Recap / Columbo S 01 E 03

Episode: Season 1, Episode 3
Title:"Dead Weight"
Directed by: Jack Smight
Written by: John T. Dugan
Air Date: October 27, 1971
Previous: Death Lends a Hand
Next: Suitable for Framing
Guest Starring: Eddie Albert, Suzanne Pleshette, Kate Reid

"Dead Weight" is the third episode of the first season of Columbo.

Martin J. Hollister (Eddie Albert) is a retired major general in the Marine Corps, and a war hero. He has gotten rich after retirement as an arms dealer supplying the Marine Corps—and he's gotten even richer via a kickback scheme in which he submits fraudulent bids. One day, his partner in the scheme, procurement officer Colonel Roger Dutton, arrives at his home one morning in a panic, telling Hollister that the Navy has opened an investigation on him. Hollister makes a snap decision and shoots Dutton dead to cover his tracks.

As it happens one Helen Stewart (Suzanne Pleshette) is at this moment out on a pleasure cruise in the bay with her mother Mrs. Walters (Kate Reid). Hollister's home is on the water with a picture window view of the bay, and Helen sees the murder. Helen calls the cops, but without a body or indeed any other evidence of a crime, Lt. Columbo is inclined to write Helen off as a fantasist. That is, until Hollister, looking to protect himself, starts romancing the woman accusing him of murder.

This is the episode where Columbo shows his badge, leading to a Freeze-Frame Bonus seemingly revealing his mysterious first name to be Frank. However, Word of God later stated that this was not canon but rather the work of a production assistant making a prop, so in reality Columbo's first name was never revealed.

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Tropes:

• Arms Dealer: Hollister's occupation after retiring from the Marines. He's corrupt.
• Artistic License – Law: One of multiple plots where Columbo is on the case before a murder is even confirmed.
• Artistic License – Military: The portrait of Hollister has him wearing the Legion of Merit as a neck medal. Said medal is normally only awarded as a neck medal (With the degree of Commander) to foreign military commanders, and US citizens are not awarded said version of the medal. Even if Hollister had earned the medal in World War II, no US citizen was awarded the Legion of Merit above the degree of Officer, and that was not awarded with the neck ribbon.
• As You Know: A lot of expository dialogue from Col. Dutton establishing that he has been accepting fraudulent high bids from Hollister and that the two of them have been splitting the proceeds.
• Bait-and-Switch: When Hollister finds the name of the person who accused him of murder, makes the sinister comment that he wants to "have a talk" with her. When he gets to her apartment, he genuinely does just want to talk to her, believing (correctly) that he can charm her into withdrawing her accusation.
• Becoming the Mask: Hollister started a relationship with Helen in order to make her doubt what she saw, but seems to have developed a genuine regard for her, given his heartfelt apology when the truth is revealed.
• Bookcase Passage: After having dismissed Lt. Columbo, Hollister pushes a button that spins a bookcase around, revealing a hidden space, and also revealing Col. Dutton's corpse hanging from a hook.
• Coincidental Broadcast: Hollister turns on the radio at the exact right moment to hear a news report of the discovery of Col. Dutton's body.
• Consummate Liar: First episode to really lampshade it. Columbo claims to have a niece, Maryland. Helen doubts him. He repeats the claim. He has a niece, Cynthia. A later episode gives him a COMPLETELY different niece in a picture.
• Continuity Nod: Hollister has novels featuring "Mrs. Melville" on his bookshelf. This is a reference to Columbo episode "Murder by the Book", in which the authors of the Mrs. Melville series were central characters.
• "Eureka!" Moment: Another veteran's comment about how he can't bring himself to throw away war souvenirs leads Columbo to realize that Hollister was lying about losing his famous pearl-handled revolver, and the one in the museum display is not a replica.
• Evil Matriarch: Helen's mother isn't necessarily "evil", but never seems to miss a chance to put Helen down, which presumably is a major factor in her low self-esteem. She gaslights Helen about her ex-husband's infidelity, and then blames Helen for failing to "turn a blind eye" to his "flirtations".
• Fake Shemp: Due to contract disputes, Peter Falk didn't appear to film all of his scenes. A double filled in for him for several scenes.
• Genius Slob: A hallmark of the Columbo character, of course, but this is the episode where a character (Helen) likens him to an "unmade bed".
• Going to the Store: A bitter Mrs. Walters relates that her husband went out for cigarettes 30 years ago and never came back.
• Have You Told Anyone Else?: A variation. After Col. Dutton drops his bomb, Hollister asks "How did you get here, Colonel? Taxi?" After a nonplussed Dutton says no, he drove himself, thus establishing that no one knows he's there, Hollister shoots him.
• Hidden in Plain Sight: Hollister puts the gun he used to kill Col. Dutton in the museum display along with all his other memorabilia, since he could never bring himself to get rid of such a trophy.
• I Can't Believe a Guy Like You Would Notice Me: Helen's crippling self-esteem (worsened by her mother's incendiary comments toward her) leads her to question why a celebrated war hero like Hollister would even bother trying to romance her, a younger, divorced, poorly-dressed woman who does art therapy, coupled by the fact that she accused him of murder.
• Idiot Ball:
  • Hollister shoots his accomplice in front of a huge picture window that overlooks a bay full of potential witnesses. It's a wonder that only one person saw the murder.
  • Hollister just had to hold onto his keepsake pistol, instead of say, replacing it with a lookalike that ballistics can't link to the murder and/or destroying the original. This gets Hollister nabbed in the final act.
• Love Makes You Dumb: Downplayed. Helen is absolutely convinced at first that Hollister shot someone, but upon being wooed by him (especially in light of her low self-esteem), hearing perfectly reasonable explanations for what she saw, and learning what a war hero he was, she starts doubting herself and gives up her reservations about entering a relationship with him.
• May–December Romance: Helen, who's in her early thirties, gets together with General Hollister who's over twice her age.
• Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Lt. Columbo is inclined to assume Helen was imagining things, until Hollister finds her name and address on his own and starts aggressively wooing her, rousing Columbo's suspicions.
• The Oner: Opens with a long panning shot around Hollister's empty living room, showing medals, photographs, and boxes of weapons he's preparing to donate to the museum.
• Pocket Protector: We see on display a marine military manual that absorbed a bullet meant for Hollister in Korea.
• Recycled Script: Both this episode and "Ransom for a Dead Man" have a scene in which the murderer screws with Columbo by taking them on a wild ride that leaves him feeling sick. In the previous movie/episode, it was a plane ride. Here Hollister takes Columbo for a spin in his boat.
• Stealing from the Till: Hollister and Dutton have been bilking the Defense Department for a lot of money via fraudulent weapons contracts.
• Sarcastic Confession: As Columbo is helping Helen onto the boat after his and the General's 'test ride,' Hollister casually mentions to her, "He thinks I shot him." Columbo never denies that, remarking, "Well, what I think is unimportant."