When JB’s niece receives a silver Leprechaun from someone who has been presumed dead for years, Jessica decides to hunt down the mysterious gift giver from beyond the grave.

Season 3, Episode 1: Death Stalks the Big Top: Part 1 (September 26, 1986)

Jessica arrives three days before the wedding of her niece Carol Bannister, who is so sure that the silver leprechaun she receives among the wedding gifts is from her grandfather, Jessica’s late husband Frank’s brother Neil Fletcher, who is presumed dead. Got all that?

Who’s in it, outside of Angela Lansbury?

Oh wow — Martin Balsam plays Edgar Carmody!

Jackie Cooper as Carl Schulman!

Alex Cord plays Preston Bartholomew. Maybe you know him from Airwolf.

Carol, JB’s niece, is a pre-Friends Courtney Cox.

Charlie McCallum is played by Joey Cramer, star of Flight of the Navigator.

Mayor Powers? It’s Ronny Cox!

Constance Fletcher, JB’s sister-in-law, is played by Larraine Day.

BJ and the Bear star Greg Evigan is Brad Kaneally.

Star power? That’s what you get when you make it to three seasons and have a first episode two-part story. And that’s when Florence Henserson shows up as Maria Morgana.

Sheriff Lynn Childs, the law around these parts, is played by Gregg Henry (Body Double).

Hank and Maylene Sutter? That’s Charles Napier and Lee Purcell!

Mark Shera from Barnaby Jones is in this role as Raymond Carmody.

Pamela Susan Shoop from Halloween 2! She is Katie McCallum in this episode.

Daniella Morgana Carmody? That’s Barbara Stock from I, Desire.

In more minor roles, Harry Kingman plays Joe Dorsey, Audrey and Howard Bannister are played by Dennis Howard and Susan Brown, Ken Sansom is Bert, Robin Bach is Mark John Alvin is Mr. Tucker, James R. Parkes is cop, Virginia Peters is a ticket seller, Rob Monroe is Alex, Michael Dunnagan is Clyde, T. Lee Griffin is a townsman, Bill Baker is a circus worker, Robert Cole is a townsman, Conrad Hurtt is a polie officer, Sam Nickens is a circus worker, Greg Norberg is another officer, Harry Stephens is Neal and Harry Woolf plays Maria’s driver.

What happens?

It’s been five years since Jessica’s husband died, and five years before that, Frank’s brother Neil was killed in a car accident. Before that, at some point, Frank’s other brother also died in a car crash, which put Grady into his home to be raised. One imagines that he killed himself to stay away from Grady.

At the rich Bannister estate in Washington, D.C., JB is attending the wedding of her niece Carol Bannister. She’s also dealing with Neil’s widow, Constance, who makes everything about her. That’s why Carol asked JB to visit, because as we all know, the Fletcher family, other than Jessica, are all complete assholes.

Then a package arrives from Catlinburg, Arkansas. It’s a leprechaun, a message from Neil to Carol on the day of her wedding. Jessica does what any of us would. She takes a bus to the circus to see if Neil is there. I mean, of course, he is, and he’s Jackie Cooper, bringing more Old Hollywood to the show.

There, she meets high-wire act Katie, equestrian Maylene and her husband, Hank Sutter, who is a total carny scumbag. Everyone else is just a carny. He wants to get with Katie, while his son Charlie intends to set him up with hot guy, Brad. And then there’s this fashion heiress Danielle, who runs the circus with her husband, Raymond, and she’s been sleeping with Hank as well.

If you’ve been watching this show, you know that Hank has to die.

In between all that, we learn that yes, Neil did fake his death, and he’s now Blinky the Clown. Jessica decides to sneak in to find Neil. And then, as you can guess, Hank is stomped to death by an elephant (or beaten with a baseball bat). So many people hated Hank, and now, one of them has killed him. But why does Neil take the fall? Who is he protecting?

Who did it?

We won’t find out this week.

Who made it?

This was directed by Seymour Robbie. It was written by Paul Savage, based on a story by series creator Peter S. Fischer.

Does Jessica dress up and act stupid?

Yes. Oh yes, JB dresses as Emmaline Polsby of Polsby’s General Store and Dry Goods in Pullman City, with a watermelon straw hat and giant sunglasses. Plus, she has a southern accent!

Was it any good?

Yes. I’m excited for part two.

