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Changed line(s) 44 (click to see context) from:
* OhCrap: Kay gets a pretty good one when a random security guard strolls into the break room, interrupting her on her way back to the projection booth, which she has to get to in time to change the reel.
to:
* OhCrap: OhCrap:
** Kay gets a pretty good one when a random security guard strolls into the break room, interrupting her on her way back to the projection booth, which she has to get to in time to change thereel.reel.
** She has another one later on, when she and Columbo embark the elevator car, and notices (what she thinks is) the gun she hid in the ceiling.
** Kay gets a pretty good one when a random security guard strolls into the break room, interrupting her on her way back to the projection booth, which she has to get to in time to change the
** She has another one later on, when she and Columbo embark the elevator car, and notices (what she thinks is) the gun she hid in the ceiling.
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* VillainousBreakdown: Near the end, Columbo tracks down Kay at the shooting of a fun fair set. She hides in one of the trailers, then her professional veneer breaks down as she uses the microphone to shout at the lieutenant to leave, and desperately fiddles with the buttons on her desk, trying to shut down the camera monitors in an attempt to block him out while he does his summation. She barely manages to get herself together again, after Columbo catches up to her and fully explains the clues and methods used to incriminate her.
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* IgnoredExpert: Luther, the director for Valerie Kirk's concert show, warns Kay that Valerie just isn't able to perform due to anxiety issues, especially if the show is a live performance. Kay insists on going through with the show, leading to DisasterDominoes as Valerie fails to show, Kay hurriedly puts on ''The Professional'' in place of the concert, and this causes the movie to tank due to being put on air with no advertising or warning, resulting in Kay losing her job. Flanagan explicitly notes that Kay ignored the director's warnings when he informs her that her services are no longer required.
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Deleted line(s) 5,7 (click to see context) :
Title:"Make Me a Perfect Murder"\\
Directed by: James Frawley\\
Written by: Robert Blees\\
Directed by: James Frawley\\
Written by: Robert Blees\\
Changed line(s) 30 (click to see context) from:
* BatmanGambit: Kay sees the gun on top of the elevator car, having slid to a point where it's visible. She grabs it in an extraordinarily tense scene, smuggles it out of the building, and throws it away. Unfortunately the cops found the real gun and Columbo had them plant a fake one there for Kay to find. And only the killer would think to look for the gun.
to:
* BatmanGambit: Kay sees the gun on top of the elevator car, having slid to a point where it's visible. She grabs it in an extraordinarily tense scene, smuggles it out of the building, and throws it away. Unfortunately the cops had already found the real gun and Columbo had them plant a fake one there for Kay to find. And only the killer would think to look for the gun.
Changed line(s) 48 (click to see context) from:
* ThePeterPrinciple: With [=McAndrews=] removed, Kay steps into his job... and promptly reveals how ''incredibly'' unqualified she is for it. Her attempt to set up a comeback special for Valerie Kirk falls apart because she ignores all the warning signs that Kirk is heading for a alcoholic meltdown. When the special falls through, she panics and throws ''The Professional'' on in its time slot - without any advertising - causing it to fail miserably in the ratings and burn all the money spent to make it.
to:
* ThePeterPrinciple: With [=McAndrews=] removed, Kay steps into his job... and promptly reveals how ''incredibly'' unqualified she is for it. Her attempt to set up a comeback special for Valerie Kirk falls apart because she ignores all the warning signs that Kirk is heading for a an alcoholic meltdown. When the special falls through, she panics and throws ''The Professional'' on in its time slot - without any advertising - causing it to fail miserably in the ratings and burn all the money spent to make it.
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Changed line(s) 43 (click to see context) from:
* MagicCountdown: Averted. Kay records herself counting down the seconds in her murder plot. She has four minutes to kill McAndrew and get back to the projection booth, and the sequence does, indeed, last four minutes.
to:
* MagicCountdown: Averted. Kay records herself counting down the seconds in her murder plot. She has four minutes to kill McAndrew Mark and get back to the projection booth, and the sequence does, indeed, last four minutes.
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* PassedOverPromotion: Why Kay kills Mark. Getting dumped is part of the reason, but Mark refusing to recommend her for his job when he gets promoted to New York is a bigger reason.
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* ThePeterPrinciple: With [=McAndrews=] removed, Kay steps into his job... and promptly reveals how ''incredibly'' unqualified she is for it. Her attempt to set up a comeback special for Valerie Kirk falls apart because she ignores all the warning signs that Kirk is heading for a alcoholic meltdown. When the special falls through, she panics and throws ''The Professional'' on in its time slot - without any advertising - causing it to fail miserably in the ratings and burn all the money spent to make it.
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Correction
Changed line(s) 43 (click to see context) from:
* MagicCountdown: Kay records herself counting down the seconds in her murder plot, but the supposed two minutes she has to shoot Mark and get back seem to unfold much slower than that.
to:
* MagicCountdown: Averted. Kay records herself counting down the seconds in her murder plot, but the supposed two plot. She has four minutes she has to shoot Mark kill McAndrew and get back seem to unfold much slower than that.the projection booth, and the sequence does, indeed, last four minutes.
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Changed line(s) 11,12 (click to see context) from:
Guest Starring: Trish Van Devere, Patrick O'Neal, Lawrence Luckinbill]
to:
Guest Starring: Trish Van Devere, Patrick O'Neal, Lawrence Luckinbill]
Luckinbill, Creator/BruceKirby]
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* DidntThinkThisThrough: Kay's decision to run ''The Professional'' in place of Valerie's concert has three repercussions. First, the unexpected showing caused its rating to tank, wasting its potential and costing her company all the money it could've made. This resulted in the second repercussion in which she gets fired. And finally, seeing it in its unedited form gives Columbo the final clue he needs to break apart her alibi.
