Movies - TV
Kate Mulgrew Looks Back On Mrs. Columbo, Her Short-Lived Columbo
Spin-Off
By WITNEY SEIBOLD
In 1979, “Mrs. Columbo” the short-lived spinoff of the beloved show “Colombo” took to the airwaves. Kate Mulgrew, of "Star Trek: Voyager" and “Orange is the New Black” fame, stepped into the role of Colombo’s oft mentioned, but never seen wife who aided in his investigations. In a recent interview with /Film, Mulgrew reflected on the quirky spinoff.
When asked who was the better detective, Mulgrew was diplomatic with her answer, stating, “I mean, I want to say, Mrs. Columbo. But we did love Peter Falk as Colombo, didn't we? Although Mrs. Colombo was a hell of a detective, wasn't she? Because she had a sort of her own curious eccentricity, her own odd approach, which I thought was quite novel.”
Mrs. Columbo was not a police detective but an investigative reporter, but one can see why she would be a good match for Columbo as she was able to stand on her own as a strong, intelligent character. Unfortunately, ratings were always low, and even after the show was retooled mid-season, it was canceled after just 13 episodes.
"Mrs. Columbo" is not currently streaming and has never been made available on home video in the United States, other than single episodes included as bonus features on "Columbo" DVD box sets. While Peter Falk is on record for disliking the show, Mulgrew said of the spinoff, “It was very well-written. It was very well done. I'm sorry it didn't get a longer run."