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* PyrrhicVictory: Downplayed with the presidential election. Yes, Montgomery won by a landslide, but his vice-president Mackey is likely to go to trial for a crime that was committed years ago, and their accompanying political advisor Finch is arrested for murder charges by the end of the election.
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* BaitAndSwitch: The reason why Columbo is so obsessed with the piece of cheese found at the scene of the crime is implied to be because it's a rare type of expensive cheese that was his father's favourite cheese and which he himself loves to the degree of demanding that the other detective present tries it as well and insisting that the lab boys treat with as much importance as all the other piece of evidence in the room, but it turns out that his actual reason for obsesssing over the piece of cheese is because he correctly suspected that it carries the suspect's bitemarks on it, which he can then use to confirm his identity.
to:
* BaitAndSwitch: The reason why Columbo is so obsessed with the piece of cheese found at the scene of the crime is implied to be because it's a rare type of expensive cheese that was his father's favourite cheese and which he himself loves to the degree of demanding that the other detective present tries it as well and insisting that the lab boys treat with as much importance as all the other piece of evidence in the room, but it turns out that his actual reason for obsesssing obsessing over the piece of cheese is because he correctly suspected that it carries the suspect's bitemarks on it, which he can then use to confirm his identity.identity.
* BlackmailBackfire: Staplin initially tries to appeal to Finch and get him to clear his racketeering charges, by offering to send any amount of money to the latter's Swiss bank account, then he threatens to expose the case that he, Finch and Mackey were involved with. No dice. Finch shoots him.
* BlackmailBackfire: Staplin initially tries to appeal to Finch and get him to clear his racketeering charges, by offering to send any amount of money to the latter's Swiss bank account, then he threatens to expose the case that he, Finch and Mackey were involved with. No dice. Finch shoots him.
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* ButIReadABookAboutIt: Columbo reads an article in a police magazine about a conviction from matched bite impressions, which gives him the idea to match a bitten piece of cheese at the crime scene to his main suspect. Supposedly, Falk himself suggested the ending...because he read an article about it.
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* NoPartyGiven: Like "Candidate for Crime", we're never told what party Finch, Mackey, and Montgomery represent. Justified as the episode isn't actually political, but merely politically themed.
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Guest Starring: Creator/PatrickMcGoohan, Creator/DenisArndt, Creator/ArthurHill, Creator/BruceKirby]
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Guest Starring: Creator/PatrickMcGoohan, Creator/DenisArndt, Creator/ArthurHill, Denis Arndt, Arthur Hill, Creator/BruceKirby]
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Guest Starring: Creator/PatrickMcGoohan, Creator/DenisArndt, Creator/ArthurHill]
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Guest Starring: Creator/PatrickMcGoohan, Creator/DenisArndt, Creator/ArthurHill]
Creator/ArthurHill, Creator/BruceKirby]
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* TheAlibi: Columbo has a rare DidNotSeeThatComing moment when he discovers that Finch has a congressman as his alibi.
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Guest Starring: Creator/PatrickMcGoohan, Denis Arndt, Arthur Hill]
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Guest Starring: Creator/PatrickMcGoohan, Denis Arndt, Arthur Hill]
Creator/DenisArndt, Creator/ArthurHill]
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Finch, who saw this coming and planned in advance, promptly shoots Staplin in the head. He makes it look like a suicide, putting a news clipping about Staplin's legal troubles on the desk, carefully scattering burnt gunpowder on Staplin's hand to make it look like he fired a gun. But as usual, a murderer doesn't count on Lt. Columbo, who notices that the gun landed on a drop of blood but somehow didn't get any blood on itself, and finds it odd that Staplin killed himself right after he faxed a joke to his wife.
to:
Finch, who saw this coming and planned in advance, promptly shoots Staplin in the head. He makes it look like a suicide, putting a news clipping about Staplin's legal troubles on the desk, carefully scattering burnt gunpowder on Staplin's hand to make it look like he fired a gun.gun, while also setting things up to make it look like he was in a late night meeting in his office when the murder happened. But as usual, a murderer doesn't count on Lt. Columbo, who notices that the gun landed on a drop of blood but somehow didn't get any blood on itself, and finds it odd that Staplin killed himself right after he faxed a joke to his wife.
