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A kidnapping proves to be a cover for a man and his uncle to make a quick buck by splitting the ransom money. Things are going along smoothly until the uncle decides to change the plan from a kidnapping to a murder. Columbo is on hand (with a partner) to solve the case with his own unique style.

This may be my favorite of the Columbo episodes that I've seen so far. Ray Milland makes an excellent adversary for Columbo. In The Greenhouse Jungle, he proves he could chew the scenery with the best of Hollywood. Columbo's "partner", Sergeant Wilson (Bob Dishy), is one of the few comic relief type characters I've ever seen that is really funny. The rest of the supporting cast is also quite good.

But the thing that makes this one of my favorite Columbo is the mystery itself. The way Columbo solves the murder in this one is truly surprising. Even though the clue that leads to the resolution of the murder is in plain sight, I didn't realize what it was or even why it was in the movie. It's a notch above the normal Columbo fare.

To anyone unfamiliar with Columbo, this would make a great place to start.

When Mrs Goodland gets a call late at night that implies he has been kidnapped, she immediately rings round his usual haunts but, failing to locate him, she turns to the police and Columbo gets involved. Unbeknown to him though, is the fact that Tony has not been kidnapped but has staged the whole thing with his Uncle Jarvis as a way of making money. Things go smoothly at first but then Jarvis betrays Tony, killing him and keeping the money for himself. With so many clues Sergeant Wilson thinks it will be very simple but Columbo smells a rat.

As with many TV film series (such as Perry Mason), if you like one or two of them then you'll pretty much like them all. This entry in the Columbo series pretty much follows the usual formula – we know the killer and the "perfect" plan but then watch Columbo follow his hunch and gradually starts to pick holes in the story he is told before eventually finding enough to prove his suspicions. Saying this is not a spoiler – it is simply what happens in all the films. With this strict adherence to formula it is usually down to several factors whether or not the Columbo film stands out or if it is just average. Here we don't have a murder until have way through and, when we do it appears all clean cut until Columbo starts picking away at it. It is all pretty much to formula, although the additional twist of the faked kidnapping does make it feel different and quite fresh. The investigation is good, although it is not as enjoyable as usual because Columbo does feel a bit internalised by the way the script lets him give Wilson the reigns; the ending didn't impress me that much as it seemed to come out of nowhere despite being quite clever.

The addition of Wilson to the mix allows Falk to play his underdog role in a different way but he is as enjoyable as usual. Although Wilson does take away from the amount of time the film has for cat'n'mouse stuff, Dishy is still enjoyable because, like the killers, he too underestimates Columbo and he carries this character off well – taking him from awe, to near distain and arrogance at some points. Milland is enjoyably bolshy and, as such, I would have liked him to have had more time with Falk to bounce off one another. He didn't but he was still good value. Support from Dillman, Smith and Martel is all good and Sagal draws good performances from all involved.

Overall, a slight change to the formula that reduces the cat and mouse stuff a bit but still turns in an enjoyable entry in the series that is up to the standard we expect. The performances are good and the changes from formula (the kidnapping aspect and Wilson) tend to add more than they detract.

This slick early Columbo story is slightly above average for its type, although not one of the very best the series has to offer. Certainly all of the right ingredients are present and correct , it's just that they're all quite familiar to fans of the show and the whole 'fake kidnapping' thing has been done elsewhere and better.

The guest villain is none other than Ray Milland, a true Hollywood great, who immediately raises the interest and doesn't disappoint with his insufferably stuffy turn. There are supporting turns from cult favourite William Smith and a briefly-seen Bradford Dillman, but the most interesting role goes to the frustrated wife, played nicely by Sandra Smith. Bob Dishy is very good as the green sergeant, and would later return in NOW YOU SEE HIM.

Peter Falk is on good form as per usual for this series, although comedy surrounding his character is in short supply, aside from that hillside tumble early on in the proceedings. The greenhouse angle of the story is an odd one as it only provides a backdrop to a couple of scenes, whereas the other themed episodes (medical, magic, etc.) had more of a relevance to the storyline. Still, this is a perfectly reasonable episode of the show, and there's nothing to dislike here.

