Peter Falk’s rumpled trench coat, the glass-eyed stare, and that unforgettable “Just one more thing” catchphrase—Columbo was the kind of detective who didn’t need flash or bravado. He caught killers by letting them think they were smarter than him. That’s the genius of Columbo. And nowhere is that brilliance more evident than in the episode where Dick Van Dyke, playing the cold-blooded photographer Paul Galesko, walks straight into a trap. You think Van Dyke’s all smiles and charm from The Dick Van Dyke Show? Think again.

Galesko was smart, sure, but like all of Columbo’s criminals, he made one fatal error—underestimating the detective in the wrinkled suit. In the final showdown, Columbo spins a web so subtle that even Galesko doesn’t see it tightening around him. And it all comes down to a camera, a photograph, and a brilliant bluff about a ruined negative.

Columbo always knew when to spring the trap.

As Galesko confidently corrects Columbo’s supposed mistake with the clock in the photograph, the moment of realization hits. Columbo’s calm as ever, but the gears are turning behind his seemingly innocent expression. He knows Galesko just incriminated himself by picking out the one camera that only the killer could recognize. It’s a masterclass in deception—and Columbo was the best there ever was.

Watch how Columbo outsmarts the killer.

This episode isn’t just about Columbo catching a killer. It’s about watching a man so sure of his own intelligence that he crumbles when he realizes he’s been outplayed. Share this scene with your fellow classic TV fans because it’s moments like these that keep the legacy of Columbo alive.

If you enjoyed watching Columbo, you will enjoy this short documentary about Columbo.