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The Worst Episodes of Mrs. Columbo

Every episode of Mrs. Columbo ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Mrs. Columbo!

Binge this in 14h 0m•Peaking at 7.4/10

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

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    Mrs. Columbo Season 1 Episode 3 - A Riddle for Puppets
    5.4/10(124 votes)

    S1:E3

    A puppet maker is murdered by a tormented ventriloquist who acted at the urging of his "evil" dummy.

    Director:Edward M. Abroms
    Writer:Gregory S. Dinallo

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  2. Mrs. Columbo Season 1 Episode 4 - Caviar with Everything
    5.6/10(114 votes)

    S1:E4

    Two women own a catering firm. Both love the same man. To one, the solution is obvious: murder.

    Director:Don Medford
    Writers:Howard Berk, Richard Alan Simmons

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  3. Mrs. Columbo Season 1 Episode 1 - Word Games
    6.1/10(116 votes)

    S1:E1

    Kate Mulgrew is Kate Columbo, wife of the rumpled police lieutenant and - in her own right - a mother, homemaker and reporter for a neighborhood throwaway. In this week's opener, she also demonstrates a knack for investigation after she overhears a neighbor plotting the murder of his wife.

    Director:Boris Sagal
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. Mrs. Columbo Season 1 Episode 2 - Murder Is a Parlor Game
    6.5/10(114 votes)

    S1:E2

    An apparent suicide is actually the handiwork of a retired Scotland Yard investigator who is teaching a course that Mrs. Columbo is taking.

    Director:Don Medford
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. Mrs. Columbo Season 1 Episode 5 - A Puzzle for Prophets
    6.8/10(44 votes)

    S1:E5

    A famous psychic engineers the murder of her business partner and appears to have an airtight alibi - she was demonstrating her "powers" to Mrs. Columbo at the time of death.

    Director:Sam Wanamaker
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Mrs. Columbo Season 2 Episode 1 - Ladies of the Afternoon
    6.8/10(45 votes)

    S2:E1

    Kate has divorced her famous husband, changed her last name back to maiden Callahan, and moved to San Fernando with their girl to work for a new paper. Her first investigation involves a suspect who claims he didn't murder his wife.

    Director:Don Medford
    Writer:Lawrence Hertzog

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  7. Mrs. Columbo Season 2 Episode 2 - It Goes with the Territory
    6.8/10(33 votes)

    S2:E2

    After her colleague is murdered, Kate decides to continue the investigation of a shady local elite country club she was working on for the paper at the time of murder.

    Director:Leo Penn
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. Mrs. Columbo Season 2 Episode 3 - Off the Record
    6.8/10(36 votes)

    S2:E3

    Kate is working on a murder case investigation with the help of a source she trusts. The police demands full disclosure from her and arrests her when she refuses to give them the source's name.

    Director:Reza Badiyi
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. Mrs. Columbo Season 2 Episode 8 - Love, on Instant Replay
    6.9/10(31 votes)

    S2:E8

    Kate investigates a case of a murdered young woman. The only suspect is an immigrant who used to be a part of a radical underground movement. Sounds like an open and shut case, right? Kate doesn't think so.

    Director:E. Arthur Kean
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. Mrs. Columbo Season 2 Episode 7 - Feelings Can Be Murder
    7.0/10(28 votes)

    S2:E7

    Kate is investigating a murder of a woman. The victim was a participant in a sensitivity-training group and her psychologist is a suspect.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Mrs. Columbo Season 2 Episode 4 - The Valley Strangler
    7.2/10(37 votes)

    S2:E4

    Kate is investigating a horrifying series of murders committed by strangulation.

    Director:Sigmund Neufeld Jr.
    Writer:Lawrence Hertzog

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  12. Mrs. Columbo Season 2 Episode 5 - A Chilling Surprise
    7.4/10(35 votes)

    S2:E5

    Owner of a restaurant is found dead, possibly murdered. Then his body disappears. Kate investigates.

    Director:Philip Leacock
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. Mrs. Columbo Season 2 Episode 6 - Falling Star
    7.4/10(32 votes)

    S2:E6

    It's the election season and Kate wholeheartedly supports one of the candidates for Congress from her district. However, his shady past comes knocking when his associate is murdered and he's the only suspect. Kate is shocked! Can this be?

    Director:Sam Wanamaker
    Writer:Lawrence Hertzog

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Worst Episodes Summary

"A Riddle for Puppets" is the worst rated episode of "Mrs. Columbo". It scored 5.4/10 based on 124 votes. Directed by Edward M. Abroms and written by Gregory S. Dinallo, it aired on 3/15/1979. This episode scored 0.2 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Caviar with Everything".