Any trivia?

The same circus tents were used for Big Top Pee-Wee.

Give me a reasonable quote:

Maria Morgana: Love and loyalty. How admirable. A sentiment that certainly has its place… embroidered on a throw pillow.

What’s next?

Part two! One murder leads to another as Jessica finds herself chasing down false alibis and the employees of a rival circus.

Jessica is spending her holidays with an old friend, Lloyd Marcus. His daughter is found murdered in her house, and her husband, Donald, becomes the prime suspect.

Season 2, Episode 22: If the Frame Fits (April 13, 1986)

Jessica stops by the house of a friend, Lloyd Marcus, to review a manuscript for him. However, the murder of Lloyd’s daughter Julia takes place immediately, as JB is the angel of death, or at least knows him.

Who’s in it, outside of Angela Lansbury?

Ellen Davis is played by Deborah Adair, who was in The Rift.

Donald Granger is Christopher Allport, who was in Invaders from Mars and Jack Frost. 

Binky Holborn? That’s John de Lancie, the Q!

Police Chief Cooper is Cliff Gorman, Lt. Andrews in Angel. 

Frank Tilley is Gordon Jump! WKRP is all over Murder, She Wrote. And Mildred Tilley? That’s Audrey Meadows!

Lloyd Marcus, who started this trouble, is Norman Lloyd, who was in Jaws of Satan and Amityville: The Evil Escapes and directed several episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

Sabrina Marcus is played by Andra Millian.

In more minor roles, Forbes is Aubrey Morris (who was in The Wicker Man), Anne Schedeen (Kate Tanner from ALF) is Julia Granger, Michael Morgan plays a young man, Russell is a waiter, and Lorenzo Gaspar is a doctor.

What happens?

Lloyd Marcus quit advertising to be a mystery writer. I get it, Lloyd. He needs Jessica’s help, and just when she’s ready to tell him to go back to working in the ad biz, one of his expensive paintings gets stolen. While Jessica is in town, she’s taken to the country club, which is filled with snobs.

Lloyd has a rough life. His daughters, Julia and Sabrina, continue to fight over Julia’s husband, Donald, while Julia drinks through brunch. Then there’s the wild Binky Holborn, who everyone thinks is with Ellen Davis, who is really with Donald. All these rich people! JB can’t wait to get back to Cabbot Cove.

Jessica does like Binky, though, and the two make fun of Lloyd’s script together. Oh Lloyd. The fun stops when he gets home and finds his daughter Julia dead, holding a button with the letter D. Lloyd is sure it’s Donald who did it.

Who did it?

Lloyd changed the crime scene to implicate Donald, but he didn’t do it.

Binky is the art thief, but he didn’t do it.

So yes, it was Donald, even though Lloyd set him up. He really did it. And Sabrina thought that she could finally be with him, not knowing that he had killed her sister.

Who made it?

Director Paul Lynch also made Humongous and Prom Night. Writer Philip Gerson wrote 37 episodes of the show.

Does Jessica get some?

Nope. I think she was happy to get a new queer friend in Binky, who is delightful.

Does Jessica dress up and act stupid?

No. Come on!

Was it any good?

Yes, this is a fun episode!

Any trivia?

This is the second time Audrey Meadows has been on the show.

Give me a reasonable quote:

Jessica Fletcher: And do you remember The Horror of Harrow House, with the lurid bloodstains on the doormat?

Lloyd Marcus: Don’t knock it. It sold half a million copies in paperback. Schlock, pure and simple, but very effective.

What’s next?

Season 3 starts with a two-part episode. When Jessica’s niece receives a silver leprechaun from someone who has been presumed dead for years, our heroine looks for the mysterious gift giver, who should be dead.

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.

Jessica attends a tennis tournament as the guest of honor. She struggles to protect her former student, Carol, when her boyfriend is blown up in her car, and she is the only suspect.

Season 2, Episode 20: Menace, Anyone? – Died on Sunday (April 6, 1986)

Jessica can’t even go to a tennis game without someone dying.

Who’s in it, outside of Angela Lansbury?

Mitch Mercer is played by Dennis Cole.

Brian East? It’s a young Bryan Cranston!

Barbara McDermott is played by Karlene Crockett, and Muriel Gillis is from Dallas.

Carol McDermott is Linda Hamilton! This cast is star-studded.

