Columbo (TV Series) Try and Catch Me (1977) User Reviews

Mariette isn't punished?!

[george-841 · 8/10 · 19 January 2007]

I loved the episode but seems to me there should have been some quick reference to the secretary getting punished for effectively being an accomplice after the fact. While I like when a episode of Columbo has an unpredictable twist like this one, its resolution should be part of the conclusion of the episode, along with the uncovering of the murderer.

The interplay between Peter Falk and Ruth Gordon is priceless. At one point, Gordon, playing a famous writer, makes some comment about being flattered by the famous Lt. Columbo, making a tongue-in-cheek allusion to the detective's real life fame as a crime-solver. This is one of the best of many great Columbo installments.

Great storyline but with weaknesses

[andeven · 8/10 · 24 April 2011]

It is difficult to have spoilers for Columbo, where murderer and motive are usually known shortly after the start but, for what it's worth, what follows does contain a couple.

I agree with all the complimentary comments from other reviewers and thoroughly enjoyed the mental sparring between Abigail and our hero but two points did rather jar. The first, which concerns the artistic structure of the episode, is that we never found out whether the victim did in fact kill his wife. Certainly even if he had it would not excuse Abby taking the law into her own hands but proof of guilt would have at least provided a realistic if legally unjustifiable motive. As it is we have to assume that she acted purely on a supposition, which is not exactly the norm in these stories.

The second point is what I think is a weakness in the plot. Admittedly I am no expert in building law even in the UK let alone in the States but I have to say I found it surprising that a manufacturer would be allowed to build and sell a walk-in safe where the occupant could easily become trapped by accident,where no form of ventilation is provided and where, for no logical reason that I can think of, the whole thing is soundproofed. Presumably it was sold on the tag line "Buy our safe - ideal for your next murder!!".

A heartwarming episode

[koppanyfabry · 9/10 · 31 March 2020]

This is a great episode of the series, one you must try and catch! Falk and Gordon go back and forth throughout the episode once trying to outsmart the other. They both idolise each other which makes for some entertaining encounters between the two of them.

The high point of this episode without a shadow of a doubt is Columbo's speech at the club. The fact that he personally tells his feelings on the job is great and really develops the character of Columbo. The things he says there, while some would have thought were true anyways, still make for a memorable moment.

Despite all the praise I didn't enjoy Gordon's character. I thought she was too over-the-top, too ambitious. Also, unlike some killers, she just gave away herself on too many occasions.

Another brilliant part of the episode is when Gordon thinks she's safe but then Falk comes back to haunt her one final time. The way in which he discovers the murderer is brilliant. One by one he pieces together the puzzle and at the end he is as baffled as Gordon. He knew, yet he couldn't believe it either. This pleasant and funny granny really did commit such a terrible act. He really did like her by the end and, despite her cry for not being convicted, she is politely taken away by our detective.

The end is in many ways heartbreaking. A murder is an unforgivable act of crime, yet we grew so close to Gordon and we kind of understand her reasons. It's sad, but criminals do have to pay for their crimes. The same applies to the first victim: the nephew who killed Gordon's daughter is taken care of, just as Gordon is at the end. Yet, I feel as though the murderer will not be convicted, she is very old, weak. It just won't happen. Some sort of reward, I guess.

Try and Catch this Episode "Try and Catch Me", A MUST!

[BaileySEA · 10/10 · 10 June 2005]

For Columbo fans, such as myself, this is the episode of episodes that made a case for why Columbo was so popular, and just how good it really was. Ruth Gordon has a field day (as ever) playing the wittily intelligent crime novelist Abigail Mitchell. Seems Abigail calls her nephew-in-law to sign some papers making him her heir. She never got over her niece's death, and is convinced her dead niece's husband (Charles Frank) did the dirty deed. To tell more would be unthinkable. Mariette Hartley has a sly role as Abigail's personal assistant. This episode of Columbo is in a class by itself. It's a truly well made television movie. I recommend it most highly.

A must catch!