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Changed line(s) 31 (click to see context) from:
* BeCarefulWhatWishFor: During their breakup, Mark dares Kay to kill him and [[TitleDrop make him a perfect murder]]. She proceeds to do just that.
to:
* BeCarefulWhatWishFor: BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: During their breakup, Mark dares Kay to kill him and [[TitleDrop make him a perfect murder]]. She proceeds to do just that.
Deleted line(s) 48 (click to see context) :
* ScornedWoman: Kay is bitter at Mark for not only going off to his new job in New York without her and in fact breaking up with her, but also for not recommending her as his replacement. He tries to make it up to her by giving her a new Mercedes, but it's not enough to quell her rage.
Changed line(s) 55 (click to see context) from:
* WalkAndTalk: "Can we walk and talk?", says Columbo as Kay is leaving the building, and they do in fact walk together as he grills her.
to:
* WalkAndTalk: "Can we walk and talk?", says Columbo as Kay is leaving the building, and they do in fact walk together as he grills her.her.
* WomanScorned: Kay is bitter at Mark for not only going off to his new job in New York without her and in fact breaking up with her, but also for not recommending her as his replacement. He tries to make it up to her by giving her a new Mercedes, but it's not enough to quell her rage.
* WomanScorned: Kay is bitter at Mark for not only going off to his new job in New York without her and in fact breaking up with her, but also for not recommending her as his replacement. He tries to make it up to her by giving her a new Mercedes, but it's not enough to quell her rage.
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* BeCarefulWhatWishFor: During their breakup, Mark dares Kay to kill him and [[TitleDrop make him a perfect murder]]. She proceeds to do just that.
Added DiffLines:
* ScornedWoman: Kay is bitter at Mark for not only going off to his new job in New York without her and in fact breaking up with her, but also for not recommending her as his replacement. He tries to make it up to her by giving her a new Mercedes, but it's not enough to quell her rage.
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Changed line(s) 40 (click to see context) from:
* JerkassHasAPoint: Kay is pissed off--rather, she is driven to a murderous rage--when Mark tells her that he won't be recommending her to fill his old job. Then Flanagan flinches at promoting her, giving her the job on an acting basis only. They're proven right, as Kay hires Valerie Kirk for a concert show, only for Valerie to be too drunk to go on live, forcing her to rush ''The Professional'' to air on three hours' notice, causing it to tank in the ratings. She's fired, not that it matters as she's arrested for murder right after.
to:
* JerkassHasAPoint: Kay is pissed off--rather, she is driven to a murderous rage--when Mark tells her that he won't be recommending her to fill his old job.job because he doesn't believe she has what it takes to make proper executive decisions. Then Flanagan flinches at promoting her, giving her the job on an acting basis only. They're proven right, as Kay hires Valerie Kirk for a concert show, only for Valerie to be too drunk to go on live, forcing her to rush ''The Professional'' to air on three hours' notice, causing it to tank in the ratings. She's fired, not that it matters as she's arrested for murder right after.
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Changed line(s) 15,20 (click to see context) from:
Kay Freestone (Trish Van Devere) is a programming executive at the CNC television network. She is busy finishing post-production on ''The Professional'', a TVMovie for her network. The network's head of west coast programming, Mark [=McAndrews=], leaves a meeting about the movie and receives good news from his boss, Frank Flanagan (Patrick O'Neal): he is getting promoted to overall head of programming for the network in New York.
The next morning finds Mark with his lover--Kay Freestone. Kay is overjoyed to hear that Mark is getting a promotion, until he tells her that she's not coming with him, and in fact they are breaking up. She comforts herself with the thought that she'll get Mark's old job, until he tells her that no, she won't get that either. He's basically leaving her high and dry.
An enraged Kay turns to murder. She comes up with a complicated scheme involving a screening of ''The Professional'' for Flanagan and the other network guys. Kay goes into the projection room, and while Walter the projectionist isn't looking, she fiddles with the counter on the projector, making it appear that the reel change is due several minutes sooner than it really is. Then she sends Walter off on an errand, saying she'll change the reels herself. While Walter thinks she's changing the reel, she rushes downstairs and shoots Mark through the heart. She gets back to the projection booth unseen, seemingly with an alibi witness.
The next morning finds Mark with his lover--Kay Freestone. Kay is overjoyed to hear that Mark is getting a promotion, until he tells her that she's not coming with him, and in fact they are breaking up. She comforts herself with the thought that she'll get Mark's old job, until he tells her that no, she won't get that either. He's basically leaving her high and dry.
An enraged Kay turns to murder. She comes up with a complicated scheme involving a screening of ''The Professional'' for Flanagan and the other network guys. Kay goes into the projection room, and while Walter the projectionist isn't looking, she fiddles with the counter on the projector, making it appear that the reel change is due several minutes sooner than it really is. Then she sends Walter off on an errand, saying she'll change the reels herself. While Walter thinks she's changing the reel, she rushes downstairs and shoots Mark through the heart. She gets back to the projection booth unseen, seemingly with an alibi witness.
to:
Kay Freestone (Trish Van Devere) is a programming executive at the CNC television network. She is busy finishing post-production on ''The Professional'', a TVMovie for her network. The network's head of west coast programming, Mark [=McAndrews=], leaves a meeting about the movie and receives good news from his boss, Frank Flanagan (Patrick O'Neal): he is getting promoted to overall head of programming for the network in network, which will mean having to move to New York.
