Kay Freestone has an arrogant, over-confident way about her. She deludes herself in thinking that she runs the whole network - that she and Mark are a "great corporate team". But we see later that Mark MacAndrews turns out to be 100% right. She is excellent in her current job position but not ready to be promoted to his position when he leaves for New York. After his death, she makes several blatant (and unforgivable) errors which cost the studio millions in just her first few days on the job.

Frankly, even an amateur would have suggested taping the Valerie Kirk Show, rather than airing it live. Guesswork, indeed.

Columbo feels the real motive was personal. That she killed MacAndrews because she was a jilted lover. Perhaps, the gift of a Mercedes made her feel like a prostitute as Mark walks out of her life.

MacAndrews should have broken up with her more gently. You can't blame him for not falling in love with this cold, psychotic woman, or for not promoting her, but he owed her a better goodbye than an expensive gift. He gets a prominent promotion and all she gets is a car. He did allude to the fact that she "will learn", meaning he thinks she'll eventually be promoted, but she is too hurt (or arrogant) to pay any attention to this.

But the motive to kill him still seems weak to me. I can understand her feeling hurt and "used", but is that enough to risk murder for? Is she in love with him and is hurt that he is throwing her aside? Is it the job he does not give her? Is it the fact that he didn't feel his success was due to their teamwork?

Any thoughts?

I like this episode (except for the button-pushing-happy Columbo), but never really understood Kay's motive. It's never really made clear. This episode and The Most Crucial Game both fall victim to this.

Don't worry about the motive,what about how quickly she put together the murder plan,she goes from loving Mark one day,then the next she's got this elaborate plan to kill him,was this always a fallback plan if she didn't get the job?

Jealousy
Jilted
Job that she wanted

By killing him she punished him for accepting the job without negotiating an offer or partnership for her, and also she got the job she always wanted.