The worst episodes of Columbo
Ranked by viewer rating, lows first. Vote on a placement to back it or contest it.
- 01
Columbo's first mystery pits him against a cheating doctor out to get rid of his wife in favor of his young, pretty actress girlfriend.
- 02
Charlie Clay runs the ship building business of his father-in-law, Commodore Swanson, who turns up murdered; Lt. Columbo is on the case.
- 03
A behavioral psychologist whose wife died under suspicious circumstances trains his dogs to kill on command using a telephone.
- 04
A beautiful woman and her forensic expert boyfriend try to frame her very rich husband for murder.
- 05
After a much maligned Hollywood gossip columnist is murdered by her former lover, Columbo tries to find a way to prove he was responsible for the crime.
- 06
A Hollywood film composer and conductor murdered a talented musician who has been ghostwriting most of his work in recent years.
- 07
Columbo gets a taste of the Los Angeles rave scene as he investigates the apparent suicide of a tabloid reporter.
- 08
Lt. Columbo takes a trip to Acapulco, but finds himself on a new case when a used car dealer commits murder on the cruise ship.
- 09
Columbo arrives at a kidnapping case, which at some point turns to worse. Everything seems to be related to a trust fund managed by a man with a great love for orchids.
- 10
A self-styled "motivation research specialist" uses subliminal cues to commit a murder. Lt. Columbo is on the case.
- 11
A publisher hires a bomb enthusiast to murder a bestselling author of sex novels. Lt. Columbo is on the case.
- 12
When a famous bullfighter's trusted bookkeeper turns up dead in a bullring, Lt. Columbo suspects murder--with a bull as the murder weapon.
- 13
Columbo investigates the murder of an arms dealer.
- 14
When a successful sex therapist with a best selling book and a hit TV show is crushed to learn her business partner/lover is cheating on her, she plots appropriate revenge.
- 15
The unsuccessful junior partner in a dental group, a bad husband and degenerate gambler, faces divorce and ostracism from his father-in-law's firm.
- 16
A successful writer of romance novels who is involved with a young, ambitious womanizer, is found shot to death in her Malibu home.
- 17
Caution: Murder Can Be Hazardous to Your Health
Columbo investigates a self-proclaimed security expert turned crime show host for the murder of a rival with incriminating evidence of pornography.
- 18
Lauren Staton and Lisa Martin kill their two-timing lover Nick Franco. Lauren's the one who pulled the trigger and they've made it look like Franco was killed by a burglar in his apartment. They've prepared well with both having solid alibis. Lt. Columbo is in charge of the case and is very much attracted to the beautiful Lauren. She uses that to her advantage and is soon buying him gifts and giving him the odd kiss. Columbo is flattered but begins to see anomalies in some of the physical evidence. He becomes certain that Lauren is involved in Franco's death but ...
- 19
L.A. radio moderator Fielding Chase kills Gerry Winters, a member of his staff who tried to help Chase's daughter Victoria (also a staff member) to leave her father and become a novelist in New York. Chase presents a fine alibi: Winters was shot dead while speaking to him on the phone, even the shooting was recorded on his answering machine. Everything seems perfect, but will Lt. Columbo really believe this story?
- 20
Lieutenant Columbo investigates men and women who are being killed over pieces of a photo they have, that shows where 4 million dollars in stolen money is hidden.
- 21
When Graham McVeigh kills his brother and frames a mob bookie for the crime and then kills the bookie and claims self-defense. He finds himself facing trouble from both Columbo and the bookie's superior in the mob.
- 22
A brilliant tort attorney gets rid of her boring husband by faking his kidnapping and keeping the ransom. The FBI may be fooled, but not Columbo.
- 23
When the CEO of a private detective agency threatens the wife of a publisher with blackmail and she threatens to expose him, he accidentally kills her.
- 24
A war hero shoots and kills his business partner; an easily manipulated young divorcée is the only witness.
- 25
A smarmy TV chef and his identical twin brother, a rigidly proper banker, are suspects in the electrocution of their rich uncle.
Shows like Columbo
The closest matches on shared genres, ranked by match strength and popularity.
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- 06Drama·Crime·MysteryThe worst episodes of Dexter2006–2013·Paramount+ with Showtime
He's smart, he's good looking, and he's got a great sense of humor.