York City.
The next morning finds Mark with Kay, who is secretly hislover--Kay Freestone. lover. Kay is overjoyed to hear that Mark is getting a promotion, until he tells her that she's not coming with him, him to New York, and in fact they are breaking up. She comforts herself with the thought that she'll get Mark's old job, until he tells her that no, she won't get that either. either, because he doesn't think she's got what it takes to do what he does. He's basically leaving her high and dry.
dry, with nothing more than a new Mercedes.
An enraged Kay turns to murder. She comes up with a complicated scheme involving a preview screening of ''The Professional'' for Flanagan and the other network guys. Kay goes into the projection room, and while Walter the projectionist isn't looking, she fiddles with the counter on the projector, making it appear that the reel change is due several minutes sooner than it really is. Then she sends Walter off on an errand, saying she'll change the reels herself. While Walter thinks she's changing the reel, she rushesdownstairs and up to Mark's office, shoots Mark through the heart. She gets back him dead, then returns to the projection booth unseen, seemingly with an alibi witness.
The next morning finds Mark with Kay, who is secretly his
An enraged Kay turns to murder. She comes up with a complicated scheme involving a preview screening of ''The Professional'' for Flanagan and the other network guys. Kay goes into the projection room, and while Walter the projectionist isn't looking, she fiddles with the counter on the projector, making it appear that the reel change is due several minutes sooner than it really is. Then she sends Walter off on an errand, saying she'll change the reels herself. While Walter thinks she's changing the reel, she rushes
Changed line(s) 30 (click to see context) from:
* BatmanGambit: Kay sees the gun on top of the elevator car, having slid to a point where it's visible. She grabs it in an extraordinarily tense scene, smuggles it out of the building, and throws it away. Unfortunately the cops found the real gun and Columbo had them plant a fake one there for Kay to find.
to:
* BatmanGambit: Kay sees the gun on top of the elevator car, having slid to a point where it's visible. She grabs it in an extraordinarily tense scene, smuggles it out of the building, and throws it away. Unfortunately the cops found the real gun and Columbo had them plant a fake one there for Kay to find. And only the killer would think to look for the gun.
Changed line(s) 39,41 (click to see context) from:
* FeetFirstIntroduction: Shapely Legs Introduction for the woman at Mark's house, although it isn't hard to guess that it's Kay.
* JerkassHasAPoint: Kay is pissed off--rather, she is driven to a murderous rage--when Mark tells her that he won't be recommending her to take his place. Then Frank flinches at promoting her, giving her the job on an acting basis only. They're proven right, as Kay hires Valerie Kirk for a concert show, only for Valerie to be too drunk to go on live, forcing her to rush ''The Professional'' to air on three hours' notice, causing it to tank in the ratings. She's fired, not that it matters as she's arrested for murder right after.
* MagicCountdown: Kay records herself counting down the seconds in her murder plot (why not use a watch?), but the supposed two minutes she has to shoot Mark and get back seem to unfold much slower than that.
* JerkassHasAPoint: Kay is pissed off--rather, she is driven to a murderous rage--when Mark tells her that he won't be recommending her to take his place. Then Frank flinches at promoting her, giving her the job on an acting basis only. They're proven right, as Kay hires Valerie Kirk for a concert show, only for Valerie to be too drunk to go on live, forcing her to rush ''The Professional'' to air on three hours' notice, causing it to tank in the ratings. She's fired, not that it matters as she's arrested for murder right after.
* MagicCountdown: Kay records herself counting down the seconds in her murder plot (why not use a watch?), but the supposed two minutes she has to shoot Mark and get back seem to unfold much slower than that.
to:
* FeetFirstIntroduction: Shapely Legs Introduction for the woman Kay when we see her at Mark's house, although it isn't hard to guess that it's Kay.
house.
* JerkassHasAPoint: Kay is pissed off--rather, she is driven to a murderous rage--when Mark tells her that he won't be recommending her totake fill his place. old job. Then Frank Flanagan flinches at promoting her, giving her the job on an acting basis only. They're proven right, as Kay hires Valerie Kirk for a concert show, only for Valerie to be too drunk to go on live, forcing her to rush ''The Professional'' to air on three hours' notice, causing it to tank in the ratings. She's fired, not that it matters as she's arrested for murder right after.
* MagicCountdown: Kay records herself counting down the seconds in her murderplot (why not use a watch?), plot, but the supposed two minutes she has to shoot Mark and get back seem to unfold much slower than that.
* JerkassHasAPoint: Kay is pissed off--rather, she is driven to a murderous rage--when Mark tells her that he won't be recommending her to
* MagicCountdown: Kay records herself counting down the seconds in her murder
Changed line(s) 49 (click to see context) from:
* SpecialGuest: Patrick O'Neal gets this billing, possibly because this was his second appearance on ''Columbo'' after he played the murderer in Season 1 finale "Blueprint for Murder".
to:
* SpecialGuest: Patrick O'Neal gets this billing, possibly because this was his second appearance on ''Columbo'' after as he had previously played Elliott Markham, the murderer in Season 1 finale "Blueprint for Murder".
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Changed line(s) 48 (click to see context) from:
* ShowWithinAShow: ''The Professional'', some sort of gritty StaleBeer spy drama that Kay has produced for the network. The violence is unusually explicit for American television, which becomes plot-relevant when Walter mentions it to Columbo.
to:
* ShowWithinAShow: ''The Professional'', some sort of gritty StaleBeer [[SpyFiction Stale Beer]] spy drama that Kay has produced for the network. The violence is unusually explicit for American television, which becomes plot-relevant when Walter mentions it to Columbo.
