highstandard columbo story actually first filmed episode longrunning series originally transmitted second after murder bookbr br robert culp makes first three appearances guest murderer series plays owner private detective agency blackmails wife patricia crowley rich highly influential businessman played sympathetically ray milland falsifies report favour discovered affair wife later rebels blackmail scheme killed fit ragebr br a satisfying episode many respects particularly plot strongly setup subsequently developed also rare columbo ingredient crime unpremeditated killing whole thing enhanced widowed husband uses murderer assist columbo investigations feature facilitates numerous good quality scenes particularly first sequence three central characters meet columbos crucially deceptive qualities wonderfully evidencebr br directed flair bernard l kowalski acted appropriately high level really set tone whole series since murder book let poor ending script columbo creators richard levinson william link precise wellstructured wellthoughtout underpinned steady productive pace meaningful sequences really exhibit unpredictability story ultimately finale fittingly epitomises columbo always one step ahead murdererbr br overall fine piece detective work columbo strongly suggests production team worked notredflagly constructively render polished columbo story