Ward Fowler (William Shatner) is a successful television detective. However, his producer is taking advantage of him, as she knows he has a shady past and she threatens to expose him unless he gives her half his income. Not surprisingly, Ward is not pleased with this arrangement and it becomes the motive for his killing her. Using props from the studio, he stages a phony robbery and kills the woman.
When Lieutenant Columbo arrives on the scene, Ward behaves as if he, too, is a crime fighter. Again and again, this arrogant actor tells Columbo how to handle the case and time and again Columbo defers to the actor--pretending to be in awe of Fowler's detecting skills. Not surprisingly, Columbo gives the guy enough rope that eventually he does, figuratively, hang himself.
This was a very enjoyable installment of the series. Shatner was quite good as the egomaniac and the interplay between him and Peter Falk (Columbo) was quite enjoyable and clever. Overall, a very good episode with a well-conceived crime and investigation.