List of Murder, She Wrote episodes
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This is a list of Murder, She Wrote episodes in the order that they originally aired on CBS. Most of the episodes took place either in Jessica's fictional hometown of Cabot Cove, Maine, or in New York City, but her travels promoting books or visiting relatives and friends led to cases throughout the U.S. and around the world.[citation needed]
After the final episode aired in 1996, Angela Lansbury sporadically reprised the character of Jessica Fletcher in a handful of feature-length Murder, She Wrote specials starting in 1997. The last TV movie aired in May 2003. In February 2007, on the ABC daytime talk show The View, Lansbury announced that she hoped to make another Murder, She Wrote TV movie in the near future but only if her son, director Anthony Shaw, could find a suitable story.[1][2]
Series overview[]
Season | Episodes | Originally aired | Rank | Rating | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First aired | Last aired | ||||||
1 | 22 | September 30, 1984 | April 21, 1985 | 8 | 20.1 | ||
2 | 22 | September 29, 1985 | May 18, 1986 | 3 | 25.3 | ||
3 | 22 | September 28, 1986 | May 10, 1987 | 4 | 25.4 | ||
4 | 22 | September 20, 1987 | May 8, 1988 | 9 | 20.2 | ||
5 | 22 | October 23, 1988 | May 21, 1989 | 8 | 19.9 | ||
6 | 22 | September 24, 1989 | May 20, 1990 | 13 | 17.7[a] | ||
7 | 22 | September 16, 1990 | May 12, 1991 | 12 | 16.4 | ||
8 | 22 | September 15, 1991 | May 17, 1992 | 8 | 16.9 | ||
9 | 22 | September 20, 1992 | May 16, 1993 | 5 | 17.7 | ||
10 | 21 | September 12, 1993 | May 22, 1994 | 11 | 16.0 | ||
11 | 21 | September 25, 1994 | May 14, 1995 | 8 | 15.6[b] | ||
12 | 24 | September 21, 1995 | May 19, 1996 | 58 | 9.50 | ||
Movies | 4 | November 2, 1997 | May 9, 2003 | N/A | N/A |
Episodes[]
Season 1 (1984–85)[]
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | "The Murder of Sherlock Holmes" | Corey Allen | Story by : Richard Levinson & William Link & Peter S. Fischer Teleplay by : Peter S. Fischer | September 30, 1984 | |
Following the publication of her first mystery book, Jessica travels to New York City on a publicity tour where she gets involved with the murder of a restaurant magnate (Brian Keith). This episode is double length. | ||||||
2 | 2 | "Deadly Lady" | Corey Allen | Peter S. Fischer | October 7, 1984 | |
A millionaire (Howard Duff) falls overboard during a rough storm out at sea, leaving a large estate behind. His four daughters fall under suspicion when certain things come to light. To top it all off, the victim turns up at Jessica's house, posing as a hobo, then ends up dead for real. | ||||||
3 | 3 | "Birds of a Feather" | John Llewellyn Moxey | Robert Swanson | October 14, 1984 | |
Jessica's niece Victoria (Genie Francis) is getting married and having her wedding in San Francisco. When the groom, Howard Griffin (Jeff Conaway) is accused of murdering a local night club owner, Jessica tags along with the detective working the case to clear Howard's name. | ||||||
4 | 4 | "Hooray for Homicide" | Richard Colla | Robert Van Scoyck | October 28, 1984 | |
A screenplay adaptation of Jessica's book has her upset. She travels to Hollywood to straighten things out with the producer (John Saxon), only to become the prime suspect when he is murdered on the set. John Astin, Melissa Sue Anderson, and Lyle Waggoner also guest star. | ||||||
5 | 5 | "It's a Dog's Life" | Seymour Robbie | Mark Giles & Linda Shank | November 4, 1984 | |
When Jessica's cousin dies in a freak accident, his dog inherits the family fortune. But foul play aimed at getting the dog's millions causes Jessica to investigate. | ||||||
6 | 6 | "Lovers and Other Killers" | Allen Reisner | Peter S. Fischer | November 18, 1984 | |
Jessica gives a seminar series at a university. A student assigned to be her secretary has a murky past, which comes to light when his girlfriend is murdered. Lois Nettleton guest stars. | ||||||
7 | 7 | "Hit, Run and Homicide" | Alan Cooke | Gerald K. Siegel | November 25, 1984 | |
Cabot Cove's Founder's Day Picnic is disrupted by a series of unusual hit and run accidents by a station wagon with a mind of its own, leaving the town on edge. When two Boston tourists fall victim to the phantom car, leaving one of them dead, a device invented by an eccentric resident (Van Johnson) is discovered to be at fault, and Jessica must steer the police in another direction to spare the man from a murder charge. June Allyson also guest stars. | ||||||
8 | 8 | "We're Off to Kill the Wizard" | Walter Grauman | Story by : Peter S. Fischer & Gerald K. Siegel Teleplay by : Peter S. Fischer | December 9, 1984 | |
When the events surrounding an amusement tycoon's (James Coco) sudden suicide point instead toward murder Jessica must decipher all the clues. George DiCenzo also guest stars. | ||||||
9 | 9 | "Death Takes a Curtain Call" | Allen Reisner | Paul W. Cooper | December 16, 1984 | |
A night at the ballet turns deadly as a couple of Russian dancers try to defect during the show, and one of them is framed for murdering a KGB agent. | ||||||
10 | 10 | "Death Casts a Spell" | Allen Reisner | J. Miyoko Hensley & Steven Hensley | December 30, 1984 | |
A hypnotist (Jose Ferrer) is murdered, but all the witnesses were under a spell. The police are baffled, and Jessica tries to help. | ||||||
11 | 11 | "Capitol Offense" | John Llewellyn Moxey | Peter S. Fischer | January 6, 1985 | |
The death of a sitting Congressman throws Jessica into the world of politics. Gary Sandy guest stars. | ||||||
12 | 12 | "Broadway Malady" | Hy Averback | Tom Sawyer | January 13, 1985 | |
A suspicious mugging leads Jessica to follow clues that may put a legendary actress (Vivian Blaine) in grave danger. Lorna Luft, Gregory Sierra and Milton Berle also guest star. | ||||||
13 | 13 | "Murder to a Jazz Beat" | Walter Grauman | Story by : Paul Savage & David Abramowitz Teleplay by : Paul Savage | February 3, 1985 | |
When a jazz musician drops dead onstage while the cameras are rolling, Jessica senses that it wasn't from a weak heart. Stan Shaw guest stars, as does Bradford Dillman in his first of many various roles on the show. | ||||||
14 | 14 | "My Johnny Lies Over the Ocean" | Seymour Robbie | Peter S. Fischer | February 10, 1985 | |
A cruise turns into terror for Jessica's niece, who seems to be haunted by the ghost of her dead husband, and stalked by another passenger (Rosemary Forsyth) who then apparently commits suicide for no reason. The seas become even more rough when it turns out the stalker was murdered. Vicki Lawrence also guest stars. | ||||||
15 | 15 | "Paint Me a Murder" | John Llewellyn Moxey | Peter S. Fischer | February 17, 1985 | |
Jessica travels to a Mediterranean island for a renowned artist's (Cesar Romero) birthday party, but his murder disrupts the celebration. | ||||||
16 | 16 | "Tough Guys Don't Die" | Seymour Robbie | Peter S. Fischer | February 24, 1985 | |
Jessica and Boston private eye Harry McGraw (Jerry Orbach) meet for the first time when they investigate the murder of Harry's partner. Gerald S. O'Loughlin, Alex Rocco, and Barbara Babcock also guest star. This is Orbach's first appearance as the character Harry McGraw. | ||||||
17 | 17 | "Sudden Death" | Edward M. Abroms | Robert Swanson | March 3, 1985 | |
Jessica's late uncle wills her half of his pro football team, but when the man who inherited the other half is murdered, the team's star player (Bruce Jenner) is accused of the crime. Dick Butkus, Gary Lockwood, and James McEachin also guest star. | ||||||
18 | 18 | "Footnote to Murder" | Peter Crane | Robert Swanson | March 10, 1985 | |
Jessica attends a poetry awards ceremony which does not go as planned when a poet (Paul Sand) is accused of stealing the winning manuscript and murdering the author (Kenneth Mars) who wrote it. Robert Reed and Pat Harrington, Jr. also guest star, as does Ron Masak, who would later play Mort Metzger from the fifth season throughout the remainder of the series. | ||||||
19 | 19 | "Murder Takes the Bus" | Walter Grauman | Michael Scheff & Mary Ann Kasica | March 17, 1985 | |
When the bus taking them to Portland is forced to stop at a roadside diner due to bad weather, Jessica and Amos find themselves having to investigate the murder of one of the passengers. Michael Constantine, Larry Linville, and Rue McClanahan guest star. | ||||||
20 | 20 | "Armed Response" | Charles S. Dubin | Gerald K. Siegel | March 31, 1985 | |
Jessica falls in a Texas airport, injuring her leg, but won't let that stop her from investigating when the chief physician at the hospital is murdered and a nurse is the prime suspect. Kevin McCarthy guest stars. | ||||||
21 | 21 | "Murder at the Oasis" | Arthur Allan Seidelman | Robert Van Scoyk | April 7, 1985 | |
Jessica visits one of her sorority sisters whose ex-husband is murdered during the visit. Ken Howard and Linda Purl guest star. | ||||||
22 | 22 | "Funeral at Fifty-Mile" | Seymour Robbie | Dick Nelson | April 21, 1985 | |
Jessica travels to Wyoming to attend a friend's funeral and investigates the suspicious suicide of another rancher. William Windom, who would play Seth Hazlitt beginning next season, guest stars. |
Season 2 (1985–86)[]
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
23 | 1 | "Widow, Weep for Me" | Michael A. Hoey | Peter S. Fischer | September 29, 1985 | |
A frantic letter from an old friend sends Jessica masquerading as a reclusive socialite on a luxury resort island. But by the time she arrives, Jessica finds out her friend has been killed - one of several killings connected to the robberies of wealthy guests. To find the killer, Jessica teams up with MI6 agent Michael Haggarty (Len Cariou), who makes his first appearance. Howard Hesseman and Mary Wickes also guest star. | ||||||
24 | 2 | "Joshua Peabody Died Here...Possibly" | Peter Crane | Tom Sawyer | October 6, 1985 | |
Cabot Cove has erupted in controversy, when a cheap tycoon plans to continue construction on a high-rise hotel after the finding of a skeleton many believe to be local legend Joshua Peabody. When the tycoon is found murdered on the construction site, Jessica has to weed her way through the plenty of enemies he has made to find the killer. William Windom and John Astin make their first appearances as Seth Hazlitt and Harry Pierce, respectively. | ||||||
