In New Orleans at Mardi Gras, a distant cousin of Jessica is falsely accused of murder.

Season 2, Episode 21: The Perfect Foil (April 13, 1986)

Jessica goes to New Orleans to see her distant cousin Cal during Mardi Gras. Upon arriving at his rooming house, she finds a party in full swing, a guest murdered and Cal being the prime suspect.

Who’s in it, outside of Angela Lansbury?

Rosaline Gardner is played by Barbara Babcock, who was Dorothy on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and June Petrie in Salem’s Lot.

Cousin Cal is played by Peter Bonerz, who has the best name and was also Dr. Jerry Robinson on The Bob Newhart Show. He also directed tons of TV, Police Academy 6: City Under Siege, and the pilot for The Elvira Show.

Lt. Edmund Cavette? That’s Cesare Donova from Tentacles, The Astral Factor and the Mayor in Animal House.

The character Johnny Blaze is not Ghost Rider. He is played by George DiCenzo, the voice of Hordak!

Gilbert Gaston is played by Robert Forster. I hope I don’t have to tell you who he is.

Same as Lisa Langlois. I mean, beyond being married to Robert Urich, she was a Canuxploitation scream queen.

Mitch Payne is played by David Hedison, who you may know as the original Felix Leiter! Oh wow! He was The Fly!

Aunt Mildred, the one who wants Jessica to check in on Cal, is Penny Singleton, the voice of Jane Jetson and Blondie in the movies.

Congressman Brad Gardner? That’s Granville Van Dusen.

In smaller roles, Morgan Jones is Sergeant Baxter, Joe Ross is a desk clerk, and Hank Rolike (Apollo Creed’s cornerman) is a taxi driver. Sherry McFarland is a receptionist, Raf Mauro is Napoleon, Wendy Oates is Madame Dracula, Guerin Barry is Sir Walter, and Raleigh Brose is a headsman.

What happens?

In a New Orleans saloon, Congressman Brad Gardner, attorney Mitch Payne, Gilbert Gaston and Calhoun Fletcher are playing poker when Cal is cheated by dealer Johnny Blaze and kicked out of the bar.

What does Cal do for a living? He collects butterflies. And he hasn’t stayed in touch with the family, so JB’s aunt asks her to check on him in New Orleans on the way to Houston. Those cities are 318 miles apart.

All of the poker players are either cheating on each other’s wives or owe each other money. Jessica ends up at a costume party — yes, finally, she dresses up — where all of them are partying. She struggles to find Cal just as Blaze is killed, and Cal’s name is written in blood at the crime scene.

Yes, death is a big part of the Fletcher family, and Jessica feels like she has to defend Cal. Does anyone not realize that death follows her? How about Cal barely recognizes her, and she can barely figure out how they’re related. But they have to be, because outside of JB, the Fletcher family is a bunch of louts who get arrested all the time. He’s very Grady. Here’s an example: why would you let someone run a gambling bar inside your house?

Mostly, this episode is Jessica eating fancy dinners with Lt. Edmund Cavette, solving the crime and realizing that Cal is such a moron that he’s ready to run a house of ill repute next.

Who did it?

Gilbert.

Who made it?

This episode was directed by Walter Grauman and written by Robert E. Swanson.

Does Jessica get some?

I mean, she went to some pretty nice dinners with that cop. But…

Does Jessica dress up and act stupid?

Finally, she does dress up, but never acts like a moron.

Was it any good?

It’s a decent episode that proves that the Fletchers are the story engine that keeps the Grim Reaper and Jessica in business.

Any trivia?

Oh man, Johnny Blaze killed Lt. Cavette’s son. Talk about a conflict of interest.

IMDB tried to puzzle Cal and JB’s relation: “Jessica and Cal are described as second cousins, once removed, by marriage. This means that her husband Frank and one of Cal’s parents were second cousins, which further means that one of Frank’s grandparents and one of Cal’s parents’ grandparents were siblings.”

Give me a reasonable quote:

Lt. Edmund Cavette: Cal, what kind of business is that lady in?

Calhoun Fletcher: I don’t know. It’s for out-of-town businessmen. Some sort of escort service, I think. Bye.

Lt. Edmund Cavette: I’ll have a little talk with him.

What’s next?

Jessica spends the holidays with an old friend, Lloyd Marcus, whose daughter was killed with her husband, the prime suspect.