Recently, I was sent a package from Nielsen Media to participate in television ratings. What a golden opportunity for a selective viewer like me- here was my chance to have my opinion make an impact.
Yesterday I read that actor Peter Falk (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000393) had died. I vaguely remember watching a few episodes of the television show, Columbo, that he starred in. Never being much of a television viewer; I do recall the show being on the air when I was growing up and his signature role–the gravely voice, the squint in his eye, the cigar and the crumpled trench coat.
My husband occasionally makes reference to the character so I looked at him on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leybGZjiqoE). As a police detective his interview technique was famously disjointed, and his inevitable awkward afterthought ("Ah, there's just one more thing...") that tries the patience of his suspect as he was halfway out the door. He was underestimated, patronized or simply overlooked by nearly everyone he met – especially the culprit. And yet he was quite the salesman making sure he got one last chance to make his close.
As a character, he also gave us something else, in his disheveled way, he proved that his mind was at work. Let's hope that television executives remember that viewers crave for intelligent characters like Columbo and have his legacy live on with more shows of caliber.
Columbo wasn't one of my favourites. Back in the UK when he was on TV, his programme took it in turns weekly with two other detectives. For the life of me I can't remember who they were. So there must have been something about Columbo that has made me remember him. My Mum likes him. His programmes are still on in the UK.
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