Just One More Thing: It's All in the Game

 A retrospective by Brooks Rich

Socialite Lauren Staton, the legendary Faye Dunaway, conspires with another woman named Lisa to murder Nick Franco, their two timing lover with a violent streak. Lauren shoots Nick and then has Lisa keep his body warm with an electric blanket. When she later approaches with the building superintendent, Lisa fires a shot into the air, making it appear that Nick was murdered just then, giving Lauren a solid alibi. However Columbo begins to circle like he does and in order to distract him, Lauren flirts and seduces him, which starts as an act but she finds herself liking him. Columbo is indeed enchanted by Lauren as well but he suspects she's trying to distract him. 

There's a lot that stands out about this episode. For one it is the only episode written by Falk himself. He is playing around with all things Columbo. His at times slovenly appearance while on a crime scene. How distracted he can get. The little things that bother only him. And of course, the back and forth with the killer. 

Falk writes Staton as a worthy adversary for Columbo. and Dunaway is absolutely perfect in the role. Try not to smile when she asks Columbo if there will be one more thing when they see each other later. Or when she acts hysterical when he surprises her, mocking the usual flustered killers who are thrown by Columbo midway through an episode. Dunaway sells us on this character who begins her act to just throw Columbo off but grows to like the lieutenant. A fondness he reciprocates. One of my favorite dynamics between Columbo and a killer is when the audience can tell they genuinely like each other and the murder investigation is just business. And as is often the case with these episodes, where Columbo and the killer become friends, we just wish Columbo would let them off the hook. Just this once. It's in these cases where Columbo's real relentless nature can show. We like the killer, sympathize with them, want them to get away. Meanwhile Columbo is slowly circling, closing in like a shark. In these episodes Columbo is almost like the antagonist, moving in on the character we've been following for most of the episode. And it's these episodes where the inevitable arrest feels the most painful, for us and Columbo. 

But that's the thing about Columbo. He can't let them go. Even if it pains him to arrest them. He's a professional and he takes pride in his work. He doesn't think less of anyone, doesn't pass judgement, he just works the case and catches the killer.