I remember watching this show with my dad on Friday nights at 10; I actually preferred this show to the more successful "Man From U.N.C.L.E." running on NBC at the same time. Even at age 11, I found the show amusing, especially O'Brien's repeated efforts to stall ex-wife Katie (Joanna Barnes, on whom I've had a crush ever since) in her demands for her alimony checks. I think one problem with this show is that the public's image of a lawyer in those days was straight-arrow Perry Mason; had "O'Brien" come along when "Columbo" did, I think it would have been a major hit, since by the '70s the public was willing to embrace heroes who didn't seem to fit the mold, like Kojak, Cannon, Barnaby Jones, and--of course--Columbo.
There are two important differences between Peter Falk's two famous characters: O'Brien does spruce himself up when he's in court (of course, when he's in his office the jacket comes off, the tie is loosened, and the shirtsleeves rolled up); also, we know Columbo is happily married (maybe for old times' sake Joanna Barnes could have shown up once as Columbo's wife, but some viewers might remember she was O'Brien's ex-wife and not buy into the idea).
The writing was also about two levels above most of what passed for prime time in the 1965-66 season. And I've read that Peter Falk actually liked doing this show better than he did "Columbo," supposedly because of fewer money hassles with "O'Brien"'s studio, Filmways, than with "Columbo"'s, Universal.
I'd love to see this show again on DVD.
There are two important differences between Peter Falk's two famous characters: O'Brien does spruce himself up when he's in court (of course, when he's in his office the jacket comes off, the tie is loosened, and the shirtsleeves rolled up); also, we know Columbo is happily married (maybe for old times' sake Joanna Barnes could have shown up once as Columbo's wife, but some viewers might remember she was O'Brien's ex-wife and not buy into the idea).
The writing was also about two levels above most of what passed for prime time in the 1965-66 season. And I've read that Peter Falk actually liked doing this show better than he did "Columbo," supposedly because of fewer money hassles with "O'Brien"'s studio, Filmways, than with "Columbo"'s, Universal.
I'd love to see this show again on DVD.