A former student of Jessica’s becomes involved in a love triangle that ends in murder.

Season 2, Episode 12: Murder by Appointment Only (January 5, 1986)

Tonight on Murder, She Wrote…

Everyone Jessica knows gets killed. You know how it goes. This time, a former student finds love, drama and death. Does Grady show up? No! Not Grady!

Who’s in it, outside of Angela Lansbury?

Lila Lee Amberson is Jayne Meadows, Billy Crystal’s mom in City Slickers. She’s the older sister of Audrey Meadows.

Fiona Keeler is Christine Belford, who was in Christine.

Norman Amberson? Robert Culp! Am I going to make the joke about his dick again? Yes.

Roger Adiano is played by Robert Desiderio.

Elizabeth Gordon is Ann Dusenberry from Jaws 2.

Herb Edelman — Stan Zbornak — is Lieutenant Varick!

Grady Fletcher is in this. Yes, he’s played by Michael Horton again.

Leigh McCloskey from Inferno! He’s Todd Amberson.

Millie Perkins — yes, Anne Frank — is Glenda Vandevere. She was also in The Witch Who Came from the Sea.

In minor roles, Robert Stoneman is a photographer, Fred Ponzlov is Mr. Hillsdale, Catherine Battistone and Cathy McAuley are actresses, and Sam Nickens plays a guest.

What happens?

While in New York City, Jessica runs into an old student, Elizabeth Gordon, who has become the fiancée of Lila Lee cosmetics tycoon Norman Amberson. As good as her life sounds, she reveals that it is pretty rough. So when she shows up dead — even students of Jessica aren’t safe from her death energy, which is like Dim Mak, the punch of death — JB promises to get justice.

At one point, Lila Lee even shows up and thinks that Cabbot Cove is Cabbage Cove, so you can understand why Jessica feels weird about her.

Jessica’s student was a sex worker before she hooked up with the rich guy. But let’s not shame. Elizabeth’s portrait is painted with lipstick after her death, a lipstick whose color — Tangerine Twist — has been taken out of the catalogue. Somehow, though, Elizabeth was literally a hooker with a heart of gold and gave most of the money she made to charity.

But what if she starts seeing an old client? Will all the rumors of her being a gold digger cause her death? I mean, we’re watching Murder, She Wrote.

Who did it?

Norman, who was jealous and worried about his wife’s past.

Who made it?

This episode was directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman and written by TV vet Jerry Ross.

Does Jessica get some?

No. Come on!

Does Jessica dress up and act stupid?

She does, dressing up like she’s a make-up saleswoman for Lila Lee!

Was it any good?

Yeah.

Any trivia?

Herb Edleman would come back as Lieutenant Artie Gelber.

Christine Belford appeared in four episodes as different characters. When she was a kid, she lived at the Amityville Horror house from ages 11-16. Then, her parents sold it to the DeFoes.

Give me a reasonable quote:

Lila Lee Amberson: Mrs. Fletcher! You should have told me you weren’t a Lila Lee lady. I just assumed you were one of us because you ARE absolutely perfect. My dear, it gives me great pleasure to offer you the entire Lila Lee franchise for all of Cabbage Cove.

What’s next?

It’s a bad day for the jury when Jessica is the foreperson hearing the case of a man claiming self-defense in the death of an enraged husband.