20 More TV Acting Performances That Are Totally Flawless

In a TV landscape where heroic but flawed lawmen are nothing out of the ordinary, Peter Falk's portrayal of homicide detective Columbo (first name Frank, despite it never being spoken in the show) is a refreshing addition to the detective story subgenre.

Like many of TV's great character/actor combos, Columbo simply couldn't have been played by anyone other than Falk, who ad-libbed many of Columbo's signature habits, and even supplied his iconic wardrobe, right down to the the unkempt raincoat and shoes.

In a show that relied on Columbo's messy and unassuming appearance to take on his latest case, Falk made everything about the seasoned detective wonderful to watch. His eccentric fumbling for clues, his polite demeaner and his often intimidating intelligence made him as funny as he was mysterious, and as morally grounded as he was undeniably brilliant at his job.

Under any other actor, Columbo could have easily been too over-the-top, even irritating, but with Peter Falk at the wheel, be was an absolute triumph.