Columbo's conviction rate

We've mused about Columbo several times over the years -- he even made The Baron's list of his Favorite Fictional Characters -- and one point made more than once was how the convoluted resolutions of his cases might make for entertaining TV viewing, but might not garner convictions in a court of law.

I say this to say I just came across a list that somebody out there compiled of Lt. Columbo's batting average in that regard, here. It offers little detail, just the title of each episode, the "title" of each "court case," and the "verdict" and "sentence." There's a second part, here, that deals with the revival on ABC.

I wish the author had provided some information on what basis he concluded what each verdict and sentence should have been, but the list is amusing, nonetheless. It's all over the map, with "GUILTY," "NOT GUILTY," "DISMISSED," "PLEA BARGAIN," "NEVER TRIED" and even "UNSOLVED," and the sentences are amusing, too. 

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  • Here's a nice overview of the series.

    From the BBC: "Why the World Still Loves 1970s Detective Show Columbo"

  • There always seems to be a tendency to refer to Columbo as "bumbling." Of course he was pretending to be that way. 

    Rarely, you would see him talking with authority and clarity to a group of officers who hung on every word and obviously respected him. 

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