I think we typically like to cheer for the good guys and hate the bad guys. This time, there are no bad guys. Columbo is both the good and bad guy. Audience will get confused whether they should love or hate Columbo. Besides, if they can write him as a character with some internal struggle, that would draw more sympathy. However, now when he is bad, he is all the way bad. And he is so smart that everybody is being manipulated by him. Finally, what is all these leading to? Why does he want to be a detective after all?