Murder, She Wrote: Murder by Appointment Only Rewatch

December 13, 2014 7:19 PM - Season 2, Episode 12

Jessica accompanies her nephew, Grady, who is hoping to land a job with the Lila Lee cosmetics firm. Grady's in is his old friend, Todd Amberson, who is the son of one of the firm's partners, Norman Amberson, and nephew to Lila Lee Amberson, the forceful face of the company. Norman's secretary and future bride is Jessica's former English student, Elizabeth Gordon. Unfortunately, not everyone supports the planned marriage between Norman and Elizabeth. When she's murdered during what appears to be a break-in without robbery, Jessica digs in to find out the truth of the crime, and more.
posted by filthy light thief (3 comments total)

When I was little, I remember watching many, many times an Alice in Wonderland TV miniseries that my parents recorded for me. It was a murderer's row of 1980s TV stars. Murder, She Wrote is much the same way (including, in this episode, Jayne Meadows who, coincidently, played the Queen of Hearts from Alice and a similar character as Lila Lee, Robert Culp, and Herb Edelman). I don't remember a lot of M, SW episodes, but this one I instantly recognized because of the lipstick colors. Almost a Columbo-esque type of clue. If anyone is interested in a Columbo rewatch when this is done, I'd be in.
posted by bluefly at 3:57 PM on December 15, 2014 [1 favorite]

It's funny you should say that about a "Columbo clue" because the episode reminded me of Columbo too and I couldn't quite spot why. I thought it was more because the episode had a seedier underbelly than a typical Murder, She Wrote episode -- for Jessica's beloved student to be murdered and also a former prostitute -- was a different sort of vibe than what I expect (though this happens a lot on the show as I rewatch it now) I also think Robert Culp's character's vibe in this is just very "Columbo villain", especially, obviously, in hindsight.

Grady, with your fake maid service and your one job prospect turning out to be a murderer, you're just always so Grady.

Cabbage Cove!
posted by MCMikeNamara at 9:42 AM on December 16, 2014 [1 favorite]

Cabbage Cove!

I'm delighted by how they did the whole Lila Lee thing, with the uniforms, purple cars, and general leadership mystique. In the mid-'80s, my grandmother was doing really well with Mary Kay (the obvious inspiration) and had all sorts of pink accessories. The big purple kit Lila Lee sent up for Jessica was the exact size and shape and structure of the pale pink Mary Kay one my grandmother had! I used to spend hours mixing pigments on the back of my hand.

But overall, a sad episode. Usually, there's a lighthearted freeze with Jessica laughing or reacting to something, and this one, she's frozen in stormy thought. Her world has changed. Oh, Jessica...
posted by mochapickle at 7:18 PM on December 23, 2014