Season 2 of Murder, She Wrote is here, and this time, a cheap tycoon with many enemies is found dead on the construction site of his high-rise hotel.

Season 2, Episode 2: Joshua Peabody Died Here… Possibly (October 6, 1985)

Tonight on Murder, She Wrote…

They’re building a new hotel in Cabot Cove and just found a skeleton as they dig the foundation. That won’t be the last death.

Who’s in it, outside of Angela Lansbury, and were they in any exploitation movies?

John Astin, Gomez Addams, plays Harry Pierce.

Tom Bosely is Sheriff Amos Tupper, continuing his will they or won’t they with Jessica. He’s up against Dr. Seth (William Windom) for her affection.

FBI Agt. Fred Keller is played by Chuck Connors, who was The Rifleman, but also was in Tourist Trap.

Henderson Wheatley is played by John Ericson, who was in The House of the Dead, Crash! and 7 Faces of Dr. Lao.

Wow! Meg Foster is in this! Those blue eyes! She plays Del Scott.

David Marsh? That’s Michael Sarrazin from The Reincarnation of Peter Proud, Eye of the Cat and They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?

Arthur Griswold is played by David Sheiner, who was also in The Gong Show Movie, The Stone Killer and They Call Me Mr. Tibbs!

Ken Swofford plays Leo Kowalski. He was Mayor Farnsworth in Black Roses and Weasel in Annie.

In the smaller roles, Deborah White plays Matty Marsh, Robin Bach is Ellsworth Buffum, Bobby Jacoby is Eric Marsh, Ed Morgan is Austin Bailey, Roger Price is Eli Harris, Barbara Ann Grimes is Sarah Harris, Jody Carter is Olive Newton, Sandra Hawthorne is Mavis Gillam and Bruce Lawrence is an earthmover driver.

What happens?

Sheriff Tupper and Dr. Seth argue over the body found in the grave — is it the Revolutionary War soldier Joshua Peabody. But then Henderson Wheatley, the developer of the new property, is killed. Who could it be? Probably the whole town, like antiques dealer David Marsh, who has been protesting this place. Or reporter Del Scott, who has the eyes of Meg Foster. And different folks who keep making injunctions to keep the new hotel from being built.

Who did it?

Del Scott. Just look at the eyes.

Who made it?

It’s directed by Peter Crane and written by Tom Sawyer, who wrote 24 episodes of this and produced 79.

Does Jessica get some?

No, but she’s back in Cabot Cove and can relax in her bath.

Does Jessica dress up and act stupid?

No. There’s too much that happens.

Was it any good?

Two dead bodies in the same grave! So yes.

Any trivia?

John Astin would play Harry Pierce three times.

Give me a reasonable quote:

Dr. Seth Hazlitt: Well, at least one good thing’s come out of all this… Now that we’ve proved those bones belong to Daniel Martin, we can forget all about this Joshua Peabody nonsense.

Jessica Fletcher: Oh, no, Seth Hazlitt, that’s going a bit too far.

What’s next?

Jessica’s niece, an actress in a daytime drama, becomes a suspect when the head writer for the show is murdered.