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 29 March 2012]

Try and Catch Me has to be one of my all-time favourite episodes of the Columbo series, of which I am a big fan of. The production values are as slick as ever, and the music is outstandingly composed and atmospheric. Try and Catch Me also has one of the wittiest Columbo scripts, and one of the most original and completely diverting(apart from a tad pedestrian first 10 minutes) story lines. Peter Falk once again embodies Columbo, and Mariette Hartley is appropriately sly, but other than the delicious writing Try and Catch Me is memorable for the unforgettable performance of Ruth Gordon, who looks as though she is having the time of her life, whether with Columbo or not. As much as I loved the performances of Susan Clark(Lady in Waiting) and Janet Leigh(Forgotten Lady), enjoyed the episodes and found their characters interesting, Gordon for me was the best guest villain actress on Columbo, she really is that good. Overall, a must catch, one of the best of the series, and certainly a favourite of mine. 10/10 Bethany Cox

simply fabulous, that's all

[blanche-2 · 10/10 · 9 September 2004]

Imagine regular old network television with a guest star of Ruth Gordon's stature - only on Columbo. Gordon plays a successful author who attempts to outsmart Columbo. You can already guess what happens. Falk and Gordon are great together. Mariette Hartley plays Gordon's secretary. Gordon does a wonderful star turn in this - she's a conniver, all right, but she's one who never fully recovered from a great tragedy in her life. You really side with her.

I've often wondered, as a major Columbo fan, what really happens to some of these characters when they go to trial. Do the charges stick? I think in the case of Ruth Gordon - she walks.

Ruth Gordon is terrific

[aromatic-2 · 10/10 · 23 June 2001]

Ruth Gordon is one of the more sympathetic killers that Columbo has ever had to deal with. And, the plot is ingenious all the way around. This is one of the best Columbo episodes ever. Mariette Hartley and G. D. Spradlin are excellent in their supporting roles. And Peter Falk delivers a little something extra in his scenes with Gordon.

My favorite Columbo ever! Ruth Gordon is a gem.

[Makena · 29 January 2003]

Ruth Gordon is one of my favorite actresses, and this was one of the best Columbo episodes ever. The cat and mouse game she plays with Peter Falk, as essentially two detectives (one an author writing detective stories) try to outdo each other is intriguing. This one is worth adding to your tape library.

Charming, Funny, Well-Written Columbo Story

[ShootingShark · 6/10 · 17 May 2005]

Abigail Mitchell, a bestselling crime author, locks her treacherous nephew in a walk-in safe and makes it look like an accident. Lieutenant Columbo however is unconvinced.

This must be the only Columbo story where Columbo is taller than the killer ! Gordon is an absolute charm as the murderous Abigail, a little girl in an old lady's body, gently satirising Falk's mannerisms and feigning ignorance. This in turn prompts one of Falk's finest turns in his classic role - he is equally charming and funny and there is a wonderful life-affirming speech he gives to a ladies lunch-group, which is just unmissable. On top of this is a first-rate thriller script by Gene Thompson and Paul Tuckahoe; I love the Edgar Allan Poe-esquire idea of the victim locked in a darkened safe, running out of air, trying desperately to leave some hidden clue to point to the killer, and the brilliant ironic denouement which leads to Abigail's downfall. Easily one of the best Columbo murder mysteries, with a delightful pair of leading performances.

The music (Pat Williams) was outstanding in this episode.

[mleibow · 10/10 · 17 January 2000]

Ruth Gordon at her best. This episode is my favorite of the whole Columbo series. Peter Falk and Ruth Gordon worked so well together that they should both be inducted into the television hall of fame, regardless of the rest of their work. Even the music was outstanding in this episode.

The Key

[glengolf · 6/10 · 28 September 2020]

As i have said in other reviews, there is usually something daft done by the brilliant murderer to be! Here, Ruth Gordon who is an absolute delight throughout, buried the car keys in the shallow sandpit vase in the main hallway. Sorry writers that was plain daft. Particularly for a world renowned crime fiction writer! She went to New York just after doing the deed. Now from LA that gives her quite a bit of scope to dispatch them and unload her possible incrimination! Daft. Still, its great entertainment this show.

