Best TV Show of all time is Columbo and it isn’t close.

Dennis_DeYoung

If you feel differently it’s probably because you are stupid.

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Mad_Son

My mom might agree with you.

Dennis_DeYoung

If you haven’t watched Columbo in a while you should give it a rewatch. Shit is incredible.

Kaepsknee

It's a good show, but a little long at 90 minutes. At least some of the episodes were.

Now that Mannix... There was a crooner there.

FireCohen

is it on netflix?

Joey

Grandma loved Columbo, Papa loved Matlock. Oh the arguments. At least they agreed CSI: Anything was hot garbage.

oregonblitzkrieg

Magnum PI

BlastDoor

dnc

Colombo > Columbo

Colombo (/kəˈlʌmboʊ/; Sinhalese: කොළඹ Kolamba, pronounced [ˈkəlɐmbɞ]; Tamil: கொழும்பு, translit. Koḻumpu) is the commercial capital[3] and largest city of Sri Lanka. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo metropolitan area has a population of 5.6 million,[4][5][6][7] and 752,993[2] in the city proper. It is the financial centre of the island and a popular tourist destination. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to the Greater Colombo area which includes Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, the legislative capital of Sri Lanka and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. Colombo is often referred to as the capital since Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is within the urban area of, and a suburb of, Colombo. It is also the administrative capital of the Western Province and the district capital of Colombo District. Colombo is a busy and vibrant place with a mixture of modern life and colonial buildings and ruins.[8] It was the legislative capital of Sri Lanka until 1982.

Due to its large harbour and its strategic position along the East-West sea trade routes, Colombo was known to ancient traders 2,000 years ago. It was made the capital of the island when Sri Lanka was ceded to the British Empire in 1815,[9] and its status as capital was retained when the nation became independent in 1948. In 1978, when administrative functions were moved to Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Colombo was designated as the commercial capital of Sri Lanka.

Like many cities, Colombo's urban area extends well beyond the boundaries of a single local authority, encompassing other municipal and urban councils such as Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte Municipal Council, Dehiwala Mount Lavinia Municipal Council, Kolonnawa Urban Council, Kaduwela Municipal Council and Kotikawatte Mulleriyawa Pradeshiya Sabha. The main city is home to a majority of Sri Lanka's corporate offices, restaurants and entertainment venues.[10] Famous landmarks in Colombo include Galle Face Green, Viharamahadevi Park, Beira Lake, Colombo Racecourse, Planetarium, University of Colombo, Mount Lavinia beach, Nelum Pokuna Theatre, Colombo Lotus Tower (under construction) as well as the National Museum.

Contents
1 Etymology
2 History
2.1 Portuguese era
2.2 Dutch era
2.3 British era
2.4 After independence
3 Geography
3.1 Climate
4 Attractions
5 Demographics
6 Government and politics
6.1 Local government
6.2 National capital
7 City limits
8 Capital Zone suburbs
9 Outer suburbs
10 Economy
11 Law enforcement and crime
12 Infrastructure
12.1 Harbour
12.2 Transport
12.2.1 Bus
12.2.2 Rail
12.2.3 Roads
12.2.4 Ferry
12.2.5 Air
12.3 Landmarks
13 Education
14 Architecture
14.1 Colombo Fort
14.2 Dutch-era buildings
14.3 British-era buildings
15 Culture
15.1 Annual cultural events and fairs
15.2 Performing arts
15.3 Museums and art collections
15.4 Sports
15.5 Media
16 Twin towns and sister cities
17 Gallery
18 See also
19 Notes and references
20 Further reading
Etymology

Coat of arms of Colombo from the Dutch Ceylon era, depicting a mango tree.
The name "Colombo", first introduced by the Portuguese in 1505, is believed to be derived from the classical Sinhalese name කොලොන් තොට Kolon thota, meaning "port on the river Kelani".[11]

Another belief is that the name is derived from the Sinhalese name කොල-අඹ-තොට Kola-amba-thota which means "Harbour with leafy mango trees".[10] This coincides with Robert Knox's history of the island while he was a prisoner in Kandy. He writes that, "On the West the City of Columbo, so called from a Tree the Natives call Ambo, (which bears the Mango-fruit) growing in that place; but this never bare fruit, but onely leaves, which in their Language is Cola and thence they called the Tree Colambo: which the Christians in honour of Columbus turned to Columbo."