25 | 3 | "Murder in the Afternoon" | Arthur Allan Seidelman | Story by : Paul W. Cooper Teleplay by : Paul Savage | October 13, 1985 | |
Jessica's niece, Nita (Alice Krige) is excited when she lands the starring role in a new play. But when the play's arrogant producer (Jessica Walter) is murdered, Nita becomes the prime suspect, and Jessica takes the stage to clear her name. William Atherton, Tricia O'Neil, and Lurene Tuttle also guest star. Jessica Walter later played a killer in the third season and two more victims in the ninth and eleventh seasons. | ||||||
26 | 4 | "School for Scandal" | Arthur Allan Seidelman | Robert Swanson | October 20, 1985 | |
Jessica investigates a murder at a college which she is visiting to open the graduation ceremony. June Lockhart and Roddy McDowall guest star. | ||||||
27 | 5 | "Sing a Song of Murder" | John Llewellyn Moxey | Peter S. Fischer | October 27, 1985 | |
Jessica's identical cousin Emma McGill (also played by Angela Lansbury) invites her to London, where Jessica must find out who is behind an attempt on Emma's life. Glynis Johns guest stars. | ||||||
28 | 6 | "Reflections of the Mind" | Seymour Robbie | Robert Swanson | November 3, 1985 | |
A concerned Jessica rushes to the side of her old friend Franchesca (Ann Blyth) who is having nightmares about her deceased first husband. When Franchesca's second husband dies in what appears to be an accident, Jessica suspects something's up. Martin Milner and Esther Rolle also guest star. | ||||||
29 | 7 | "A Lady in the Lake" | Walter Grauman | Robert Van Scoyk | November 10, 1985 | |
What is supposed to be a relaxing weekend at a lakeside inn for Jessica, Amos, and Harry turns into another murder case, when one of the guests (Susan Blanchard) is found dead, presumably having fallen into the lake. When the accident is found to be faked, the woman's husband (Laurence Luckinbill) is accused of the murder. However, Jessica isn't so sure he's guilty. William Christopher and Lee Meriwether also guest star. | ||||||
30 | 8 | "Dead Heat" | Peter Crane | J. Miyoko Hensley & Steven Hensley | November 24, 1985 | |
Jessica's niece, Tracy (), wins her first ever race as a jockey, but quarrels with the horse's owner (Lonny Chapman) and is accused of murdering him. | ||||||
31 | 9 | "Jessica Behind Bars" | John Llewellyn Moxey | Carleton Eastlake | December 1, 1985 | |
Jessica fills in as the teacher at a writing class in a women's prison. When the prison doctor (Janet MacLachlan) is found dead, and a shy prisoner is accused of the crime, the prisoners riot and take over. All attempts to neutralize the situation fail when a prison employee is murdered, and to stop the National Guard from storming the prison, Jessica has to help the warden (Vera Miles) unravel what really happened. Adrienne Barbeau and Eve Plumb also guest star. | ||||||
32 | 10 | "Sticks and Stones" | Seymour Robbie | Story by : Jackson Gillis, Linda Shank & Mark Giles Teleplay by : Linda Shank & Mark Giles | December 15, 1985 | |
On the eve of Amos Tucker's retirement as sheriff, a woman dies in what seems to be an accident. The next day, letters flood the town containing false accusations that pits neighbors against each other. Jessica believes the letters are red herrings and enlists the help of a visiting travel writer and a retired Amos and they uncover corruption as well as motive for murder. Joseph Campanella and Marsha Hunt guest star. This is John Astin's final appearance as Harry Pierce. | ||||||
33 | 11 | "Murder Digs Deep" | Philip Leacock | Maryanne Kasica & Michael Scheff | December 29, 1985 | |
Jessica joins Seth Hazlitt in a New Mexican Native American archaeological dig site. Unfortunately, the expedition changes its target to clues when a tour guide (Randolph Mantooth) is murdered. George Grizzard and Robert Vaughn also guest star. | ||||||
34 | 12 | "Murder by Appointment Only" | Arthur Allan Seidelman | Jerry Ross | January 5, 1986 | |
Jessica visits New York and her nephew Grady Fletcher (Michael Horton), who's trying to get a job with the Lila Lee Cosmetics Corporation, run by Lila Lee Amberson (Jayne Meadows) herself, and her brother Norman (Robert Culp). When Norman's fiancee, Elizabeth (Ann Dusenberry) - by coincidence, a former student of Jessica - is found brutally murdered, Jessica applies her sleuthing skills to uncover the killer. | ||||||
35 | 13 | "Trial by Error" | Seymour Robbie | Story by : Scott Shepherd Teleplay by : Paul Savage | January 12, 1986 | |
Jessica is the jury foreperson in a double murder of two people (, Michael Swan) whose spouses (Tony Bill, Doran Clark) were romantically involved. David Ackroyd, Alan Hale, and Arlene Golonka also guest star. | ||||||
36 | 14 | "Keep the Home Fries Burning" | Peter Crane | Philip Gerson | January 19, 1986 | |
After one person (Marcia Rodd) dies and several others become ill after eating at the Joshua Peabody Inn, what is initially thought to be food poisoning turns out to be just poison, so Jessica has to figure out who poisoned the strawberry preserves and why. | ||||||
37 | 15 | "Powder Keg" | John Llewellyn Moxey | Peter S. Fischer | February 9, 1986 | |
Jessica accompanies one of her former teaching colleagues to meet a friend of his in a small redneck town, but get caught up in a mob when the friend's son is accused of murdering the town bully. | ||||||
38 | 16 | "Murder in the Electric Cathedral" | John Llewellyn Moxey | Dick Nelson | February 16, 1986 | |
Jessica puts herself in the middle of a feud of an evangelist's family members amongst themselves, believing one of them murdered a close friend of hers. | ||||||
39 | 17 | "One Good Bid Deserves a Murder" | Seymour Robbie | J. Miyoko Hensley & Steve Hensley | February 23, 1986 | |
Harry McGraw (Jerry Orbach) helps Jessica investigate the murder of an auctioneer. Karen Black also guest stars. | ||||||
40 | 18 | "If a Body Meet a Body" | Walter Grauman | Steve Stoliar | March 9, 1986 | |
When the body in the casket at Henry Vernon's (Joe Maross) funeral turns out not to be him, Jessica is drawn into investigating a murder and saving the money of Cabot Cove citizens from an embezzler. | ||||||
41 | 19 | "Christopher Bundy Died on Sunday" | Peter Crane | Gerald K. Siegel | March 30, 1986 | |
When Jessica's first short story is sold to a pornographic magazine, Jessica and Grady go to confront the magazine owner, Christopher Bundy (Bert Convy). But when he takes a plunge down the stairs with bullet wounds, Jessica and Grady find themselves trapped at his estate with a killer on the loose. Alex Rocco also guest stars. | ||||||
42 | 20 | "Menace, Anyone?" | Seymour Robbie | Robert B. Sherman | April 6, 1986 | |
Jessica is the guest of honor at a tennis tournament her former student Carol McDermott (Linda Hamilton) is playing in. But when Carol's fiance, Brian (Bryan Cranston) is murdered during the celebration, Carol is the prime suspect, and Jessica must take the field to find the killer. Van Johnson also guest stars. | ||||||
43 | 21 | "The Perfect Foil" | Walter Grauman | Robert E. Swanson | April 13, 1986 | |
Jessica travels to New Orleans where her cousin Cal (Peter Bonerz) is accused of killing the operator (George DiCenzo) of an illegal gambling den during a Mardi Gras party. She has to see through the suspect's disguises to uncover the real killer. Barbara Babcock and Robert Fuller also guest star. | ||||||
44 | 22 | "If the Frame Fits" | Paul Lynch | Philip Gerson | May 18, 1986 | |
Jessica tries to prove an art gallery owner, Donald Granger (Christopher Allport), innocent of killing his wife Julia (Anne Schedeen), despite Julia's father (Norman Lloyd) being an old friend of hers. John de Lancie, Gordon Jump, and Audrey Meadows also guest star. |
Season 3 (1986–87)[]
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
45 | 1 | "Death Stalks the Big Top: Part 1" | Seymour Robbie | Story by : Peter S. Fischer Teleplay by : Paul Savage | September 28, 1986 | |
Jessica searches for her brother-in-law, Neil (Jackie Cooper), once thought dead. Her search leads her to a circus plagued by accidents and suddenly, a murder of a hated circus worker. Her brother-in-law, who works as a circus clown, is a suspect and the local mayor is more concerned about the case effecting his re-election then about the facts. Florence Henderson also guest stars in both parts. | ||||||
46 | 2 | "Death Stalks the Big Top: Part 2" | Seymour Robbie | Story by : Peter S. Fischer Teleplay by : Paul Savage | October 5, 1986 | |
As Jessica tries to clear her brother-in-law, accidents and murder continues at the circus, as well as the mayor's involvement in the case. | ||||||
47 | 3 | "Unfinished Business" | Walter Grauman | Jackson Gillis | October 12, 1986 | |
A retired police officer (Pat Hingle) comes to Cabot Cove to reexamine an old case, but a fresh murder puts his plans on hold. Erin Moran also guest stars. | ||||||
48 | 4 | "One White Rose for Death" | Peter Crane | Peter S. Fischer | October 19, 1986 | |
Jessica's night out at a concert in Washington D.C. takes a drastic turn when Michael Haggerty (Len Cariou) asks her to help him defect two German musician siblings. But the murder of a spy assisting with the operation puts their plans in jeopardy. Bernard Fox and Jenny Agutter also guest star. This is the second "Murder, She Wrote" episode to feature defection, the first being "Death Takes a Curtain Call" in the first season. | ||||||
49 | 5 | "Corned Beef & Carnage" | John Llewellyn Moxey | Robert Swanson | November 2, 1986 | |
Jessica visits her niece and nephew-in-law, Victoria and Howard Griffin (Genie Francis, Jeff Conaway), in San Francisco, but her visit is disrupted when Victoria is accused of murdering her boss, Larry Kinkaid (Richard Kline). Bill Macy, David Ogden Stiers, Peter Haskell, and Marcia Wallace guest star. This episode is mostly similar to the first season episode "Birds of a Feather", in which Victoria and Howard first appeared; in that episode, it was Howard who was employed by the victim and accused of the murder. | ||||||
50 | 6 | "Dead Man's Gold" | Seymour Robbie | Robert Van Scoyk | November 9, 1986 | |
A treasure hunter's (Leslie Nielsen) visit to Cabot Cove to search for treasure is halted by the murder of one of his crew members. | ||||||
51 | 7 | "Deadline for Murder" | Seymour Robbie | Story by : John Kennedy, Michael McGough & Tom Sawyer Teleplay by : Tom Sawyer | November 16, 1986 | |