This isn't Columbo's best, but it is still a well-plotted episode. I do agree it does focus too much on the secondary characters and I think Peter Falk and Ray Milland were more deserving of more scenes together. Still the plot is intriguing, the pacing is more playful than usual, the script is intelligent, the locations and photography are once again striking and the direction is good too. The acting is pretty much top notch, Peter Falk of course is exceptional, while Ray Milland gives one of my favourite guest performances on the show's run as he is suitably bolshy and calculating here. Overall, it is an enjoyable episode, even with its flaws. 8/10 Bethany Cox

I like some episodes better than this one, but I'm a huge fan of the series.

In "Greenhouse Jungle," the villain here is nasty Ray Milland as Jarvis, who arranges with his nephew Tony (Brad Dillman) to break Tony's trust by pretending that Tony was kidnapped. We can infer that the plan was that Jarvis would get some of the money. Tony wants it because he believes if he has it, he can keep his straying wife (Sandra Smith) at home. She's currently involved with a ne'er do well (William Smith).

Jarvis, of course, has no intention of giving his nephew anything and kills him.

One question I had about this episode was why Columbo was put on the case, since he works in homicide, and there wasn't one until later.

It's an enjoyable episode, with light-hearted performance by Dillman and Bob Dishy as an ambitious new police detective who uses state of the art equipment. I found Milland's performance without nuance and terribly abrasive.

Peter Falk, as usual, was great.

Enjoyable episode, if not the best.

PLOT: A cantankerous uncle (Ray Milland) and the nephew he loathes (Bradford Dillman) execute a successful scheme to get $300,000 from a trust fund via a fake kidnapping of the latter, but one of them has his own malicious objectives. Sandra Smith plays the cold wife who's having an affair with a musclebound gent (William Smith). Arlene Martel is on hand as the nephew's lady friend.

COMMENTARY: The way this one mixes up the formula is refreshing, but it's really not that altered in view of the big picture. Some people pan the episode on the grounds that the characters are unlikable but, really, it's just the arrogant uncle who's relentlessly cranky while the wife is simply not close to her husband and openly fulfilling her womanly needs through another man. The nephew's amiable enough despite his greedy scheme and his female friend is certainly agreeable.

The orchid conservatory is a notable setting while the greenhorn partner is a nice addition (Bob Dishy). Note how Columbo zeroes-in on his attributes and speaks well of him behind his back despite his rookie ineptness. This tells you something about the rumpled detective's character. I also enjoyed the attractive Star Trek alumni, Arlene Martel and Sandra Smith.

GRADE: B+/A-

Stemming from an enjoyably sarcastic, no-nonsense characterisation and a hammy performance from Ray Milland as the murderer and a plot which is reasonably fresh and original, this second season episode is deceptively entertaining.

Perhaps there is too much focus on the secondary characters, especially Sergeant Wilson (who is assigned to the case to help Columbo and who would make a further appearance in the series some 4 years later in "Now you see Him"), but it is not burdensome in the extreme and there are some typically choice moments of humour - nb: Columbo's fall after trying to negotiate his way down a steep hill.

Certainly not as intelligently conceived and executed as the vintage episodes in the series; the pacing is more playful than frenetic and the scenes between Falk and Milland are too few and far between. Nonetheless, above-average stuff and pleasing viewing.

This is a very well written entry in Columbos second season. The guy writing the script was originally a pulp novelist(Jonathan Latimer) who then wrote 23 original Perry Mason series episodes among his television credits. His writing shows up well in this episode.

Ray Milland, an excellent actor definitely helps bring this show off too. Milland, a veteran screen actor from the 1950's turns in a fine performance and the support Faulk gets in this show is good as well.

The plot is about a husband living on a trust allowance plots with his Uncle who controls the trust to get $300,000 thousand dollars out of it. The Uncle then turns around & murders him, trying to throw Columbo off the scent only to trap himself.

Milland is excellent in this episode.

In the course of the Columbo series there are some perpetrators you feel sorry for and some you truly hate. Ray Milland in this episode falls into the latter category. He's a cynical and manipulative sort who really does think he's smarter than everyone else. He even tries to play off Bob Dishy making the first of two appearances as an earnest young police sergeant against Peter Falk at one point as Falk zeroes in on him.