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Changed line(s) 15,16 (click to see context) from:
Kay Freestone (Trish Van Devere) is a programming executive at fictional CBC television network. She is busy finishing post-production on ''The Professional'', a TVMovie for her network. The network's head of west coast programming, Mark [=McAndrews=], leaves a meeting about the movie and receives good news from his boss, Frank Flanagan (Patrick O'Neal): he is getting promoted to overall head of programming for the network in New York.
to:
Kay Freestone (Trish Van Devere) is a programming executive at fictional CBC the CNC television network. She is busy finishing post-production on ''The Professional'', a TVMovie for her network. The network's head of west coast programming, Mark [=McAndrews=], leaves a meeting about the movie and receives good news from his boss, Frank Flanagan (Patrick O'Neal): he is getting promoted to overall head of programming for the network in New York.
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Murder, A Self-Portrait is another episode that starts with an extended scene of Columbo but I forgot if there were others
Changed line(s) 43 (click to see context) from:
* OddballInTheSeries: A very rare example, possibly the only example, of an episode that starts with a scene featuring Lt. Columbo rather than with the murderer and the murder. In this episode Columbo has his DrivesLikeCrazy fender bender in the first scene, before we even meet Kay and Mark.
to:
* OddballInTheSeries: A very rare example, possibly the only example, example of an episode that starts with a scene featuring Lt. Columbo rather than with the murderer and the murder. In this episode Columbo has his DrivesLikeCrazy fender bender in the first scene, before we even meet Kay and Mark.
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Creator Cameo is not classed as Trivia
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* CreatorCameo: The assassin in the ShowWithinAShow "The Professional" is played by the episode's director, James Frawley.
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* AmbiguouslyBi: It's implied that Kay and Valerie Kirk are lesbian lovers (something that would have been quite daring for American television in 1978). When Kay is trying to encourage Valerie to get it together for the live concert she says "I'll let you keep the key to my apartment," and Valerie smiles. Later when Valerie is in drunken hysterics Kay tries to give her a hug and Valerie says "No! I don't want to."
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* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Valerie Kirk is plainly inspired by late-career Creator/JudyGarland (who died of an accidental overdose in 1969).
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/0b6907a4_6e40_448d_8311_a6ca72e7b9a9.jpeg]]
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Added DiffLines:
* ExecutiveMeddling: InUniverse with Kay closely controlling the production of ''The Professional''.
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* MagicCountdown: Kay records herself counting down the seconds in her murder plot (why not use a watch?), but the supposed two minutes she has to shoot Mark and get back seem to unfold much slower than that.
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Added DiffLines:
[floatboxright:
Episode: Season 7, Episode 3\\
Title:"Make Me a Perfect Murder"\\
Directed by: James Frawley\\
Written by: Robert Blees\\
Air Date: February 25, 1978\\
Previous: Murder Under Glass\\
Next: How to Dial a Murder\\
Guest Starring: Trish Van Devere, Patrick O'Neal, Lawrence Luckinbill]
Episode: Season 7, Episode 3\\
Title:"Make Me a Perfect Murder"\\
Directed by: James Frawley\\
Written by: Robert Blees\\
Air Date: February 25, 1978\\
Previous: Murder Under Glass\\
Next: How to Dial a Murder\\
Guest Starring: Trish Van Devere, Patrick O'Neal, Lawrence Luckinbill]
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Changed line(s) 3,12 (click to see context) from:
Kay Freestone (Trish Van Devere) is a programming executive at fictional CBC television network. She is busy finishing post-production on ''The Professional'', a TVMovie for her network. The network's head of west coast programming, Mark [=McAndrews=], leaves a meeting about the movie and receives good news from his boss, Frank Flanagan (Patrick O'Neal): he is getting promoted to overall head of programming for the network in New York.
The next morning finds Mark with his lover--Kay Freestone. Kay is overjoyed to hear that Mark is getting a promotion, until he tells her that she's not coming with him, and in fact they are breaking up. She comforts herself with the thought that she'll get Mark's old job, until he tells her that no, she won't get that either. He's basically leaving her high and dry.
An enraged Kay turns to murder. She comes up with a complicated scheme involving a screening of ''The Professional'' for Flanagan and the other network guys. Kay goes into the projection room, and while Walter the projectionist isn't looking, she fiddles with the counter on the projector, making it appear that the reel change is due several minutes sooner than it really is. Then she sends Walter off on an errand, saying she'll change the reels herself. While Walter thinks she's changing the reel, she rushes downstairs and shoots Mark through the heart. She gets back to the projection booth unseen, seemingly with an alibi witness.
She doesn't count on Lt. Columbo, who quickly deduces that Mark knew his killer because Mark had left his glasses perched on top of his head rather than putting them down to see who it was. Columbo notes that Kay was alone at the time of the murder. And then Walter the projectionist randomly mentions something he shouldn't have seen...
Some sources indicate that Creator/GeorgeCScott, Trish Van Devere's husband from 1972 until Scott's death in 1999, has a cameo in this episode. He doesn't.
The next morning finds Mark with his lover--Kay Freestone. Kay is overjoyed to hear that Mark is getting a promotion, until he tells her that she's not coming with him, and in fact they are breaking up. She comforts herself with the thought that she'll get Mark's old job, until he tells her that no, she won't get that either. He's basically leaving her high and dry.