A reporter (Harry Guardino) is accused of murdering a publisher who harassed him into having a heart attack. Eugene Roche and Katherine Cannon also guest star. | ||||||
52 | 8 | "Magnum on Ice: Part 2[note 1]" | Peter Crane | Robert E. Swanson | November 23, 1986 | |
With private investigator Thomas Magnum (Tom Selleck) in jail framed for murder, he asks Jessica to help get him out. Jessica Walter also guest stars in her second of four "Murder, She Wrote" appearances. | ||||||
53 | 9 | "Obituary for a Dead Anchor" | Walter Grauman | Story by : Bob Shayne Teleplay by : Robert Van Scoyk | December 7, 1986 | |
Jessica investigates the murder of an out-of-town TV personality (Robert Pine), whose attitude means suspects are not running short. Kathleen Lloyd and Robert Lipton also guest star. Richard Paul makes his first appearance as Cabot Cove mayor Sam Booth. | ||||||
54 | 10 | "Stage Struck" | John Astin | Philip Gerson | December 14, 1986 | |
Jessica attends a play staring an actress friend of hers and investigates the murder of an understudy. | ||||||
55 | 11 | "Night of the Headless Horseman" | Walter Grauman | R. Barker Price | January 4, 1987 | |
Jessica travels to meet a friend of hers, Dorian Beecher, who is a schoolteacher in a small town. But after Dorian plays the Headless Horseman in a Halloween skit, a bullying resident (Barry Williams) is found murdered and beheaded, and Dorian is accused of the crime. This episode's plot is similar to the second season episode "Powder Keg". | ||||||
56 | 12 | "The Corpse Flew First Class" | Walter Grauman | Donald Ross | January 18, 1987 | |
On a flight to London, Jessica and a Scotland Yard inspector investigate the murder of a bodyguard of an actress (Kate Mulgrew) and the theft of a $2 million necklace. Mary Jo Catlett also guest stars. | ||||||
57 | 13 | "Crossed Up" | David Hemmings | Steven Long Mitchell & Craig W. Van Sickle | February 1, 1987 | |
Jessica accidentally overhears a murder plot over the phone while bedridden with arthritis, and after the murder takes place, Jessica must identify the voices on the line, as well as prove the call is relevant to the murder. Tony Dow guest stars. | ||||||
58 | 14 | "Murder in a Minor Key" | Nick Havinga | Story by : Arthur Marks Teleplay by : Gerald K. Siege and Peter S. Fischer | February 8, 1987 | |
Jessica relates the events that inspired her latest novel, dedicated to two college students, Chad and Jenny (Shaun Cassidy, Dinah Manoff), who are big fans of her work. This is a result of Chad and Jenny using Jessica's methods to help their friend and classmate Michael (Paul Clemens), an aspiring composer, after he is accused of murdering an arrogant professor (George Grizzard) who stole Michael's songs and passed them off as his own. Rene Auberjonois, Herb Edelman, Scott Jacoby, and Karen Grassle also guest star. This is the first of fourteen "bookend episodes", where Jessica only appears briefly and the episode is centered around another character who is somehow connected to Jessica. | ||||||
59 | 15 | "The Bottom Line Is Murder" | Anthony Shaw | Steven Long Mitchell & Craig W. Van Sickle | February 15, 1987 | |
A client whose products were desecrated on TV is framed for the murder of an advocate. George Takei and Adrienne Barbeau also guest star. | ||||||
60 | 16 | "Death Takes a Dive" | Seymour Robbie | Peter S. Fischer | February 22, 1987 | |
Harry McGraw (Jerry Orbach) becomes a boxer owner, and ropes in Jessica as a manager, but the fight is put on hold when Harry is framed for murdering a promoter (Adam West). This episode is 75mins long. John Amos, Ernest Borgnine, LeVar Burton, and Bradford Dillman also guest star. | ||||||
61 | 17 | "Simon Says, Color Me Dead" | Kevin G. Cremin | Robert E. Swanson | March 1, 1987 | |
When a famous artist (Foster Brooks) spending the summer in Cabot Cove is murdered and his newest painting stolen, his housekeeper, a young single mother, is accused of the crime. Dick Sargeant and Ann Dusenberry also guest star. | ||||||
62 | 18 | "No Laughing Murder" | Walter Grauman | Tom Sawyer | March 15, 1987 | |
Jessica is invited to a dinner hosted by two estranged comedians (Buddy Hackett, Steve Lawrence), whose children (George Clooney, ) are getting married. But several frightening incidents occur, ending in the death of another guest (Arte Johnson). | ||||||
63 | 19 | "No Accounting for Murder" | Peter Crane | Gerald K. Siegel | March 22, 1987 | |
Grady gets a new job at an accounting firm, but is haunted by a supposed "ghost" and accused of murdering his boss (Michael Tolan). Ron Masak, the future Sheriff Metzger, also guest stars. | ||||||
64 | 20 | "The Cemetery Vote" | Seymour Robbie | Robert Van Scoyk | April 5, 1987 | |
When the mayor of a small town is killed in a car crash during election time, Jessica, who knew him and his widow (Ellen Bry) in college, visits to pay her respects. But the deceased mayor's father (John McLiam), positive his son was murdered, causes havoc around town trying to prove it, and is eventually murdered as well. Joseph Campanella also guest stars. | ||||||
65 | 21 | "The Days Dwindle Down" | Michael Lynch | Philip Gerson | April 19, 1987 | |
Jessica's stop in a small-town diner ends with her investigating a 30-year-old murder. | ||||||
66 | 22 | "Murder, She Spoke" | Anthony Shaw | Si Rose | May 10, 1987 | |
A blackout occurs at a recording studio where Jessica is recording one of her books on audio tape, and when the lights come back on, the studio director (Patrick Wayne) is found murdered, and his rival (William Atherton), a blind friend of Jessica's, becomes the prime suspect. |
Season 4 (1987–88)[]
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
67 | 1 | "A Fashionable Way to Die" | Nick Havinga | Donald Ross | September 20, 1987 | |
While in Paris, Jessica helps a French fashion designer accused of killing a rival. | ||||||
68 | 2 | "When Thieves Fall Out" | Seymour Robbie | Arthur David Weingarten | September 27, 1987 | |
A man (John Glover) comes to Cabot Cove after serving 20 years for a murder he claims he didn't commit, but his visit coincides with the murder of a resident who was also involved. | ||||||
69 | 3 | "Witness for the Defense" | Seymour Robbie | Robert E. Swanson | October 4, 1987 | |
A friend of Jessica's (Christopher Allport), a writer, is accused of killing his cheating wife, and Jessica is called to testify for him. Patrick McGoohan also guest stars. This episode's plot is similar to the second season finale "If the Frame Fits", with Allport's character in the same situation here as he was there. | ||||||
70 | 4 | "Old Habits Die Hard" | John Llewellyn Moxey | Chris Manheim | October 11, 1987 | |
Jessica investigates a nun's suspicious suicide while at a convent visiting a former sorority sister. | ||||||
71 | 5 | "The Way to Dusty Death" | Nick Havinga | Philip Gerson | October 25, 1987 | |
A tycoon (Cornel Wilde) is murdered after inviting Jessica and his top executives to his estate for a dinner party. Lawrence Pressman also guest stars. | ||||||
72 | 6 | "It Runs in the Family" | Walter Grauman | Peter S. Fischer | November 1, 1987 | |
Set in England, Angela Lansbury solely appears as Jessica's identical British cousin, Emma McGill, who is suspected of murdering one of her former lovers, a prestigious patriarch. Carolyn Seymour guest stars. | ||||||
73 | 7 | "If It's Thursday, It Must Be Beverly" | Peter Crane | Wendy Graf & Lisa Storsky | November 8, 1987 | |
When a sheriff's deputy (Rick Lenz) - who is a lothario - is accused of murdering his wife (Antoinette Bower), Jessica has to wade through the red herrings to prove his innocence. | ||||||
74 | 8 | "Steal Me a Story" | John Llewellyn Moxey | Peter S. Fischer | November 15, 1987 | |
Jessica is accused of murdering a TV producer (Ken Swofford) who stole one of her plots for his show. Bradford Dillman and Fionnula Flanagan also guest star. | ||||||
75 | 9 | "Trouble in Eden" | Nick Havinga | Story by : John D.F. Black Teleplay by : John D.F. Black & Paul Savage | November 22, 1987 | |
Jessica travels to Oregon on behalf of her friend, Mary Rose (Joan Caulfield), to look into her sister Charlotte's death after a man tries to run over Mary Rose in New York City. Jessica poses as Mary Rose and finds out unexpected details about Charlotte's life and work. She must dig deep to recognize truth from lies to find out the truth behind Charlotte's death from a supposed heart attack and her missing will. | ||||||
76 | 10 | "Indian Giver" | Walter Grauman | Gerald K. Siegel | November 29, 1987 | |
George Longbow (Bernard White), a Native American descended from a tribe who lived in the area of Cabot Cove, claims he owns the entire town per an agreement the British made with his tribe. Extreme tension begins with many residents when he begins to demand "rent", and it is made worse when someone (Lonny Chapman) is murdered and Mr. Longbow is suspected while the authenticity of his claim is questioned. Theodore Bikel and Jack Colvin also guest star. | ||||||
77 | 11 | "Doom With a View" | Walter Grauman | Kenneth Alan Berg | December 13, 1987 | |
Grady (Michael Horton) is accused of killing his high school crush at a prestigious New York hotel. Charlotte Rae guest stars. | ||||||
78 | 12 | "Who Threw the Barbitals in Mrs. Fletcher's Chowder?" | John Llewellyn Moxey | Robert Van Scoyk | January 3, 1988 | |
Amos Tucker's in-laws come to Cabot Cove after his sister Winnie (Anne Meara) arrives for a visit to get away from her abusive husband, Elmo Banner (Guy Stockwell). When Jessica hosts a dinner consisting of clam chowder, Elmo dies from a barbital overdose, and Jessica must determine who was driven to murder by his antics. Henry Gibson also guest stars. | ||||||
79 | 13 | "Harbinger of Death" | Anthony Shaw | R. Barker Price | January 24, 1988 | |
Jessica visits her niece and nephew-in-law, Carrie and Leonard Palmer (Kate McNeil, Dean Jones), at an astrophysics institution where Leonard works as a researcher. But the couple are subsequently accused of killing Carrie's lover, the assistant of a famous gossip columnist (Marcia Rodd), and Leonard is fired to protect the company's image. Jessica must now sort out what actually happened before a famous comet arrives so Leonard can photograph it. Jeffrey Tambor, Karen Grassle, and George DiCenzo also guest star. | ||||||
80 | 14 | "Curse of the Daanav" | Walter Grauman | Chris Manheim | February 7, 1988 | |
