Jessica and her nephew get more than they expect while staying at a posh New York hotel managed by Grady’s old fraternity buddy.
Season 4, Episode 11: Doom With a View (December 13, 1987)
While staying in an opulent hotel courtesy of Grady’s fraternity brother Gary, J.B. becomes embroiled in a fight to clear Grady of a woman’s murder that is tied to Gary’s past. One would hope that Grady is finally killed, but no. He is the cockroach of the Murder, She Wrote university.
Who’s in it, outside of Angela Lansbury?
John Callahan as Garrett Harper: A soap opera titan famously recognized for his long-running work as Edmund Grey on All My Children and Craig Field on Days of Our Lives.
John Callahan as Garrett Harper: He was Edmund Gray for 400 episodes of All My Children.
Robert Desiderio as Mark Havlin: A prolific television actor recognized for his work on series like The Deuce, Knots Landing, and One Life to Live, he was also in The Stepfather III.
Jennifer Holmes as Sandra Clemons: Best remembered for her television work, including a recurring role on the sitcom Newhart as Leslie Vanderkellen.
Michael Horton as Grady Fletcher: Yes, Grady is back.
Janet Leigh as Cornelia Montaigne Harper: Cinematic royalty immortalized forever as Marion Crane in Alfred Hitchcock’s horror masterpiece Psycho, as well as classic pictures like The Manchurian Candidate and Touch of Evil. A true horror icon, she also famously returned to the genre roots later in life alongside her daughter Jamie Lee Curtis in John Carpenter’s Halloween H20 and The Fog.
Monte Markham as Insp. Donald Matheney: Markham was in Airport 77, Hotline and tons of TV. He also directed Neon City.
Macon McCalman as Hotel Det. Fritz Rice: A distinct character actor recognized for his work in Deliverance and Fried Green Tomatoes.
Charlotte Rae as Nettie Harper: Beloved television legend universally adored as Mrs. Edna Garrett on Diff’rent Strokes and its massive spin-off The Facts of Life.
Smaller roles include Tony Ballen as a workman, Juli Redding as Mrs. Townsend, Mary Ingersoll as a cashier, Judy Kerr and Kenny Davis as a wife and her husband, Sheila Shaw as a maid, Lynn Holt as an aquarium worker, Steve Tschudy as a sommelier and Faith Burton, Betty Jeanne Glennie, Dee Giffin Scott, Dee Giffin and Walter Smith as extras.
What happens?
Jessica Fletcher is taking a trip to New York City, and naturally, she seizes the opportunity to catch up with her favorite, well-meaning nephew, Grady. The original game plan of having Jessica crash right at Grady’s apartment gets completely derailed by an unexpected and deeply uninvited cockroach infestation taking over his building. Instead, they upgrade in a major way to the swanky Montaigne Hotel. The luxury spot is owned by a formidable older woman, Cornelia, whom Grady’s old college fraternity pal, Garrett Harper, managed to marry.
Upon checking in, Jessica and Grady are reacquainted with Garrett, who introduces Jessica to Cornelia and her right-hand assistant, Mark Havlin. Garrett then drops exciting news for Grady: their favorite former college cheerleader, Sandra Clemens, has traveled from South Bend, Indiana, to visit NYC and might appreciate a dinner invitation.
During dinner with Jessica, Garrett, Sandra and Garrett’s mother Nettie, tensions rise. Cornelia suspects Grady is helping Garrett cover up some two-timing behavior by including Sandra in the gathering. Nettie forecasts fireworks for later in the evening, and sure enough, amid a heavy thunderstorm, Grady stumbles upon a dead body. It’s Sandra!
While NYPD Inspector Donald Matheney seems far more interested in prioritizing his night at the opera and an afternoon art gallery reception than investigating a homicide, Hotel Detective Fritz Rice relentlessly hunts for clues. Unfortunately, those clues immediately point toward Grady, landing him promptly under arrest for murder.
Who did it?
Sandra was killed by Mark, the hotel manager, with a shove into some furniture and a pillow over her face. He wanted a piece of the blackmail money she was getting from Garrett.
Who made it?
Directed by Walter Grauman and written by Kenneth Alan Berg, who also wrote one episode of Hart to Hart.
Does Jessica dress up and act stupid? Does she get some?
No. What the hell is even happening, you know?
Was it any good?
It’d be better if Grady got a mysterious disease.
Any trivia?
The exterior shot of the hotel was also used in episodes of The Golden Girls.
Give me a reasonable quote:
Grady Fletcher: Aunt Jess, have I ever told you you are my absolute most favorite person in the whole world?
Jessica Fletcher: Yes, but not often enough.
What’s next?
When Amos’ sister & her in-laws descend upon Cabot Cove, Jessica hosts a dinner party with homicidal results, leaving the finger-pointing at the Sheriff’s sister.
