A retired policeman decides to re-examine an old case and returns to the lakeside cabins where the murder occurred, gathering all the old suspects together.

Season 3, Episode 3: Unfinished Business (October 12, 1986)

Lt. Kale keeps trying to retire, and crime keeps bringing him back. Now, he wants to solve one last crime, the death of his partner Lowell Dixon, before he retires forever.

Who’s in it, outside of Angela Lansbury?

Dr. Terence Mayhew is played by Lloyd Bochner, one of the few stars on this show who was also in Mr. No Legs. 

Tom Bosley, as is normal, plays Sheriff Amos Tupper.

Sheriff McCoy is played by J.D. Cannon.

Jake Sanford is played by Don DeFore.

Lt. Kale is Pat Hingle, who was Commissioner Gordon in the Burton Batman movies.

Hayley Mills! Wow! She’s Cynthia Tate.

Erin Moran, too! She plays Maggie Roberts.

Dr. Seth is, as always, played by William Windom.

Gary Roberts is Erich Anderson, Rob in Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter. Yes, the guy who yells, “He’s killing me!”

In minor roles, Phillip Clark is a deputy, William Mims plays the mayor, and James Bartz is another deputy. Connie Sawyer is Ethel, Armand Cerami is a searcher, Conrad Hurtt is a cop, and Ken Clayton, Dan Cotter, Len Fleber, Betty Jeanna Glennie, Robert Hitchcock, Sam Nickens and Monty O’Grady are party goers.

What happens?

After Lowell Dixon’s case is reopened, one of the suspects from years ago — DR. SETH WHAT IS HAPPENING!?! — disappears. When Jessica talks Sheriff Tupper into looking for him, just as Tupper is probably glad that there’s one less dick in glass out of his way of pruning JB’s secret garden. Then, another man. Mr. Roberts is killed as well.

Just as Kale decides to retire, he wants to prove that his partner was killed, and he keeps blaming Seth. But could Seth have drowned a man? They call Kale Supercop, yet Jessica starts seeing through him pretty quickly. 

Who did it?

Kale. But why did he reopen a case when he knew he was the murderer? We never find out. 

Who made it?

This was directed by Walter Grauman and written by Jackson Gillis, who wrote plenty of Columbo TV movies and episodes, as well as episodes of Superman, The Millionaire, Perry Mason and more.

Does Jessica dress up and act stupid?

No. She doesn’t get any either. If Seth had been taken out, however, she would have been pursued even more by Amos.

Was it any good?

Yes. I like when the people of the town we know and love get accused. After Harry Pierce ended up being a murderer, it feels like anything can happen.

Any trivia?

Tom Bosley and Erin Moran were father and daughter on Happy Days. 

Give me a reasonable quote:

Ret. Lt. Det. Barney Kale: Lowell Dixon was a sanctimonious do-gooder. He caught me doing a few favors for the wrong people. I’d been operating like that for years. Nothing serious, you know. Just a little you-do-for-me, I-do-for-you. It got results, but it violated his Puritan sensibilities. He was gonna bring charges against me. I would have been dismissed. And ten years ago, Mrs. Fletcher, I was not ready to be dismissed. Dixon was a very religious man. Always talking about getting to heaven. And I just simply helped him on his way.

What’s next?

While attending a concert in Washington, D.C., Jessica gets involved with two East German defectors and a murder. Jenny Agutter is in it!