Jessica visits a women’s prison and is held captive when an uprising occurs because of abuse and murder at the facility.

Season 2, Episode 9: Jessica Behind Bars (December 1, 1985)

Tonight on Murder, She Wrote…

Jessica teaches a class for a women’s prison on the day it locks down, and the staff doctor gets killed. She becomes the negotiator between the inmates and the police, trying to solve the crime before the cops arrive.

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

Dixie is played by Margaret Avery, who sure was in The Color Purple, but I’d tell you she’s from Terror House.

Kathryn is Adrienne Barbeau, and if you don’t know her, what are we even doing?

Barbara Baxley is Amanda Debs, also known as Lady Pearl from Nashville.

Miss Springer is Yvonne De Carlo, Lily Munster!

Linda Kelsey plays Mary Stamm. She was in two more episodes of the show and also on Lou Grant.

Janet MacLachlan is Dr. Irene Matthews. She was also in Heart and Souls.

Vera Miles from Psycho and The Searchers is Elizabeth Gates.

Susan Oliver, who played Vina, the green slave girl in Star Trek, is Louise.

Eve Plumb, Jan from The Brady Bunch, is Tug.

Mary Woronov! Yes! She’s Brady.

In smaller roles, Bertha is played by Susan Peretz, Donna Ponterotto is Jamie, Diana Bellamy is the Head Guard, Gay Hagen is the First Guard, Faith Minton is the Second Guard, Jan Stratton is the Gate Guard, and Darlene Conley is Mims. Prisoners are played by Mary Albee, Linda Carlin, Jadie David, Betty Jeanne Glennie, Marilyn Horn, Lorraine Keeling, Kym Washington Longino, Marti Reese and Ilona Wilson, while Reena Bartlett and Cis Rundle play guard.

What happens?

Before Jessica arrived at the prison — and for the 20 years — Amanda Debs has turned being the deputy warden of the West Barrington Institute for Women into a means to accumulate wealth and influence, running a ring of corruption within the prison that includes Dr. Irene Matthews and grocery delivery driver Mrs. Mims. She’s been growing in her power as Warden Elizabeth Gates has been running for state senate.

A new nurse catches on, and Dr. Matthews kills herself — her suicide note says, “I have been thinking about killing myself for some time. I will all my worldly possessions to all the lesbian inmates in this prison.” — and Debs makes it look like a murder, locking everything down, trapping Jessica with her students.

Working with Kathryn, she turns the lights out and also kills Mrs. Mims, then plans to escape before the cops come in. However, Jessica is able to figure that out and saves the day before the cops come in, shooting everyone.

Who did it?

Amanda.

Who made it?

This episode was directed by John Llewellyn Moxey and written by Carleton Eastlake, who mostly wrote for science fiction shows.

Does Jessica get some?

No. I would like to make a sapphic fanfic of this episode, however.

Does Jessica dress up and act stupid?

No. I mean, come on, Jessica.

Was it any good?

Yes. This is a tense one that changes the format.

Any trivia?

The jail is located in The Square of Warriors, also known as Spartacus Square, at Universal Studios Hollywood. Other movies filmed there include Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Blues Brothers, History of the World, Part I, Cloak and Dagger, The Shadow, and The Scorpion King.

Give me a reasonable quote:

Jessica Fletcher: Well, I particularly liked the way the gas station bandit was caught. You know, having the getaway driver accidentally shift into reverse and crash into the police car… Now, that showed a great deal of imagination.

Tug: Not exactly. That’s the way it happened.

What’s next?

Cabot Cove is flooded with poison pen letters, which proves hard for the town to handle as Amos prepares to hand the reins over to a new sheriff. Jason’s mom shows up!