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Which order to watch Columbo in
Short answer: any. The films are self-contained, so nothing is spoiled by jumping around. Longer answer: there are three orders that each give you a different show.
1. In the order they aired
The default, and the one we use in the episode list. Its advantage is that you watch the character being invented: the pilot Columbo is tidier and sharper, the raincoat is not yet permanent, and the formula assembles itself over the first season. Its drawback is the eleven-year gap in the middle, which arrives as a jolt.
2. Best first
If you have four evenings rather than four months, start with the strongest films and ignore chronology — our where to start page is exactly that list. Nothing in the series punishes you for it. The one thing to keep for later is Last Salute to the Commodore, which only makes sense once you know what it is breaking.
3. The two runs separately
Treat the NBC years and the ABC years as two different shows, because in practice they are: different network, different crews, a lieutenant twenty years older. Watch all 45 films of the first run, then decide whether you want the second. Most people do — season nine alone is worth it.
Why the season count differs
The show never ran weekly. It appeared inside NBC’s rotating Mystery Movie slot, which is why a season can be three films long, and why the late TV movies are grouped inconsistently from one source to the next. Here is the grouping we use.
Common questions
How many seasons of Columbo are there?
It depends who is counting. We use ten seasons plus a separate slot for the two pilot films. Some sources fold the pilots into season one; others treat the 1989—2003 ABC films as separate series entirely.
Does Columbo have to be watched in order?
No. Every film is standalone: its own killer, its own case, nothing carried over. Order matters only if you want to see the character and the actor age.
What is the difference between the NBC and ABC years?
The NBC run is 45 films from 1968 to 1978, mostly 70 to 95 minutes and shot like features. The ABC run is 24 films from 1989 to 2003, longer on average, uneven in quality, with an older lieutenant.