Columbo's Reign: Of Life and Death and Detection

Peter Falk described being drawn to the character Lt. Columbo precisely for this quality: “the basic thrust of a guy appearing less than he actually is.” By focusing on the progeny and mutations after its original run (including its reboot, film parodies, tributes, and tie-ins), this chapter asks what it means to know and love Columbo the detective. Many of the films in which Peter Falk appeared, including The Princess Bride and Wings of Desire, as well as the reboot of the series, implicitly explore that question as well. In its consideration of these complex portrayals and affective relations, the chapter also considers the author’s own personal history as it is intertwined with the original series, its aftermath, and, ultimately, the writing of this book.