In For Your Eyes Only, the Countess Lisl subplot stands out as a curious lapse in character logic. The idea that Columbo would deploy his own mistress to extract information from Bond, only to risk her safety, feels oddly careless for a man portrayed as shrewd and deeply suspicious.

Equally puzzling is Melina’s complete indifference after watching Bond stroll out of the casino with Lisl. The movie never reconciles this moment, leaving it to hang as if it never happened. Was Melina so naive, or did she just not care that Bond slept with someone else? I guess it really didn’t matter, since they end up together and Melina feels the need to call him “darling.”