An enraged Kay turns to murder. She comes up with a complicated scheme involving a screening of ''The Professional'' for Flanagan and the other network guys. Kay goes into the projection room, and while Walter the projectionist isn't looking, she fiddles with the counter on the projector, making it appear that the reel change is due several minutes sooner than it really is. Then she sends Walter off on an errand, saying she'll change the reels herself. While Walter thinks she's changing the reel, she rushes downstairs and shoots Mark through the heart. She gets back to the projection booth unseen, seemingly with an alibi witness.
She doesn't count on Lt. Columbo, who quickly deduces that Mark knew his killer because Mark had left his glasses perched on top of his head rather than putting them down to see who it was. Columbo notes that Kay was alone at the time of the murder. And then Walter the projectionist randomly mentions something he shouldn't have seen...
Some sources indicate that Creator/GeorgeCScott, Trish Van Devere's husband from 1972 until Scott's death in 1999, has a cameo in this episode. He doesn't.
to:
Kay Freestone (Trish Van Devere) is a programming executive at fictional CBC television network. She is busy finishing post-production on ''The Professional'', a TVMovie for her network. network. The network's head of west coast programming, Mark [=McAndrews=], leaves a meeting about the movie and receives good news from his boss, Frank Flanagan (Patrick O'Neal): he is getting promoted to overall head of programming for the network in New York.
The next morning finds Mark with his lover--Kay Freestone. Kay is overjoyed to hear that Mark is getting a promotion, until he tells her that she's not coming with him, and in fact they are breaking up. up. She comforts herself with the thought that she'll get Mark's old job, until he tells her that no, she won't get that either. either. He's basically leaving her high and dry.
An enraged Kay turns to murder. She comes up with a complicated scheme involving a screening of ''The Professional'' for Flanagan and the other network guys. guys. Kay goes into the projection room, and while Walter the projectionist isn't looking, she fiddles with the counter on the projector, making it appear that the reel change is due several minutes sooner than it really is. is. Then she sends Walter off on an errand, saying she'll change the reels herself. herself. While Walter thinks she's changing the reel, she rushes downstairs and shoots Mark through the heart. heart. She gets back to the projection booth unseen, seemingly with an alibi witness.
She doesn't count on Lt. Columbo, who quickly deduces that Mark knew his killer because Mark had left his glasses perched on top of his head rather than putting them down to see who it was. Columbo notes that Kay was alone at the time of the murder. murder. And then Walter the projectionist randomly mentions something he shouldn't have seen...
Some sources indicate that Creator/GeorgeCScott, Trish Van Devere's husband from 1972 until Scott's death in 1999, has a cameo in this episode. He doesn't.
The next morning finds Mark with his lover--Kay Freestone.
An enraged Kay turns to murder.
She doesn't count on Lt. Columbo, who quickly deduces that Mark knew his killer because Mark had left his glasses perched on top of his head rather than putting them down to see who it was.
Some sources indicate that Creator/GeorgeCScott, Trish Van Devere's husband from 1972 until Scott's death in 1999, has a cameo in this episode.
Changed line(s) 16,17 (click to see context) from:
* AteHisGun: A character does this in ShowWithinAShow ''The Professional''. This becomes a plot point when Walter complains about this to Columbo, who knows that this scene came right after the reel change, which means that Walter must have left the projection booth earlier than he thought he did, which means Kay must have fiddled with the reel counter.
* BatmanGambit: Kay sees the gun on top of the elevator car, having slid to a point where it's visible. She grabs it in an extraordinarily tense scene, smuggles it out of the building, and throws it away. Unfortunately the cops found the real gun and Columbo had them plant a fake one there for Kay to find.
* BatmanGambit: Kay sees the gun on top of the elevator car, having slid to a point where it's visible. She grabs it in an extraordinarily tense scene, smuggles it out of the building, and throws it away. Unfortunately the cops found the real gun and Columbo had them plant a fake one there for Kay to find.
to:
* AteHisGun: A character does this in ShowWithinAShow ''The Professional''. This becomes a plot point when Walter complains about this to Columbo, who knows that this scene came right after the reel change, which means that Walter must have left the projection booth earlier than he thought he did, which means Kay must have fiddled with the reel counter.
* BatmanGambit: Kay sees the gun on top of the elevator car, having slid to a point where it's visible. She grabs it in an extraordinarily tense scene, smuggles it out of the building, and throws it away. away. Unfortunately the cops found the real gun and Columbo had them plant a fake one there for Kay to find.
* BatmanGambit: Kay sees the gun on top of the elevator car, having slid to a point where it's visible.
Changed line(s) 19 (click to see context) from:
* ComicallyMissingThePoint: It might really be Columbo practicing ObfuscatingStupidity. In any case, Columbo, wearing a neck brace, is interviewing Kay about the murder.
to:
* ComicallyMissingThePoint: It might really be Columbo practicing ObfuscatingStupidity. In any case, Columbo, wearing a neck brace, is interviewing Kay about the murder.
Changed line(s) 23 (click to see context) from:
* DrivesLikeCrazy: A RunningGag for Columbo throughout the series. In this episode he gets chased by patrolmen after he weaves through an intersection and gets rear-ended, leading him to get whiplash and wear a neck brace.
to:
* DrivesLikeCrazy: A RunningGag for Columbo throughout the series. In this episode he gets chased by patrolmen after he weaves through an intersection and gets rear-ended, leading him to get whiplash and wear a neck brace.
Changed line(s) 25,26 (click to see context) from:
* JerkassHasAPoint: Kay is pissed off--rather, she is driven to a murderous rage--when Mark tells her that he won't be recommending her to take his place. Then Frank flinches at promoting her, giving her the job on an acting basis only. They're proven right, as Kay hires Valerie Kirk for a concert show, only for Valerie to be too drunk to go on live, forcing her to rush ''The Professional'' to air on three hours' notice, causing it to tank in the ratings. She's fired, not that it matters as she's arrested for murder right after.