One of Columbo's finest moments

[stamp-587-149747 · 10/10 · 20 January 2013]

As others have undoubtedly pointed out, the generic weaknesses in this series tend to be 1) the motivation for the murderer is often insufficient, and 2) the hints are sometime so obscure, it's implausible to think that even Columbo's well-hidden genius would suffice to solve the case. But, in this episode, neither of these issues are weak points. The motivation for the murder is strong and the hints are sufficient, but not too obvious (so that Columbo gets to do some very clever detective work).

Here, the writing, dialog, humor, music, and acting are all top-notch.

The writing couldn't be better. There's never a dull moment.

The dialog is excellent, especially during the interactions between Columbo and the murderer (Ruth Gordon). To take one small example, there is a subtle role reversal when the murderer asks Columbo "one more thing...". Watch closely, since there are a lot of little gems like this.

Television shows from this era that take themselves too seriously---think "Mannix"---have not aged well, so IMHO, reviewers should lighten up when it comes to humor. But, I do have to admit that the humor in Columbo doesn't always hit the mark. However, here there are some true laugh-out-loud moments (the footprint/shoe scene is hilarious and "dog" does some of his best "acting"). Best of all, the humor fits perfectly into the flow, adding to the sum total instead of being a mere distraction or time filler.

Usually, the music in Columbo doesn't make much of an impression on me. This episode is an exception. The music heightens the dramatic scenes and seems to move from background to foreground (and vice-versa) at just the right times.

Peter Falk is in top form and Ruth Gordon is dynamite---it's hard to believe she was 80 years old at the time.

This is television from a different time, when some thought and effort went into each episode (at the opposite extreme is the "reality" drivel that dominates TV today). Of course, it didn't always work. In truth, it failed far more often than it worked. But on those occasions when it did succeed, greatness was possible.

Pretty Good Later Entry.

[rmax304823 · 7/10 · 21 February 2009]

This is the one in which the diminutive Ruth Gordon plays an Agatha-Christie type of murder mystery author who locks her nephew by marriage into a safe. Gordon believes that he murdered her niece and the young fellow dies of suffocation, while Gordon is traveling back and forth to New York. He manages, however, to leave behind some clues, scratches on a couple of black safe deposit boxes and an improvised and well-hidden note. Columbo enters the case, suspects her at once, and solves the mystery by simply using his supernatural mystical intuitive powers. Oh, and Mariette Hartley is on hand as Gordon's secretary and would-be blackmailer. Hartley is, I believe, the grand daughter of the psychologist B. F. Skinner. I'm not sure her ancestry had anything to do with her attractive belly button, which is on display during a belly dance sequence, but I've always admired Skinner anyway.

The murder is well handled. It's a good plot, and none of the performers or crew fluff anything. But the outstanding figure here is Ruth Gordon, only a skosh over five feet tall. She was over 80 years old and looked it. There are moments when she almost teeters, but she consistently exudes charm. Her acting is idiosyncratic. You can never be sure when she's being serious or when she's putting Columbo and the audience on. She's given some good lines too. What humor there is comes from Gordon. Columbo doesn't have any of his frequent comic moments.

All in all, a nice job by everyone concerned.

Wondering why this episode is so acclaimed

[xavier-knoepffler · 4/10 · 8 May 2020]

For me, a good Columbo episode needs 4 ingredients : 1) its usual trademarks 2) a good murderer affrontment 3) a good deduction 4) a perfect crime

And this episode misses completely the fourth ingredient. How a crime mindmaster can elaborate such a weak criminal project? How can she just imagine that the victim won't try to show who's the murderer? How can a man die within the night in a rather big closet? And the story of the car key is nonsense, from the beginning to the end

Still the murderer is quite enjoyable to see (even if her crime is one of the most horrible perpetrated)

Simply one of the best Columbos

[cubboy89 · 10/10 · 22 April 2003]

A top notch Columbo from beginning to end. I particularly like the interaction between Columbo and the killer, Ruth Gordon.

As an avid Columbo fan, I can't recall another one in which he doesn't set up the killer at the end as he does in other episodes. In this one, as he's trying to determine the correct sequence of the boxes and the "message" that the nephew left behind, it finally dawns on him.

The music in this episode is very good as well, as it is in many of other ones.

