History Series / MrsColumbo

* DeadlyBath: In the pilot episode, "Word Games", the murder victim (played by Edie Adams) is killed when an intruder in her house (the man hired to kill her, played by Frederic Forrest) forces her at gunpoint to take a plugged-in hair dryer while she's in the bathtub, causing her death by electrocution.

Creator/LevinsonAndLink (the creators of ''Columbo'') have [[WordOfGod emphatically maintained]] that Kate Columbo was ''[[CanonDiscontinuity not]]'' the unseen wife of their character, but the wife of some other detective of the same name (who just happens to also have a beat-up Peugeot convertible and a basset hound named "Dog"). During the filming of the first post-''Mrs. Columbo'' episode of ''Columbo'', they joked that they were considering having Columbo mention in passing that "some crazy girl" had been running around impersonating his wife.

This is the short-lived SpinOff of MysteryOfTheWeek series ''Series/{{Columbo}}''. It is unusual for spinning off [[TheGhost a character who hadn't appeared on-camera on the parent series]]. It starred Creator/KateMulgrew (later of ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'') as Columbo's heretofore unseen wife.

[[caption-width-right:290:Creator/DonaldPleasence says: "''You're'' Mrs. Columbo? Sorry, not buying it." [[note]]And, as he appeared alongside ''Mr.'' Columbo, he's entirely justified.[[/note]] ]]

The SpinOff has had a long and sometimes successful history. A character, usually minor, who has appeared in one show is upgraded to the central character of a new show.

But never before had a character who ''hadn't'' appeared on-camera been spun off.

After listening for about a decade to Lieutenant Series/{{Columbo}} ramble on about his never-seen wife, someone decided it would be a good idea to do a spinoff starring her as an AmateurSleuth in her own right.

But who could possibly play the famous detective's [[TheGhost Ghost]] spouse? Fortunately, Lt. Columbo had told us quite a lot about her: she was his [[VictoriousChildhoodFriend childhood sweetheart.]] She was shortish, stoutish, raven-haired, and extremely busty.

So they cast Creator/KateMulgrew (later of ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''), who was middling-tall, slender in build, redheaded, and about twelve years old the first time Mrs. Columbo was mentioned by her husband.

* TheGhost: Humorously, Mr. Columbo is on the receiving end of this trope. Mrs. Columbo and their daughter talk to him on the phone and he is said to be in a scene, but is never physically shown.

* AdultFear: In “Word Games”, Kate is faced with the fear of the murderer kidnapping her daughter and using her to lure Kate to the original murder location. Prior to Kate uncovering his identity, he eerily repeats “hickory dickory dock” over the intercom, causing her to rush to her daughter’s room to make sure Jenny is safe.

* MysteryOfTheWeek
* PluckyGirl
* {{Retool}}

The series also changed its title twice, to ''Kate the Detective'' and then ''Kate Loves a Mystery'', before getting canceled. In all, only one season (1979–80) of about a dozen episodes aired on Creator/{{NBC}}, possibly giving the show the highest titles-to-episodes ratio in TV history.

When ''Mrs. Columbo'' failed to perform as hoped, the show was {{retool}}ed under the new title ''Kate Columbo''. Kate divorced her husband and carried out her amateur sleuthing under the auspices of her new job as a small-town newspaper reporter.

The series was eventually retitled ''Kate Loves a Mystery'', and then was cancelled. In all, only about a dozen episodes were made, possibly giving ''Mrs. Columbo'' the highest titles-to-episodes ratio in TV history.

Creator/LevinsonAndLink (creators of ''Columbo'') have [[WordOfGod emphatically maintained]] that Kate Columbo is ''[[CanonDiscontinuity not]]'' the unseen wife of their character, but the wife of some other detective of the same name (who happens to also have a beat up car and a bassett hound named "Dog"). During the filming of the first post-''Mrs. Columbo'' episode of ''Columbo'', they joked that they were considering having Columbo mention in passing that "some crazy girl" had been running around impersonating his wife.

So they cast Creator/KateMulgrew (later of ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''), who was middling-tall, slender in build, redheaded, ''and'' about twelve the first time Mrs. Columbo was mentioned by her husband.

The series was eventually retitled ''Kate Loves A Mystery'', and then was cancelled. In all, only about a dozen episodes were made, possibly giving ''Mrs. Columbo'' the highest titles-to-episodes ratio in TV history.

But who could possibly play the famous detective's [[TheGhost Ghost]] spouse? Fortunately, Lieutenant Columbo had told us quite a lot about her: she was his [[VictoriousChildhoodFriend childhood sweetheart.]] She was shortish, stoutish, raven-haired, and extremely busty.

[[quoteright:230:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mrs.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:230:[-Creator/DonaldPleasence says: "''You're'' Mrs. Columbo? Sorry, not buying it."[[note]]And as he appeared alongside the actual Columbo, he's entirely justified.[[/note]]-] ]]

The SpinOff has a long and sometimes successful history. A character, usually minor, who has appeared in one show is upgraded to the central character of a new show.

* AdultFear: In “Word Games”, Kate is faced with the fear of the murderer kidnapping her daughter and using her to lure Kate to the original murder location. Prior to Kate uncovering his identity, he eerily repeats “hickory dickery dock” over the intercom, causing her to rush to her daughter’s room to make sure Jenny is safe.