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* AbsenceOfEvidence: Finch sets a stinky cigar to burn in his office while he's out committing the murder, to make a smell that the secretary will notice, thus supporting his alibi that he was working. Columbo intercepts Finch's suit at the dry cleaner, however, and notes that it does not have any cigar smell at all.
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* AbsenceOfEvidence: Finch sets a stinky cigar to burn in his office while he's out committing the murder, to make a smell nasty stench that the secretary will notice, thus supporting his alibi that he was working. Columbo intercepts Finch's suit at the dry cleaner, however, and notes that it does not have any cigar smell at all.
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Changed line(s) 16,19 (click to see context) from:
Oscar Finch (Patrick [=McGoohan=]) is a high-powered lawyer and and political advisor. He is serving as consigliere to Paul Mackey (Denis Arndt), an ambitious congressman. It's election season, and the California primary is looming. The party's leading presidential candidate, Governor Montgomery (Arthur Hill), has tabbed Mackey as his vice-presidential candidate. Finch himself stands to become Attorney General if Montgomery wins. Everything is going great.
Everything, that is, except for the phone call Oscar gets from Frank Staplin. Staplin, a vaguely mobbed-up type, is in big trouble, facing racketeering charges. It seems that way back in 1969, when he was a young lawyer in the DA's office, Finch made a piece of evidence disappear and Staplin beat the rap. Now Staplin wants a similar favor, but Finch, who has moved on to bigger and better things, has no interest in running such a risk again. Staplin switches from carrot (money) to stick, threatening to not just expose Finch but also implicate Mackey, who was a prosecutor in the same office back in '69.
Everything, that is, except for the phone call Oscar gets from Frank Staplin. Staplin, a vaguely mobbed-up type, is in big trouble, facing racketeering charges. It seems that way back in 1969, when he was a young lawyer in the DA's office, Finch made a piece of evidence disappear and Staplin beat the rap. Now Staplin wants a similar favor, but Finch, who has moved on to bigger and better things, has no interest in running such a risk again. Staplin switches from carrot (money) to stick, threatening to not just expose Finch but also implicate Mackey, who was a prosecutor in the same office back in '69.
to:
Oscar Finch (Patrick [=McGoohan=]) is a high-powered lawyer and and political advisor. He is serving as consigliere to Paul Mackey (Denis Arndt), an ambitious congressman. It's election season, and the California primary is looming. The party's leading presidential candidate, Governor Montgomery (Arthur Hill), has tabbed Mackey as his vice-presidential candidate.running mate. Finch himself stands to become Attorney General if Montgomery wins. Everything is going great.
Everything, that is, except for the phone call Oscar gets from a mobster, Frank Staplin.Staplin, a vaguely mobbed-up type, Staplin is in big trouble, facing racketeering charges. It seems that way back in 1969, when he was a young lawyer in the DA's office, Finch made a piece of evidence disappear and Staplin beat the rap. Now Staplin wants a similar favor, but Finch, who has moved on to bigger and better things, has no interest in running such a risk again. Staplin switches from carrot (money) to stick, threatening to not just expose Finch but also implicate Mackey, who was a prosecutor in the same office back in '69.
1969.
Everything, that is, except for the phone call Oscar gets from a mobster, Frank Staplin.
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* AbsenceOfEvidence: A frequent ''Columbo'' trope. In this episode Finch sets a stinky cigar to burn in his office, to make a smell that the secretary will notice, thus supporting his alibi that he was working. Columbo intercepts Finch's suit at the dry cleaner, however, and notes that it does not have any cigar smell at all.
to:
* AbsenceOfEvidence: A frequent ''Columbo'' trope. In this episode Finch sets a stinky cigar to burn in his office, office while he's out committing the murder, to make a smell that the secretary will notice, thus supporting his alibi that he was working. Columbo intercepts Finch's suit at the dry cleaner, however, and notes that it does not have any cigar smell at all.
