<P> On January 1, 2015, McMillan & Wife began airing on Me - TV as part of the "MeTV Mystery Movie" late night block . That block included the other two long running Sunday Mystery Movie series, McCloud and Columbo, the Wednesday Mystery Movie series Banacek, and the Perry Mason television movies . Each week featured a different series, with the series airing every night during its feature week . These airings have since ceased . </P> <P> For its sixth and final season, the series underwent a major retooling . Susan Saint James left after being unable to come to terms on a new contract . Nancy Walker also left the series before the sixth season premiered in 1976 to star in an eponymous sitcom . </P> <P> With these developments, the show became known as McMillan and Sally was killed off in a plane crash along with the couple's never - seen son . Mac, now a widower, moved out of the family home and into a luxury apartment . Mildred, meanwhile, was written out as having left the McMillans to open her own diner on the East Coast, which was an inside joke playing up her role as Rosie the waitress in a then - ongoing series of commercials for Bounty Paper Towels . </P> <P> John Schuck had his role reduced as he joined the sitcom Holmes and Yo - Yo, which show director Leonard B. Stern was working on . Martha Raye, who had played Mildred's sister Agatha in an earlier episode, joined the series full - time with Agatha taking over Mildred's role as Mac's housekeeper in his new apartment . Meanwhile, Sergeant Enright was promoted to Lieutenant and became Deputy Chief of the San Francisco Police, which took him away from his position as Mac's liaison . Richard Gilliland joined the cast as Enright's replacement, Sergeant DiMaggio, who always introduced himself by saying "no relation" (in reference to Joe DiMaggio). </P>

How did sally die on mcmillan and wife