Columbo "No Time To Die" deviated from the show's formula in a major way to produce one of it's most divisive episodes. Actor Bert Freed was the first to play Columbo in anthology series The Chevy Mystery Show, with Peter Falk (The Princess Bride) stepping into his character's shoes for TV movie Prescription: Murder. Falk's initial take would differ from the one fans came to know and love, but Columbo quickly became one of the most beloved detectives in TV history once the series launched in 1971.
One of the most unique things about Columbo is its structure, with the first act establishing the killer and their motives. Once the deed is done, Columbo enters the scene and pieces together the clues to catch the killer. It's basically a reverse whodunit, with the thrills coming from watching Columbo lull suspects into a false sense of security as he outwits them. The series rarely broke from this mold, though later episodes such as "Columbo Cries Wolf" or "It's All In The Game" would shake things up, such as the latter episode where the Lieutenant knowingly lets a killer escape.
Longtime Columbo fans are very mixed on the show's latter-day episodes, where the plotlines could, admittedly, get pretty ludicrous. One of the most divisive episodes would be 1992's "To Time To Die," which saw Columbo attend his policeman nephew Andy's wedding to bride Melissa, who disappears from their honeymoon suite. The setup of this episode alone is a big departure since Columbo appears right from the beginning and there's no murder for him to solve; in fact, he never even meets the villain.
That's because Columbo "No Time To Die" is based on the novel "So Long As You Both Shall Live" by Ed McBain (The Birds), and follows the same basic beats. The story reveals Melissa has been kidnapped by crazed stalker Rudy Strassa, who wants to marry her in a private ceremony and after "consummating" their marriage he plans to kill her and himself, recreating how his father murdered his mother. Columbo, his nephew and their colleagues race against time to track down the kidnapper first by searching wedding photos for strangers at the ceremony and uncovering his identity.
Columbo "No Time To Die" also sees Melissa try her best to escape, but she's foiled at every turn. The episode concludes with Columbo - who uncharacteristically carries a gun - and the police racing to Strassa's home. They arrive in the nick of time to save Joanna with Strassa shot dead. Andy and Melissa reunite while Columbo looks on in relief. Columbo "No Time To Die" is pretty dark for the show, but it's break from formula and Columbo becoming something of a supporting character have seen many fans label it one of the worst episodes. While it's experimentation is admirable, it's admittedly not one of Columbo's finest outings.
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