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* EmpathicEnvironment: A violent thunderstorm kicks up as Finch arrives at Staplin's house to murder him. It's dramatic but it's also plot relevant, as the rain damage to Finch's suit and the dry spot under Finch's car both become points of evidence against him.
to:
* EmpathicEnvironment: A violent thunderstorm kicks up as Finch arrives at Staplin's house to murder him. It's dramatic but it's also plot relevant, as the The rain damage to Finch's suit and the dry spot under Finch's car both become points of evidence against him.
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* BaitAndSwitch: The reason why Columbo is so obsessed with the piece of cheese found at the scene of the crime is implied to be because it's a rare type of expensive cheese that was his father's favourite cheese and which he himself loves to the degree of demanding that the other detective present tries it as well and insisting that the lab boys treat with as much importance as all the other piece of evidence in the room, but it turns out that his actual reason for obsesssing over the piece of cheese is because he correctly suspected that it carries the suspect's bitemarks on it, which he can then use to confirm his identity.
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Changed line(s) 16,17 (click to see context) from:
Oscar Finch (Patrick [=McGoohan=]) is a high-powered lawyer and and political advisor. He is serving as consigliere to Paul Mackey (Denis Arndt), an ambitious congressman. It's election season, and the California primary is looming. It's election season, and the party's leading presidential candidate, Governor Montgomery (Arthur Hill), has tabbed Mackey as his vice-presidential candidate. Finch himself stands to become Attorney General if Montgomery wins. Everything is going great.
to:
Oscar Finch (Patrick [=McGoohan=]) is a high-powered lawyer and and political advisor. He is serving as consigliere to Paul Mackey (Denis Arndt), an ambitious congressman. It's election season, and the California primary is looming. It's election season, and the The party's leading presidential candidate, Governor Montgomery (Arthur Hill), has tabbed Mackey as his vice-presidential candidate. Finch himself stands to become Attorney General if Montgomery wins. Everything is going great.
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Deleted line(s) 31 (click to see context) :
* HollywoodLaw: Columbo steals a piece of gum from the wastebasket in Finch's office, despite not having a warrant. (And he didn't really need the gum anyway, all he had to do was match Finch's teeth to the piece of cheese.)
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* NoWarrantNoProblem: Columbo steals a piece of gum from the wastebasket in Finch's office, despite not having a warrant. (And he didn't really need the gum anyway, all he had to do was match Finch's teeth to the piece of cheese.)
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[[caption-width-right:350:As usual, Creator/PatrickMcGoohan did it.]]
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[[caption-width-right:350:As usual, Creator/PatrickMcGoohan Patrick [=McGoohan=] did it.]]
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Third episode where Patrick [=McGoohan=] played the killer and the third episode he directed.
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Third episode where Patrick [=McGoohan=] played the killer and the third episode he directed.
directed. (Not the same three episodes.)
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* NeverSuicide: Well of course not, it's ''Columbo''! Finch really goes the extra mile here--extracting the powder from a bullet, burning it, carrying it to the crime scene in a tinfoil wrapper, then blowing it over Staplin's hand to make it look like he fired a gun. Columbo still isn't fooled.
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/24e4cc7d_fda2_4b6e_aaa5_bdc6f54b9872.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:As usual, Creator/PatrickMcGoohan did it.]]
[[caption-width-right:350:As usual, Creator/PatrickMcGoohan did it.]]
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Oscar Finch (Creator/PatrickMcGoohan) is a high-powered lawyer and and political advisor. He is serving as consigliere to Paul Mackey (Denis Arndt), an ambitious congressman. It's election season, and the California primary is looming. It's election season, and the party's leading presidential candidate, Governor Montgomery (Arthur Hill), has tabbed Mackey as his vice-presidential candidate. Finch himself stands to become Attorney General if Montgomery wins. Everything is going great.
to:
Oscar Finch (Creator/PatrickMcGoohan) (Patrick [=McGoohan=]) is a high-powered lawyer and and political advisor. He is serving as consigliere to Paul Mackey (Denis Arndt), an ambitious congressman. It's election season, and the California primary is looming. It's election season, and the party's leading presidential candidate, Governor Montgomery (Arthur Hill), has tabbed Mackey as his vice-presidential candidate. Finch himself stands to become Attorney General if Montgomery wins. Everything is going great.
