Poisoned strawberry preserves served at the Joshua Peabody Inn result in murder.

Season 2, Episode 14: Keep the Home Fries Burning (January 19, 1986)

Are JB, Sheriff Tupper and Dr. Hazlitt in a triad relationship? No, they’re just going to dinner at the Joshua Peabody Inn, where several people get food poisoning and one lady dies. Of course, Jessica thinks it’s murder.

Who’s in it, outside of Angela Lansbury?

Sharon Acker (Happy Birthday to Me) plays Wilhelmina Fraser.

Norman Alden is Mercer Hawthorne.

Orson Bean plays Ebeneezer McEnery

Ted Stully is Gary Crosby, the son of Bing.

His wife, Helen, is played by Rosanna Huffman.

Anne Lloyd Francis (Forbidden Planet) plays Margo Perry.

William Lucking plays Bo Dixon.

John McCook (The Bold and the Beautiful) is Harrison Fraser III.

Cornelia Montique is played by Donna Pescow (Saturday Night Fever).

Chef Alan Dupree is played by Henry Polic II.

Alan Young (The Time Machine) plays Floyd Nelson.

In smaller roles, Marcia Rodd is Betty Fiddler, John Donovan is an assistant, Patricia Wilson is a cashier, Leonard O. Turner plays Mr. O’Connor, Dion Williams is Jimmy O’Connor, Michael McCabe is an orderly, Dale Raoul is a nurse, Alxander Folk is a cook, W. Earl Brown is a chef, Dan Cotter and Joel Shultz are diners, William B. Ward Hr. is a prist and To Willett is a doctor.

Oh yeah! Sheriff Amos is played by Tom Bosley, and Dr. Seth is portrayed by William Windom.

What happens?

Sheriff Amos is quite excited that he now has another place to eat, aside from Dixon’s, and that the Joshua Peabody Inn is open. Even his favorite waitress, Cornelia, has started to work there. And it’s a Revolutionary War-themed joint! Oh man! What do they serve, pepperpot stew?

As our three friends — Seth, Am, Os, and JB — have breakfast, they notice a group of wealthy ladies named Wilhelmina and Betty eating nearby. That’s when they all learn that the fruit preserves are tainted. And then Betty dies.

Margo Perry of the Maine Health Department arrives in town to investigate the case, and Amos becomes panicked. Not because he has to work with her, but because he’s probably eaten a little bit of everything for breakfast, and surely he’s going to get sick soon.

Wilhelmina’s husband, Harrison, comes to town, and when she tells him that Betty is dead, he takes it way worse than you’d imagine, but then, you know, one figures that he’s been sleeping with Betty.

There are so many red herrings, and yet people who eat at this place together often hate each other.

Who did it?

Wilhamena. It’s pretty simple. The most basic of all reasons: when your best friend bangs out your husband, you need to feed her poisoned jelly.

Who made it?

This episode was directed by Peter Crane (The Initiation) and Philip Gerson.

Does Jessica get some?

No, despite my weird wish for Seth and Amos to make her airtight.

Does Jessica dress up and act stupid?

Nope. I’m getting upset.

Was it any good?

It’s fine. The Cabot Cove episodes are usually more humorous, and everything gets serious when Jessica goes on the road.

Any trivia?

You may recognize the restaurant and parking lot set from The Rockford Files.

Give me a reasonable quote:

Sheriff Amos Tupper: Well, you know what they say. As Sheriff Tupper goes, so goes Cabot Cove.

Dr. Seth Hazlitt: Who says that?

Sheriff Amos Tupper: Everybody, when it comes to food.

Jessica Fletcher: I must be traveling in the wrong circles. I don’t recall hearing that.

What’s next?

The justice system is tested when a group of angry rednecks form a lynch party and plan to hang a murder suspect. Wow, what a cast — Larry Wilcox, Jackie Earle Haley and Stuart Whitman!