Review of Death Lends a Hand

I am a huge fan of Columbo, and while Death Lends a Hand is not my favourite of the entire series, it is one of my personal favourites of the early episodes. As with all Columbo episodes the production values are first-rate with location work that is striking and camera work that is skilled and always well placed. The music also is fitting with the episode's mood and with the setting, the script is sharp, funny, clever, sophisticated and with structure and the story while going at a purposefully steady pace has plenty of delightful scenes, like when Columbo pretends to palm read, is compelling and never any less than that with an intriguing final solution. The acting is great, Peter Falk is brilliant and very natural as Columbo, and Robert Culp matches him perfectly in perhaps his best episode and performance of the Columbo series. Ray Milland(in a very sympathetic performance) and Patricia Crowley also excels as does Brett Halsey who brings gravitas to a character that could've easily been one-dimensional and bland. The episode is very stylishly directed as well. Overall, a very strong Columbo and one of the best of the early episodes. 9/10 Bethany Cox