Jessica and Seth travel to Maryland to attend a polo-match hosted by Seth's brother, Richard, whom he has been estranged from for a long time. However, they successfully reconcile during the after party, when Richard gives his new wife, Alice, a precious jewel known as the Daanav. However, when the gem is stolen and Richard is murdered, a phony government agent (actually the archaeologist who discovered the jewel) is caught with the Daanav in his pocket and accused of the murder. Larry Linville guest stars. | ||||||
81 | 15 | "Mourning Among the Wisterias" | Walter Grauman | Scott Anderson | February 14, 1988 | |
While helping a friend (Barry Nelson), with his new play, Jessica investigates the murder of his unscrupulous lawyer. Rene Auberjonois, Frank Gorshin, Matt McCoy, Lois Nettleton, Linda Purl, and Beah Richards also guest star. | ||||||
82 | 16 | "Murder Through the Looking Glass" | Seymour Robbie | Robert Van Scoyk | February 21, 1988 | |
Jessica overhears a dying hit man's confession while in Connecticut, and ends up investigating a mysterious safe house. Cliff DeYoung, Laurence Luckinbill, Robert Reed, Gregory Sierra, and Karen Valentine guest star. | ||||||
83 | 17 | "A Very Good Year for Murder" | Walter Grauman | Peter S. Fischer | February 28, 1988 | |
Jessica investigates the murder of a hitman found in an Italian family's wine cellar. Billy Zane guest stars. | ||||||
84 | 18 | "Benedict Arnold Slipped Here" | Seymour Robbie | Story by : Wendy Graf & Lisa Storsky Teleplay by : Robert Van Scoyk | March 13, 1988 | |
After an elderly woman dies, Jessica is made the executor of her will, but things become complicated when competition for the house and its furniture (thought to be treasure) ends in a murder. Final appearance of Tom Bosley as Cabot Cove sheriff Amos Tupper. | ||||||
85 | 19 | "Just Another Fish Story" | Walter Grauman | Philip Gerson | March 27, 1988 | |
Grady gets engaged as Jessica arrives in New York to visit the restaurant she's invested her money into, and she immediately changes her plans to celebrate the occasion. But Grady and his wife-to-be, Donna Mayberry () have trouble being open which each other, and the matter is further complicated by the murder of the sadistic maitre d' (Dick Gautier) at the restaurant Jessica was visiting. Sonny Bono, Norman Fell, and Brenda Vaccaro also guest star. | ||||||
86 | 20 | "Showdown in Saskatchewan" | Vincent McEveety | Dick Nelson | April 10, 1988 | |
Jessica's niece (Kristy McNichol) runs away to Canada with a rodeo cowboy, and Jessica follows to retrieve her. But the rodeo they attend is disrupted by a charging bull and ends with the murder of the rodeo doctor. Terry Kiser, Larry Wilcox, and Cassie Yates guest star. | ||||||
87 | 21 | "Deadpan" | E.W. Swackhamer | Story by : Arthur Weingarten Teleplay by : Maryanne Kasica & Michael Scheff | May 1, 1988 | |
Jessica tries to prove a theater critic (Dean Stockwell) murdered his partner and framed one of her friends. Eugene Roche and Marilyn Hassett also guest star. | ||||||
88 | 22 | "The Body Politic" | Anthony Shaw | Donald Ross | May 8, 1988 | |
A senatorial candidate (Shirley Jones) is accused of murdering her speechwriter (), whom she was supposedly having an affair with. Eddie Albert, Robert Fuller, and George Grizzard also guest star. |
Season 5 (1988–89)[]
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | U.S. viewers (millions) | Rating/share (households) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
89 | 1 | "J.B. as in Jailbird" | Anthony Shaw | Robert E. Swanson | October 23, 1988 | 28.4[3] | 20.1/30[3] | |
Jessica is arrested for murder, and Grady and Michael Haggerty try to clear her name. | ||||||||
90 | 2 | "A Little Night Work" | Walter Grauman | Peter S. Fischer | October 30, 1988 | 27.7[4] | 19.5/29[4] | |
Jessica meets charming British jewel thief Dennis Stanton (Keith Michell) who is accused of murdering a Belgian publisher. | ||||||||
91 | 3 | "Mr. Penroy's Vacation" | Anthony Shaw | Robert Swanson | November 6, 1988 | 31.2[5] | 21.4/31[5] | |
Jessica and Cabot Cove's new sheriff (Ron Masak) deal with two bodies found in the flowerbed of two local spinsters. One victim, supposedly an out-of-town priest, and the other a new resident who was living at the spinsters' home, turn out to be part of a group of thieves from Boston. | ||||||||
92 | 4 | "Snow White, Blood Red" | Vincent McEveety | Peter S. Fischer | November 13, 1988 | 23.7[6] | 16.5/23[6] | |
Jessica intends to vacation at a ski lodge with Grady, which ends up being ruined when a blizzard hits (thus meaning Grady can't make it) and the members of a skiing team are murdered one by one. | ||||||||
93 | 5 | "Coal Miner's Slaughter" | Walter Grauman | Chris Manheim | November 20, 1988 | 28.6[7] | 20.1/29[7] | |
When Jessica goes to bail out a former student (Megan Mullally), she becomes embroiled in the murder of a coal mine owner and the mystery surrounding a mining explosion a decade earlier. | ||||||||
94 | 6 | "Wearing of the Green" | Seymour Robbie | Peter S. Fischer | November 27, 1988 | 29.9[8] | 20.6/29[8] | |
Jessica uncovers a murder connected to the theft of a priceless tiara. | ||||||||
95 | 7 | "The Last Flight of the Dixie Damsel" | Vincent McEveety | Peter S. Fischer | December 18, 1988 | 27.8[9] | 19.9/31[9] | |
Jessica's late husband is posthumously implicated in the murder of one of his old military comrades. | ||||||||
96 | 8 | "Prediction: Murder" | Walter Grauman | Richard Stanley & Ralph Mayering, Jr. | January 1, 1989 | 34.7[10] | 22.9/36[10] | |
The son of one of Jessica's old friends claims his wife was murdered by a psychic, but the corpse turns out to be misidentified. | ||||||||
97 | 9 | "Something Borrowed, Someone Blue" | John Llewellyn Moxey | Philip Gerson | January 8, 1989 | 37.0[11] | 25.1/35[11] | |
Grady and Donna are getting married at her family's lavish estate, but the rehearsal is disrupted when the housekeeper is murdered. | ||||||||
98 | 10 | "Weave a Tangled Web" | Seymour Robbie | Robert Swanson | January 15, 1989 | 31.6[12] | 21.9/33[12] | |
Jessica investigates when a womanizing gambler is found dead in a hotel room. | ||||||||
99 | 11 | "The Search for Peter Kerry" | Walter Grauman | Peter S. Fischer | February 5, 1989 | 38.7[13] | 25.9/37[13] | |
Jessica thinks she has located a millionaire's missing grandson, but the prospective heir is accused of murdering the millionaire's lawyer. | ||||||||
100 | 12 | "Smooth Operators" | Anthony Shaw | Gerald K. Siegel | February 12, 1989 | 31.9[14] | 22.2/33[14] | |
Jessica goes undercover at a hospital to investigate the murder of their accountant. | ||||||||
101 | 13 | "Fire Burn, Cauldron Bubble" | John Llewellyn Moxey | Tom Sawyer | February 19, 1989 | 34.0[15] | 22.5/34[15] | |
A woman accused of being a witch is found murdered in a burnt-out barn. | ||||||||
102 | 14 | "From Russia...with Blood" | Vincent McEveety | Donald Ross | February 26, 1989 | 33.3[16] | 22.8/33[16] | |
Jessica's purse is stolen at a Moscow reception, and the thief is murdered moments later. | ||||||||
103 | 15 | "Alma Murder" | Anthony Shaw | Chris Manheim | March 12, 1989 | 30.5[17] | 21.2/32[17] | |
After getting a phone call from an old sorority sister (Dinah Shore), Jessica heads to her former university to find out why her dearest professor (E. G. Marshall) takes the blame for a murder he didn't do. | ||||||||
104 | 16 | "Truck Stop" | Vincent McEveety | Philip Gerson | April 2, 1989 | 30.4[18] | 21.2/34[18] | |
Jessica and another author (Mike Connors) stay at a truck stop on their way to California, but the author ends up dead, as do the truck stop owner and the mechanic. | ||||||||
105 | 17 | "The Sins of Castle Cove" | John Llewellyn Moxey | Robert Van Scoyk | April 9, 1989 | 28.1[19] | 19.3/29[19] | |
When one of Jessica's former students releases her debut novel The Sins of Castle Cove, the town is ecstatic to have another writer in their midst. But the book that has thinly-veiled references to actual citizens soon causes an uproar - and the murder of one of Jessica's friends (Rosanna Huffman). | ||||||||
106 | 18 | "Trevor Hudson's Legacy" | Walter Grauman | Story by : Eric Houston Teleplay by : Paul Savage | April 16, 1989 | 31.6[20] | 21.5/36[20] | |
Jessica visits one of her former students, who is researching a long-lost author's recently-discovered first manuscript. But when the historic find is stolen and the student is murdered, Jessica is determined to avenge his death by finding out who would kill for such a treasure. | ||||||||
107 | 19 | "Double Exposure" | Anthony Shaw | Robert Swanson | April 30, 1989 | 28.2[21] | 19.6/33[21] | |
Dennis Stanton becomes involved in the murder of an antiques dealer. | ||||||||
108 | 20 | "Three Strikes, You're Out" | Seymour Robbie | Donald Ross | May 7, 1989 | 25.6[22] | 18.5/30[22] | |
The star player of a baseball team is accused of murdering a sportscaster who publicly defamed him. | ||||||||
109 | 21 | "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Part 1" | Walter Grauman | Peter S. Fischer | May 14, 1989 | 22.1[23] | 15.3/26[23] | |
Jessica's investigation of a P.I.'s murder results in an attempt on her life. | ||||||||
110 | 22 | "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Part 2" | Walter Grauman | Peter S. Fischer | May 21, 1989 | 25.0[24] | 17.6/30[24] | |
Jessica rushes to find the killer to ensure everyone lives happily ever after. |
Season 6 (1989–90)[]
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
111 | 1 | "Appointment in Athens" | Vincent McEveety | Tom Sawyer | September 24, 1989 | |
Jessica travels to Greece on a book tour and investigates a murder connected to a long-ago kidnapping. | ||||||
112 | 2 | "Seal of the Confessional" | Vincent McEveety | Story by : Whitney Wherrett Roberson Teleplay by : Lynne Kelsey | October 1, 1989 | |
A young woman confesses to a priest that she murdered her stepfather, but he faces breaking his oath of silence when another person is accused of the crime. | ||||||
113 | 3 | "The Grand Old Lady" | Vincent McEveety | Peter S. Fischer | October 8, 1989 | |
Jessica relates the story of another mystery writer who encounters a murder on a post-WW2 Queen Mary (script originally written for the Ellery Queen TV series). | ||||||
114 | 4 | "The Error of Her Ways" | Anthony Shaw | Donald Ross | October 15, 1989 | |
