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* DoWrongRight: Implied. As a way for the show to hint at Columbo's tendency towards duplicity, Columbo tells Leslie that he disapproved of Margaret planting false evidence because she did so ''rather sloppily''.
Changed line(s) 37 (click to see context) from:
* EverybodyHasStandards: Like every detective hero, Columbo wants to catch the culprit behind the murder of the week. But even he finds it dishonest that Margaret would go so far as to plant false evidence just to put her much-hated stepmother behind bars.
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* EverybodyHasStandards: Like every detective hero, Columbo wants to catch the culprit behind the murder of the week. But even he finds it dishonest that Margaret would go so far as to plant false evidence just to put her much-hated stepmother behind bars. In the least, he's disappointed that she resorted to this [[DoWrongRight in such a sloppy manner]].
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* WeHardlyKnewYe: Paul is amongst the murder victims with the least amount of screen time in the series, as he gets shot by Leslie the moment that he appears for a few seconds. As such, this leads to a lot of Paul's character and qualities being talked about after the fact, by Leslie and his daughter Margaret.
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Changed line(s) 47 (click to see context) from:
* KickTheDog: According to Margaret, Leslie wasn't above [[BrutalHonesty telling Paul Williams she only married him to further her career]] or laughing in his face when he declared he was going to leave him. Both acts of spite, fueled by envy, drove Paul to tears, something Margaret says [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness he rarely does]].
to:
* KickTheDog: According to Margaret, Leslie wasn't above [[BrutalHonesty telling Paul Williams she only married him to further her career]] or laughing in his face when he declared he was going to leave him.her. Both acts of spite, fueled by envy, drove Paul to tears, something Margaret says [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness he rarely does]].
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Changed line(s) 56 (click to see context) from:
* SanityHasAdvantages: A less sociopathic woman than Leslie might not have been able to kill her husband so coldly and completely, but she also probably wouldn't be fooled into thinking that his stepdaughter would be willing to accept a bribe from her father's murderer. Columbo tells her as such right to her face in their final scene:
to:
* SanityHasAdvantages: A less sociopathic woman than Leslie might not have been able to kill her husband so coldly and completely, but she also probably wouldn't be fooled into thinking that his stepdaughter own daughter would be willing to accept a bribe from her father's murderer. Columbo tells her as such right to her face in their final scene:
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* FiveSecondForeshadowing: In the ending, Margaret smiles broadly and says "Goodbye, Leslie" and leaves. Seconds later, Columbo tells Leslie he worked with Margaret to trap Leslie.
* GenreSavvy: Leslie swiftly figures out and lampshades Columbo's ObfuscatingStupidity tricks and appearance, and simply decides not to indulge him. Ironically, this was the first episode many of those traits appeared.
* GenreSavvy: Leslie swiftly figures out and lampshades Columbo's ObfuscatingStupidity tricks and appearance, and simply decides not to indulge him. Ironically, this was the first episode many of those traits appeared.
Changed line(s) 58 (click to see context) from:
** Columbo says it's not enough to acquit people ''legally'', he can also ruin some people in the court of public opinion. Leslie says she's familiar with "the ''Franchise/PerryMason'' school of justice".
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** Columbo says it's not enough to acquit people ''legally'', he can also ruin some people "some people" in the court of public opinion. Leslie says she's familiar with "the ''Franchise/PerryMason'' [[ThePerryMasonMethod school of justice".justice]]" and can just play the innocent victim of his hounding.
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Changed line(s) 56 (click to see context) from:
* ShoutOut: Margaret watches ''Film/DoubleIndemnity''--a movie about a woman who murders her husband and then strives to conceal the crime from her stepdaughter--on TV.
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* ShoutOut: ShoutOut:
** Margaret watches ''Film/DoubleIndemnity''--a movie about a woman who murders her husband and then strives to conceal the crime from her stepdaughter--onTV.TV.
** Columbo says it's not enough to acquit people ''legally'', he can also ruin some people in the court of public opinion. Leslie says she's familiar with "the ''Franchise/PerryMason'' school of justice".
** Margaret watches ''Film/DoubleIndemnity''--a movie about a woman who murders her husband and then strives to conceal the crime from her stepdaughter--on
** Columbo says it's not enough to acquit people ''legally'', he can also ruin some people in the court of public opinion. Leslie says she's familiar with "the ''Franchise/PerryMason'' school of justice".
Changed line(s) 59 (click to see context) from:
* StaggeredZoom: Onto the face of poor Paul as Leslie levels a gun at him. What follows is a very arty sequence with freeze frames and zooms as Paul falls dead to the floor.
to:
* StaggeredZoom: Onto the face of poor Paul as Leslie levels a gun at him. What follows is a very arty sequence with freeze frames and zooms as Paul falls dead to the floor.floor.