* OddballInTheSeries: A very rare example, possibly the only example, of an episode that starts with a scene featuring Lt. Columbo rather than with the murderer and the murder. In this episode Columbo has his DrivesLikeCrazy fender bender in the first scene, before we even meet Kay and Mark.
* OddballInTheSeries: A very rare example, possibly the only example, of an episode that starts with a scene featuring Lt. Columbo rather than with the murderer and the murder. In this episode Columbo has his DrivesLikeCrazy fender bender in the first scene, before we even meet Kay and Mark.
to:
* JerkassHasAPoint: Kay is pissed off--rather, she is driven to a murderous rage--when Mark tells her that he won't be recommending her to take his place. Then Frank flinches at promoting her, giving her the job on an acting basis only. only. They're proven right, as Kay hires Valerie Kirk for a concert show, only for Valerie to be too drunk to go on live, forcing her to rush ''The Professional'' to air on three hours' notice, causing it to tank in the ratings. ratings. She's fired, not that it matters as she's arrested for murder right after.
* OddballInTheSeries: A very rare example, possibly the only example, of an episode that starts with a scene featuring Lt. Columbo rather than with the murderer and the murder. In this episode Columbo has his DrivesLikeCrazy fender bender in the first scene, before we even meet Kay and Mark.
* OddballInTheSeries: A very rare example, possibly the only example, of an episode that starts with a scene featuring Lt. Columbo rather than with the murderer and the murder.
Changed line(s) 28 (click to see context) from:
* PreMortemOneLiner: An understated one. Kay comes into Mark's office. He sees her and, thinking the screening is done, says "Finished?". She answers "Yes. ''Finished''." Then she shoots him.
to:
* PreMortemOneLiner: An understated one. Kay comes into Mark's office. office. He sees her and, thinking the screening is done, says "Finished?". "Finished?". She answers "Yes. "Yes. ''Finished''." " Then she shoots him.
Changed line(s) 30,31 (click to see context) from:
* SexyShirtSwitch: Kay is wearing only Mark's shirt during breakfast at his place. Leads to a little character moment when Mark dumps her, and she yanks on the shirt to try and get it to extend a little further past her butt.
* ShowWithinAShow: ''The Professional'', some sort of gritty StaleBeer spy drama that Kay has produced for the network. The violence is unusually explicit for American television, which becomes plot-relevant when Walter mentions it to Columbo.
* ShowWithinAShow: ''The Professional'', some sort of gritty StaleBeer spy drama that Kay has produced for the network. The violence is unusually explicit for American television, which becomes plot-relevant when Walter mentions it to Columbo.
to:
* SexyShirtSwitch: Kay is wearing only Mark's shirt during breakfast at his place. Leads to a little character moment when Mark dumps her, and she yanks on the shirt to try and get it to extend a little further past her butt.
* ShowWithinAShow: ''The Professional'', some sort of gritty StaleBeer spy drama that Kay has produced for the network. The violence is unusually explicit for American television, which becomes plot-relevant when Walter mentions it to Columbo.
* ShowWithinAShow: ''The Professional'', some sort of gritty StaleBeer spy drama that Kay has produced for the network.
Changed line(s) 34,35 (click to see context) from:
* TitleDrop: Mark blows off Kay's displeasure at their breakup and her lack of advancement, saying that they were just FriendsWithBenefits and he doesn't owe her anything. He says if she's mad she can kill him, then shows her his gun and says "Make me a perfect murder, babe." That of course is exactly what she does, except it isn't perfect.
* TwoLinesNoWaiting: There is a subplot in which Kay is producing a live variety show featuring her old friend and former musical star Valerie Kirk (Lanie Kazan). It has no relevance to the murder plot other than to show that Kay's bosses were probably right to not promote her.
* TwoLinesNoWaiting: There is a subplot in which Kay is producing a live variety show featuring her old friend and former musical star Valerie Kirk (Lanie Kazan). It has no relevance to the murder plot other than to show that Kay's bosses were probably right to not promote her.
to:
* TitleDrop: Mark blows off Kay's displeasure at their breakup and her lack of advancement, saying that they were just FriendsWithBenefits and he doesn't owe her anything. He says if she's mad she can kill him, then shows her his gun and says "Make me a perfect murder, babe." " That of course is exactly what she does, except it isn't perfect.
* TwoLinesNoWaiting: There is a subplot in which Kay is producing a live variety show featuring her old friend and former musical star Valerie Kirk (Lanie Kazan). It has no relevance to the murder plot other than to show that Kay's bosses were probably right to not promote her.
* TwoLinesNoWaiting: There is a subplot in which Kay is producing a live variety show featuring her old friend and former musical star Valerie Kirk (Lanie Kazan).
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Added DiffLines:
"Make Me a Perfect Murder" is the third episode of the seventh season of ''Series/{{Columbo}}''.
Kay Freestone (Trish Van Devere) is a programming executive at fictional CBC television network. She is busy finishing post-production on ''The Professional'', a TVMovie for her network. The network's head of west coast programming, Mark [=McAndrews=], leaves a meeting about the movie and receives good news from his boss, Frank Flanagan (Patrick O'Neal): he is getting promoted to overall head of programming for the network in New York.
