History Recap / ColumboS10E05

Written by: Robert Van Scoyk\\

Basically an InNameOnly episode of ''Series/{{Columbo}}'' in that it bears no resemblance ''at all'' to the traditional ''Columbo'' ReverseWhodunit murder story. It is actually [[DolledUpInstallment an adaptation]] of the Literature/EightySeventhPrecinct novel ''As Long As You Both Shall Live'' by Creator/EvanHunter, aka Ed [=McBain=]. (Two years later another 87th Precinct novel was adapted into ''Columbo'' episode "[[Recap/ColumboS10E09 Undercover]]".)

* HeroOfAnotherStory: Andy is presented as a damn good sleuth in his own right, just like his uncle Columbo. Furthermore, he has a major protagonist role in this episode, even getting to kill Strassa himself in the end.

* AxCrazy: If it's not obvious, Rudy Strassa is not exactly all there

* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: It's hard to feel total hatred for Rudy Strasse. When he was a child his father, a famous surgeon, was an abusive monster at home. One night he took the abuse too far and sliced Rudy's mother's neck open, killing her while Rudy watched. Realizing what he's done, the man kills himself in grief, again while Rudy watches. Yes, Rudy may be insane, yes he may have kidnapped a woman, yes he may even be planning to rape and kill her and himself... but he's got some serious and perfectly valid reasons to be as messed up as he is.

* SomethingCompletelyDifferent: There's no murder! There's no PerpSweating, there's no ReverseWhodunit, there's no AndAnotherThing where Columbo annoys a suspect (well, he does say it once, but to a witness rather than a suspect), and there's a RaceAgainstTheClock-style investigation playing out over an ExtremelyShortTimespan rather than the usual methodical Columbo investigation. He uses a gun! And while Columbo's endless babbling about his relatives was a RunningGag, this is the only time where we actually meet one. The episode plays out like what it is, namely, a completely different story (an ''87th Precinct'' novel) with Columbo substituted in as the detective.

Basically an InNameOnly episode of ''Series/{{Columbo}}'' in that it bears no resemblance ''at all'' to the traditional ''Columbo'' ReverseWhodunit murder story. It is actually [[DolledUpInstallment an adaptation of the Literature/EightySeventhPrecinct novel]] ''As Long As You Both Shall Live'' by Creator/EvanHunter, aka Ed [=McBain=]. (Two years later another 87th Precinct novel was adapted into ''Columbo'' episode "[[Recap/ColumboS10E09 Undercover]]".)

Basically an InNameOnly episode of ''Series/{{Columbo}}'' in that it bears no resemblance ''at all'' to the traditional ''Columbo'' ReverseWhodunit murder story. It is actually an adaptation of the Literature/EightySeventhPrecinct novel ''As Long As You Both Shall Live'' by Creator/EvanHunter, aka Ed [=McBain=]. (Two years later another 87th Precinct novel was adapted into ''Columbo'' episode "[[Recap/ColumboS10E09 Undercover]]".)

* WeddingDay: Melissa and Andy's reception does not go well.

* HappyEndingMassage: Strongly implied with the "Arabian Nights Steam Bath" where Columbo's partner Sgt. Goodman goes to find a snitch. When the guy at the front desk goes into his spiel, Goodman tells him to knock it off and that the cops would have already shut his place down if they didn't think it was useful in keeping weirdos off the streets. The morbidly obese snitch is getting a massage from a very good looking woman in a BedlahBabe outfit.

* WeddingDay: Melissa and Andy's reception does not go well.

Basically an InNameOnly episode of ''Series/{{Columbo}}'' in that it bears no resemblance ''at all'' to the traditional ''Columbo'' ReverseWhodunit murder story. It is actually an adaptation of the ''Literature/EightySeventhPrecinct'' novel ''As Long As You Both Shall Live'' by Creator/EvanHunter, aka Ed [=McBain=].

* WeddingParty: Melissa and Andy's reception does not go well.

* ExtremelyShortTimespan: 18 hours or so from the wedding reception to the cops finally breaking into Strassa's house and saving Melissa.

* SomethingCompletelyDifferent: There's no murder! There's no PerpSweating, there's no ReverseWhodunit, there's no AndAnotherThing where Columbo annoys a suspect (well, he does say it once, but to a witness rather than a suspect), and there's a RaceAgainstTheClock-style investigation playing out over an ExtremelyShortTimespan rather than the usual methodical Columbo investigation. And while Columbo's endless babbling about his relatives was a RunningGag, this is the only time where we actually meet one. The episode plays out like what it is, namely, a completely different story (an ''87th Precinct'' novel) with Columbo substituted in as the detective.

* SomethingCompletelyDifferent: There's no murder! There's no PerpSweating, there's no ReverseWhodunit, there's no AndAnotherThing where Columbo annoys a suspect (well, he does say it once, but to a witness rather than a suspect), and there's a RaceAgainstTheClock-style investigation playing out over an ExtremelyShortTimespan rather than the usual methodical Columbo investigation. The episode plays out like what it is, namely, a completely different story (an ''87th Precinct'' novel) with Columbo substituted in as the detective.