As we know a Columbo episode works to a well-established structure. The formula is as follows: (a) someone gets murdered right at the start, (b) the viewer gets to know who commits the murder and how they have actually done it, (c) Columbo then appears on the scene and continually hassles the murderer while mis-directing him (or her) by pretending to be scatter-brained, (d) the murderer tries to outwit Columbo (by covering their tracks) but they never succeed, and, in their desperation, usually botch things up, and finally (e) Columbo nails the murderer ...