Murder, She Wrote SE01 EP02 - "Birds of a Feather"

Prior to writing the episode summary, I wanted to let my readers know that while in the past I've written rather extensive plots, I'll be changing my format, writing only more skeleton outlines, which will both helpful in cutting down time it takes to write each review and lead to quicker updates for shows.

If you'd prefer me change back to my older style, please let me know. I will say that the more important part to me has always been the review at the end, character analysis, that type of stuff, as opposed to an overly detailed plot, but I am open to other views.


Episode Name: Birds of a Feather
Original Airdate: October 14, 1984

Jessica Fletcher is in San Francisco for the marriage of her niece Victoria to her fiancée Howard. But Howard's keeping something from Victoria, and it turns out to be a job at a high-class drag club (as opposed to an insurance agency, which is what he told her), which she and Jessica find out. Alas, just as they find out, he's accused of murdering the owner of the club, Al Drake.

Howard being (get ready for it) dragged away

Neither Jessica nor Victoria believe he committed the crime, but the San Francisco Police Department believe they have their man. She holds extensive conversations with various suspects, including:

1) Al Drake's wife

2) Michael Dupont, his wife's secret lover

3) Freddy York, an entertainer signed onto a long-term contract with Drake

4) Bill Patterson, York's talent agent

Meanwhile, Howard is freed after it was proven he didn't fire the gun after persistent prodding of Jessica. The clues come together at the end, and after Jessica proves to Detective Floyd Novack that his time of death for Drake is incorrect, the real culprit turns out to be York, who wanted just to get out of his contract and take bigger money in Las Vegas.

York and his agent, Patterson

Howard and Victoria marry, and more good news follows - an acting job in a soap opera opens up, and Howard is able to leave the insurance agency and take the job, in hopes his acting career can finally take off.

While this episode was a pretty decent one, I felt it was lacking the pazazz that the former episodes possessed, possibly because this took place in San Francisco as opposed to the small town of Cabot Cove. This is not to say the mystery wasn't good, or that the characters weren't interesting (though on Gabe Kaplan's acting, who played York, I'm sort of torn). In face, York's confession at the end is even pretty moving for what it was.

That all said, this episode was lacking, I felt. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't up to the standards I'd have expected from the pilot and first episodes. One thing that threw me for a loop was the fact that at this time, Jessica has written six paperback novels and sold the rights to one movie, which, if you recall, is a far cry from the pilot in which her first book was published. Time knows no bounds in this series, it seems.

I have no idea if we should expect to see Howard and Victoria again, but hopefully we do, just to keep some continuity in Jessica's extended family.

Not a bad episode by any means, but alas, nothing special.

Rating: Average

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