Oh duh. If you havn't seen "Rest in Peace Mrs. Columbo", don't be a dork like me and go look up the character in wikipedia thereby spoiling what sounds like one of the really good twists in the series.

Wikipedia also says that for the first couple seasons Peter Falk believed that Columbo lived alone in a furnished room, inventing wife stories when they fit with his line of questioning.

Wasn't Kate Mulgrew Mrs. Columbo?

That's what imdb says. Weirdly, I think it was Suzanne Pleshette I was picturing as Mrs Columbo and I just started an episode where she guest stars.

Eddie Albert is the murderer! This might be better than Dick van Dyke.

Wikipedia also points out that the show writers were fully aware that Columbo was an "inside-out" detective show.

Johnny Cash was a guest killer once, too.

edit: Yay, Sunday Night Mystery Theatre. Though McMillan and Wife was eh. What was the other one, the cowboy in New York?

Aw, Eddie Albert just said, "As you wish."

I don't remember the cowboy in NY. I was born in '69 so I was pretty young.

"Some men, Lieutenant, do not want to look like an unmade bed!"

Whippersnapper.

edit: Do kids snap more whips?

I hate it when he touches evidence with his fingers.

I think a whippersnapper is someone who makes you want to snap your whip at them.

the cowboy in NY

I had a huge crush on McCloud. For reals.

McCloud, that's right!

McCloud, that's right!

Dennis Weaver! Much like Falk (or Telly Savalas for that matter), an eccentric character actor getting a popular lead TV role. Columbo definitely rocked in it's format though. I LOVED that we generally (there were a couple of exceptions) knew exactly who and how they dunnit, and we were watching the how he catches them. In his inimitable style.