There are two aspects that make this particular episode unique in the Naked City canon.
The first is the absence of Adam Flint. He shows up in the beginning while Lt. Parker attempts to stall him out of his vacation by getting him to answer one phone call after another. This goes on for a couple of minutes before Flint hightails it out the door. This was a good call as the script didn't call for Adam's kneejerk instincts toward making the crime of the week a social justice matter. The interplay between the grouchy Lt. Parker and the easygoing veteran Det. Arcaro as they solve the crime add another layer to this episode that makes it even more appealing.
The second is the performance of Peter Falk as a quirky hitman who prefers to do his job without firearms and has a crush on a French singer who works at a restaurant whose owners hire him to take care of a mobster who is shaking them down for protection money. There is a scene where the hitman has a realtor take him to a property that overlooks his target's home. The dialogue between Falk and the realtor gives hints of his later signature role as Lt. Columbo.
The first is the absence of Adam Flint. He shows up in the beginning while Lt. Parker attempts to stall him out of his vacation by getting him to answer one phone call after another. This goes on for a couple of minutes before Flint hightails it out the door. This was a good call as the script didn't call for Adam's kneejerk instincts toward making the crime of the week a social justice matter. The interplay between the grouchy Lt. Parker and the easygoing veteran Det. Arcaro as they solve the crime add another layer to this episode that makes it even more appealing.
The second is the performance of Peter Falk as a quirky hitman who prefers to do his job without firearms and has a crush on a French singer who works at a restaurant whose owners hire him to take care of a mobster who is shaking them down for protection money. There is a scene where the hitman has a realtor take him to a property that overlooks his target's home. The dialogue between Falk and the realtor gives hints of his later signature role as Lt. Columbo.