MURDER, SHE WROTE: SOMETHING BORROWED, SOMEONE BLUE (TV)

Summary

One in this murder mystery series about an unassuming Maine mystery writer turned sleuth named Jessica B. Fletcher who uses her professional insight to help solve real-life homicide cases. In this episode, Jessica attends the wedding of her nephew and surrogate son Grady to the wealthy Donna Marie Mayberry. The family is flustered by the preparations and various expenses, and Jessica gives the couple her present, a mirror owned by her mother. She is then shown to her room by the irritable maid, Harriet. At dinner, Mr. Mayberry aggressively quizzes Grady and Uncle Ben makes advances on Jessica, and Harriet falls into an argument with Mrs. Mayberry when they are interrupted by the arrival of Ziggy, Mrs. Mayberry's brother, and his new bride, Valerie. Later that night, Ben makes another bid of Jessica's attention and Grady and Donna visit her as well, lamenting that her parents are causing trouble and dropping hints that she should have married her wealthy childhood sweetheart Wilfred instead, also offering Grady Donna's old job at a reduced salary and "gifting" them with the house next door. In the morning, Jessica overhears Harriet arguing with the caterer and talks with Ziggy about his recent marriage to Valerie. Jessica then visits Mr. Mayberry and tries to plead Grady's case, but he is dismissive.

Mrs. Mayberry panics that the caterer may leave and that Harriet is nowhere to be found, but the security guard assures them that no one has left. They meet friendly cousin Clara, and Grady sneaks in to see Donna, saying that he wants to reject both the job and the house, and she agrees. A wealthy, snobbish client of Mr. Mayberry's, Mrs. Pentworth, arrives, apparently against her better judgment, and Grady attempts to stand up to Mr. Mayberry, but is shot down. He tells Jessica about his worries and she tries to reassure him, but the day continues to go downhill when Harriet's body is discovered, having been stabbed with a meat thermometer. Police Chief Slocum arrives and informs the distressed family that they cannot move her until evidence has been collected, and Jessica notes the torn piece of wrapping paper in her hand. She suggests that it was not a burglary gone wrong, but rather an inside job, as no one has recently left the premises, and the wedding is put on hold. They investigate Harriet's background and note her many different jobs, and Jessica observes that the killer must have been unfamiliar with the house to grab for such an unlikely weapon, meaning that it was a guest or temporary employee. Suddenly, the wayward Wilfred arrives in their midst, no longer the proper high-society boy he was once, and they inform him that he must stay for the duration of the investigation. Jessica next learns that "cousin Clara" is in fact related to no one, but when she questions her, she discovers that she is merely lonely and crashes weddings for fun and good food.

Donna is horrified to find Harriet's body in her bathroom, and Grady and Mr. Mayberry are forced to move her again as the investigation continues. Jessica notes that the caterer was heard threatening Harriet earlier, but he reveals that he used the neighbors' kitchen instead. Mrs. Pentworth finds the body and panics as well, and they soon observe a hole in Wilfred's story about when he arrived in town. Jessica admits that she is stumped about the identity of the killer, but then learns that Harriet recognized Valerie when she arrived and called her by another name, and soon discovers the torn present in Valerie's room. She then accuses her of the murder, explaining that Harriet worked for her in the past in Grosse Pointe and was present when Valerie's first husband died under mysterious circumstances, causing Valerie to murder her to protect her secret. The Grosse Pointe police are summoned to identify her, and once the case is solved, Grady and Donna are finally married, to the relief of everyone. Commercials deleted.

Details

• NETWORK: CBS
• DATE: January 8, 1989 8:00 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 1:00:00
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: B:33887
• GENRE: Drama, mystery/suspense
• SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, mystery/suspense
• SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1984-1996
• COMMERCIALS:
  • TV - Promos - "The Comeback" motion picture

CREDITS

• Peter S. Fischer … Executive Producer, Created by
• Robert F. O'Neill … Supervising Producer
• Robert Van Scoyk … Producer
• Anthony J. Magro … Associate Producer
• Richard Levinson … Created by
• William Link … Created by
• John Llewellyn Moxey … Director
• Philip Gerson … Writer
• David Bell … Music by
• John Addison … Theme Music by
• Angela Lansbury … Cast, Jessica Fletcher
• Ray Buktenica … Cast, Kyle Laughlin
• Patricia Barry … Cast, Mrs. Belle Pentworth
• Conchata Ferrell … Cast, Harriet Lundgren
• Michael Horton … Cast, Grady Ambrose Fletcher
• Rick Hurst … Cast, Police Chief Slocum
• Bill Macy … Cast, Uncle Ben Mayberry
• Howard Morris … Cast, Uncle Ziggy
• Betsy Palmer … Cast, Valerie
• Eugene Roche … Cast, Franklin Mayberry
• Gale Storm … Cast, Maisie Mayberry
• Debbie Zipp … Cast, Donna Marie Mayberry
• Barbara Townsend … Cast, Clara
• David Byrd … Cast, Minister
• David Stenstrom … Cast, Photographer
• Frank Pangborn … Cast, Very Important Man
• Parker Whitman … Cast, Security Guard
• Michael Leopard … Cast, Ice Bucket Delivery Man
• Trent Dolan … Cast, Chairman
• Mark McGee … Cast, Florist
• Ralph M. Clift … Cast, Wedding Guest
• Vicki Lucachick … Cast, Wedding Guest
• Frank Arno … Cast, Tableman
• Alexander Folk … Cast, Delivery Man
• Jean Pflieger … Cast, Wedding Guest
• Paul Marin … Cast, Florist Delivery Man
• Zachary O'Hearn … Cast, Brat One
• John Lecky … Cast, Brat Two