DVDs in Review

Columbo Season 10 Volume Two

Title: Columbo Season 10 Volume Two

Release date: July 27 2009

Certificate: 12

Format: DVD

DVD RRP: £29.99

Rating: 4/5

Spread across four discs, this is the final instalment of the 'Columbo' legacy. The box set from Universal contains six feature-length episodes of the hit detective show - a show which has seldom been surpassed in the many years since.

Without gun fights, car chases and lashings of sex and violence, 'Columbo' crafted itself as the thinking man's detective show - and not when it came to figuring out who the criminal was.

'Columbo' always revealed who the killer was before the opening credits. The suspense and wit came from the audience knowing all along while we follow Columbo's unraveling of the case. 

Most frequently bypassing any sort of gimmicks such as wiretapping, stakeouts and disguises, Columbo usually makes the bad guys confess by getting them to fall into their own traps. To watch these revelations makes for exciting, clever and often quite amusing entertainment.

But what held 'Columbo' together for so many years was its irreplaceable lead actor Peter Falk. His dark humour, bumbling voice and unmistakable body language crafted this detective into one of TV's most unforgettable icons.

Not all of the bad guys are particularly effective (or memorable) and some of the episodes are a little weak as it's so dependent on the format stated above. Twists don't come easily but that's also part of its charm. It's straight-forward, routine and familiar. You know what you're getting with 'Columbo'.

Full episode list:

• Undercover
• Strange Bedfellows
• A Trace of Murder
• Ashes to Ashes
• Murder with Too Many Notes
• Columbo Likes the Nightlife

The DVD is released via the always dependable Universal Playback and it runs for 8hrs 44mins of quality detective drama.