"Mrs. Columbo" (1979) TV series

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Directors:

Reza Badiyi
Philip Leacock

Writers:

Larry Alexander (writer)
Chris Bunch (writer)

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

26 February 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery | Drama

Plot:

Mrs. Kate Columbo, wife of the famous lieutenant, solves crimes as a reporter, while raising her little daughter.

Plot Keywords:

Spin Off | Character Name In Title

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Kate Mulgrew	...	Kate Columbo (13 episodes, 1979-1980)
Lili Haydn	...	Callahan / ... (13 episodes, 1979-1980)
Henry Jones	...	Josh Alden (13 episodes, 1979-1980)
Don Stroud	...	Sergeant Mike Varrick (8 episodes, 1979-1980)

Also Known As:

"Kate Columbo" (USA)
"Kate Loves a Mystery"
"Kate the Detective"

Runtime:

60 min | 60 min (13 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Universal TV

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Riding with Death (#9.14)" (1997)

Best Columbo ever

Mrs. Columbo as a title got my attention right away. I had seen several Lt. Columbos, including the actor who first created the character, Bert Freed --IMO the best of the lot; I thought Falk stank as the detective. It was my first look at a female detective, and my first exposure to Kate Mulgrew. I instantly fell in love with her. Her character was appealing in a number of ways: she was self-assured, competent, calm and cool. She could -- and did -- handle anything that jumped up to bite her. Kate is still my pick of all female detectives, and Mulgrew is a goddess. As an actress she can do no wrong. As to the series itself, I found the plots much more realistic, in a true-to-life way, than those of her "husband" or of almost any other crime show that was then on the air. So here are two "best Columbos," Mulgrew and Freed.