Accused of murdering his own bully, soft-spoken poet Dorian Beecher relies on Jessica’s assistance to prove his innocence.

Season 3, Episode 11:  Night of the Headless Horseman (January 4, 1987)

What begins as a humorous deception ends in a murder investigation; now, Jessica must clear Dorian’s name after his elaborate lies make him the perfect suspect for Nate Findley’s death.

Who’s in it, outside of Angela Lansbury?

Dorian Beecher, who is behind all of this, is played by Thom Bray, who was in Prince of Darkness and The Prowler.

Brady kid Barry Williams plays the victim, Nate Findley.

Sarah Dupont is played by Karlene Crockett, who was in Eyes of Fire. 

Bobbie is Judy Landers, who was in Dr. Alien and so many other movies. Her sister, Audrey, was in two episodes of the show.

Sheriff Sam Rankin, the law around here, is Doug McClure from The Land That Time Forgot. 

Hope Lange plays Charlotte Newcastle. She was Bronson’s wife in Death Wish. 

Dentist Penn Doc Walker is played by Charles Siebert.

Dorn Van Stotter is Guy Stockwell from It’s Alive. 

Fritz Weaver from Creepshow is Edwin Dupont.

In smaller roles, Brandon Douglas plays Todd Carrier, Donald Thompson is Robert, Adam Ferries is Brendan, Sanford Clark is a man, Gary Pagett is a deputy, Tom Ohmer is a cop, John England is another guy, Bill Baker is a young blonde guy in a car, and Forry Smith is a man. 

What happens?

After that beginning, with Dorian being accused of murder, he then gets harassed by a figure dressed like the Headless Horseman. He thinks it’s Nate Findley who wants to steal his girlfriend, Sarah. But no, it’s just a kid at first, then Doc Walker, who has stolen Nick’s horse. 

But Doc, well, poor Doc has been going through it too. Nate killed his fiancée, Gretchen, and then basically told Doc that he did it. 

Lots of death for such a new small town.

Who did it?

Doc Walker isn’t your typical villain. He’s a sympathetic figure driven by grief, which makes the episode’s ending hit much harder.

By the end of this, Nate is dead, the groundskeeper is under arrest for embezzlement, the dentist is under arrest for murder, Gretchen is also dead, and Sarah has broken up with Dorian. Dorian is not guilty, at least.

The fact that Nate killed Gretchen before the episode even started suggests that this quiet town has been harboring a monster for a long time. Jessica doesn’t just solve a murder; she lances a boil that has been festering in the community.

Who made it?

This was directed by Walter Grauman and written by R. Barker Price, who also wrote David Schmoeller’s Catacombs.

Does Jessica dress up and act stupid? Does she get some?

No! Come on!

Was it any good?

I liked it. I really liked it.

Any trivia?

McClure, Lange, Crockett, Siebert and Weaver have all been in multiple episodes of this show.

Give me a reasonable quote:

Jessica Fletcher: You’re up for a murder charge. Murder! Twenty years to life. Maybe more!

What’s next?

While on a flight to London, a wealthy woman’s chauffeur dies suddenly, and when the priceless necklace he was carrying turns up missing, it becomes a case of murder.