One of my all time favorite Columbo episodes!

[Sylviastel · 10/10 · 9 May 2005]

I love this episode of Columbo. Maybe it's because Ruth Gordon is in it and she is wonderful as successful mystery writer Abigail Mitchell, an American version of Dame Agatha Christie. She is delicious to watch as the perky, lovable author who suffered a terrible loss when her niece died in a drowning accident. She blames her niece's husband, the nephew. She plans to kill him to avenge her death since the police have abandoned her. I would have loved somebody else than Mariette Hartley to play Veronica. I never really like Hartley in anything personally. And of course with Columbo, there are some laughs like when he questions Veronica at a belly-dancing class. Ruth's Abigail is a smart sleuth herself and she matches wits with Columbo always played wonderfully by Peter Falk.

Solid mystery, witty, quite tense and engaging with great performances from Falk and Gordon (spoilers)

[bob the moo · 9 May 2005]

Abby Mitchell is a successful crime writer but one who has never totally come to terms with the death of her beloved niece – in fact she actively believes that her death at sea was no accident and that her niece's husband murdered her. Changing her will to allow him to inherit all her wealth, Abby wins Edmund's trust, allowing her to make him come to her house late at night and help her pack to go on a business trip. She asks him to put the wills in the back of her large walk-in safe, Abby curses him and locks the door behind him – suffocating him slowly to death. When she returns from her trip, she finds the police all over her house and simply plays it shocked and dismayed. Edmund died slowly and, despite being in a dark safe, had six matches to give him light and managed to leave a series of things on the floor that he clearly hoped would pass a message on after his death. This mysterious collection of objects, specks of paint and missing keys all put doubt in Columbo's mind and he sticks with the case, with the help of Mitchell's sharp mind.

As with many TV film series (such as Perry Mason), if you like one or two of them then you'll pretty much like them all. This entry in the Columbo series pretty much follows the usual formula – we know the killer and the "perfect" plan but then watch Columbo follow his hunch and gradually starts to pick holes in the story he is told before eventually finding enough to prove his suspicions. Saying this is not a spoiler – it is simply what happens in all the films. With this strict adherence to formula it is usually down to several factors whether or not the Columbo film stands out or if it is just average. Here we have an interesting set up and an unusually cruel murder (the script spares us the horribly slow death that must have followed) that sticks to formula but is none the worse for it. The cat and mouse game played out between the two characters is the most enjoyable aspect and this is thanks a lot to the acting talent in the leads.

Falk is as good as ever and he makes the script totally work – convincing you that this is a real person and that his mind is really that sharp; the moment he seems to offer a hand of trust to Abby in his speech to the women's group is perfectly delivered. Needless to say, Gordon is priceless and it is a testament to the appeal of the Columbo series that some one of her stature got involved. She is very enjoyable and also one of the few murderers that the series invite us to empathise with; she has great chemistry with Falk and the two share scenes that are tense as well as scenes that are comic – humorous banter over Columbo's dog is one, while Gordon is the second of two characters to take the mick out of Columbo's "one more thing" line. The support cast is interesting – a typical performance from the unmistakable Spradlin but a wooden and unnatural one from Hartley. However it is the lead two that matter and they are both marvellous, both individually and together.

Overall this is a typically winning Columbo that sticks to the formula with a solid mystery and a wonderful acting dynamic from the lead two. Comparatively tense, witty and engaging this will please fans and perhaps win others to see what the fuss is all about.

Staggeringly Entertaining Made For TV Movie

[secragt · 10/10 · 3 July 2003]

Don't waste time reading my review. Go out and see this astonishingly good episode, which may very well be the best Columbo ever written! Ruth Gordon is perfectly cast as the scheming yet charming mystery writer who murders her son-in-law to avenge his murder of her daughter. Columbo is his usual rumpled, befuddled and far-cleverer-than-he-seems self, and this particular installment features fantastic chemistry between Gordon and Falk. Ironically, this was not written by heralded creators Levinson or Link yet is possibly the densest, most thoroughly original and twist-laden Columbo plot ever. Utterly satisfying in nearly every department and overflowing with droll and witty dialogue and thinking. Truly unexpected and inventive climax tops all. 10/10...seek this one out on Netflix!

