Murder by Appointment Only

The Lila Lee cosmetics company is holding its annual awards ceremony. Grady is once again out of work and hoping to land a job with them, Aunt Jessica is on hand once again to help out. Lila Lee is the figurehead of the brand, demanding and pretty rude, her brother Norman, runs the company, and is engaged to one of Jessica's ex students, Elizabeth. To get reacquainted, Norman organises a dinner for himself, Jessica and Elizabeth, but when Elizabeth doesn't turn up, they visit her apartment, discovering a body on the floor.

I loved this episode, it's so cleverly written, the neat mapping of the characters is really well done. Jessica's intimate knowledge of the victim adds a different dimension, allowing her to know fully how she would have behaved. On the surface the story is shiny and glitzy, underneath it's more complex, darker. A great job was done in masking a rather sinister murder in all that glitz.

The production team did a particularly good job with this one, they created a perfectly believable brand, with fantastic uniforms and props.

Jayne Meadows is an absolute joy as Lila Lee, so wonderfully theatrical, beautifully suited to the part. That 'Cabbage Cove' line is possibly my favourite from the show.

While in New York visiting Grady, Jessica runs into an old student, Elizabeth Gordon, who has become the fiancée of Lila Lee cosmetics tycoon Norman Amberson. Strangely, Elizabeth seems distracted and unwilling to discuss her life. When she turns up dead in her room, the apparent victim of a robbery, Jessica resolves to bring her student's killer to justice.

The shady world of cosmetics gets a look in and it's suitably colourful and dramatic with some fine performances from Robert Culp. Grady is his usual clever self and is out for an accounting job for the company. There's a revealing look at the cosmetics world in the 80's - how Jessica nabs the killer is good.

Have always been quite fond of 'Murder She Wrote'. It is a fun and relaxing watch that makes you think as you try to unwind in the evening. If one wants more complex, twisty mysteries with lots of tension and suspense 'Murder She Wrote' may not be for you, but if you want something light-hearted and entertaining but still provide good mysteries 'Murder She Wrote' fits the bill just fine.

"Murder by Appointment Only" is another very nicely done episode of Season 2, if not quite one of my favourites of the season like "Murder in the Afternoon", "Jessica Behind Bars", "Sticks and Stones" (as far as previous episodes go). Of Season 2 up to this point, the only ones that don't quite do it for me are "Joshua Peabody Died Here...Possibly" and "Dead Heat".

Grady has never been one of my favourite recurring characters on 'Murder She Wrote', and that's putting it lightly (give me Michael Haggerty, Harry McGraw and even Dennis Stanton regardless of what people say about his bookend episodes any day). My opinion still hasn't changed, granted he is less annoying than usual and isn't so pointless but one doesn't really care for his subplot here and he and Michael Horton's acting are still as bland as dish-water.

Other than that, there is not much really to complain about "Murder By Appointment Only". The production values as ever are high, with some quite striking scenery and everything being very nicely shot. The music has energy and has presence but also not making the mistake of over-scoring, while it is hard to forget or resist the theme tune.

The writing is tight, thought-provoking and typically amiable, while the story is fun and suitably complicated without being convoluted. The ending is a nice mild surprise and beautifully acted.

Angela Lansbury is terrific as to be expected, and Jayne Meadows especially is a joy out of the solid supporting cast (one where the only sore spot is Horton). Robert Culp is a very strong presence as well.

In conclusion, well done episode. 8/10 Bethany Cox.

Jessica Fletcher visits her nephew Grady Fletcher at a Lila Lee Cosmetics Convention in New York.

He is hoping to get a job in accounting arranged by old college buddy Todd Amberson (Leigh McCloskey.) His aunt Lila Lee Amberson founded the cosmetics company and managed by his father Norman Amberson (Robert Culp.)

There is a bit of a scandal as Norman is involved with a younger and attractive Elizabeth Gordon (Ann Dusenberry.) She is widely regarded as a golddigger and is engaged to marry Norman.

Lila Lee even offers her money to get out of Norman's life.

When Elizabeth is found dead. Jessica Fletcher investigates as she once taught her at Cabot Cove.

There were a lot of juicy characters such as the secretary with a romantic eye on Norman. I felt the eventual resolution was flat, more interested in a certain colour of lipstick.

Todd Amberson (Leigh McCloskey) invites his old college buddy Grady Fletcher (Michael Horton) to apply for an accounting position with the cosmetics company owned by Todd's Aunt Lila Lee Amberson (Jayne Meadows) and operated by Todd's father, Norman Amberson (Robert Culp).

Lila Lee Cosmetics Convention is being held this week, at Castleton Hotel in New York City, while Grady's Aunt Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) visits him and is not only welcomed to the convention, but encouraged by the perpetually-lavender-clad-from-pillbox-hat-to-hem-line Lila Lee herself, for Jessica to become a cosmetics consultant and vendor, and handed a lavender sales kit At the convention, Jessica observes an altercation between a Photographer (Robert Stoneman) and the management, Lila Lee confiscating a tube of the discontinues Tangerine Twist lipstick #9854321 from his person.

Norman's Administrative Assistant, Glenda Vandevere (Millie Perkins), is handed the task of setting up an appointment for Norman to interview Grady, which becomes continually postponed. While Glenda receives high marks for her effectiveness with her responsibilities, she is reprimanded by Lila Lee for Glenda's attempting to capture Norman's eye to attempt to fulfill her unrequited romantic notions.

Lila Lee and Todd each objects to Norman's involvement with his new fiancée, Elizabeth Gordon (Ann Dusenberry), soon after Todd's mother passes. While Norman and Todd exchange words, Lila Lee attempts to hand Elizabeth $50,000 to disappear from Norman's life.

Elizabeth has a past of her own. She had been employed by Fiona Keeler (Christine Belford) in a risqué business venture. Elizabeth had also gone steady with theatre actor Roger Adiano (Robert Desiderio). And long before either association, Elizabeth had been an exceptional pupil in the twelfth grade English course instructed by Mrs. Fletcher, back in Cabot Cove.

(Often, any former pupil will recall Jessica as "Freshman English teacher," but in this case, Mrs. Fletcher taught "Senior English.") But because of her in-between past after leaving Cabot Cove and before her engagement to Norman, Elizabeth tries to avoid reuniting with Jessica, but encounters her in the hotel lobby for a pleasant reminiscence.

Later that evening, when one member of their dinner party doesn't show at the restaurant, Jessica and her host check in at the apartment to discover it ransacked and a portrait defaced, while the body lies in the bedroom, a victim of strangulation.

Lieutenant Varick (Herb Edelman) enters the case, accepting Jessica's assistance in her capacity as an untrained investigator, who generally out-shows the professionals, by piecing together minute clues, which she uncovers through witnessing and discussing details.

The cast is rounded out by Actress #1 (Catherine Battistone) and Actress #2 (Cathy McAuley) in the dressing room at a theatre on Fourth Street, and Mr. Hillsdale (Fred Ponzlov), the chemist who invented Tangerine Twist lipstick ##9854321.

Whether or not Grady gets the accounting job remains to be seen for now is not the time for Lila Lee Cosmetics to schedule interviews, but "Murder By Appointment Only."