* TheGhost: Mr. Columbo

So they cast Kate Mulgrew (later of ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''), who was middling-tall, slender in build, redheaded, ''and'' about twelve the first time Mrs. Columbo was mentioned by her husband.

** The murder victim, Patty, [[spoiler: wooed her best friend, Sybil's husband Richard, away from her without her knowledge--at first. When we first hear Patty suggesting that Sybil cater her wedding, we first think it's a friendly offer. When we watch the entire episode a second time, it almost sounds like Patty is ''taunting'' her.]]
** Richard, Sybil's husband who divorced her shortly before the events of the episode. [[spoiler: He claimed to have left Sybil because he [[BlatantLies couldn't stand being given everything he wanted, finding it humiliating.]] In reality, he found it inconvenient that he was forced to sign an agreement that would keep him away from Sybil's money she made in the catering business. He then decided to court Patty, his wife's business partner and best friend, who presumably will share her money with him post-retirement, and is far younger and more beautiful. After Patty's death, he immediately returns to Sybil under the guise that he was too in love with her to leave her. However, he inadvertently makes it clear that he's definitely ''not'' over Patty.]]
** The murderer Sybil, while we can certainly understand her fury upon discovering that her [[spoiler: best friend took her husband away from her,]] there may have been a less [[spoiler: lethal way of dealing with the issue. And it would've been better if she simply called out Richard for his obvious greed and kick him to the curb once again instead of trying to bludgeon him with a fire poker, or throwing him off a balcony.]]

But never before had a character who ''hadn't'' appeared been spun off.

After listening for about a decade to Lieutenant Series/{{Columbo}} ramble on about his never-seen wife, someone decided it would be a good idea to do a spinoff starring her as an AmateurSleuth in her own right. We suspect drugs were involved.

So they cast Kate Mulgrew (later of ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''), who was middling-tall, slender in build, redheaded, ''and'' about twelve the first time Mrs. Columbo was mentioned by her husband. We suspect drugs were involved.

When ''Mrs. Columbo'' failed to perform as hoped, the show was {{retool}}ed under the new title ''Kate Columbo''. Kate divorced her husband and carried out her amateur sleuthing under the auspices of her new job as a small-town newspaper reporter. We suspect drugs were involved.

The series was eventually retitled ''Kate Loves A Mystery'', and then died. In all, only about a dozen episodes were made, possibly giving ''Mrs. Columbo'' the highest titles-to-episodes ratio in TV history.

When ''Mrs. Columbo'' failed to perform as hoped, the show was {{retool}}ed under the new title ''Kate Columbo''. Kate divorced her husband and carried out her amateur sleuthing under the auspices of her new job as a small-town newspaper reporter. [[OverlyLongGag We suspect drugs were involved.]]

** Richard, Sybil's husband who discovered her shortly before the events of the episode. [[spoiler: He claimed to have left Sybil because he [[BlatantLies couldn't stand being given everything he wanted, finding it humiliating.]] In reality, he found it inconvenient that he was forced to sign an agreement that would keep him away from Sybil's money she made in the catering business. He then decided to court Patty, his wife's business partner and best friend, who presumably will share her money with him post-retirement, and is far younger and more beautiful. After Patty's death, he immediately returns to Sybil under the guise that he was too in love with her to leave her. However, he inadvertently makes it clear that he's definitely ''not'' over Patty.]]

** The murder victim, Patty, [[spoiler: wooed her best friend, Sybil's husband Richard, away from her without her knowledge. When we first hear Patty suggesting that Sybil cater her wedding, we first think it's a friendly offer. When we watch the entire episode a second time, it almost sounds like Patty is ''taunting'' her.]]
** Richard, Sybil's husband who discovered her shortly before the events of the episode. [[spoiler: He claimed to have left Sybil because he [[BlatantLies stand her giving him everything he wanted, finding it humiliating.]] In reality, he found it inconvenient that he was forced to sign an agreement that would keep him away from Sybil's money she made in the catering business. He then decided to court Patty, his wife's business partner and best friend, who presumably will share her money with him post-retirement, and is far younger and more beautiful. After Patty's death, he immediately returns to Sybil under the guise that he was too in love with her to leave her. However, he inadvertently makes it clear that he's definitely ''not'' over Patty.]]

Creator/LevinsonAndLink (creators of ''Columbo'') have [[WordOfGod emphatically maintained]] that Kate Columbo is ''not'' the unseen wife of their character, but the wife of some other detective of the same name (who happens to also have a beat up car and a bassett hound named "Dog"). During the filming of the first post-''Mrs. Columbo'' episode of ''Columbo'', they joked that they were considering having Columbo mention in passing that "some crazy girl" had been running around impersonating his wife.

Creator/LevinsonAndLink (creators of ''Columbo'') have [[WordOfGod emphatically maintained]] that Kate Columbo is ''not'' the unseen wife of their character, but the wife of some other detective of the same name. During the filming of the first post-''Mrs. Columbo'' episode of ''Columbo'', they joked that they were considering having Columbo mention in passing that "some crazy girl" had been running around impersonating his wife.

[[caption-width-right:230:[-Creator/DonaldPleasence says: "''You're'' Mrs. Columbo? Sorry, not buying it."-] ]]

* TheDanza: Kate Mulgrew as Kate Columbo.