'Twas then that I wished that I was dead and Columbo could go to sea no more.

"Last Salute to the Commodore" was the sixth episode of Columbo's fifth season, which aired on May 2, 1976. Starring Peter Falk, Columbo is a crime drama series that follows the adventures of the ostensibly-bumbling, quietly-cunning Lieutenant Columbo. The formula is simple: The audience gets to see a too-clever-by-half killer attempt to get away with a crime, and then watch Columbo toy with — and ultimately bust — the murderer. It's great fun.

"Last Salute to the Commodore" was at one time conceived as a send-off to the series. Directed by Danger Man and The Prisoner star Patrick McGoohan, it's attracted a reputation as a baffling mess that somewhat randomly breaks the mold set by the series. It's all about

In addition to Falk, it also stars The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'s Robert Vaughn, Wilfrid Hyde-White, John Dehner, Dennis Dugan, Diane Baker, Bruce Kirby, Joshua Brant, Susan Foster, Fred Draper, Rod McCary, and John Finnegan.

Listen to Áine and Kevin meander around the mizzenmast with topics like pacing, Patrick McGoohan's career, and behind-the-scenes Mystery to Me drama.

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