One of the best episodes

[antonymartin · 10/10 · 6 July 2013]

A brilliantly written and performed episode. The interplay between Ruth Gordon and Peter Falk is a delight. The music is excellent, too. Hard to believe that one reviewer found it boring!

The Columbo episodes from the 70s have aged really well - how many other cop shows from that decade look as good? I wonder how many contemporary shows will still be sought out in 35 years' time?

Initially, I wasn't as keen on the later Columbos, and I think it's because Peter Falk's performances seem slightly more contrived - almost a parody of his original style. On second viewing, they do improve, though, and they, too, have grown on me - although I still prefer the earlier ones!

She's created many crime scenarios

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 15 July 2012]

This episode of Columbo has Peter Falk matching wits with Ruth Gordon, an Agatha Christie type mystery writer who plans what she thinks is a perfect murder of Charles Frank, her nephew by marriage. She suspects that he may have murdered her beloved niece and only blood relative some months before. The episode suggests her instincts were right. And she's created many a crime scenario in her profession.

Never mind though Falk has to solve the murder of Frank which was accomplished by locking him inside a safe in her home over the weekend.

Best scene in the episode is when Gordon has Falk address a woman's club that she was a lecturer at. Falk gives quite a speech, one aimed directly at Gordon. He actually does like some of the people he has to arrest and people have many reasons to kill. A jury might not convict Gordon, but that's not Columbo's concern.

Frank leaves a dying clue to his own killer's identity. For that you have to watch Columbo to see what it is.

My new favorite episode

[MarcPerroquet · 10/10 · 24 October 2015]

I am going to call this a spoiler even though I hope it doesn't turn into one.

What could be better than to have the sneaky, conniving Lt. Columbo be forced to match wits with an equally sneaky and conniving villain? Until I saw "Try And Catch Me," my favorite episode was "Murder By The Book" with Jack Cassidy and Barbara Colby. Unfortunately, it was only the scenes between those two perfectly matched actors that made it my favorite. The rest of the episode dragged.

That wasn't the case with "Try And Catch Me" where there wasn't a dull moment from start to finish. The villain is Abigail Mitchell, a popular and very wealthy mystery writer played by the great actress, Ruth Gordon. An unusual treasure trove of humorous and/or memorable lines is given to Gordon and she delivers every one with spot-on precision. Another unusual thing about this episode is that all the lead characters seem aware of the villain's guilt. Veronica who is Mitchell's assistant and Spradlin, Mitchell's attorney both make statements that imply they know what she did.

Nevertheless, Mitchell continues to believe that her carefully woven scheme is far too clever to be unraveled. She even remains undaunted as she gradually realizes that Columbo's mind isn't as dusty as his old Peugeot. Unlike most episodes where the killer keeps trying to outsmart the persistent detective, Abigail Mitchell merely relies on lack of evidence. Instead of sweating and telling a web of lies, she joyfully plays cat-and-mouse as she goads Columbo to prove she is guilty. In fact, she does it so well that until the end, we're not sure which one is going to end up being the cat and which the mouse. In a scene that comes late in the show, when Columbo makes a clear accusation that Mitchell is lying about some missing keys, Mitchell smiles with confidence, points her thumb at him, and says, "That's very extravagant of you, Lieutenant. Can you prove that?"

Of course, Columbo pieces together a mysterious puzzle and when he presents Mitchell with the surprise evidence, Gordon's acting skills pull us into Mitchell's collapsing world and we feel her emotions even before she speaks and even before we become fully aware of what the evidence really is. In my opinion, this is one of the most emotional and tense finales of any Columbo episode.

But it's not just the writing and acting that make this episode so good. It is also the great camera work and perfect musical score which combine to deliver some chilling moments such as the shot of the diminutive Gordon standing next to the large walk-in, sound-proof safe in which she locks the victim seconds before her attorney enters the room; the moment when she notices the keys on the table; Columbo sitting quietly in the dark, looking into the safe as gray smoke from his cigar curls around him like pensive apparitions.

Very nice episode, huge plot hole...

