diff --git a/mitmproxy/tools/console/grideditor/col.py b/mitmproxy/tools/console/grideditor/col.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 3331f3e72..000000000
--- a/mitmproxy/tools/console/grideditor/col.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,67 +0,0 @@
-import typing
-
-import urwid
-
-from mitmproxy.tools.console import signals
-from mitmproxy.tools.console.grideditor import base
-from mitmproxy.utils import strutils
-
-strbytes = typing.Union[str, bytes]
-
-
-class Column(base.Column):
-    def Display(self, data):
-        return Display(data)
-
-    def Edit(self, data):
-        return Edit(data)
-
-    def blank(self):
-        return ""
-
-    def keypress(self, key, editor):
-        if key in ["m_select"]:
-            editor.walker.start_edit()
-        else:
-            return key
-
-
-class Display(base.Cell):
-    def __init__(self, data: strbytes) -> None:
-        self.data = data
-        if isinstance(data, bytes):
-            escaped = strutils.bytes_to_escaped_str(data)
-        else:
-            escaped = data.encode()
-        w = urwid.Text(escaped, wrap="any")
-        super().__init__(w)
-
-    def get_data(self) -> strbytes:
-        return self.data
-
-
-class Edit(base.Cell):
-    def __init__(self, data: strbytes) -> None:
-        if isinstance(data, bytes):
-            escaped = strutils.bytes_to_escaped_str(data)
-        else:
-            escaped = data.encode()
-        self.type = type(data)  # type: typing.Type
-        w = urwid.Edit(edit_text=escaped, wrap="any", multiline=True)
-        w = urwid.AttrWrap(w, "editfield")
-        super().__init__(w)
-
-    def get_data(self) -> strbytes:
-        txt = self._w.get_text()[0].strip()
-        try:
-            if self.type == bytes:
-                return strutils.escaped_str_to_bytes(txt)
-            else:
-                return txt.decode()
-        except ValueError:
-            signals.status_message.send(
-                self,
-                message="Invalid Python-style string encoding.",
-                expire=1000
-            )
-            raise
diff --git a/mitmproxy/tools/console/grideditor/col_text.py b/mitmproxy/tools/console/grideditor/col_text.py
index f0ac06f8c..325186704 100644
--- a/mitmproxy/tools/console/grideditor/col_text.py
+++ b/mitmproxy/tools/console/grideditor/col_text.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class Column(col_bytes.Column):
         return TEdit(data, self.encoding_args)
 
     def blank(self):
-        return u""
+        return ""
 
 
 # This is the same for both edit and display.
diff --git a/mitmproxy/tools/console/grideditor/col_viewany.py b/mitmproxy/tools/console/grideditor/col_viewany.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f5d35eeed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mitmproxy/tools/console/grideditor/col_viewany.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+"""
+A display-only column that displays any data type.
+"""
+
+import typing
+
+import urwid
+from mitmproxy.tools.console.grideditor import base
+from mitmproxy.utils import strutils
+
+
+class Column(base.Column):
+    def Display(self, data):
+        return Display(data)
+
+    Edit = Display
+
+    def blank(self):
+        return ""
+
+
+class Display(base.Cell):
+    def __init__(self, data: typing.Any) -> None:
+        self.data = data
+        if isinstance(data, bytes):
+            data = strutils.bytes_to_escaped_str(data)
+        if not isinstance(data, str):
+            data = repr(data)
+        w = urwid.Text(data, wrap="any")
+        super().__init__(w)
+
+    def get_data(self) -> typing.Any:
+        return self.data
diff --git a/mitmproxy/tools/console/grideditor/editors.py b/mitmproxy/tools/console/grideditor/editors.py
index b5d16737a..fbe48a1a8 100644
--- a/mitmproxy/tools/console/grideditor/editors.py
+++ b/mitmproxy/tools/console/grideditor/editors.py
@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
+import typing
 
 from mitmproxy import exceptions
+from mitmproxy.net.http import Headers
 from mitmproxy.tools.console import layoutwidget
+from mitmproxy.tools.console import signals
 from mitmproxy.tools.console.grideditor import base
-from mitmproxy.tools.console.grideditor import col
-from mitmproxy.tools.console.grideditor import col_text
 from mitmproxy.tools.console.grideditor import col_bytes
 from mitmproxy.tools.console.grideditor import col_subgrid
-from mitmproxy.tools.console import signals
-from mitmproxy.net.http import Headers
+from mitmproxy.tools.console.grideditor import col_text
+from mitmproxy.tools.console.grideditor import col_viewany
 
 
 class QueryEditor(base.FocusEditor):
@@ -67,7 +68,6 @@ class RequestFormEditor(base.FocusEditor):
 
 class PathEditor(base.FocusEditor):
     # TODO: Next row on enter?
-
     title = "Edit Path Components"
     columns = [
         col_text.Column("Component"),
@@ -175,11 +175,22 @@ class OptionsEditor(base.GridEditor, layoutwidget.LayoutWidget):
 class DataViewer(base.GridEditor, layoutwidget.LayoutWidget):
     title = None  # type: str
 
-    def __init__(self, master, vals):
+    def __init__(
+            self,
+            master,
+            vals: typing.Union[
+                typing.List[typing.List[typing.Any]],
+                typing.List[typing.Any],
+                str,
+            ]) -> None:
         if vals:
+            # Whatever vals is, make it a list of rows containing lists of column values.
+            if isinstance(vals, str):
+                vals = [vals]
             if not isinstance(vals[0], list):
                 vals = [[i] for i in vals]
-            self.columns = [col.Column("")] * len(vals[0])
+
+            self.columns = [col_viewany.Column("")] * len(vals[0])
         super().__init__(master, vals, self.callback)
 
     def callback(self, vals):