The orchid growing Milland has a rather worthless nephew in Bradford Dillman and he administers with the bank a rather stringent trust with a strict allowance for him. He wants his hands on the money and there is an emergency clause to get some more out. They fake a kidnapping with a ransom demand of $300,000.00 and then Milland kills Dillman.

The beauty for Milland is that Dillman had a cheating wife in Sandra Smith who is prime for something like this. She also has a boyfriend in William Smith who casts well as a villain in any number items he's been part of the cast. But of course it doesn't fool Peter Falk who Milland thinks is dumb. The fate of all villains in this show.

I wish Bob Dishy had been cast in more than two of the Columbos. I like him here almost as much as a good defense lawyer in Law And Order. He and Falk work well together.

This most manipulative of villains gets his just desserts, but you have to watch to see how.

A greedy uncle stages a fake kidnapping to take possession of his spendthrift nephew's fortune. When the plan succeeds, the uncle kills his nephew and tries to blame the victim's spoiled wife. However, Columbo is smarter than the murderer and unmasks him, thanks to the murderer's carelessness. An excellent Ray Milland (the murderer) dialogues with (always perfect) Peter Falk, in one of the most memorable "duets" of the series. The ending is impactful, perhaps the choice of the (very common) expedient of the crime for money is not very original. The presence of Ray Milland as the villain is perfect.

A slight change from the formula. No initial murder but a kidnapping and a staged one at that.

Tony Goodland (Bradford Dillman) is a bit of a playboy looking to inherit a trust fund one day. His wife gets call late at night telling her that he has been kidnapped.

She rings some women he has slept around with and they do not know of his whereabouts. She then rings his Uncle Jarvis (Ray Milland) who co-administers the trust. Uncle Jarvis dislikes Mrs Goodland, who apart from living a seperate life from her husband, as her own boyfriend, she also spends a lot of Tony's money.

However the kidnapping plot is staged by Tony and Uncle Jarvis so some money from the trust fund can be released as an emergency to pay the ransom.

Columbo investigates and he is joined by keen and eager Sergeant Wilson who has hi tech gizmos some purchased from his own money, leading Colombo to conclude that he must be a bachelor.

A fruity performance from Oscar winner Ray Milland whose arrogance is no match for Columbo, Sergeant Wilson brings some lightheartedness. Cult bad guy actor William Smith makes an appearance as a love interest for Mrs Goodland.

Well, Columbo's case this time involves the wife, Cathy Goodland, who prefers other relationships to her lovesick husband. He takes up with a beautiful and attractive woman but only to talk about it. He and his rich uncle played by Ray Milland set up a kidnapping in order to get her attention. Even though there is money involved, Columbo knows something's wrong with his chief suspect who is an avid gardener. Ray Milland gives an excellent performance as the uncle. The rest of the cast appear satisfactory in my opinion. The story could have used more work but it is typical Columbo if you watch it enough times like I have over the years. An open marriage was hardly mentioned in the 1980s much less in the 1970s but it was there. The widow Goodland makes no excuses for her lifestyle. She doesn't have to explain to anybody else about her spending free time with attractive sailors who could be easily bought for the right price but it's all wrapped up in trust funds.

When I first saw this I thought it was the worst Columbo episode but after a while I changed my mind because it got a little better and I saw others worse than this.

I found this episode boring.

The Greenhouse scenes were boring.

The story wasn't that great.

There wasn't much good stuff in this episode.

One of the few good elements was the music which had been used more than once in the Second Season of Columbo.

Watch this only if you are a serious Columbo fan.

Ray Milland is a bad boy in this one. He is always nasty. Never takes a break. Of course, the family he hangs with have no moral sense and so he fits right in. The women run around and the men are wimpy and ineffectual. Once again, this takes place i the environs of the super rich. The plot is a phony kidnapping which is orchestrated by the two men, one of whom ends up dead. The plot here is pretty foolproof, but, of course, when Columbo arrives all bets are off. History plays a part here. Jarvis overplays his hand, but before that, he was already leaning toward illegality. This is a consummate Columbo episode.