Columbo with Rian Johnson

It might come as a surprise to some folks that Steven Spielberg directed the pilot for Columbo, titled Murder By The Book, but that he did and it turned out to be one of the most important projects of his early career as his success with this episode is what got him the gig directing Duel. If you're going to talk about Columbo and Spielberg then you're going to need a guest who knows their whodunnits and howcatchems. Writer/Director Rian Johnson has made a name for himself in the murder mystery realm with his Knives Out films and the currently airing Poker Face, a sort of modern day take on the Columbo formula. We discuss the differences between a whodunnit and a howcatchem, the stengths and weaknesses in both forms of mystery storytelling, and what Spielberg's cinematic eye brings to this pilot that helped him stand out as a young, upstart 24 year old trying to make his mark in the industry that he loves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices