Flemming quotes from Columbo

Oh, Doctor, I'm the patient's husband. Is she, is she alright?

I'm sorry. She passed away.

Did she...did she say anything?

If it's any consolation, the one thing she said was your name.

Lt. Columbo

I was wondering, Doctor. Would you take me on as a patient?

Take you on as a what?!?

Lt. Columbo

No, I mean it. Maybe you can help me. I don't know that-- There must something wrong with me. I seem to bother people. I seem to make them nervous and maybe you could tell me why.

You never stop, do you?

Lt. Columbo

What?

The insinuations, the change of pace. You're a bag of tricks, Columbo, right down to that prop cigar you use.

Lt. Columbo

Oh, come on, Doc.

I'm going to tell you something about yourself. You think you need a psychologist. Maybe you do, maybe you don't, but you are a textbook example of compensation.

Lt. Columbo

Oh, what, Doc?

Compensation. Adaptability. You're an intelligent man, Columbo, but you hide it. You pretend you're something you're not. Why, because of your appearance you think you can't get by on looks or polish, so you turn a defect into a virtue. You take people by surprise. They underestimate you. And that's where you trip them up.

You know, sometimes I get the impression you think I killed my wife.

Lt. Columbo

You? Oh no, Doc. How could you? You were out of town.

I'm glad you remembered that. Unless you think I hired someone to kill her. The boy who confessed, maybe I paid him to do it.

Lt. Columbo

No, Doc. You didn't do that.

How do you know?

Lt. Columbo

I already asked him.