#3: Peter Falk Refused to Make Columbo a Weekly Show
The original plan called for a new Columbo episode every week, shot in just five days. That kind of schedule would’ve been brutal — and Peter Falk flat-out refused to sign on for it. He wasn’t interested in rushing through mysteries.
Because Falk pushed back, Columbo became a special event instead of routine TV. Episodes were longer, smarter, and more carefully made. The slower pace gave the show its signature confidence, letting Columbo unravel crimes at his own calm, methodical speed.