While visiting her astronomer nephew-in-law, Jessica must prove that he and her niece did not murder a young politician.
Season 4, Episode 13: Harbinger of Death (January 24, 1988)
Jessica is invited by her niece, Carrie Palmer, to witness the reappearance of a comet. Carrie’s husband, Leonard — no relation to Leland — is an astronomer working at the Astro-Physics Institute. A body is discovered through Leonard’s telescope, leading to a murder investigation that puts both him and Carrie as suspects.
Who’s in it, outside of Angela Lansbury?
George DiCenzo as Sgt. Kettler: A familiar face in mystery and genre television, DiCenzo brings authority and charm to the law enforcement side of the equation. This marked his third of six total appearances across the run of Murder, She Wrote, having previously popped up as various characters (including victims) in episodes like “We’re Off to Kill the Wizard” and “The Perfect Foil.” He was also the voice of Hordak and Bow on the original She-Ra.
Steven Ford as Drake Eaton: Ford steps into the role of the ill-fated victim. Soap fans and genre enthusiasts will recognize him from his recurring work on The Young and the Restless as well as genre film appearances like Starship Troopers. He’s also the son of President Gerald Ford.
Robin Gammell as Dr. Thor Lundquist: Gammell plays the high-profile, high-maintenance consultant to the institute. A seasoned character actor with a rich television pedigree, Gammell made multiple appearances in classic mystery and sci-fi anthologies.
Karen Grassle as Fay Hewitt: Grassle plays Leonard’s loyal assistant. She’s forever etched into pop culture history as the beloved Caroline “Ma” Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie.
Dean Jones as Leonard Palmer: Jones stars as the obsessed, comet-chasing husband. You may know him as Jim Douglas in Disney’s iconic Herbie the Love Bug franchise (The Love Bug, Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo, Herbie Goes Bananas), as well as The Shaggy D.A. and The Ugly Dachshund.
Kate McNeil as Carrie Palmer: McNeil plays Jessica’s niece caught in the middle of the scandal. She was in The House On Sorority Row, Sudden Death and Monkey Shines.
Marcia Rodd as Madeline DeHaven: Rodd portrays the sharp Director of Defense Spending Review.
Jeffrey Tambor as Russell Armstrong: Tambor chews the scenery deliciously as the ambitious institute director. Long before winning accolades as George Bluth Sr. on Arrested Development, Tambor was a ubiquitous presence in 1980s television, lending his distinct comedic and dramatic chops to countless shows.
Armand Asselin as Max: A reliable character actor who made numerous background and supporting contributions to television productions throughout the era.
Kirk Thornton as Forensic Man: Thornton serves up procedural detail as the local forensics tech. Voice acting and cult television aficionados know Thornton well from his extensive career in anime dubbing and various supporting live-action television roles.
What happens?
J.B. discovers that Leonard’s boss, Russell Armstrong, is aggressively chasing a lucrative defense contract over Leonard’s objections. During the much-anticipated reappearance of a rare comet, things take a dark turn. Leonard leaves his observatory running unattended, and his computer-programmed telescope—yes, AI existed in 1988—is found manually pointed at a vacation house thirty miles away. Inside that house is the dead body of Drake Eaton, an administrative assistant to a high-profile government official. Because Carrie had an affair with Eaton — what is it with these relatives of Jessica? — and conflicting statements fly fast and furious, both Carrie and Leonard instantly vault to the top of the suspect list. To save her family, Jessica teams up with investigating police sergeant Kettler—ghostwriting a book for his wife in exchange for full access to the case data—and uses the astronomical telescope to crack the cosmic puzzle wide open.
Who did it?
The victim, aspiring career man Drake Eaton, was actually killed by his boss, research institute director Russell Armstrong, at Armstrong’s own vacation house using an astronomer’s gun. Armstrong committed the murder because Eaton was attempting to use him for personal gain, threatening their professional ambitions. The vital clue that seals the deal is a bloody scarf carrying the astronomer’s blood, which helps unravel the whole scheme.
Who made it?
Anthony Pullen Shaw directed this episode. The son of Angela Lansbury, he also directed her in Mrs. ‘Arris Goes to Paris and many of the Murder, She Wrote TV movies. The script was written by R. Barker Price, who wrote another episode of the show and co-wrote the David Schmoeller movie Catacombs.
Does Jessica dress up and act stupid? Does she get some?
No cosplay, but she does offer to write a book for a cop. As for getting some romance? Absolutely not; this is classic prime-time television and Jessica’s one true love remains solving homicides and writing her next novel.
Was it any good?
It’s fine.
Any trivia?
Angela Lansbury is only six years older than Dean Jones, who plays her nephew-in-law Leonard, while he is nearly three decades older than Kate McNeil, who plays his wife Carrie.
Leonard somehow, someway sees something at a house 33 miles away through an observatory telescope. A telescope that large could never focus on something near to it.
The great Murder, She Watched site breaks down J.B.’s family tree and offers this information: “Carrie Palmer is married to Leonard Palmer. Carrie is introduced as Jessica’s niece, although it is never made clear whether this is a direct relationship or one by marriage. We also don’t know Carrie’s maiden name, so we cannot guess as to whether it is her mother or father who is related to Jessica. Carrie’s husband Leonard tells Jessica that he feels there may have been hostility in the family due to Carrie and Leonard’s age difference. This may or may not suggest that Carrie is directly related to Jessica rather than via Frank. Carrie has an aunt Edna in Ithaca, whom Jessica also said she visited.”
The episode’s title leans into ancient superstitions regarding comets as omens of doom. As Jessica notes on screen, the very word “disaster” traces its roots back to the Greek words dis and aster, literally translating to “evil star.”
Give me a reasonable quote:
Sergeant: You know, Mrs. Fletcher, I’m gonna lay my cards right on the table. It’s about my wife.
Jessica: Your wife?
Sergeant: Yeah. I told you, she’s a writer.
Jessica: Oh, yes, yes. I remember you told me.
Sergeant: Right. You see, I make notes on all my cases, you know, uh, put them on tape. I’m sure you noticed. And my wife writes them up. I’ve got stuff you wouldn’t believe. Sex, corruption, real kinky stuff they couldn’t even put in the papers.
Jessica: Oh, well, yes, yes. I can imagine that, uh, that sort of thing might be very popular.
What’s next?
When Seth’s estranged brother is murdered, Jessica must figure out if a cursed ruby from India is responsible.