The author of the oldest Sinhalese grammar, Sidatsangarava, written in the 13th century wrote about a category of words that exclusively belonged to early Sinhalese. It lists naramba (to see) and kolamba (ford or harbour) as belonging to an indigenous source. Kolamba may also be the source of the name of the commercial capital Colombo.[12][13]

History
As Colombo possesses a natural harbour, it was known to Indian, Greek, Persian, Roman, Arab, and Chinese traders over 2,000 years ago. Traveller Ibn Battuta who visited the island in the 14th century, referred to it as Kalanpu.[14] Arabs, whose prime interests were trade, began to settle in Colombo around the 8th century AD mostly because the port helped their business by the way of controlling much of the trade between the Sinhalese kingdoms and the outside world. Their descendants now comprise the local Sri Lankan Moor community.[9][15]

Portuguese era
Portuguese explorers led by Dom Lourenço de Almeida first arrived in Sri Lanka in 1505. During their initial visit they made a treaty with the King of Kotte, Parakramabahu VIII (1484–1508), which enabled them to trade in the island's crop of cinnamon, which lay along the coastal areas of the island, including in Colombo.[16] As part of the treaty, the Portuguese were given full authority over the coastline in exchange for the promise of guarding the coast against invaders. They were allowed to establish a trading post in Colombo.[16] Within a short time, however, they expelled the Muslim inhabitants of Colombo and began to build a fort in 1517.

The Portuguese soon realized that control of Sri Lanka was necessary for protection of their coastal establishments in India and they began to manipulate the rulers of the Kotte kingdom to gain control of the area. After skilfully exploiting rivalries within the royal family, they took control of a large area of the kingdom and the Sinhalese King Mayadunne established a new kingdom at Sitawaka, a domain in the Kotte kingdom.[16] Before long he annexed much of the Kotte kingdom and forced the Portuguese to retreat to Colombo, which was repeatedly besieged by Mayadunne and the later kings of Sitawaka, forcing them to seek reinforcement from their major base in Goa, India. Following the fall of the kingdom in 1593, the Portuguese were able to establish complete control over the coastal area, with Colombo as their capital.[16][17] This part of Colombo is still known as Fort and houses the presidential palace and the majority of Colombo's five star hotels. The area immediately outside Fort is known as Pettah (Sinhala පිට කොටුව piṭa koṭuva, "outer fort") and is a commercial hub.

Dutch era

Dutch engraving of Colombo in about 1680
In 1638 the Dutch signed a treaty with King Rajasinha II of Kandy which assured the king assistance in his war against the Portuguese in exchange for a monopoly of the island's major trade goods. The Portuguese resisted the Dutch and the Kandyans but were gradually defeated in their strongholds beginning in 1639.[18] The Dutch captured Colombo in 1656 after an epic siege, at the end of which a mere 93 Portuguese survivors were given safe conduct out of the fort. Although the Dutch (e.g., Rijcklof van Goens) initially restored the captured area back to the Sinhalese kings, they later refused to turn them over and gained control over the island's richest cinnamon lands including Colombo which then served as the capital of the Dutch maritime provinces under the control of the Dutch East India Company until 1796.[18][19]

British era

Colombo street scene in the early 20th century with a tramcar and the old Town Hall in the background

Map of Colombo, ca 1914
Although the British captured Colombo in 1796, it remained a British military outpost until the Kandyan Kingdom was ceded to them in 1815 and they made Colombo the capital of their newly created crown colony of British Ceylon. Unlike the Portuguese and Dutch before them, whose primary use of Colombo was as a military fort, the British began constructing houses and other civilian structures around the fort, giving rise to the current City of Colombo.[9]

