Abstract: “Any Old Port in a Storm” is the title of one of the best episodes of Columbo: a detective series devoid of suspense, as the killer, motive, and even the murder itself are known from the outset. Viewers know that the illustrious lieutenant will eventually catch the culprit. Consequently, the issue under scrutiny is the purpose of the show, examined through its philosophical and literary origins. A typical exercise in “pop culture” takes us from Columbo to Diogenes, via Dostoevsky and Socrates.
