How to Dial a Murder

About this episode

Mike White and Chris Stachiw discuss the intricacies of the Columbo episode 'How to Dial a Murder' featuring a unique murder method involving trained dogs.

What's the perfect alibi? Being at the doctor's office while your dogs do the dirty work. Mike White and Chris Stachiw sink their teeth into Season Seven's "How to Dial a Murder," a 1978 episode that features one of the most ingeniously gruesome murder methods in the entire Columbo canon. Nicol Williamson commands the screen as Dr. Eric Mason, a behavioral psychologist with iron self-control, a house full of movie memorabilia, and two very well-trained Dobermans named Laurel and Hardy. When he discovers that his late wife had been having an affair with his best friend Dr. Charles Hunter (Joel Fabiani), Mason devises a kill that's equal parts Pavlov and Orson Welles: dial home, ask a question about Citizen Kane, and let the dogs handle the rest. There's also the small matter of Columbo's complicated feelings about the dogs — and whether they deserve what the legal system has in store for them. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-shabby-detective-yet-another-columbo-podcast--5084441/support .

People in this episode

Hosts: Mike White, Chris Stachiw

Topics covered

• murder methods
• Columbo episodes
• psychology
• dog training
• alibis

Keywords

• Columbo
• murder
• psychologist
• Dobermans
• 1978 episode

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Citizen Kane, Columbo

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