Initially, they placed the administration of the city under a "Collector", and John Macdowell of the Madras Service was the first to hold the office. Then, in 1833, the Government Agent of the Western Province was charged with the administration of the city. Centuries of colonial rule had meant a decline of indigenous administration of Colombo, and in 1865 the British conceived a Municipal Council as a means of training the local population in self-governance. The Legislative Council of Ceylon constituted the Colombo Municipal Council in 1865 and the Council met for the first time on the January 16, 1866. At the time, the population of the region was around 80,000.[9]

During the time they were in control of the Colombo, the British were responsible for much of the planning of the present city. In some parts of the city tram car tracks and granite flooring laid during the era are still visible today.[19][20]

After independence

The formal ceremony marking the start of self-rule at Independence Square.
This era of colonialism ended peacefully in 1948 when Ceylon gained independence from Britain.[21] Due to the tremendous impact this caused on the city's inhabitants and on the country as a whole, the changes that resulted at the end of the colonial period were drastic. An entire new culture took root. Changes in laws and customs, clothing styles, religions and proper names were a significant result of the colonial era.[21] These cultural changes were followed by the strengthening of the island's economy. Even today, the influence of the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British is clearly visible in Colombo's architecture, names, clothing, food, language and attitudes. Buildings from all three eras stand as reminders of the turbulent past of Colombo. The city and its people show an interesting mix of European clothing and lifestyles together with local customs.[21]

YellowSnow

I have a Colombo style rain coat.

RaceBannon

My mom might agree with you.

When my mom got dementia she became a big Walker Texas Ranger fan

LebamDawg

Peter Falk was excellent - but I prefer Homicide: Life on the Street

I lived in Baltmer when a couple of the things that happened on the show actually happened on the streets of Baltmer

Pitchfork51

the only thing I know is that mike d rolled up a wooly and watched columbo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBVdVjPVAuU

BennyBeaver

Peter Falk was excellent - but I prefer Homicide: Life on the Street

I lived in Baltmer when a couple of the things that happened on the show actually happened on the streets of Baltmer

Loved it.

ThomasFremont

My mom might agree with you.
When my mom got dementia she became a big Walker Texas Ranger fan

Doog_de_Jour

Save this for October 8th then...

theknowledge

My dad and I liked Columbo back in the day. We also liked watching The Rockford Files together. I might lean Rockford but you cant go wrong either way.

Dennis_DeYoung

I hate the wire on some level. I tried to re-watch recently and and it sounds like the dialogue was written by someone who had a poster of Tennessee Williams and Maya Angelou on their wall the whole time.

Every black person talks like a fucking Stephen King black person - slow and says "and all" all the fucking time.

Also, fuck the kids.

Bunk, Lester Freamon and Rawls are the good characters. McNulty is essentially me, so I can't hate. And everyone else is at best tier 2.

dnc

I hate the wire on some level. I tried to re-watch recently and and it sounds like the dialogue was written by someone who had a poster of Tennessee Williams and Maya Angelou on their wall the whole time.

Every black person talks like a fucking Stephen King black person - slow and says "and all" all the fucking time.

Also, fuck the kids.

Bunk, Lester Freamon and Rawls are the good characters. McNulty is essentially me, so I can't hate. And everyone else is at best tier 2.

DDY 2?

BearsWiin

I hate the wire on some level. I tried to re-watch recently and and it sounds like the dialogue was written by someone who had a poster of Tennessee Williams and Maya Angelou on their wall the whole time.

Every black person talks like a fucking Stephen King black person - slow and says "and all" all the fucking time.

Also, fuck the kids.

Bunk, Lester Freamon and Rawls are the good characters. McNulty is essentially me, so I can't hate. And everyone else is at best tier 2.

I just lost any shred of respect I might have had for you

YellowSnow

The greatest TV show of the past 20 years and it's not even close is...