UNO TV review.1: Columbo: A Deadly State of Mind

Mr UNO                                                          Review date: 9/5/2012

Columbo: A Deadly State of Mind

Columbo goes up against a psychotic psychiatrist

Movie Studio/s: Universal Pictures studios

Season: Four (1974-1975)

Episode: Six

Format: DVD (either on the Season 4 DVD set or the Columbo Complete series box set.)

Year: 1975

After watching this episode of Columbo, I have decided that it is properly best not to have a psychiatrist. You just don’t know when they might involve you in a murder plot! This was the story to this 1975 episode.

A psychiatrist called Dr.Mark Collier (George Hamilton) accidently murders Carl (or Karl?) Donner (Stephen Elliot), the husband of one of his patients Nadia Donner (Lesley Ann Warren) who Collier is having an affair with. Collier then convinces Nadia to lie to the police about the incident, saying that two thugs tried to rob the beach house and then ran away when they found they went too far after killing Carl (or Karl?). After Collier flees from the scene Lt. Columbo (Peter Falk RIP 1927-2011 Sob!) and the police arrive to help Nadia and she convinces them the invented story from the sneaky psychiatrist. Columbo though doesn’t believe her and tries to figure out who really committed the murder, while Collier tries to avoid being found out.

If you haven’t seen a Columbo, here’s what the usual format to expect:

  1.     We see the Murderer at the beginning and he/she commits crime (well-prepared or not well-prepared).

  2.     Murderer then tries to cover up the crime well.

  3.     Columbo comes onto the scene and investigates.

  4.     Then he meets the friend or whoever who was connected to this person, who is the murderer and he/she tries to put the Lieutenant on the wrong trail.

  5.     Later on Columbo then keeps coming back to the murderer pestering him/her with questions and theories, which starts to get the murderer angry, fed-up or worried.

  6.     In the end either the murderer has enough and confesses to Columbo by or not by mistake or tries to hide or destroy a piece of evidence or his trail from the Lieutenant but is found out by Columbo.

  7.     End of episode.

And that’s how it usually goes. Oh yeah and if it is good or not. This episode is no different. But thankfully that doesn’t mean it’s not good.

Collier: You bring a light?

Mario: No!

Collier: Enough Hotel Mario jokes already!!

Directing this episode was Harvey Hart who had worked on another Columbo episode called ‘By Dawn’s Early Light’, although he is more well known for his work (in my opinion) on his last story for the series, the awesome ‘Now you see Him’ with Jack Cassidy. His work in ‘A Deadly State of Mind’ was not amazing but he does have a lot of nice details in there, especially in the opening.

The plot was written by Peter Fischer who by this point had already contributed to seven stories in the franchise. His script here is hardly a classic compared to the legendary ‘A Case of Immunity’ (in my opinion) but there is still some clever stuff that Fischer is able to put in, giving a good detailed description of the murderer and of how Columbo solves the crime.

Columbo: "How do you play Minecraft on this thing?

Peter Falk (RIP again sorry!), cigar and all returned as Columbo and still was brilliant as ever, investigating, annoying the murderer and “just one thing...” around the whole place. I don’t think we’ll ever have a memorable bumbling detective like Peter’s Columbo ever again (unless they plan a rejig/reboot. Yikes!!). The rest of the cast included George Hamilton (although I kept mistaking him for Cary Grant! Look he nearly looks the same! Maybe it’s just me.) who would later on appear in ‘Caution: Murder can be Hazardous to your Health’ plays a perfectly calm and smooth murderer, who also is able to be proud, so he can make Columbo look like AND feel an idiot but can also make his character feel like he’s lost it especially during the beginning and conclusion of the episode.

Also other good cast members include one of my favourite Columbo characters, Bruce Kirby as Sergeant George Kramer, Columbo’s right-hand man who popped up in some episodes over the years. What I like about Bruce’s performance as Kramer was that unlike Peter’s unusual performance of Columbo, Bruce would play Kramer more down to earth, mildly frustrated, getting to the point and sarcastic, properly a mirror of the TV viewer wondering why Columbo is doing all this crazy stuff. Also that his surname is the same as that pink puff ball at Nintendo (Kirby).