[toolkien · 7/10 · 18 May 2007]

I like this episode quite a bit, Ruth Gordon is good if not a little hammy as she always was. As has been stated, the music is very good, and it has a moodiness that doesn't exist in all episodes.

But one major plot hole exists, so wide you can drive a fleet of trucks through it. It is established that the light doesn't work in the vault. Don't you think that the very intelligent Columbo or the rest of the police would have thought to check if the light bulb worked? You'd think in pretty short order they would have unscrewed the bulb and so found the note. Granted this is TV whodunit fiction, and various holes will always be found, but this seems much too glaring.

It really doesn't make Columbo out to be the hidden genius when the light doesn't work but the "death bed" testimony goes on unfound, apparently for days.

One of the best

[mark.saunders6 · 10/10 · 28 March 2001]

I have a lot of time for all the Columbo films, but this one in particular was extremely well written, and the solution at the end very effective. However, my main memory of this one is the opening of a scene in the middle of the film, between Columbo and the murderer (I apologise if I've not remembered every detail of this exactly). It's the most striking image of Columbo I've seen: the view is from inside the darkness of the cupboard where the victim was murdered, and into the room beyond, which is lit up by daylight. Columbo is sitting in a high-backed armchair facing the doorway (and us), contemplating the cupboard, and almost in silhouette due to the contrast in light. There's no sound. The camera slowly moves out of the room and up towards him. He's deep in meditation, puffing gently on a cigar, swirls of smoke from the cigar circling slowly upwards as he thinks. Then the dialogue starts. Superb.

A wonderful interaction between Columbo and murderess is still unable to disguise a comparatively average script

[The Welsh Raging Bull · 6/10 · 22 May 2003]

A 1977 Columbo episode that is predominantly remembered for the affectionately documented relationship between Columbo and an aging murder mystery writer called Abigail Mitchell (charmingly played by Ruth Gordon) who murders a man whom she suspects of killing her niece on a boat four months before. She locks him in a soundproof safe and tries to make it look like an accident....

Cleverly, the ultimately professional traits of the murderess tentatively mirror Columbo's unstinting conscientiousness, but the script-writer's intention is to playfully develop the story with a more circumspect Columbo, who becomes oddly less understanding, compassionate and sympathetic by the time the murder victim's car keys turn up in the murderess's hands about 20 minutes from the finale: this clumsily heralds Columbo's unmasking of the killer.

Undoubtedly, the scenes between Falk and Gordon have a insatiable charm about them and partially dispel the theory that the Columbo stories which have more aggressive and arrogant murderers tend to be better.

However, the script is really too thin to shine by singularly focusing on developing the relationship between Columbo and murderess. Clues are few and far between and for my money, the script-writer makes the murderess uncharacteristically blunder (when she tries to say that she found the murder victim's car keys at the scene where they found his footprints) to strengthen a script that does not quite have the usual intrinsic ingenuity.

Plausibility is also tested to the limit when Columbo reveals that the murder victim has left evidence at the scene of the crime, identifying the killer. The set-up is somewhat far-fetched even by Columbo standards and it is unfortunately unconvincing. Furthermore, if the murder victim knew that the killer was going on vacation, why did he have to be subtle about identifying the culprit when the chances are either the maid or the murderess's secretary would open the safe first, as both of them knew the combination. Ultimately, this is proved when the secretary opens up the safe the next day...

All in all, the episode is positively remembered for the performances of Falk and Gordon, who interact very well together, but, negatively, it is still insufficient to conceal the patchy script.

Always dumb

[mekid-33183 · 1/10 · 11 January 2023]

So Columbo goes in the safe, he comes out and who is there? The murderer lol it's always the same nonsense, Columbo never speaks to any witnesses first, he ALWAYS speaks to the murderer first, how likely is this?

He also discloses all sorts of evidence to the killers, this is so unrealistic, its so stupid.

And his cigar.... Does he sleep with cigars in his mouth? He is constantly smoking, nobody smokes 24/7.... Who wrote those stupid scripts?

And his constant "one more thing...."

Anyway it's ok to watch it but it's total fantasy

This is definitely one of the most overrated programs in the history of TV.