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Third episode where Patrick [=McGoohan=] played the killer and the third episode he directed.
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[floatboxright:
Episode: Season 9, Episode 3\\
Title:"Agenda for Murder"\\
Directed by: Creator/PatrickMcGoohan\\
Written by: Jeffrey Bloom\\
Air Date: November 25, 1989\\
Previous: Columbo Cries Wolf\\
Next: Rest In Peace, Mrs. Columbo\\
Guest Starring: Creator/PatrickMcGoohan, Denis Arndt, Arthur Hill]
"Agenda for Murder" is the third episode of the ninth season of ''Series/{{Columbo}}''.
Oscar Finch (Creator/PatrickMcGoohan) is a high-powered lawyer and and political advisor. He is serving as consigliere to Paul Mackey (Denis Arndt), an ambitious congressman. It's election season, and the California primary is looming. It's election season, and the party's leading presidential candidate, Governor Montgomery (Arthur Hill), has tabbed Mackey as his vice-presidential candidate. Finch himself stands to become Attorney General if Montgomery wins. Everything is going great.
Everything, that is, except for the phone call Oscar gets from Frank Staplin. Staplin, a vaguely mobbed-up type, is in big trouble, facing racketeering charges. It seems that way back in 1969, when he was a young lawyer in the DA's office, Finch made a piece of evidence disappear and Staplin beat the rap. Now Staplin wants a similar favor, but Finch, who has moved on to bigger and better things, has no interest in running such a risk again. Staplin switches from carrot (money) to stick, threatening to not just expose Finch but also implicate Mackey, who was a prosecutor in the same office back in '69.
Finch, who saw this coming and planned in advance, promptly shoots Staplin in the head. He makes it look like a suicide, putting a news clipping about Staplin's legal troubles on the desk, carefully scattering burnt gunpowder on Staplin's hand to make it look like he fired a gun. But as usual, a murderer doesn't count on Lt. Columbo, who notices that the gun landed on a drop of blood but somehow didn't get any blood on itself, and finds it odd that Staplin killed himself right after he faxed a joke to his wife.
----
!!Tropes:
* AbsenceOfEvidence: A frequent ''Columbo'' trope. In this episode Finch sets a stinky cigar to burn in his office, to make a smell that the secretary will notice, thus supporting his alibi that he was working. Columbo intercepts Finch's suit at the dry cleaner, however, and notes that it does not have any cigar smell at all.
* TheAllegedCar: A RunningGag throughout the entire series re: Columbo's ancient Peugeot. When Finch comes to work he sees the Peugeot in his parking spot and says "Who parked that decomposing rattletrap in my space?" Later, after he meets Columbo, Finch asks if Columbo really drives "that oxidized heap."
* ElectionDayEpisode: Ends with Finch getting arrested at the campaign party, as Governor Montgomery is giving his victory speech after winning the California primary (and presumably clinching the nomination).
* EmpathicEnvironment: A violent thunderstorm kicks up as Finch arrives at Staplin's house to murder him. It's dramatic but it's also plot relevant, as the rain damage to Finch's suit and the dry spot under Finch's car both become points of evidence against him.
* HollywoodLaw: Columbo steals a piece of gum from the wastebasket in Finch's office, despite not having a warrant. (And he didn't really need the gum anyway, all he had to do was match Finch's teeth to the piece of cheese.)
* NoNameGiven: Another lampshaded RunningGag. Columbo asks Rep. Mackey for an autograph for his wife. As Mackey picks up a pen he asks Columbo's wife's name, and the Lieutenant says her name is "Mrs. Columbo."
* SpecialGuest: Arthur Hill gets a "Special Guest Star" credit. (This was the last acting role for Hill, who then retired.)