Finally another good actress in this episode was Karen Machon who played Dr. Anita Borden, a lab assistant to Mark. Karen was able to make her character great by being sarcastic and cleverer than Mark, as she knows him and his shifty behaviour all too well. She also makes sure to make herself not to be an idiot or a cheap weak damsel, compared to Lesley Ann Warren’s character in this story.             

Antia: “Not only have you bored me to death, you’ve also told me the whole plot of the ‘Amazing Spiderman’ film!”

Collier: “Look on the bright side! At least you saved money for the Bus home!”

And now it’s time for...

RIPPER ROO MOMENTS!!!

(As well as Did you know? Fact and favourite moment in the episode!) Warning spoilers!

Rude joke Rubbish: Sometimes you get good jokes, sometimes you get bad jokes. And then there are these jokes. THE WORST. I won’t say but you’ll properly hear it when watching the story. Honestly! Couldn’t they just have dumped it?

Did you know?

Shockley I found from a Columbo guide/review website (http://www.planetbods.org/columbo/series_4/a_deadly_state_of_mind) that this episode is one of the rare occasions where Columbo doesn’t mention his unseen wife Mrs Columbo!! Here I’ll show you: “Maybe I need my ears syringing but nope, there was none of that Mrs Columbo thing going on either!” Maybe the writers were like “How many times have we mentioned her?!” Yeah, properly.

So that you know, this is not a preview of Men in Black 4: K’s Kick Off!!

My Favourite moment in Columbo: A Deadly State of Mind:

Double Trouble Detective: I guess this is what you call a real ‘blind-leading-the-blind’ type thing! Columbo cleverly traps Collier by using a blind man’s brother who the blind man was a witness to the murder, fools Mark into saying that he was at the scene at Carl Donner’s beach house by having the blind man’s brother disguised as him! Showing that Mark was at the scene of the crime because he saw the blind man! Sometimes you’ve got to marvel at Columbo!

Scoring Time!!!! Oh Yeah!!

Thrills: 4/5 Not only does it have an intriguing and creepy intro but there is also a good amount of action going on in the episode.

Direction: 3/5 You see a good bit of direction at the start, although later on you don’t see anything else that pops out at you.

Cast: 4/5 Is there anything bad I can say about Peter Falk’s performance as Columbo? Nope not really! Was still brilliant as ever with his ability to confuse and fascinate people. George Hamilton is great as a murderer you love to hate, Karen Machon proves fabulous too as Anita and Bruce Kirby is enjoyable again as Sergeant Kramer. The only weak acting is from Lesley Ann Warren as she plays a sort weak female role and Stephen Elliot because he doesn’t really have a unforgettable role (but I guess that’s because he’s the murder victim LOL!).

Laughs: 3/5 Not overly hilarious and there’s a VERY cheap joke but the story has a few good laughs from Columbo.

Length: 4/5 Fair length I think.

My Score: 8.5/10 Original and amazing!

A Deadly State of Mind is not a truly unforgettable episode and suffers from two weak actors but it still has a great story, a lovely cast of characters, good laughs and a killer finale while Columbo catches out the murderer. If you want to look for a original and great story in Season Four of Columbo, then look no further than this story episode!

2^nd Opinion+Other’s Opinions

Even though the review is over I just wanted to see what other people thought of the TV programme I’ve reviewed:

2nd Opinion: From a imdb website user, derek_larsson, www.imdb.com: In real life, I don't think you could convict something with "evidence" this light. Overall my rating is good entertainment, but not very convincing. Was rated five stars.

Other's Opinions: Quite a complex plot and it doesn't show Columbo at his finest but nevertheless he comes across as clever as he unravels what actually happened in the murder. The use of the blind man as the witness proves as an interesting twist, particularly at the end. From my Dad.

Just one more thing...

Just one more thing. What?!



TV programme Copyright: Universal Pictures studios 1975-2012

In loving memory of Peter 'Columbo' Falk.

(1927-2011)

"Just one more thing..."