The next morning finds Mark with his lover--Kay Freestone. Kay is overjoyed to hear that Mark is getting a promotion, until he tells her that she's not coming with him, and in fact they are breaking up. She comforts herself with the thought that she'll get Mark's old job, until he tells her that no, she won't get that either. He's basically leaving her high and dry.
An enraged Kay turns to murder. She comes up with a complicated scheme involving a screening of ''The Professional'' for Flanagan and the other network guys. Kay goes into the projection room, and while Walter the projectionist isn't looking, she fiddles with the counter on the projector, making it appear that the reel change is due several minutes sooner than it really is. Then she sends Walter off on an errand, saying she'll change the reels herself. While Walter thinks she's changing the reel, she rushes downstairs and shoots Mark through the heart. She gets back to the projection booth unseen, seemingly with an alibi witness.
She doesn't count on Lt. Columbo, who quickly deduces that Mark knew his killer because Mark had left his glasses perched on top of his head rather than putting them down to see who it was. Columbo notes that Kay was alone at the time of the murder. And then Walter the projectionist randomly mentions something he shouldn't have seen...
Some sources indicate that Creator/GeorgeCScott, Trish Van Devere's husband from 1972 until Scott's death in 1999, has a cameo in this episode. He doesn't.
----
!!Tropes:
* AteHisGun: A character does this in ShowWithinAShow ''The Professional''. This becomes a plot point when Walter complains about this to Columbo, who knows that this scene came right after the reel change, which means that Walter must have left the projection booth earlier than he thought he did, which means Kay must have fiddled with the reel counter.
* BatmanGambit: Kay sees the gun on top of the elevator car, having slid to a point where it's visible. She grabs it in an extraordinarily tense scene, smuggles it out of the building, and throws it away. Unfortunately the cops found the real gun and Columbo had them plant a fake one there for Kay to find.
* CigaretteOfAnxiety: Kay's hand is shaking while she lights a cigarette after 1) being fired from her job and 2) seeing Lt. Columbo show up again, right after she got rid of the gun (or so she thinks).
* ComicallyMissingThePoint: It might really be Columbo practicing ObfuscatingStupidity. In any case, Columbo, wearing a neck brace, is interviewing Kay about the murder.
--> '''Kay''': Is there any way I can help, Lieutenant?\\
'''Columbo''': I don't think so ma'am, nice of you to ask, the doctors think it's a whiplash.
* DeadHandShot: Seen when a character is murdered in ShowWithinAShow ''The Professional''.
* DrivesLikeCrazy: A RunningGag for Columbo throughout the series. In this episode he gets chased by patrolmen after he weaves through an intersection and gets rear-ended, leading him to get whiplash and wear a neck brace.
* FeetFirstIntroduction: Shapely Legs Introduction for the woman at Mark's house, although it isn't hard to guess that it's Kay.
* JerkassHasAPoint: Kay is pissed off--rather, she is driven to a murderous rage--when Mark tells her that he won't be recommending her to take his place. Then Frank flinches at promoting her, giving her the job on an acting basis only. They're proven right, as Kay hires Valerie Kirk for a concert show, only for Valerie to be too drunk to go on live, forcing her to rush ''The Professional'' to air on three hours' notice, causing it to tank in the ratings. She's fired, not that it matters as she's arrested for murder right after.
* OddballInTheSeries: A very rare example, possibly the only example, of an episode that starts with a scene featuring Lt. Columbo rather than with the murderer and the murder. In this episode Columbo has his DrivesLikeCrazy fender bender in the first scene, before we even meet Kay and Mark.
* OhCrap: Kay gets a pretty good one when a random security guard strolls into the break room, interrupting her on her way back to the projection booth, which she has to get to in time to change the reel.
* PreMortemOneLiner: An understated one. Kay comes into Mark's office. He sees her and, thinking the screening is done, says "Finished?". She answers "Yes. ''Finished''." Then she shoots him.
* RightOnTheTick: Kay dashes back into the projection booth and flips the reels at literally the last second.
* SexyShirtSwitch: Kay is wearing only Mark's shirt during breakfast at his place. Leads to a little character moment when Mark dumps her, and she yanks on the shirt to try and get it to extend a little further past her butt.
* ShowWithinAShow: ''The Professional'', some sort of gritty StaleBeer spy drama that Kay has produced for the network. The violence is unusually explicit for American television, which becomes plot-relevant when Walter mentions it to Columbo.
* SpecialGuest: Patrick O'Neal gets this billing, possibly because this was his second appearance on ''Columbo'' after he played the murderer in Season 1 finale "Blueprint for Murder".
* ThinkOfTheCensors: InUniverse, as a junior exec, blanching at the violence in ''The Professional'', says to Flanagan, "Frank, has Standards and Practices seen this yet?"
* TitleDrop: Mark blows off Kay's displeasure at their breakup and her lack of advancement, saying that they were just FriendsWithBenefits and he doesn't owe her anything. He says if she's mad she can kill him, then shows her his gun and says "Make me a perfect murder, babe." That of course is exactly what she does, except it isn't perfect.
* TwoLinesNoWaiting: There is a subplot in which Kay is producing a live variety show featuring her old friend and former musical star Valerie Kirk (Lanie Kazan). It has no relevance to the murder plot other than to show that Kay's bosses were probably right to not promote her.
* WalkAndTalk: "Can we walk and talk?", says Columbo as Kay is leaving the building, and they do in fact walk together as he grills her.
Kay Freestone (Trish Van Devere) is a programming executive at fictional CBC television network. She is busy finishing post-production on ''The Professional'', a TVMovie for her network. The network's head of west coast programming, Mark [=McAndrews=], leaves a meeting about the movie and receives good news from his boss, Frank Flanagan (Patrick O'Neal): he is getting promoted to overall head of programming for the network in New York.
