Release OrderRecommended
0 / 12 watchedPilots first, then every season in air order. The ABC revival follows the NBC run.
Pilot films
- 1 Prescription: Murder First aired February 20, 1968. Gene Barry plays the murderer.
- 2 Ransom for a Dead Man First aired March 1, 1971. Lee Grant plays the murderer.
NBC run (The NBC Mystery Movie)
- 3 Columbo Season 1 7 episodes, September 1971 to February 1972.
- 4 Columbo Season 2 8 episodes, September 1972 to March 1973.
- 5 Columbo Season 3 8 episodes, September 1973 to May 1974.
- 6 Columbo Season 4 6 episodes, September 1974 to April 1975.
- 7 Columbo Season 5 6 episodes, September 1975 to May 1976.
- 8 Columbo Season 6 3 episodes, October 1976 to May 1977.
- 9 Columbo Season 7 5 episodes, November 1977 to May 1978. Final NBC season.
ABC revival
- 10 Columbo Season 8 4 films, February to May 1989.
- 11 Columbo Season 9 6 films, November 1989 to May 1990.
- 12 Columbo: The Final Specials (1990-2003) 14 TV films, from Columbo Goes to College (December 9, 1990) to Columbo Likes the Nightlife (January 30, 2003).
Complete Order Including Mrs. Columbo
0 / 13 watchedThe same sequence with the 1979 spinoff placed where it aired, between the NBC run and the ABC revival.
Pilot films
- 1 Prescription: Murder First aired February 20, 1968. Gene Barry plays the murderer.
- 2 Ransom for a Dead Man First aired March 1, 1971. Lee Grant plays the murderer.
NBC run (The NBC Mystery Movie)
- 3 Columbo Season 1 7 episodes, September 1971 to February 1972.
- 4 Columbo Season 2 8 episodes, September 1972 to March 1973.
- 5 Columbo Season 3 8 episodes, September 1973 to May 1974.
- 6 Columbo Season 4 6 episodes, September 1974 to April 1975.
- 7 Columbo Season 5 6 episodes, September 1975 to May 1976.
- 8 Columbo Season 6 3 episodes, October 1976 to May 1977.
- 9 Columbo Season 7 5 episodes, November 1977 to May 1978. Final NBC season.
Spinoff
- 10 Mrs. Columbo Season 1 13 episodes, 1979 to 1980. Kate Mulgrew plays Kate Columbo. Optional; made without Peter Falk and ignored by later continuity.
ABC revival
- 11 Columbo Season 8 4 films, February to May 1989.
- 12 Columbo Season 9 6 films, November 1989 to May 1990.
- 13 Columbo: The Final Specials (1990-2003) 14 TV films, from Columbo Goes to College (December 9, 1990) to Columbo Likes the Nightlife (January 30, 2003).
About Columbo
Peter Falk plays LAPD Lieutenant Columbo across 69 feature-length mysteries, starting with the 1968 TV film Prescription: Murder and running through Columbo Likes the Nightlife in 2003. The NBC run aired from 1971 to 1978 as part of The NBC Mystery Movie, then ABC revived the character for new films from 1989 to 2003.
Good to know
Each mystery stands alone, so air order is the safe path and the revival films assume no prior homework. Mrs. Columbo (1979 to 1980) starred Kate Mulgrew in a loosely connected spinoff made without Peter Falk, so it sits outside the main list.
