Episode 21: Terry's Terrible Necklace

It's a family affair TONIGHT ON MURDER, SHE WROTE. Acclaimed but total douche Johnny Shannon (Ed Ames) is found dead, and the suspects are mostly all related to him: the sultry ex-wife (Piper Laurie), the sensitive son (Joseph Bottoms), and the promiscuous daughter (Linda Purl) all make good cases as they are used and abused. Instead, let's also consider the help: the devoted but goofy guy Friday (Joey Bishop), the hothead goon who doubles as a chauffeur (Jack O'Halloran), or maybe it's the thorn in Johnny's side in the form of opportunist tennis lothario (Joseph Cali). Is that everyone? Oh, there's a mob connection. So, well, good odds for that one. Friend to the wife and always intuitive mystery writer Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) assists the detective of the week (Ken Howard) in narrowing it down to the most likely scenario that led to the MURDER AT THE OASIS. It's a sexy time in the desert, complete with bad fashion, misdirection, strategically angled security cameras, warm milk, missing pictures, and fully clothed pool action. Will Jessica act in time to save the day? Probably! But it might surprise you how, in this delicious slice of familial dysfunction that still has a nice bounce to it.