MURDER, SHE WROTE: DEATH BY DEMOGRAPHICS {SERIES FINALE} (TV)
Summary
The final episode in this murder mystery series about an unassuming Maine mystery writer turned sleuth named Jessica B. Fletcher who uses her professional insight to help solve real-life homicide cases.
In this episode, erudite radio host Howard Deems sadly prepares for the cancellation of his classical/opera music program, while elsewhere his obnoxious young replacement, T.T. Baines, is shocked when someone shoots at him, though misses. Howard's chat with Jessica is interrupted by Lieutenant Evans, who questions him about the shooting; Jessica firmly defends her friend, despite the fact that Howard owns a rifle and is a well-known sharpshooter. At the same time, station owner Graham Forbes tells his son Bud that Russ Connell, T.T.'s friend and business partner, is now Bud's new co-vice-president. Employee Dave is upset when his co-worker Colleen appears to steal an account from him; Russ begins to get an idea when he witnesses Howard's argument with "cultural sinkhole" T.T. Russ, then corners Annie and blackmails her over her knowledge of Dave's embezzling. Howard is outraged when Russ suggests that he and T.T. appear on the air together, particularly when Graham points out that he is still under contract to the station.
Bud confronts Russ about the changes to the station, guessing that he, Graham and Graham's much-younger girlfriend Lauren are conspiring together, though Russ suggests that Bud is merely jealous of father's attractive lover. Jessica continues trying to clear Howard's name as he presents his final broadcast. Annie tells Dave about the blackmail, concluding that they must tell Graham the truth. Lauren and Russ are revealed to be con artists as Russ orders her to dump Graham, as she has done with several other radio station owners. Lauren protests that she has developed genuine feelings for him. Everyone – apart from Howard – is pleased with T.T. and Howard's culture-clash banter on their first show together. As T.T. expresses skepticism over Lauren's feelings for Graham, Jessica questions Colleen about the shooting, wondering if she arranged a pretend "attempted murder" as publicity for their new radio host.
Later, Russ is fatally stabbed with a fireplace poker in what seems to be a staged robbery, and Howard is again the main suspect. Distressed, Howard tells Graham that he cannot continue with the new show. Jessica questions T.T. about his partnership with Russ. Evans interrogates Colleen, revealing that she was about to be fired before Russ' death, though Bud promises to protect her job in exchange for loyalty. Jessica figures out that Russ was blackmailing Dave and forced him to stage the fake shooting. She implores him to admit the truth to clear Howard's name. Later, however, Lt. Evans arrests Howard, and Jessica determines that the only significant item missing from Russ' home was a class ring. Dave confesses his theft and is shocked when Graham waves it away as "an overdue bonus." Jessica confronts Lauren about her secret partnership with Russ, as revealed by the engraving on her own class ring. Lauren admits that Russ strong-armed her into various con jobs and tried to ruin her relationship with Graham, but swears that she did not kill him. Jessica then barges into T.T.'s studio and announces on the air that Lauren is the killer. T.T. is forced to confess that he actually murdered his own best friend and stole the telltale ring out of a desire to protect Lauren from Russ' schemes. Later, Howard is overjoyed when his show is reinstated, though he admits to Jessica that he has grown fond of some of T.T.'s modern "non-music." Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:46:04
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 120570
- GENRE: Drama, mystery/suspense
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, mystery/suspense; Radio broadcasting; Music; Murder
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1984-1996
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Angela Lansbury … Executive Producer
- David Shaw … Co-Executive Producer
- Al Kraus … Coordinating Producer
- Bruce Lansbury … Supervising Producer
- Mark A. Burley … Supervising Producer
- Tom Sawyer … Producer
- Laurence Heath … Co-Producer
- Todd London … Co-Producer
- Jerry Ludwig … Co-Producer
- Peter S. Fischer … Created by
- Richard Levinson … Created by
- William Link … Created by
- Anthony Shaw … Director
- Donald Ross … Writer
- Jeff Sturges … Music by
- John Addison … Theme Music by
- Angela Lansbury … Cast, Jessica Fletcher
- James Acheson … Cast, Russ Connell
- Seth Jaffe … Cast, Lt. Evans
- David Ogden Stiers … Cast, Howard Deems
- Christian Bocher … Cast, T.T. Baines
- Diana Canova … Cast, Annie Lawson
- Robert Curtis-Brown … Cast, Bud Forbes
- Paul Linke … Cast, Eddie Mapp
- Robert Pine … Cast, Graham Forbes
- Robin Riker … Cast, Colleen Sellers
- Kenneth Tigar … Cast, Dave Pittman
- Lucinda Weist … Cast, Lauren