Jean G

A Friend in Deed - S3-E8

Revealing mistake: In the opening scenes, it's pretty clear that the "corpse" in the bright red dress is breathing. (00:02:20)

Jean G

Candidate for Crime - S3-E3

Continuity mistake: During his poolside talk with Nelson Hayward, Columbo carries a large cardboard box under one arm. His coat tail is hanging straight at his side in the master shot, but when it cuts to another angle, the coat is draped over more than half of the box. (01:15:00)

Jean G

Any Old Port in a Storm - S3-E2

Audio problem: Pay phones always dropped your coin into an internal cash box when you finished your call. In the bar, Columbo makes two calls, and after the first, we hear the coin drop as it should. When he finishes the second call, we should hear that coin fall, too, but it doesn't. (00:34:05)

Jean G

Lovely But Lethal - S3-E1

Continuity mistake: Viveca's beauty mark switches cheeks several times between shots while she talks to her assistant. (00:07:45)

Jean G

Double Shock - S2-E8

Continuity mistake: Columbo stands in the doorway of Lisa's balcony while he questions her, and her gold drapery catches and hangs over his right shoulder, where it remains in all the close-ups. When the shot cuts, the drapery is no longer caught on his shoulder, but is safely folded against the wall behind him. (00:32:00)

Jean G

Étude in Black - S2-E1

Continuity mistake: When Columbo questions her about the carnations, Janice Benedict's sweater is either off her shoulders or covering them completely, depending on the shot. (01:11:00)

Jean G

Blueprint for Murder - S1-E8

Continuity mistake: When Columbo confronts Markham in the lecture hall and helps him erase the chalk board, most of the word "architecture" remains, visible over Columbo's shoulder. In the next shot, it disappears. (00:31:00)

Jean G

Like This It Means Father... Like This - Bitter... Like This - Tiger... - S4-E15

Continuity mistake: The bruise on Wilcox's cheek switches from the right side of his face to the left and back again several times throughout the episode.

Jean G

Is It True There Are Poxies at the Bottom of Landfair Lake? - S4-E14

Trivia: This is the only Route 66 episode in the entire series in which the iconic Corvette does not appear at all.

Jean G

Short Fuse - S1-E7

Continuity mistake: When Buckner's car leaves the chemical plant, it's a stretch limo with three bench seats. When it explodes on the mountain road a few scenes later, it's only a two-seat limo. (Buckner, who was initially in the distant rear seat, is suddenly close enough to reach up and take the cigar box the chauffeur hands him from the front seat. The entire middle section of the limo has disappeared.) (00:13:40 - 00:15:30)

Jean G

Short Fuse - S1-E7

Continuity mistake: As Roger helps Columbo remove the pink Silly-String from his hair, the amount and configuration of the string differs radically with each change of camera angle. (00:37:30)

Jean G

Death Lends a Hand - S1-E3

Continuity mistake: During his lunch with Brimmer, Columbo's wine and water glasses switch places several times. (00:00:50)

Jean G

A Wrath of Angels - S1-E23

Continuity mistake: When Harry confronts Father Torres, he holds the gun at chest height in the over-the-shoulder shots, but only waist high in the reverse angles. (00:43:25)

Jean G

Season 3 generally

Continuity mistake: When George Maharis walked out over a salary dispute, his character Buz was said to be in the hospital and was absent for about 10 episodes. (The tiff finally resulted in his removal from the series in the 4th season.) Airing out of production order, however, rendered the bizarre third season phenomenon of a supposedly hospitalized Buz who re-appeared periodically as though he'd never been away, then was "sick" again in the next episode.

Jean G

Hey, Moth, Come Eat the Flame - S3-E11

Continuity mistake: In this episode, without explanation, Todd is suddenly driving a brand new 1963 Corvette instead of the previous 1961 model. But because the episodes were not aired in production order, the old car reappears six episodes later in "A Gift for a Warrior."

Jean G

The Night of Miguelito's Revenge - S4-E12

Continuity mistake: When West and Pike pour a drink for "absent friend" Arte, the glass is placed between a newspaper and a silver dish. In the following close-up, the paper and dish have disappeared and the glass sits alone on the table. (00:49:50)

Jean G

The Night of the Cut-Throats - S3-E11

Audio problem: Arte's hand and finger movements on the saloon piano don't even begin to match the notes actually being played. (00:07:30)

Jean G

The Night of the Circus of Death - S3-E9

Factual error: At the mint, Arte hides in a broom closet. He carries nothing in (nor did he hide anything in there beforehand), yet he emerges later in an "old man" disguise, wearing a wig, hat, mustache, false nose, glasses and janitor costume. Magic closet? (00:35:00)

Jean G

The Night of the Circus of Death - S3-E9

Continuity mistake: The draperies are fully engulfed in flames when the murderer runs through them and out onto the balcony. Cut to an exterior shot as he escapes, and the window dressings are perfectly intact with no sign of the fire. (00:03:10)

Jean G

The Night of the Circus of Death - S3-E9

Visible crew/equipment: While West and Gordon question Mr. Lennox at the Denver Mint, the boom shadow can be seen moving at the upper left of the frame. (00:30:15)

Jean G