Noted film critic David Thomson of The New Republic sets his sites on the small screen with an insightful essay about why Peter Falk as Columbo represents the kind of high quality mystery show that wouldn't stand a prayer of being put on the air today in TV's dumbed-down, politically correct environment. In fact it's impossible to imagine a leading character being allowed to chomp on a cigar without protests that the show was actively endorsing cancer. Click here to read