Season 3, Episode 8, Columbo - A Friend in Deed (1974)

Season 3, Episode 8, Columbo - A Friend in Deed (1974)
 
This episode was directed by Ben Gazzara, and written by Peter Fischer, Richard Levinson, and William Link. 
 
The three best outfits in this episode are: 
 
1) The Halperin's bathroom. No, it's not an outfit, and yes, we could just give it honorable mention for decor, but this bathroom and the vanity in particular, is a fantastic spectacle deserving a gold medal: 
 


It's simply incredible. Black tile counter, gilded octagon mirror, fuzzy velour psychedelic floral wallpaper, pastoral scenes on ceramics, flowers from her garden, the LIGHT FIXTURES, the brightly colored glass potion bottles. Incredible. 

 
 
Mark Halperin's blue shirt amidst this warm textured background is like wow. 
  
Margaret's bubble bath/murder site with the black and random gold tiles, which she gets to via four gold carpeted curved stairs is extra amazing.  




The curved towel stand in the corner is the cherry on top. 

2) Margaret Halperin's ivory suit with peach shirt and scarf: 

 
 
She is gardening in this off white polyester suit with gold buttons and flared pants. 
 


The back has a split tail and western sash:
 


The peach blouse she wears underneath is diagonal plaid with a contrast gingham butterfly collar and cuffs, and gingham scarf: 



Her Elton John glasses also deserve praise. 
 
This is a great outfit, but not one she'd wear to a benefit where she's being named Woman of the Year.
 
 
3)  Hugh Caldwell's stripes and dots disco shirt: 

 
This is a white button down with light blue stripes and polka dots


It has a giant butterfly collar and he has it unbuttoned to a disco degree:


With his tight flare tab front creased pants, he's ready cover up some wife killing. 

The funniest lines in this episode are when Artie Jessup tells Columbo he is scared of Siamese cats: 


 
And when Lt. Duffy tells Columbo in the bathtub the world is going to hell due to future shock: 




Future Shock is a 1970 book by American futurist Alvin Toffler, written together with his spouse Adelaide Farrell, in which the authors define the term "future shock" as a certain psychological state of individuals and entire societies. The shortest definition for the term in the book is a personal perception of "too much change in too short a period of time." Alvin Toffler argued that society is undergoing an enormous structural change, a revolution from an industrial society to a "super-industrial society". This change overwhelms people. He argues that the accelerated rate of technological and social change leaves people disconnected and suffering from "shattering stress and disorientation"—future shocked.
 
 Thank you for that, Lt. Duffy. 

Also funny is Columbo waving around his underwear: 



And Mark telling Margaret that he wouldn't be embarrassed to have her millions: 






Bonus points for Mrs. Caldwell's practice of storing the nightgown she was going to wear that night under her pillow: 



Comments

Anonymous said…
Future shock throughout history seems like a big part of the present.
September 20, 2023 at 7:21 AM
skippy haha said…
Agreed. I wonder if there was ever an era or generation that did not suffer from "shattering stress and disorientation"
September 21, 2023 at 9:50 AM
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