When Jessica proves a woman (Katherine Cannon) killed her husband, everything seems sorted. But when she claims to be innocent, and millions of dollars have gone missing, Jessica wonders: has she gotten it all wrong? | ||||||
115 | 5 | "Jack & Bill" | Chuck Bowman | Peter S. Fischer & Chuck Bowman | October 29, 1989 | |
A former football star (Ken Howard) takes a dog-sitting job and investigates the murder of the dog's owner. | ||||||
116 | 6 | "Dead Letter" | Anthony Shaw | Paul Schiffer | November 5, 1989 | |
Jessica finds an undelivered letter that results in a furniture store arson and the murder of a volunteer fireman (Jonathan Goldsmith). | ||||||
117 | 7 | "Night of the Tarantula" | Vincent McEveety | Chris Manheim | November 12, 1989 | |
Jessica attends a ceremony in Jamaica, but the fun is disrupted when the guest of honor falls ill and his uncle is murdered. | ||||||
118 | 8 | "When the Fat Lady Sings" | Walter Grauman | Peter S. Fischer | November 19, 1989 | |
Jessica and Dennis Stanton attend an opera where the lead actor is accused of murdering two people. | ||||||
119 | 9 | "Test of Wills" | Anthony Shaw | Robert Swanson | November 26, 1989 | |
On a dark and stormy night on a remote island, Jessica finds herself in the middle of a wealthy family squabbling over the inheritance of millionaire Henry Reynard (Gene Barry). Henry invites Jessica to his island convinced that someone is out to murder him and that it is one of his greedy heirs wanting Jessica to find out which one it is. | ||||||
120 | 10 | "Class Act" | Allen Reisner | Peter S. Fischer | December 3, 1989 | |
Jessica tries to prove a college student innocent of killing one of his professors. | ||||||
121 | 11 | "Town Father" | John Llewellyn Moxey | Philip Gerson | December 17, 1989 | |
A young woman arrives in Cabot Cove claiming that mayor Sam Booth, who is running for re-election, is the father of her children. When she ends up murdered, Sam is suspected. However, when Jessica and Sheriff Metzger investigate, the woman's background story turns out to be false and her claims and murder may have connections to outside political influences. | ||||||
122 | 12 | "Goodbye Charlie" | Anthony Shaw | Robert Van Scoyk | January 7, 1990 | |
A scatterbrained couple accidentally uncover a murder while trying to claim an inheritance. | ||||||
123 | 13 | "If the Shoe Fits" | Anthony Shaw | Lynne Kelsey | January 21, 1990 | |
Jessica helps a young man (Jonathan Brandis) whose struggling single mother (Season Hubley) is accused of the murder of their skeezy landlord (Bruce Glover). | ||||||
124 | 14 | "How to Make a Killing Without Really Trying" | Walter Grauman | Story by : Charles Leinenweder Teleplay by : Robert Swanson | February 4, 1990 | |
Jessica's inept, playboy stockbroker (John Calvin) is murdered and his secretary (Lela Ivey) is charged. | ||||||
125 | 15 | "The Fixer-Upper" | John Llewellyn Moxey | Story by : Paul Schiffer Teleplay by : Oliver Hailey | February 11, 1990 | |
Victoria (Genie Francis), now a realtor, is accused of murdering a prospective client. | ||||||
126 | 16 | "The Big Show of 1965" | Jerry Jameson | Robert Van Scoyk | February 25, 1990 | |
Jessica attends the taping of a reunion show dedicated to a late entertainer (Kim Strauss), and ends up investigating the murder of a scriptwriter (Gavin MacLeod). | ||||||
127 | 17 | "Murder -- According to Maggie" | John Llewellyn Moxey | Peter S. Fischer | March 4, 1990 | |
One of Jessica's former students, a writer for a cop show, tries to help the lead actor when he is accused of murdering a producer. | ||||||
128 | 18 | "O'Malley's Luck" | Michael J. Lynch | Story by : Gerald K. Siegel Teleplay by : Lynne Kelsey | March 25, 1990 | |
A police detective (Pat Hingle) tries to prove a developer murdered his wife, but too much conclusive evidence leads him to suspect a frame up. | ||||||
129 | 19 | "Always a Thief" | Walter Grauman | Peter S. Fischer | April 8, 1990 | |
130 | 20 | "Shear Madness" | Walter Grauman | Chris Manheim | April 29, 1990 | |
Jessica is invited to a wedding, but the groom is murdered the night before the ceremony and the bride's mentally ill brother is charged with the crime. | ||||||
131 | 21 | "The Szechuan Dragon" | Kevin G. Cremin | Tom Sawyer | May 6, 1990 | |
A sailor is murdered in Jessica's living room while Grady and Donna are house-sitting, and their investigation leads them to the theft of a priceless sculpture. | ||||||
132 | 22 | "The Sicilian Encounter" | Kevin G. Cremin | Robert Swanson | May 20, 1990 | |
Michael Haggerty travels to Italy to protect a widow from mobsters. |
Season 7 (1990���91)[]
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
133 | 1 | "Trials and Tribulations" | Vincent McEveety | Peter S. Fischer | September 16, 1990 | |
A man whom Jessica had sent to prison is killed in a failed escape attempt, and Jessica is sued by his daughter. | ||||||
134 | 2 | "Deadly Misunderstanding" | Anthony Shaw | Robert E. Swanson | September 23, 1990 | |
Jessica breaks her arm in an accident and hires an assistant who is subsequently accused of murdering her abusive husband. | ||||||
135 | 3 | "See You in Court, Baby" | Vincent McEveety | Peter S. Fischer | September 30, 1990 | |
Dennis Stanton investigates the murder of a ruthless divorce attorney (Robert Reed). | ||||||
136 | 4 | "Hannigan's Wake" | Vincent McEveety | Peter S. Fischer | October 28, 1990 | |
Jessica tries to fulfill a dying colleague's last wishes by proving a man accused of murdering his wife 16 years ago is innocent. | ||||||
137 | 5 | "The Family Jewels" | Jerry Jameson | Tom Sawyer | November 4, 1990 | |
Jessica investigates a murder connected to the theft of a tiara. | ||||||
138 | 6 | "A Body to Die For" | Anthony Shaw | Donald Ross | November 11, 1990 | |
A fitness instructor (Jason Beghe), once a con man, is accused of murdering his former partner. | ||||||
139 | 7 | "The Return of Preston Giles" | Walter Grauman | Tom Sawyer | November 18, 1990 | |
Jessica's former flame and first killer Preston Giles (Arthur Hill) is released on parole to help his former publishing company out of financial ruin, and his first job: get J.B. Fletcher back to the company. But when one of the board members - who embezzled from Preston years before - is found murdered, Jessica helps Preston to clear his name. | ||||||
140 | 8 | "The Great Twain Robbery" | Jerry Jameson | Steve Brown | November 25, 1990 | |
Dennis Stanton searches for a stolen Mark Twain document that holds the key to two murders. | ||||||
141 | 9 | "Ballad for a Blue Lady" | Jerry Jameson | William Bigelow | December 2, 1990 | |
One of Jessica's former students is accused of poisoning her parents (Jimmy Dean, Florence Henderson) which led to her father's death. | ||||||
142 | 10 | "Murder in F Sharp" | Kevin G. Cremin | William Bigelow | December 16, 1990 | |
Dennis Stanton tries to prove how a pianist murdered his wife despite injuring both his hands. | ||||||
143 | 11 | "Family Doctor" | Walter Grauman | Robert Van Scoyk | January 6, 1991 | |
Jessica and Seth are kidnapped by a mafia family and investigate the patriarch's murder. | ||||||
144 | 12 | "Suspicion of Murder" | Vincent McEveety | Peter S. Fischer | January 20, 1991 | |
Dennis Stanton is accused of murdering a businessman whose estranged wife he was in love with. | ||||||
145 | 13 | "Moving Violation" | Anthony Shaw | Robert E. Swanson | February 3, 1991 | |
Sheriff Metzger is suspected of using police brutality on an ambassador's son, and is the prime suspect when the young man is found murdered. | ||||||
146 | 14 | "Who Killed J.B. Fletcher?" | Walter Grauman | Lynn Kelsey | February 10, 1991 | |
Chaos ensues when the corpse of a senator's mother is misidentified as Jessica. | ||||||
147 | 15 | "The Taxman Cometh" | Anthony Shaw | Donald Ross | February 17, 1991 | |
A pie factory owner is accused of embezzlement and murdering her ex-husband. | ||||||
148 | 16 | "From the Horse's Mouth" | Jerry Jameson | Gerry Day | February 24, 1991 | |
Jessica and Harry McGraw investigate a horse trainer's murder. | ||||||
149 | 17 | "The Prodigal Father" | Anthony Shaw | Maryann Kasica & Michael Scheff | March 10, 1991 | |
A bank robber (Donnelly Rhodes), who was presumed dead, returns to Cabot Cove to live with his daughter and her family, but when he is murdered, Jessica suspects a connection in his last robbery 20 years earlier. | ||||||
150 | 18 | "Where Have You Gone, Billy Boy?" | John Llewellyn Moxey | Peter S. Fischer | March 17, 1991 | |
When a ventriloquist (Grant Shaud) loses his dummy and is accused of murdering his boss, Dennis Stanton sets out to clear his name. | ||||||
151 | 19 | "Thursday's Child" | Anthony Shaw | Robert Swanson | April 7, 1991 | |
Jessica steps in when an architect designing a new school is accused of murdering the construction company's owner, and discovers that he is possibly the illegitimate son of her late husband. | ||||||
152 | 20 | "Murder, Plain & Simple" | Vincent McEveety | Chris Manheim | April 28, 1991 | |
Jessica travels to Pennsylvania to buy Grady an anniversary present, but ends up stranded in the middle of Amish country and a murder. | ||||||
153 | 21 | "Tainted Lady" | Vincent McEveety | Robert Van Scoyk | May 5, 1991 | |
A small town diner owner suffering verbal and sexual abuse is the prime suspect when her married lover is fatally poisoned after a liaison. | ||||||
154 | 22 | "The Skinny According to Nick Cullhane" | Walter Grauman | Tom Sawyer | May 12, 1991 | |
Harry McGraw comes to Cabot Cove to track down an author who fled with a manuscript his client is desperate to retrieve. But the author is soon found murdered with Harry standing over the body. |
Season 8 (1991–92)[]
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
155 | 1 | "Bite the Big Apple" | David Moessinger | David Moessinger | September 15, 1991 | |
After buying a flat in New York, Jessica has to capture a murderer who killed the previous tenant. | ||||||
156 | 2 | "Night Fears" | Anthony Shaw | J. Michael Straczynski | September 22, 1991 | |
Jessica starts teaching Criminology in New York when a mysterious assailant starts threatening the students. | ||||||
157 | 3 | "Unauthorized Obituary" | Walter Grauman | Robert E. Swanson | September 29, 1991 | |
A biographer (Jessica Walter) is murdered shortly after her latest book is published, and her subject's husband (Bradford Dillman) is accused of the crime. | ||||||
