Murder, She Wrote: One Good Bid Deserves a Murder Rewatch

December 30, 2014 1:43 PM - Season 2, Episode 17

Jessica is asked by her good friend Richard Bennett to purchase diary that is to come up for sale at an auction house. At the auction itself, a large cabinet is put up for sale, but when the doors are opened Bennett's dead body falls out. Jessica finds herself among the suspect when the local policeman learns that she has Bennett's check in her possession. Luckily, she runs into her old friend, private eye Harry McGraw who helps her out - of course, he helps himself just a bit as well.
posted by filthy light thief (2 comments total)

"If murder were a disease, you'd be contagious." And he's only talking to Jessica about the ones in THIS episode.

I would like to be a person who bids on items at auction, especially with the intent to destroy them. If anyone reading this ever needs somebody to do this, please let me know. Discretion guaranteed.

I pretty much like any recurring characters (even Grady if I'm being honest) so yay Harry McGraw. And always yay Jerry Orbach. But also Vic Tayback! Young Nancy Lee Grahan! But the most 1986 thing ever is "Karen Black guest starring as a movie star's analyst" (also dating it: 'I'll just endorse this million dollar check made out to me' being a major plot point.)

Also I want a Spanish hidey hole chess set so much now, though the lack of chess playing in my life would probably make it obvious to anyone that I was hiding something there.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:51 PM on January 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

"If murder were a disease, you'd be contagious."

I loved that moment! A wink from the writers -- they knew what we all thinking this far along in the series.

And I was still so mad at Leo Peterson for roping an unknowing Jessica into the defection of those Russian dancers back in S1 that I actually hooted when Readford met his end. Hurd Hatfield and Angela Lansbury were lifelong friends, starring together in The Picture of Dorian Gray back in 1945. He'll pop up once more in a later season, and I am looking forward to it.

The killer's motivation was particularly sad in this one.
posted by mochapickle at 7:28 AM on January 5, 2015