The next morning finds Mark with his lover--Kay Freestone. Kay is overjoyed to hear that Mark is getting a promotion, until he tells her that she's not coming with him, and in fact they are breaking up. She comforts herself with the thought that she'll get Mark's old job, until he tells her that no, she won't get that either. He's basically leaving her high and dry.
An enraged Kay turns to murder. She comes up with a complicated scheme involving a screening of ''The Professional'' for Flanagan and the other network guys. Kay goes into the projection room, and while Walter the projectionist isn't looking, she fiddles with the counter on the projector, making it appear that the reel change is due several minutes sooner than it really is. Then she sends Walter off on an errand, saying she'll change the reels herself. While Walter thinks she's changing the reel, she rushes downstairs and shoots Mark through the heart. She gets back to the projection booth unseen, seemingly with an alibi witness.
She doesn't count on Lt. Columbo, who quickly deduces that Mark knew his killer because Mark had left his glasses perched on top of his head rather than putting them down to see who it was. Columbo notes that Kay was alone at the time of the murder. And then Walter the projectionist randomly mentions something he shouldn't have seen...
Some sources indicate that Creator/GeorgeCScott, Trish Van Devere's husband from 1972 until Scott's death in 1999, has a cameo in this episode. He doesn't.
----
!!Tropes:
* AteHisGun: A character does this in ShowWithinAShow ''The Professional''. This becomes a plot point when Walter complains about this to Columbo, who knows that this scene came right after the reel change, which means that Walter must have left the projection booth earlier than he thought he did, which means Kay must have fiddled with the reel counter.
* BatmanGambit: Kay sees the gun on top of the elevator car, having slid to a point where it's visible. She grabs it in an extraordinarily tense scene, smuggles it out of the building, and throws it away. Unfortunately the cops found the real gun and Columbo had them plant a fake one there for Kay to find.
* CigaretteOfAnxiety: Kay's hand is shaking while she lights a cigarette after 1) being fired from her job and 2) seeing Lt. Columbo show up again, right after she got rid of the gun (or so she thinks).
* ComicallyMissingThePoint: It might really be Columbo practicing ObfuscatingStupidity. In any case, Columbo, wearing a neck brace, is interviewing Kay about the murder.
--> '''Kay''': Is there any way I can help, Lieutenant?\\
'''Columbo''': I don't think so ma'am, nice of you to ask, the doctors think it's a whiplash.
* DeadHandShot: Seen when a character is murdered in ShowWithinAShow ''The Professional''.
* DrivesLikeCrazy: A RunningGag for Columbo throughout the series. In this episode he gets chased by patrolmen after he weaves through an intersection and gets rear-ended, leading him to get whiplash and wear a neck brace.
* FeetFirstIntroduction: Shapely Legs Introduction for the woman at Mark's house, although it isn't hard to guess that it's Kay.
* JerkassHasAPoint: Kay is pissed off--rather, she is driven to a murderous rage--when Mark tells her that he won't be recommending her to take his place. Then Frank flinches at promoting her, giving her the job on an acting basis only. They're proven right, as Kay hires Valerie Kirk for a concert show, only for Valerie to be too drunk to go on live, forcing her to rush ''The Professional'' to air on three hours' notice, causing it to tank in the ratings. She's fired, not that it matters as she's arrested for murder right after.
* OddballInTheSeries: A very rare example, possibly the only example, of an episode that starts with a scene featuring Lt. Columbo rather than with the murderer and the murder. In this episode Columbo has his DrivesLikeCrazy fender bender in the first scene, before we even meet Kay and Mark.
* OhCrap: Kay gets a pretty good one when a random security guard strolls into the break room, interrupting her on her way back to the projection booth, which she has to get to in time to change the reel.
* PreMortemOneLiner: An understated one. Kay comes into Mark's office. He sees her and, thinking the screening is done, says "Finished?". She answers "Yes. ''Finished''." Then she shoots him.
* RightOnTheTick: Kay dashes back into the projection booth and flips the reels at literally the last second.
* SexyShirtSwitch: Kay is wearing only Mark's shirt during breakfast at his place. Leads to a little character moment when Mark dumps her, and she yanks on the shirt to try and get it to extend a little further past her butt.
* ShowWithinAShow: ''The Professional'', some sort of gritty StaleBeer spy drama that Kay has produced for the network. The violence is unusually explicit for American television, which becomes plot-relevant when Walter mentions it to Columbo.
* SpecialGuest: Patrick O'Neal gets this billing, possibly because this was his second appearance on ''Columbo'' after he played the murderer in Season 1 finale "Blueprint for Murder".
* ThinkOfTheCensors: InUniverse, as a junior exec, blanching at the violence in ''The Professional'', says to Flanagan, "Frank, has Standards and Practices seen this yet?"
* TitleDrop: Mark blows off Kay's displeasure at their breakup and her lack of advancement, saying that they were just FriendsWithBenefits and he doesn't owe her anything. He says if she's mad she can kill him, then shows her his gun and says "Make me a perfect murder, babe." That of course is exactly what she does, except it isn't perfect.
* TwoLinesNoWaiting: There is a subplot in which Kay is producing a live variety show featuring her old friend and former musical star Valerie Kirk (Lanie Kazan). It has no relevance to the murder plot other than to show that Kay's bosses were probably right to not promote her.
* WalkAndTalk: "Can we walk and talk?", says Columbo as Kay is leaving the building, and they do in fact walk together as he grills her.
