The biggest surprise this episode held for me was that the version I have is one of the Himan Brown-hosted revival shows. I'd never heard any of these, and it was interesting, if a bit jarring, to hear Brown's voice in place of E.G. Marshall's. (Even more jarring was the fact that Brown also played the arresting officer at the start of the program!) I'd thought that all the shows provided by this discussion group were the originals, but apparently a few of the later ones somehow snuck into the mix. The story itself I found routine and not terribly interesting.

i was not overly impressed with the story. it started out interestingly enough, but just when i began to think, "please tell me the wife wasn't in on this," we find out the wife was in on it. the script was obvious and offered little to the imagination. what especially bothered me, is that i really wanted to sympathize for the main character. i did... but it was just too difficult. i mean, i imagined myself in the same predicament, and if some psychologist were to tell me the info the fellow in this story did, i'd have probably just started laughing. it became a bit too ridiculous. it would have made sense if the wife and the doctor were in on it together, but even still, it just got too flat by then anyhow. the performances were a bit over the top and it reminded me of a bad columbo episode or something... and even at their worst, columbo was usually better structured than this one. 

My first thoughts were, 'what's up with E.G.'s voice tonight?' This was the first time that I've ever heard Himan Brown (the show's producer) narrate the show - and he did a really good job. Very impressed with his overall performance as both actor and narrator tonight. The story took off rather quickly and had a lot of interesting elements that made this mystery drama "click", but then it kind of fizzled for me at the end. I liked the setting for how the suspect was being framed. Kind of a step-by-step process with evidence mounting against him. Eventually the evidence becomes overwhelming and by the end of the second act, he actually starts doubing his own innocence and starts believing his own guilt. I loved the detective's determination in finding the truth to this case. In most cases, if this were a real case, the initial arrest would've stood and an innocent man would've gone to prison for a very long time. But the detective refused to quit and got lucky with a nice piece of circumstantial evidence. What I didn't like was how the real murderer and his accomplice (the innocent man's wife) handled the confrontation with the detective. The accomplice cracked under the questioning - and that was weak. It reminded me of an old Perry Mason episode. 

I did like this one even though I figured out something was fishy before the restaurant scene. Definitely an enjoyable episode.

I Like this story - sometimes I think listeners think too much and delve too deeply - it is a radio story not a candidate for some prize - just sit back and enjoy.

I'm so with you, lvneal. I think it's hilarious when people analyze these short dramas like they're dissecting a work of Shakespeare, especially when they cite exact minutes and seconds of the shows. It's just entertainment, even if it provokes thought, and sometimes is a little condescending in the speeches E.G. gives out with. I love the show and most of the actors, and I just enjoy, as you say. I'm grateful for the series, and I'm glad these shows are available.

Average at best. Really not so good.

The Commodore's Watch is one of my favorite Columbo epidodes. Carry on.

I just love the fact that 780 am Chicago is responsible for most of these stories. It's the station that I listened to when I was younger. Even though it was 14 miles away (. Yes the south side of Chicago is that large.) from downtown. It always felt it was coming from upstairs. The shows were creepy for a 12 year old. But wonderful!!!