158 | 4 | "Thicker Than Water" | Anthony Shaw | Larry DiTillio | October 6, 1991 | |
When Sheriff Metzger's younger brother turns up in Cabot Cove, will trouble be far behind? | ||||||
159 | 5 | "Lines of Excellence" | Walter Grauman | J. Michael Straczynski | November 3, 1991 | |
Jessica learns how to use a computer, but her professor is apparently involved in fencing stolen hardware. When he is murdered, she takes every step necessary to find his killer. | ||||||
160 | 6 | "Judge Not" | Chuck Bowman | Gerald DiPego | November 10, 1991 | |
Jessica becomes involved in three murders after attending the funeral of a jazz musician in New Orleans. | ||||||
161 | 7 | "Terminal Connection" | Walter Grauman | Robert Swanson | November 17, 1991 | |
A novelist (Lois Nettleton) decides to stand up to her abusive husband, a horse jockey, only to become the prime suspect when he is found murdered. | ||||||
162 | 8 | "A Killing in Vegas" | Anthony Shaw | Bruce Lansbury | November 24, 1991 | |
Jessica visits her friend's daughter in Las Vegas and tries to prove the woman's boyfriend innocent of murder. | ||||||
163 | 9 | "The Committee" | Jerry Jameson | J. Michael Straczynski | December 1, 1991 | |
A member of a prestigious committee faces disciplinary action for alleged misconduct, but is murdered before his punishment can be enforced, and Jessica must step in when the other members' suspicions pit them against one another. | ||||||
164 | 10 | "The List of Yuri Lermentov" | Anthony Shaw | Tom Sawyer | December 15, 1991 | |
Jessica investigates the murder of a Russian author and the theft of his latest manuscript. | ||||||
165 | 11 | "Danse Diabolique" | Alexander Singer | Jo William Philipp | January 5, 1992 | |
Jessica attends a ballet rehearsal, but all the dancers are in grave danger when someone cuts a rope with a stage decoration and the lead ballerina is later murdered. Adrian Paul, Robert Torti and Stephen Nichols guest star. | ||||||
166 | 12 | "The Witch's Curse" | Jerry Jameson | Tracy Friedman | January 12, 1992 | |
A newcomer (Mary Crosby) to Cabot Cove gets the lead role in the community play, as a woman accused of witchcraft in the 1600's. But the aspiring actress is subsequently suspected of being the real thing, and is eventually framed for murdering a judge, who was also the magistrate in the play. | ||||||
167 | 13 | "Incident in Lot 7" | Anthony Shaw | J. Michael Straczynski | January 19, 1992 | |
Jessica investigates the murder of a Hollywood producer who adapted one of her novels for his latest film. | ||||||
168 | 14 | "The Monte Carlo Murders" | Jerry Jameson | Bruce Lansbury | February 2, 1992 | |
Jessica travels to Monte Carlo to visit an old friend whose son is accused of murder. | ||||||
169 | 15 | "Tinker, Tailor, Liar, Thief" | Peter Salim | Robert E. Swanson | March 1, 1992 | |
A British double agent (Clement von Franckenstein) is found murdered soon after he meets Jessica. Lloyd Bochner, Guy Doleman, Trevor Eve, and Sharon Maughan guest star. | ||||||
170 | 16 | "Ever After" | Anthony Shaw | Robert Van Scoyk | March 8, 1992 | |
Jessica assists in the investigation of the murder of a man (Kevin McCarthy) married to a soap opera actress (Kate Mulgrew). Tony Roberts also guest stars. | ||||||
171 | 17 | "To the Last Will I Grapple with Thee" | Walter Grauman | J. Michael Straczynski | March 15, 1992 | |
An Irish colleague (George Hearn) of Jessica's is accused of murdering his longtime rival. | ||||||
172 | 18 | "Programmed for Murder" | Jerry Jameson | Tom Sawyer | April 5, 1992 | |
Seth is accused of malpractice when the CEO of Cabot Cove's computer company checks in for a blood transfusion but dies after receiving the wrong type, an outcome Jessica suspects is exactly what someone wanted. | ||||||
173 | 19 | "Day of the Dead" | Anthony Shaw | Mark A. Burley | April 26, 1992 | |
Jessica travels to Mexico for an archaeological dig and to investigate the theft of a historic mask from a local museum. Things take a turn during a Day of the Dead celebration when the mask is found on the corpse of a murdered drug lord. | ||||||
174 | 20 | "Angel of Death" | Walter Grauman | Robert E. Swanson | May 3, 1992 | |
A playwright mourning the loss of his wife is the target of an attack that instead kills his nephew. | ||||||
175 | 21 | "Badge of Honor" | David Moessinger | David Moessinger | May 10, 1992 | |
Seth invites one of his old Army buddies (Gerald S. O'Loughlin) to visit Cabot Cove, but the ex-soldier is subsequently accused of murdering a yacht dealer (Cliff DeYoung). | ||||||
176 | 22 | "Murder on Madison Avenue" | Jerry Jameson | Bruce Lansbury | May 17, 1992 | |
A toy factory executive (Barbara Babcock) is murdered after being chosen as the next CEO. |
Season 9 (1992–93)[]
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
177 | 1 | "Murder in Milan" | Anthony Shaw | Laurence Heath | September 20, 1992 | |
Jessica attends the filming of a movie in Milan and investigates the murder of a ruthless producer (Susan Blakely). | ||||||
178 | 2 | "Family Secrets" | Walter Grauman | Robert Hamner | September 27, 1992 | |
Jessica discovers a true crime writer, investigating a 20-year-old murder in Cabot Cove for his next book, is one of her former students. But when he is murdered, Jessica must find out what it was he uncovered, and who would kill to keep it quiet. | ||||||
179 | 3 | "The Mole" | Peter Salim | Tom Sawyer | October 4, 1992 | |
Jessica is kidnapped by a rogue CIA agent who mistook her for a spy in a smuggling ring, and his real target is murdered by the time he realizes his mistake. | ||||||
180 | 4 | "The Wind Around the Tower" | Walter Grauman | J. Michael Straczynski | November 1, 1992 | |
Jessica delves into an old legend linked to the murder of an Irish tycoon (Dakin Matthews). | ||||||
181 | 5 | "The Dead File" | Anthony Shaw | Tom Sawyer | November 15, 1992 | |
Jessica has a bone to pick with a cartoonist (Harvey Fierstein) who used her as inspiration for the lead character in a scandalous cartoon strip. But the murder of one of his staff causes Jessica to wonder if she put the blame on the wrong person. | ||||||
182 | 6 | "Night of the Coyote" | Jerry Jameson | Mark A. Burley | November 22, 1992 | |
In New Mexico, Jessica investigates a long ago stagecoach robbery, that may be connected to the murder of the owner (Steve Forrest) of an Old West tourist attraction. | ||||||
183 | 7 | "Sugar & Spice, Malice & Vice" | Vincent McEveety | November 29, 1992 | ||
Michael Haggerty seeks Jessica's help when he is accused of murdering his daughter's fiance (Kevin Kilner). | ||||||
184 | 8 | "The Classic Murder" | Vincent McEveety | Robert Van Scoyk | December 6, 1992 | |
A psychic (Natalia Nogulich) claims she foresaw the murder of a millionaire, but ends up murdered herself. | ||||||
185 | 9 | "A Christmas Secret" | Anthony Shaw | Bruce Lansbury | December 13, 1992 | |
Christmas in Cabot Cove is even more holly-jolly when a hardware tycoon's daughter gets engaged, but when the groom (Sean O'Bryan) is accused of attempted murder, several other things from his past come to light. | ||||||
186 | 10 | "The Sound of Murder" | (credited as Anthony Shaw) | Bruce Lansbury | January 3, 1993 | |
The making of a music video is disrupted by the murder of a record producer. | ||||||
187 | 11 | "Final Curtain" | Walter Grauman | J. Michael Straczynski | January 10, 1993 | |
An actor friend (Peter Donat) of Seth's comes out of retirement to star in a new play, but the murder of his former manager (Bradford Dillman) puts the production on hold. | ||||||
188 | 12 | "Double Jeopardy" | Anthony Pullen Shaw (credited as Anthony Shaw) | January 17, 1993 | ||
One of Jessica's writing students is framed for murdering a crime boss, whom the police had just found evidence proving he killed the student's father - after he was tried and acquitted. | ||||||
189 | 13 | "Dead Eye" | Jerry Jameson | Tom Sawyer | February 7, 1993 | |
Jessica uncovers several photos linked to the JFK assassination, which also hold the key to a more recent murder. | ||||||
190 | 14 | "Killer Radio" | February 14, 1993 | |||
A local radio station gets a new, state-of-the-art transmission tower, with the owner's (Lyman Ward) corpse as a last-minute accessory. | ||||||
191 | 15 | "The Petrified Florist" | Anthony Pullen Shaw | February 21, 1993 | ||
Jessica imagines the plot for her next book, in which a magazine publisher (Penny Fuller) is accused of murdering a florist (Gary Beach). | ||||||
192 | 16 | "Threshold of Fear" | Vincent McEveety | February 28, 1993 | ||
193 | 17 | "The Big Kill" | Jerry Jameson | March 7, 1993 | ||
Jessica uncovers a smuggling operation linked to the murder of a banker. | ||||||
194 | 18 | "Dead to Rights" | Anthony Pullen Shaw (credited as Anthony Shaw) | Tom Sawyer | March 21, 1993 | |
195 | 19 | "Lone Witness" | Walter Grauman | and | April 4, 1993 | |
A delivery boy (Neil Patrick Harris) is the only witness to a customer's murder. | ||||||
196 | 20 | "Ship of Thieves" | Anthony Pullen Shaw (as Anthony Shaw) | Bruce Lansbury | May 2, 1993 | |
Jessica and Dennis Stanton's cruise is thrown off course by a murder. | ||||||
197 | 21 | "The Survivor" | Anthony Pullen Shaw (as Anthony Shaw) | Robert Van Scoyk | May 9, 1993 | |
One of Jessica's friends is attacked after witnessing the murder of her boyfriend, a rookie undercover police officer, and Jessica teams up with the victim's hard-boiled superior (Stan Shaw) to uncover the truth. | ||||||
198 | 22 | "Love's Deadly Desire" | May 16, 1993 | |||
A romance novelist's life is threatened, and eventually leads to the murder of her assistant. |
Season 10 (1993–94)[]
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
199 | 1 | "A Death in Hong Kong" | Vincent McEveety | Laurence Heath | September 12, 1993 | |
Jessica travels to Hong Kong to visit her friend, a Chinese ceramic artist, and the wife of an American businessman negotiating a merger. However, Jessica's friend is briefly kidnapped, and although she returns safe and sound, she ends up the prime suspect when her husband is fatally poisoned during a party. | ||||||
200 | 2 | "For Whom the Ball Tolls" | Anthony Shaw | Donald Ross | September 26, 1993 | |
Jessica's editor is accused of an attempt on the life of a developer (Kevin Kilner), which instead killed his brother. | ||||||
201 | 3 | "The Legacy of Borbey House" | Walter Grauman | Danna Doyle & Debbie Smith | October 3, 1993 | |
