my initial idea for his character, but he plays him well, and as good as the support playing is without completely standing out particularly from Anne Francis, it is the two leads who really impress. Peter Falk is exceptional as Columbo, which came of no surprise really seeing as he always is even in the odd episode when Columbo isn't quite as well written as he can be. Mayfield for me is one of the most intriguing, smartest and calculating villains/suspects in the Columbo canon, and Leonard Nimoy played him to perfection.
Overall, wonderful and I am cross with myself that it took me so long to see it. 10/10 Bethany Cox