Columbo is a friendly, verbose, disheveled-looking police detective who is consistently underestimated by his suspects. Despite his unprepossessing appearance and apparent absentmindedness, he shrewdly solves all of his cases and secures all evidence needed for indictment. His formidable eye for detail and meticulously dedicated approach often become clear to the killer only late in the storyline.

After leaving his small Georgia town behind to start a new life in Los Angeles, aspiring businessman Carter quickly becomes a success. But when he loses his girlfriend and his job in the same morning, he decides to return to his old town with hopes of finding some clarity. With the help of his offbeat parents, his beer-guzzling buddies and an old flame, Carter discovers what is really important in life. Douglas Callan, Morgan Fairchild, John O'Hurley star.