An occultist/author is in Cabot Cove to research an infamous house and its history for a book. He also believes the house's current inhabitant, a mysterious man, is a vampire, which works against him when the home owner is later murdered with a stake in his heart. However, the murder may be related to a local woman who has been missing for months. | ||||||
202 | 4 | "The Phantom Killer" | Anthony Shaw | Tom Sawyer | October 24, 1993 | |
A ruthless magazine publisher is electrocuted in his bathtub, and the prime suspect is a reporter who worked for a rival tabloid. | ||||||
203 | 5 | "A Virtual Murder" | Lee Smith | Carlton Hollander | October 31, 1993 | |
The successful release of a virtual reality game based on one of Jessica's books is short-lived when it coincides with the murder of the lead designer. | ||||||
204 | 6 | "Bloodlines" | Don Mischer | Story by : Michael Berlin & Eric Estrin Teleplay by : Robert Hamner | November 7, 1993 | |
A thoroughbred trainer (Mickey Rooney) is murdered just as he's about to expose a racetrack scandal. | ||||||
205 | 7 | "A Killing in Cork" | Anthony Shaw | Bruce Lansbury | November 21, 1993 | |
Jessica visits an Irish friend (Fionnula Flanagan) whose son is accused of murdering one of their American relatives (Andrew Robinson). | ||||||
206 | 8 | "Love & Hate in Cabot Cove" | Anthony Shaw | Robert Van Scoyk | November 28, 1993 | |
Jessica's accountant struggles to conceal his gambling habit and is framed for murdering a sheriff's deputy who was in love with his daughter. | ||||||
207 | 9 | "Murder at a Discount" | Walter Grauman | Rick Mittleman | December 5, 1993 | |
Jessica's latest novel causes uproar when it resembles a case where a video store owner (George Segal) was accused of murdering his wife 5 years earlier. As a result, the man sues Jessica, only to end up murdered as well. | ||||||
208 | 10 | "Murder in White" | Vincent McEveety | Lawrence Vail | December 19, 1993 | |
Jessica's actress friend stars in a play based on one of Jessica's novels, but is accused of murdering a sponsor. | ||||||
209 | 11 | "Northern Explosion" | Anthony Shaw | Mark A. Burley | January 2, 1994 | |
Jessica is laid over in Canada en route to a wedding, and investigates two murders connected to a mining dispute. | ||||||
210 | 12 | "Proof in the Pudding" | Jerry Jameson | Lisa Seidman | January 9, 1994 | |
Jessica guest stars on a TV cooking show hosted by a famous chef (John Saxon) who is murdered shortly after opening his new restaurant, and one of Jessica's friends is accused of the crime. | ||||||
211 | 13 | "Portrait of Death" | Vincent McEveety | Donald Ross | January 16, 1994 | |
Jessica's friend (Loretta Swit) makes a statue for an art exhibition that is subsequently used to kill the gallery owner. | ||||||
212 | 14 | "Deadly Assets" | Anthony Shaw | Tom Sawyer | January 23, 1994 | |
Jessica's old friend Charlie Garrett comes to Cabot Cove and helps her investigate the murder of a hitman. | ||||||
213 | 15 | "Murder on the Thirtieth Floor" | Walter Grauman | Robert Van Scoyk | February 6, 1994 | |
Jessica's recently widowed editor (Robert Desiderio) who apparently committed suicide, leaves behind some things that cause Jessica to suspect foul play. | ||||||
214 | 16 | "Time to Die" | Anthony Shaw | Laurence Heath | March 6, 1994 | |
215 | 17 | "The Dying Game" | Jerry Jameson | Bruce Lansbury | March 13, 1994 | |
216 | 18 | "The Trouble with Seth" | Anthony Shaw | Tom Sawyer | March 27, 1994 | |
Seth mysteriously disappears, and an assassin is murdered in his office while he's away. | ||||||
217 | 19 | "Roadkill" | Walter Grauman | Mark A. Burley | May 1, 1994 | |
Jessica visits the owner (Earl Holliman) of a failing trucking company, whose son (Patrick Cassidy) is accused of the vehicular homicide of his girlfriend's (Melora Hardin) blackmailing ex-husband. | ||||||
218 | 20 | "A Murderous Muse" | Anthony Shaw | Bruce Lansbury | May 15, 1994 | |
219 | 21 | "Wheel of Death" | Walter Grauman | Robert Van Scoyk | May 22, 1994 | |
A carnival comes to Cabot Cove in the midst of several burglaries, but doesn't seem to make very much money. Things only get worse when a married couple employed by the carnival are accused of murdering the troupe leader (Bradford Dillman), and the woman turns out to be Sheriff Metzger's ex-girlfriend. |
Season 11 (1994–95)[]
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
220 | 1 | "A Nest of Vipers" | Anthony Shaw | Rick Mittleman | September 25, 1994 | |
Jessica is for a wild time when she visits the Los Angeles Animal Park to do research for her new book and ends up investigating the murder of a self-proclaimed anti-zoo activist who was bitten by a large poisonous snake. | ||||||
221 | 2 | "Amsterdam Kill" | Jerry Jameson | Jerry Ludwig | October 2, 1994 | |
The best-laid travel plans go seriously awry when Jessica puts her holiday in Amsterdam on hold in order to look into the disappearance of a friend and, shockingly, becomes the main suspect in an even more serious crime. | ||||||
222 | 3 | "To Kill a Legend" | Anthony Shaw | David Bennett Carren & J. Larry Carroll | October 9, 1994 | |
A documentary film about a Cabot Cove Legend becomes more of a suspense-thriller when the director is killed and Jessica is forced to seek clues frame by frame. | ||||||
223 | 4 | "Death in Hawaii" | Don Mischer | Laurence Heath | October 16, 1994 | |
Jessica's Hawaiian vacation to visit a power broker friend (Ken Howard) is interrupted when there's trouble in paradise as his family becomes involved in a political feud, which escalates into accusations of money laundering and, ultimately, the murder of his gardener. | ||||||
224 | 5 | "Dear Deadly" | Anthony Shaw | Donald Ross | October 23, 1994 | |
Nothing's black-and-white when Jessica investigates the sudden death of a San Francisco Union love and marriage columnist who met an abrupt ending none of her readers could have predicted. | ||||||
225 | 6 | "The Murder Channel" | Walter Grauman | Jerry Ludwig | November 6, 1994 | |
A birthday present of free cable TV ends up being more trouble than it's worth when Jessica's neighbor witnesses an on-camera murder of a jeweler's wife (Jessica Walter), and Jessica's investigation of the crime leads to a potential diamond robbery. | ||||||
226 | 7 | "Fatal Paradise" | Jerry Jameson | Tom Sawyer | November 13, 1994 | |
During a break in Martinique, Jessica graciously comes to the aid of a private investigator who is accused of killing the woman (Cassie Yates) he was tracking on the tropical island. | ||||||
227 | 8 | "Crimson Harvest" | Anthony Shaw | Bruce Lansbury | November 20, 1994 | |
With the fate of a struggling winery handing in the balance, Jessica looks into two brutal deaths in beautiful Sonoma and finds help in the form of a telepathic dog and an unusual cellarman. | ||||||
228 | 9 | "Murder by Twos" | Anthony Shaw | Bruce Lansbury | November 27, 1994 | |
Secrets and lies are exposed when Cabot Cove's bullying town barber is found electrocuted in his garage and suspicion falls on the high school teacher who was clandestine lover. | ||||||
229 | 10 | "Murder of the Month Club" | Walter Grauman | Donald Ross | December 4, 1994 | |
It's a case of publish or perish when Jessica must prove that a hard-drinking fellow mystery writer, who hasn't produced a book in years, is not responsible for a brutal crime. | ||||||
230 | 11 | "An Egg to Die For" | Robert M. Williams, Jr. | Maryanne Kasica & Michael Scheff | December 11, 1994 | |
A book fair in Florida becomes the backdrop for a case of international intrigue when Jessica and a mysterious Russian detective investigate the strange link between a stolen Faberge egg and the murder of a family member of one of the show attendees. | ||||||
231 | 12 | "The Scent of Murder" | Anthony Shaw | Laurence Heath | January 9, 1995 | |
Jessica's friend Dr. Seth Hazlitt takes her to visit his wealthy cousin's plantation, but the trip takes an unexpected turn when their host is killed and the doctor becomes co-owner of the estate with the victim's young fiancee. | ||||||
232 | 13 | "Death 'N Denial" | Jerry Jameson | Mark A. Burley | January 22, 1995 | |
A trip to Cairo with a museum curator begins badly when Jessica's bag is stolen, and then takes a turn for the worse when a priceless relic also goes missing and the hard-boiled thief is murdered. | ||||||
233 | 14 | "Murder in High 'C'" | Anthony Shaw | Jerry Ludwig | February 5, 1995 | |
The passionate -and sometimes bizarre- world of Italian opera envelops Jessica when she works with an eccentric police inspector in Genoa, Italy, to catch the murderer of an opera company's manager. | ||||||
234 | 15 | "Twice Dead" | Walter Grauman | Paul Schiffer | February 12, 1995 | |
The world believes that Jessica's scientist friend took his own life, but she knows that he really faked his death. When he actually does die at the hands of a killer, she works to set the record straight. | ||||||
235 | 16 | "Film Flam" | Anthony Shaw | Donald Ross | February 19, 1995 | |
There's no business like show business, as Jessica learns when she travels to Hollywood to discuss a screen adaptation, but ends up on a case involving the deaths of a movie memorabilia fanatic and a legendary director. | ||||||
236 | 17 | "Murder A La Mode" | Jerry Jameson | Laurence Heath | February 26, 1995 | |
Jessica meets some lowlifes in the world of high fashion when she visits Paris to help launch her novel and learns about a plot to assassinate the ruthless owner of slave-labor sweatshops. | ||||||
237 | 18 | "The Dream Team" | Anthony Shaw | Tom Sawyer | March 19, 1995 | |
Plans for a huge marina between Cabot Cove and neighboring town Craggy Neck turn deadly when the jilted wife of one of the developers drowns in her car off the waterfront. Note: Last appearance of: Michael Horton as Grady Fletcher. | ||||||
238 | 19 | "School for Murder" | Vincent McEveety | Story by : Robert Brennan Teleplay by : Robert Brennan & Jerry Ludwig | April 30, 1995 | |
Beneath the serene surface of academia, Jessica discovers jealousy, bitterness and even murder when she delivers a creative-writing lecture at an exclusive Ive League Prep school. | ||||||
239 | 20 | "Another Killing in Cork" | Anthony Shaw | Bruce Lansbury | May 7, 1995 | |
Jessica needs some luck o' the Irish when she visits the Emerald Isle and fights to stop a destructive mining conglomerate headed by a councilman who controls local politicians through bribery or even murder. | ||||||