* WorthyOpponent: Leslie genuinely admires Columbo's "almost likeable...shopworn bag of tricks". Of course, a highly competent lawyer would be [[GenreSavvy used to those kind of tricks]]. Ironically, this is only the second TV movie, and the ''first'' one to feature most of those tricks.
* WorthyOpponent: Leslie genuinely admires Columbo's "almost likeable...shopworn bag of tricks". Of course, a highly competent lawyer would be [[GenreSavvy used to those kind of tricks]]. Ironically, this is only the second TV movie, and the ''first'' one to feature most of those tricks.
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Changed line(s) 38 (click to see context) from:
* ExactWords: "I can't have you arrested on the ''wrong'' evidence." and yes, Leslie catches it.
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* ExactWords: "I can't have you arrested on the ''wrong'' evidence." and And, yes, Leslie catches it.
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* SanityHasAdvantages: A less sociopathic woman than Leslie might not have been able to kill her husband so coldly and completely, but she also probably wouldn't be fooled into thinking that his stepdaughter would be willing to accept a bribe from her father's murderer. Columbo tells her as such right to her face in their final scene:
-->'''Columbo:''' No conscience. Limits your imagination. You can't conceive of anybody being any different than what you are, and you're greedy. And that's why as bright as you are -- and you're bright -- you believed that Margaret could be bought.
-->'''Columbo:''' No conscience. Limits your imagination. You can't conceive of anybody being any different than what you are, and you're greedy. And that's why as bright as you are -- and you're bright -- you believed that Margaret could be bought.
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* BuyThemOff: Subverted and Deconstructed when Leslie decides to get Margaret off her back by paying her some of the ransom money, only to find Columbo himself waiting for her. The lieutenant points out that her LackOfEmpathy made her honestly believe that Paul's loving daughter would actually accept a payout, and Leslie just implicated herself in the murder simply by agreeing to it and showing up with the cash, rather than realizing both the daughter and Columbo were working together all along.
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* EverybodyHasStandards: Like every detective hero, Columbo wants to catch the culprit behind the murder of the week. But even he finds it dishonest that Margaret would go so far as to plant false evidence just to put her much-hated stepmother behind bars.
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Changed line(s) 11,12 (click to see context) from:
Guest Starring: Creator/LeeGrant, Creator/JohnFink, Creator/HaroldGould,Patricia Mattick]
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Guest Starring: Creator/LeeGrant, Creator/JohnFink, Creator/HaroldGould,Patricia Creator/HaroldGould, Patricia Mattick]
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Changed line(s) 11,12 (click to see context) from:
Guest Starring: Creator/LeeGrant, Creator/JohnFink, Creator/HaroldGould, Creator/PatriciaMattick]
to:
Guest Starring: Creator/LeeGrant, Creator/JohnFink, Creator/HaroldGould, Creator/PatriciaMattick]
Creator/HaroldGould,Patricia Mattick]
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* DramaticIrony: The note the episode ends on: Columbo finds himself struggling to pay a $1.10 bill, all while a suitcase full of money he can't use rests on his table.
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Changed line(s) 49 (click to see context) from:
** Then she uses an audio recording of her husband she cobbled together from different tapes. She rigs up her fancy automated phone gizmo, which must have appeared [[{{Zeerust}} very advanced in 1971]], to call her when she's with the FBI agents, to make it seem as if Paul is still alive and delivering the ransom message.
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** Then she uses an audio recording of her husband she cobbled together from different tapes. She rigs up her fancy automated phone gizmo, which must have appeared [[{{Zeerust}} [[TechnologyMarchesOn very advanced in 1971]], to call her when she's with the FBI agents, to make it seem as if Paul is still alive and delivering the ransom message.
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Changed line(s) 42 (click to see context) from:
* KickTheDog: According to Margaret, Leslie wasn't above [[BrutalHonesty telling Paul Williams she only married him to further her career]] or laughing in his face when he declared he was going to leave him. Both acts of spite were driven out of envy. Both of which drove Paul to tears, something Margaret says [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness he rarely does]].
to:
* KickTheDog: According to Margaret, Leslie wasn't above [[BrutalHonesty telling Paul Williams she only married him to further her career]] or laughing in his face when he declared he was going to leave him. Both acts of spite were driven out of envy. Both of which spite, fueled by envy, drove Paul to tears, something Margaret says [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness he rarely does]].
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Added DiffLines:
* KickTheDog: According to Margaret, Leslie wasn't above [[BrutalHonesty telling Paul Williams she only married him to further her career]] or laughing in his face when he declared he was going to leave him. Both acts of spite were driven out of envy. Both of which drove Paul to tears, something Margaret says [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness he rarely does]].
