FANFICCER'S FRIEND: McCLOUD, FISH, & COLUMBO

I haven't done a "Fanficcer's Friend" post in some time, so there's no time like the present!

Here we see three great TV actors in their iconic detective roles:

(From left to right)

• Dennis Weaver as Marshal Sam McCloud

McCloud was a deputy marshal on loan to the NYPD as an observer who ended up solving quite a few murders and robberies over his time there.  Eventually he returned to Taos, New Mexico and became a United States Senator from the state.

• Abe Vigoda as Detective Phil Fish

Working out of the 12th Precinct in the Village, Fish eventually retired and became a foster father to a bevy of kids.

• Peter Falk as Lieutenant Frank Columbo

Columbo worked the Homicide division of the LAPD and was still on the job into his seventies.  He may have never retired before he passed away.

Columbo was originally from New York City himself, so there would be the genesis of this crossover fanfic:

This takes place in the late 1970s.  I would peg it to after the final NBC episode of 'Columbo', "The Conspirators".

Columbo returns home and decided to drop into the 12th precinct where he used to work when he was a patrolman.  He picks a day when another former cop at the 12th has dropped in - Phil Fish.  His reasons: to hear a speech by Marshal Sam McCloud who is returning to New Mexico, and hopefully give the kids he has in tow a new appreciation for law enforement.

From there, with the three detectives brought together, a fanficcer can come up with any number of crimes they could investigate.  But I think it would have to be a murder, perhaps committed right in front of the three of them as they are gathered in the same area.  (Columbo is pestering McCloud about his own experiences as a "fish out of water" being a New York cop working in Los Angeles.)

For the Fish angle, it should be something off-beat and humorous, perhaps starting with him only being in the vicinity of the crime scene because he was on line for the small bathroom available to visitors.  Maybe the cause of death should be something darkly humorous and unique.

And as for McCloud, plenty of action scenes - one last hurrah as he rides a horse through the City (perhaps with Columbo on board as well?)  And maybe grabbing onto a helicopter one last time.

If this picture does inspire you to write up a fanfic crossover of the three, with your own ideas, whatever, let me know.  I'd love to read it!  And if you like, I could even give it a showcase here at Inner Toob!

BCnU!