Thanks, very informative

"Typecast into the role of a robot"... damn Hollywood power elite

I didn’t find this episode mediocre or worse than certain reviewers (who critiqued all the original & new Columbo shows) opined. For me it was somewhere in the middle; Ferrer didn’t look comfortable in his role, but Falk and the rest of the cast were game, and certain aspects I found interesting (growing up in the 70’s the technology shown was pretty amazing at the time.)

Speaking of being typecast, how about Ferrer as the beleaguered dad? Didn't he have a Perry Mason Moment in an episode of Matlock ("The Don"), bellowing out a false confession in court because he could not stand to see his guilty son go down?