Ironic Observations about tv shows, past and present

The psychiatrist in I Dream of Jeannie could have written a book on Nelson as he had the astronaut on his couch just about every episode.

He did! I kid you not...from the ending of certain Twilight Zone episodes.

LL is a classic. Creates a thread then rarely posts on it.. Should have added this before.

I had forgotten that. I downloaded the full DVD set to put in my library. That commercial is not on any of those.. so must only be on the original prints. RS was a chainsmoker.. his heart attack is said to be a direct result of that. A great talent gone too early at 50. I heard there is to be a TZ reboot. They should bring back the little man as host by way of a hologram. Just an idea.

I like this caricature of RS.

It was a different time. Fred and Barney actually did a cigarette commercial when "The Flintstones" aired on primetime.

At least Columbo was a cop, so he had a reason to be investigating one murder after another - it was his job, he was assigned cases, he didn't just seem to happen upon murder after murder in the same town.

Oh... and just one more thing...

Because the sex made it all worth it!

@Captain Steel, I was referring to the fact that Columbo doesn't carry his gun, but he's often alone with the murders, even when he's arresting them.

Yes, I know.

I was giving this some thought and was wondering, do we know Columbo didn't carry a gun? He was a cop, so he probably had a gun. Was there ever a scene like where he was at home and didn't have his coat on where you could see a chest holster?

But, yeah, he was usually alone when he made his arrests (this is why I think he was probably packing under that raincoat!)

He was usually alone for his interviews but almost always had a couple of uniforms when making an arrest.

" book em Danno"

who is responsible for that statement?

That was a catch phrase used by Jack Lord on the old Hawaii 5-0. Popular in its day. Probably not many of those born on this side of the century would use it. I haven't really watched the new version, except to glance at the gorgeous scenics..
Btw on the topic of our favorite dishevelled crime solver; why oh why did they never reveal his first name??They could have 'clued
us in ' at the finale.

Anyone thought of what his name would be? I' m saying it's Frank Columbo.

As in: "Frankly my dear, I have just one more question...." .

Spot on about Hawaii Five O.



Never revealed his name.. I will say Giovanni Colombo

Never showed his wife either tho she must have been mentioned in every second episode.

Actually Columbo's famous catchphrase was " There's just one more thing"

What about that old jalopy he drove. This is a quote from one episode.
You know, in all the years I've had this car, this is the first time I've ever had the top down!

And his dog. Big floppy ears, sunken jowls.. Bassett Hound?

Captain Steel, I agree with you that Columbo carried a gun. A website called The Columbophile says he hated guns but also acknowledges he fired one once and is seen holding one in one episode. I think his confrontations are more plausible than Jessica Fletcher's because as a cop, he would likely have a gun and other officers waiting in the wings. Even if Jessica went to the police first, it's hard to imagine them allowing her, as a civilian, to approach a suspect with them some distance away. But it is a convention of the genre even though I poked fun at it.
As for his first name, it's said that Frank appears on his badge a couple of times and on an evidence bag once but is only visible if you zoom in with today's technology. According to The Columbophile, that was probably a prop man's idea and the show's creators didn't intend for him to have a name.

Thank you! @average joe for confirming his name was Frank, which was a wild guess on my part. I just thought he looked like a Frank. Also thanks for the tip on the website, think I' ll check it out.

Also totally agree, re: JB and others; it's a convention of the genre. That we are here to poke ( affectionate) fun at.

Btw although they never showed his wife on Columbo, I believe there was a later series called Mrs. Columbo, who also was a crime fighter of some sort . And they probably never showed 'Mr.' Columbo on that show either.

The only thing I can think of right now is how Carl Kanisky in Gimme A Break! slapping his own daughter was "justified" because he was grieving the loss of his wife. That was really bizzarre.

And did it drive anyone else insane that Dr. Bellows would walk into Maj Nelson's house without knocking or ringing the bell?

It seems like lots of people walked into the Cunningham home without knocking on "Happy Days," too. And as for "Mork & Mindy," I can accept that no one suspected he was an alien, but wouldn't they think he was insane or on drugs?

There were several times when Columbo mentioned that he didn't carry his gun. I don't think he ever wore a holster.

I think there was even an episode where he was supposed to take a shooting test, but he had someone else take it for him.


Yes, there were times when there were uniformed cops with him when he made the arrest, but there were also many times that he was alone with the murderer when he made the arrest.

There were even a couple of times that he was in a deserted place when he confronted the murderer, and then he drove back to town in the same car with them.

I guess it just depended on how dangerous he thought that person was, and if he thought they would try to kill him.