Murder, She Wrote: Sudden Death Rewatch

October 11, 2014 2:48 PM - Season 1, Episode 18

After the death of her uncle, Jessica finds out she's inherited his 4% interest in a professional football team, the Leopards. She also finds herself in the middle of a boardroom fight between Phil Kreuger, who wants to move the team, and another group of investors, who want to keep the team where it is. When Kreuger is found dead in the team's training room, suspicion falls on one of the players, Zak Farrell, who has a bad shoulder injury but also a four-year no-cut contract. But Zak isn't the only one with a grudge against Kreuger, even though Zak's watch was found under Kreuger. "If [Lt. Clyde Pitts] arrested everybody who's glad Kreuger's dead, he'd have to build a bigger jail."
posted by filthy light thief (1 comment total)

For being a rather oddball (heh) notion for a plot, I rather liked it for a number of its quirky elements, in which no one comments on Jessica's status as a well-known author. Apparently these stereotypical jock-types don't read (mystery novels).

• It's surprising that the writers would reduce the number of relatives Jessica has in this show
• Bradford Lockwood was waaay to cheery at the funeral, and clearly he had no idea who Jessica was, or he wouldn't offer to sell off Uncle Cyrus' stocks to "pay for the funeral expenses"
• "Jackdaw corporation" confuses me - is it a reference to the thieving jackdaws? I can't find any other reference to the term, but it sounds familiar
• Yes, another taxi! But no colorful character to drive Jessica around, it's just there to save her from riding with Bradford
• That's no street, and that's no hat

  Zak Farrell: Are you all right? Jessica: Yes, I'm fine. But I may dream tonight about being swallowed up by an enormous hat. Zak: I'm really sorry. Jessica: No, no, no. No, really. It was my fault. I had no business standing in the middle of the street gawking.

• Mr. Kreuger: One more loss, and you are out. Morale is pretty low on this team. Not due to you berating the coaches and even the equipment manager, right?
• Wait, was that Freddy Kruger? Freddy? No, his cousin, Phil.
• Web McCord is a real estate developer, "Big fan. Likes to hang around with the players." And he throws them a party? At his house? Hmm ....
• Everyone is way too eager to buy at a high price, showing they clearly have more money to throw into the deal
• Who's going to tell who what about the daughter? Who cares that she's deaf? I am so confused.
• Ooh, Kreuger is making football-related threats! And then he asks Jess "Should we join the party?" The correct response, following the "dangerous game" comment, is "Should I wear protection?"
• Somebody: This is Web McCord, my associate. He's the one that collects Leopards. Jessica: Oh, not the wild variety, I hope. McCord: No, but, uh, some of these animals belong in cages. -- wait, what? Did you really just say that?
• Meet Talmadge , the commissioner of all footabll.
• "I'll fight him all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary." The Supreme court ... of football!
• Great party McCord! Great party! Party on, Wayne! Party on, Garth!
• Where did Jessica dance off to? She's such a jovial spirit in this episode.
• Is a police officer gambling a conflict of info? Is that legal? And he does it a second time??
• I swear someone mentions "10 miles of bad road," but this script doesn't include the phrase.
• Lookie here, a watch, setting the time of death! What a coinkidink!
• Jessica: "Kreuger was already dead when you typed that note and left it on the door for Zak." Wait, who types notes? JB, that's who.
• Mavis would make a terrible coach. To her masseuse: "How would you like to be a football star, honey?"
• Jessica: This whole football thing is a riddle to me
• Kathy Farrell: It would destroy Jill if Zak went to prison for something he didn't do. Yes, Jill would be devastated if her father was wrongfully imprisoned, but she does love it when justice is doled out correctly.
• I love how Jessica displays that the guard in front of the locker room is just security theater, by easily sneaking past him
• Ooh, the slow, dramatic knob turn
• Tank's compliment abilities

  You know, I've been watching you, and you've got pretty good wind for an old broad. Uh, I'm sorry. I meant you're very well preserved. Ooh, uh. No, no.

• Zak: You have the right to know about our shady adoption, Jessica. Because you're trying to prove I'm not a murderer, I guess.
• Kreuger was a boor and a liar? Oh, he was the worst.
• Isn't that odd, lady owners of sports teams? Whodathunk?
• What a terribly 80s bathroom
• Jessica: Hmm, that carpet looks really soggy. Let me get down and squish it with my hands. Yes, it's wet, of course. And then Lt. Clyde Pitts has to do the same thing, testing the soaking carpet with his hands. That's a lot of effort to agree the floor was wet.
• An "arresting theory"? "Opens the field"? A police pun followed by a sports pun! Where's Freddy York (the Edison of comedy, he's the guy who does his own rimshots!) when you need him? Oh, right, probably in jail.
• You know it's the end of the episode when the villain tells all, with football analogies

posted by filthy light thief at 1:25 PM on October 15, 2014