240 | 21 | "Game, Set, Murder" | Walter Grauman | Philip John Taylor | May 14, 1995 | |
A US Open hopeful with a tragic past turns to Jessica for help when those close to her are killed and her tennis-pro lover is accused of the crimes. |
Season 12 (1995–96)[]
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
241 | 1 | "Nailed" | Anthony Shaw | Donald Ross | September 21, 1995 | |
Beauty is only skin deep when a business entrepreneaur is stabbed with a famous hair stylist's scissors and Jessica finds the culprit by following a string of ugly break-ins. | ||||||
242 | 2 | "A Quaking in Aspen" | Vincent McEveety | Tom Sawyer | September 29, 1995 | |
While helping a friend launch a new TV show in Aspen, Jessica and investigator Charlie Garrett look into a mysterious death with a multi-million dollar payout. | ||||||
243 | 3 | "The Secret of Gila Junction" | Anthony Shaw | Jerry Ludwig | October 5, 1995 | |
Jessica finds that there's more than one secret buried in the desert sands surrounding the town of Gila Junction when the discovery of a strongbox filled with cash leads to murder. | ||||||
244 | 4 | "Big Easy Murder" | Vincent McEveety | Cynthia Deming & William Royce | October 12, 1995 | |
Jessica gets wrapped up in the deadly world of New Orleans black magic when a voodoo doll is linked to a local turf war between rival supper-club owners. | ||||||
245 | 5 | "Home Care" | Anthony Shaw | Robert Van Scoyck | October 19, 1995 | |
Murder strikes close to home when a young nurse under suspicion of performing mercy killings becomes the primary care provider for Jessica's best friend, Maggie. | ||||||
246 | 6 | "Nan's Ghost: Part 1" | Anthony Shaw | Bruce Lansbury | November 2, 1995 | |
A terrifying ghost story threatens to become all too real when Jessica investigates the killing of a healthy American in Ireland and his connections to a haunted castle. | ||||||
247 | 7 | "Nan's Ghost: Part 2" | Anthony Shaw | Bruce Lansbury | November 9, 1995 | |
After narrowly escaping a harrowing demise in the castle dungeon, Jessica sets a trap to catch the perpetrators of a hoax who will stop at nothing to scare their victims to death. | ||||||
248 | 8 | "Shooting in Rome" | Vincent McEveety | Jerry Ludwig | November 16, 1995 | |
Script rewrites on a film adaptation taje a back seat when Jessica witnesses the fiery end of a stuntman during what should have been a routine car crash. | ||||||
249 | 9 | "Deadly Bidding" | Anthony Shaw | Tom Sawyer | November 23, 1995 | |
Jessica enters the high-stakes world of art smuggling when a stolen Degas shows up beneath a recently auctioned painting and an obscure painter is murdered that very night. | ||||||
250 | 10 | "Frozen Stiff" | Paul Lazarus | Mark A. Burley | November 30, 1995 | |
Some people do get their just desserts as Jessica discovers when she investigates an unpleasant ice cream company owner found on ice in the corporate freezer. | ||||||
251 | 11 | "Unwilling Witness" | Anthony Shaw | Robert Van Scoyck | December 14, 1995 | |
It's Jessica versus a federal grand jury when she's subpoenaed in the case of a corrupt investment firm and the only person who can clear her name turns up dead. | ||||||
252 | 12 | "Kendo Killing" | Walter Grauman | Laurence Heath | January 4, 1996 | |
When a traditional Japanese marriage contract is broken after the fiance is killed by a masked assailant, Jessica must decipher a politically charged love triangle in order to find the culprit. | ||||||
253 | 13 | "Death Goes Double Platinum" | Anthony Shaw | Philip John Taylor | January 7, 1996 | |
Jessica works to help an up-and-coming band land a recording deal, but the bass guitarist finds himself singing the blues when his sister is implicated in a murder. | ||||||
254 | 14 | "Murder in Tempo" | Kevin Corcoran | Laurence Heath | January 11, 1996 | |
A benefit concert to save Cabot Cove's Maine Woods from development goes distinctly off-key when a sniper takes aim at a celebrated young singer. | ||||||
255 | 15 | "The Dark Side of the Door" | Anthony Shaw | James L. Novack | February 1, 1996 | |
Jessica finds herself working on an 11-year-old case when a young editor wants to throw the book at the celebrated novelist who, she believes, kidnapped her when she was a child. | ||||||
256 | 16 | "Murder Among Friends" | Vincent McEveety | Jerry Ludwig | February 8, 1996 | |
It's lights, camera. murder when a powerful producer is killed the night before announcing which of the six stars of a hit series is going to be fired. | ||||||
257 | 17 | "Something Foul in Flappieville" | Anthony Shaw | Robert Van Scoyck | February 15, 1996 | |
A child's toy becomes an instrument of death when a security guard is found murdered, and the only "suspect" is a puppet based on a character that Jessica created in a short story. | ||||||
258 | 18 | "Track of a Soldier" | Vincent McEveety | Bruce Lansbury | February 25, 1996 | |
Jessica's visit with a friend running for senator is disrupted by the arrival of a man who threatens to reveal some scandalous...and later is found knifed to death. | ||||||
259 | 19 | "Evidence of Malice" | Anthony Shaw | Tom Sawyer | March 28, 1996 | |
Deputy Andy turns to his old pal Jessica for help when he is accused of planting evidence and then framed for murder. | ||||||
260 | 20 | "Southern Double-Cross" | Walter Grauman | Mark A. Burley | April 4, 1996 | |
When she learns that she may inherit land in Australia, Jessica ventures down under and finds herself involved in a deadly clash between sheep owners and miners. | ||||||
261 | 21 | "Race to Death" | Vincent McEveety | Story by : Peter Barwood and Laurence Heath Teleplay by : Laurence Heath | April 28, 1996 | |
A young skipper on a quest for the World Cup finds herself in hot water when her main competitor is found murdered, and Cabot Cove's Honorary Commodore Jessica works to solve the killing. | ||||||
262 | 22 | "What You Don't Know Can Kill You" | Kevin Corcoran | Robert Van Scoyck | May 5, 1996 | |
The landscape gardener redesigning Jessica's yard is killed when his motorcycle goes off the road, and his fiancee is convinced that his death was no accident. | ||||||
263 | 23 | "Mrs. Parker's Revenge" | Anthony Shaw | Anne C. Collins | May 12, 1996 | |
Jessica's trip to Georgia is anything but peachy when a hotel room mix-up gets her involved with a weapons broker looking to buy a vial of a deadly virus. | ||||||
264 | 24 | "Death by Demographics" | Anthony Shaw | Donald Ross | May 19, 1996 | |
This year's annual visit to San Francisco to participate in a "book-talk" radio show is very different for Jessica: the station has made drastic changes in its effort to reach more listeners...and the shock jock's manipulative manager has been killed. |
TV movies[]
Title | Original air date | U.S. viewers (millions) |
---|---|---|
Murder, She Wrote: South by Southwest | November 2, 1997 | 18.6 |
Murder, She Wrote: A Story to Die For | May 18, 2000 | N/A |
Murder, She Wrote: The Last Free Man | May 2, 2001 | 11.3[25] |
Murder, She Wrote: The Celtic Riddle | May 9, 2003 | 10.7[26] |
Home media[]
Explanatory notes[]
- ^ Continuing story started in "Novel Connection" (Magnum, P.I. S7E9)
- ^ Tied with Chicken Soup.
- ^ Tied with Friends.
Citations[]
- ^ "The View Recaps". ABC.com. Retrieved February 26, 2007.
- ^ "Murder, She Wrote: Could Jessica Fletcher Return?". TVSeriesFinale.com. Retrieved February 28, 2007.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. October 26, 1988. p. 3D. ProQuest 306102053.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. November 2, 1988. p. 3D. ProQuest 306129406.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. November 9, 1988. p. 3D. ProQuest 306136856.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. November 16, 1988. p. 3D. ProQuest 306140699.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. November 23, 1988. p. 3D. ProQuest 306124674.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. November 30, 1988. p. 3D. ProQuest 306106502.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. December 21, 1988. p. 3D. ProQuest 306159082.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. January 5, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306157966.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. January 11, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306165080.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. January 18, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306171627.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. February 8, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306179902.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. February 15, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306163263.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. February 22, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306175741.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. March 1, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306152931.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. March 15, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306172200.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. April 5, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306171172.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. April 12, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306166319.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. April 19, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306176608.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. May 3, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306197470.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. May 10, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306210811.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. May 17, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306203436.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Nielsen ratings". Life. USA Today. May 24, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306198690.
- ^ ""Murder, She Wrote: The Last Free Man"". Retrieved March 3, 2016.
- ^ ""Murder, She Wrote: The Celtic Riddle"". tvtango.com. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
External links[]
- Murder, She Wrote at IMDb
- Lists of American crime drama television series episodes
- Murder, She Wrote