* WalkAndTalk: ''Series/TheWestWing'' didn't invent this trope in political contexts. The episode opens with Finch and Mackey doing a walk-and-talk as they jabber excitedly about him getting picked for Vice President and Finch getting Attorney General.
Episode: Season 9, Episode 3\\
Title:"Agenda for Murder"\\
Directed by: Creator/PatrickMcGoohan\\
Written by: Jeffrey Bloom\\
Air Date: November 25, 1989\\
Previous: Columbo Cries Wolf\\
Next: Rest In Peace, Mrs. Columbo\\
Guest Starring: Creator/PatrickMcGoohan, Denis Arndt, Arthur Hill]
"Agenda for Murder" is the third episode of the ninth season of ''Series/{{Columbo}}''.
Oscar Finch (Creator/PatrickMcGoohan) is a high-powered lawyer and and political advisor. He is serving as consigliere to Paul Mackey (Denis Arndt), an ambitious congressman. It's election season, and the California primary is looming. It's election season, and the party's leading presidential candidate, Governor Montgomery (Arthur Hill), has tabbed Mackey as his vice-presidential candidate. Finch himself stands to become Attorney General if Montgomery wins. Everything is going great.
Everything, that is, except for the phone call Oscar gets from Frank Staplin. Staplin, a vaguely mobbed-up type, is in big trouble, facing racketeering charges. It seems that way back in 1969, when he was a young lawyer in the DA's office, Finch made a piece of evidence disappear and Staplin beat the rap. Now Staplin wants a similar favor, but Finch, who has moved on to bigger and better things, has no interest in running such a risk again. Staplin switches from carrot (money) to stick, threatening to not just expose Finch but also implicate Mackey, who was a prosecutor in the same office back in '69.
Finch, who saw this coming and planned in advance, promptly shoots Staplin in the head. He makes it look like a suicide, putting a news clipping about Staplin's legal troubles on the desk, carefully scattering burnt gunpowder on Staplin's hand to make it look like he fired a gun. But as usual, a murderer doesn't count on Lt. Columbo, who notices that the gun landed on a drop of blood but somehow didn't get any blood on itself, and finds it odd that Staplin killed himself right after he faxed a joke to his wife.
----
!!Tropes:
* AbsenceOfEvidence: A frequent ''Columbo'' trope. In this episode Finch sets a stinky cigar to burn in his office, to make a smell that the secretary will notice, thus supporting his alibi that he was working. Columbo intercepts Finch's suit at the dry cleaner, however, and notes that it does not have any cigar smell at all.
* TheAllegedCar: A RunningGag throughout the entire series re: Columbo's ancient Peugeot. When Finch comes to work he sees the Peugeot in his parking spot and says "Who parked that decomposing rattletrap in my space?" Later, after he meets Columbo, Finch asks if Columbo really drives "that oxidized heap."
* ElectionDayEpisode: Ends with Finch getting arrested at the campaign party, as Governor Montgomery is giving his victory speech after winning the California primary (and presumably clinching the nomination).
* EmpathicEnvironment: A violent thunderstorm kicks up as Finch arrives at Staplin's house to murder him. It's dramatic but it's also plot relevant, as the rain damage to Finch's suit and the dry spot under Finch's car both become points of evidence against him.
* HollywoodLaw: Columbo steals a piece of gum from the wastebasket in Finch's office, despite not having a warrant. (And he didn't really need the gum anyway, all he had to do was match Finch's teeth to the piece of cheese.)
* NoNameGiven: Another lampshaded RunningGag. Columbo asks Rep. Mackey for an autograph for his wife. As Mackey picks up a pen he asks Columbo's wife's name, and the Lieutenant says her name is "Mrs. Columbo."
* SpecialGuest: Arthur Hill gets a "Special Guest Star" credit. (This was the last acting role for Hill, who then retired.)
* WalkAndTalk: ''Series/TheWestWing'' didn't invent this trope in political contexts. The episode opens with Finch and Mackey doing a walk-and-talk as they jabber excitedly about him getting picked for Vice President and Finch getting Attorney General.