Don’t believe me? There’s Van Johnson, once second only to Sinatra as a male star.

Cissy Barnes? Kelli Maroney! I mean, who else could be in this? 

Doug McKeon (On Golden Pond) is Donny Harrigan.

Det. Sgt. Len Berger is played by Barry Primus. The other law officer, Det. Lt. Tad Travis is David Spielberg.

Betsey Russell is in everything from the Saw movies to Private School. Oh! And Avenging Angel and Tomboy. She’s Doris Robinson.

Kerry Sherman from Eyes of Fire is Rosie.

In minor roles, Harold Ayer plays Sexton, Laurence Haddon is a judge, Gus Corrado is a paramedic, and Rod Porter, Helen Baron, Richard Jacobson, Larry Carr, and Ivonne Perez Montijo all have background parts.

What happens?

No Terminators for Linda Hamilton. She is a former student of Jessica, which is like telling death you’re ready. She’s married to Bryan Cranston, a tennis player, which seems like a conflict of interest for someone running a tennis tournament, much less one she’s named after JB, and as you’d expect, Cranston’s character soon dies in a car bomb explosion.

Yes, if a tennis event is named for Jessica, not just one person will die. A detective will, too. And his body is left in Carol’s (Hamilton) house, making her scream as if she were the target of a giallo killer. She even gets overdosed on pills by the killer and her dad to keep her quiet, but she escapes death thanks to a friend of the devil, JB.

There’s also a fantastic moment where Jessica goes to the mental hospital to see how Carol is doing, meets a doctor, talks to her, and realizes she’s talking to a crazy person. What no one wants to discuss is that Carol still thinks her sister, Barbara, is alive and talks about her as if she were. That’s fine, and we’re going to get over that.

Who did it?

Doris. She’s insane!

Who made it?

This episode was directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman, who also made Hercules In New York. It was written by story editor Robert B. Sherman.

Does Jessica get some?

No. Come on, our girl is going to be a virgin again!

Was it any good?

It’s good. Not the best or worst episode.

Any trivia?

Betsy Russell was married to real-life tennis pro Vincent Van Patten.

Give me a reasonable quote:

Carol McDermott: I’d like to see her.

Jessica Fletcher: Oh, I think you two are going to see a great deal of each other for a long, long time to come.

What’s next?

In New Orleans at Mardi Gras, a distant cousin of Jessica is falsely accused of murder. And Robert Forster is in it!

Jessica must find out the truth when the ruthless owner of a periodical is murdered.

Season 2, Episode 19: Christopher Bundy – Died on Sunday (March 30, 1986)

Jessica writes a short story for a magazine, which is soon bought out and turned into a dirty magazine. JB in a porn rag? Maybe!

Who’s in it, outside of Angela Lansbury?

Christopher Bundy, the owner of the magazine, is played by Bert Convy, who, in addition to being a game show host, was also in The Cannonball Run, Jennifer, and “They’re Tearing Down Tim Riley’s Bar,” one of my favorite episodes of Night Gallery.

Det. Lt. Greco in this episode is Robert Costanzo, who has more than 300 roles on IMDb.

Antonio D’Argento is played by Bobby Di Cicco, who was in everything from I Wanna Hold Your Hand to Maniac Cop 3.

Everett Charles Jensen is played by Robert Hooks, Mr. T from Trouble Man.

Grady is back. Have I ever told you how much I hate Jessica’s nephew Grady? Well, I do. And he’s, as always, played by Michael Horton.

Rachel D’Argento is played by Carol Lawrence.

Millicent Moore is played by Katherine Moffat.

Vanessa D’Argento is played by Michelle Nicastro.

Hey! That’s Alex Rocco playing Bert Yardley! And Robert Stack as Chester Harrison!

Pete Morgan is played by Eric Server.

In the background roles, Charles Sweigart plays a police officer, and Josh Gordon plays an announcer.

What happens?

Why would JB’s story be in a porn magazine? You know that it’s Grady’s fault. He takes her to Bundy’s mansion — you know, like the one with the grotto — and she soon realizes that his entire family is insane. Well, Jessica, you cause murder everywhere you go, and you haven’t let death claim Brady, who deserves it more than anyone, so let’s not throw stones.

