I figured I’d be bored, but really the mid-century styles make even the walls fun to look at. What a lovely time capsule. Where can I get one of those desk lighters?

And they got the guy from Mad Men. He somehow looks older in this though. 🧐

#TV #Columbo

I’m kind of fascinated by what I call “benevolent manipulators.” Columbo is one. They exist in real love, too. Myles from season 6 of The Circle is one. The guy from Leverage might count. People who manipulate in a harmless way, or even to reduce harm. They seem pretty rare both IRL and in fiction, but I’ve just started looking for them, so I might have missed this archetype in other shows. Penn and Teller might count. That’s a side of the spectrum we’re veering into and that’s writers and other illusionists as art. 🤔

#TV #Columbo

This is one of those things I wonder: if our culture had a full-on benevolent manipulator trope, would many of the people who grew up malevolent manipulators have instead taken the benevolent route? By having an alternative example identity to choose from?

The closest trope we have is the “con artist with the heart of gold” which is not what I mean. Being remediated away from being awful by a special good person only feeds that whole thing.

#TV #Columbo #AbuseCulture

Competence is my favorite all time character trait. Give me a character who is good at what they do, good or evil, and I will love them.

(My abuser was very good at what he did which has left me with no small amount of confusion.)

#TV #Columbo

The Colombo Exception to ACAB.

#TV #Columbo

Colombo isn’t pure, though. He badgers a witness after she asks for a lawyer. There’s an exception even to the Columbo Exception.

#TV #Columbo

I saw a bug land on the window in the background of the first Colombo from 1968, and suddenly realized:

that bug is dead now.

#TV #Columbo

But THIS outfit. Where can I get one??

#TV #Columbo #retrofashion #nonbinary #genderfuck #genderpunk #genderfluid

I should have gotten organized and created two distinct threads for Columbo, one about vintage fashion/design, the other about the deeper thoughts.

#TV #Columbo #retrofashion #nonbinary #genderfuck #genderpunk #genderfluid

Anyway, here’s a great social engineering technique (and notice, police procedural writers, how this particular one does in fact respect the murderer’s civil rights):

1. Offend the suspect with your suspicions to the point they become tilted.

2. When they angrily offer up the key to their apartment and tell you to search it in their defensiveness, act apologetic but then take the key out of malicious compliance. Then search their apartment.

No warrant required, and you’ve used the suspect’s ego against them.

Really I think most of Colombo’s technique involves testing people for fragile ego syndrome. He hardly uses the factual clues, instead pointing his attention in the direction of anyone he can get a reaction out of. Since he’s charming and polite, he really only annoys the guilty ones who would rather have him stop snooping.

(S1E6. There’s also some delightful commentary on the art scene in this one.)

#TV #Columbo #retrofashion #nonbinary #genderfuck #genderpunk #genderfluid

God damn it, S1E7 is incredibly morally problematic in light of you know, society figuring out that women have a right to consent and the right to live their own lives.

I was rooting for the murderer the whole time because other than a few mistakes, she makes a sympathetic figure to anyone who believes women should, you know, have rights.

Literally every single man in this episode is out to control her INCLUDING Columbo. I am very not rooting for him this time.

#TV #Columbo

Fuck Lt. Columbo! What a patriarchal prick. Now she’ll never be free, not ever ever in her life.

It turns out #ACAB, every single time.

#TV #Columbo

Police procedurals before DNA forensics were invented are very silly.

How will we prove if this hat covered in blood belonged to the victim? I guess we’ll never know!

#TV #Columbo