#columbo himself

[fern-spotting]

Columbo S7E5 “The Conspirators” (1978)

After a wait of 40:42, we've spotted the ultimate combo: Columbo and a Boston fern!

Bonus plant: this lush and tall dieffenbachia.

Bonus bonus: Columbo contemplating erotic art.

[fern-spotting]

Columbo S4E3 “By Dawn's Early Light” (1974)

No ferns spotted! However, this episode is remarkable in many other ways. For one, it stars Patrick McGoohan, well-known for his role as Number Six in The Prisoner, as a no-nonsense commandant of a military academy. He won an Emmy for his performance in this episode and went on to act in and direct several episodes of Columbo.

Secondly, it was shot on location at Citadel Military College of South Carolina ("The Citadel"), well-known for being sued by Shannon Faulkner, a high school student who applied to the at-the-time all-male college by hiding her gender on her application. She sued for the right to be admitted, and won, but wound up quickly leaving because of the abuse she faced on and off campus.

Lastly, this episode features a vanishingly rare sight of Lt. Columbo sans raincoat and, indeed, sans shirt. You're welcome.

[fern-spotting]

Columbo S10E13 “Murder with Too Many Notes” (2001)

Maidenhair fern spotted at 1:04:22! With, I think, some kind of rex begonia in the foreground? (Also, yes, this episode is another Patrick McGoohan joint, though he does not star in it.)

Bonus plant #1: this snake plant.

Bonus plant #2: these fake weeping figs. Not sure why these trees had such a grip on interior designers from the late 80s to the early aughts, but they sure did!

This is the penultimate Columbo episode I have to review. Start getting ready to say goodbye.

[fern-spotting]

Columbo S10E4 “Death Hits the Jackpot” (1991)

Fern...spotted at 3:25? Do we think a print of a drawing counts?

Not happy with that? Well, how's a painting of a fern?

Finally, at a funeral, we get a real, albeit cut, fern.

Finally, because I'm stubborn, here's a real, live, uncut Boston fern in the ultimate combo, at 1:22:46.

[fern-spotting]

Columbo S10E5 “No Time to Die” (1992)

Feather leaf fern spotted at 2:19!

This episode is notable for being the only Columbo episode not to feature a murder, as it is about a kidnapping. It also features my favorite non-recurring character, Tubby Comfort. He's absolutely written to be fatphobic comic relief, but as a person of similar appearance and stature, I would love if my job was to be a criminal informant with a weirdly cuddly nickname who lounged in the sauna eating fruit all day. That sounds awesome.

[fern-spotting]

Columbo S10E2 “Caution: Murder Can Be Hazardous to Your Health” (1991)

Fern spotted at 1:00:22 -- and it's the ultimate combo of Columbo and a Boston fern!

[fern-spotting]

Columbo S1E7: “Blueprint for Murder” (1972)

The ultimate combo: Columbo sharing the frame with a Boston fern! Spotted at 17:35.

[fern-spotting]

What is fern spotting?

Fern spotting is a game. The rules of fern spotting are simple:

Watch television and look for a fern to appear on screen.

The earlier in the episode the fern appears, the better!

If you're a competitive type and are watching with a group, the first person to spot a fern wins.

If you imbibe, you may drink every time you see a fern. But if you watch a 70s show, watch out.

You can fern spot any media you choose, but the show that inspired fern spotting is iconic midcentury American crime drama Columbo. As my husband and I watched the show, I noticed that Boston ferns -- a popular decorative plant in the 1970s -- appeared in almost every single episode. It became an in-joke to shout "Boston fern spotted!" whenever we saw one.

I couldn't keep it to myself, so please join me as I fern spot Columbo episode by episode. Keep a sharp eye out for the ultimate fern spotting combo: Columbo himself sharing the frame with a Boston fern.

See a spreadsheet of all fern sightings (spoiler alert -- runs ahead of the queue!)

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