Then Chester Harrison arrives, angry that Bundy stole his magazine. If you’ve watched enough of this show, you can see that they are stacking the deck with potential killers. The next morning, while JB is on her run, Bundy is shot. Luckily, at the time, JB was watching security monitors with a card, so it’s not her. And everyone has an alibi.

Who did it?

Niece Vanessa, so she wasn’t really playing tennis.

Who made it?

This episode was directed by Peter Crane and written by Gerald K. Siegel.

Does Jessica get some?

No. Robert Stack would be a great partner for her, but we really need to get JB back into her groove.

Was it any good?

It’s fine — you can see the murder coming as the show starts to get its formula.

Any trivia?

The title of this episode comes from the nursery rhyme “Solomon Grundy.”

Give me a reasonable quote:

Grady Fletcher: Aw, who cares? She wasn’t my type anyway.

Jessica Fletcher: Grady, your love life is a real mess.

What’s next?

Jessica attends a tennis tournament, and one of her former students is there. Her husband is killed by a car bomb, which is pretty much what happens when you have any connection to Jessica Fletcher.

Cabot Cove residents gather for a funeral, only to be shocked by the discovery that the coffin contains the wrong body. The mystery deepens: where is Henry Veron, who is the dead mystery man, and was it murder?

Season 2, Episode 18: If a Body Meet a Body (March 9, 1986)

Jessica is attending the funeral of Henry Vernon when an ex-lover claims he was murdered.

Who’s in it, outside of Angela Lansbury?

Sheriff Amos Tupper (Tom Bosley) is back. Is this the time he gets some JBP? Or will Dr. Seth Hazlitt (William Windom)?

Silas Pike is played by Robert Donner, the caddy from Leslie Nielsen’s Stupid Little Golf Video.

Agnes Shipley plays Anne Jeffreys. She was Tess Truehart in the original Dick Tracy.

Audrey Landers, who was Afrton Cooper on Dallas, is Phyllis Walter.

Christy Olson is played by Lori Lethin. She was in Bloody Birthday.

Monte Markham, who directed Neon City, plays Ned Olson.

Rex Smith, TV’s Street Hawk, is Stew Bennett.

Carrie Snodgrass (Murphy’s Law) is Connie Vernon.

Richard Stahl plays Rev. Matthews.

This is the last role of Robert Sterling, who plays Ben Shipley.

Smaller roles are played by Joe Maross as the dead Henry Vernon, Scott Palmer as a deputy, and the townspeople are played by Ellaraino (whose real name is Ella Raino Edwards), Sonia Kara, Timothy Jecko, George Golden, Dorothy Hack and Walter Smith.

What happens?

Henry’s mistress, Phyllis, has come to the funeral and claims that his wife, Connie, killed him. Sheriff Amos tries to settle her down; she shoves him, and the coffin falls, revealing… not Henry. Who can solve this? Amos wants to do it, but we all know JB will handle it. I mean, he should worry more about trying to solve how to finally get her bra off.

Henry’s old partner, Ned, is a mess. Phyliss comes to Jessica’s late at night to ask for help, and Jessica just wants to write her book. But the biggest shock comes when it’s revealed that Henry Vernon is still alive. So who is the John Doe in his coffin?

Maybe Jessica has some problems now that Connie is trying to get Amos to stay over to watch a John Wayne movie, which is a euphemism I’m going to start using for dry rub sex. And then Henry Vernon’s body shows up again.

Connie claims that her husband picked up a hitchhiker who had a heart attack in the backseat and came up with the plan to collect the insurance money. Meanwhile, Ned’s new business is screwed up already, which means an angry mob has gathered. Whew, Cabot Cove is a rough spot.

Who did it?

Sweet, sweet Connie a doin’ her act, as Grand Funk Railroad sang.

Who made it?

This episode was directed by Walter Grauman and written by Steve Stoliar.

Does Jessica get some?

No. I bet she’s happy Connie went to jail, because she needs two dicks in a glass, Sheriff Lobo and Dr. Seth.

Was it any good?

Of course. As you may know, I’m obsessed with how JB is surrounded constantly by friends who die.

Any trivia?

The needlepoint being worked on by Connie is the same one featured in the Columbo episode “The Conspirators” by Jeanette Nolan.

Give me a reasonable quote:

Dr. Seth Hazlitt: Amos, someday you’re gonna break an ankle jumping to a conclusion.

What’s next?

Jessica must find out the truth when the ruthless owner of a periodical is murdered.