Murder in the Electric Cathedral

When the story begins, Jessica is visiting an old friend (Mildred Natwick). Now you KNOW this means someone is about to die...and it turns out to be this friend. But this rich friend is clear to Jessica before her murder...she wants a famous televangelist to get the money for his ministry. So, Jessica spends the episode digging to determine who used cyanide on this dear old lady.

Despite being about a televangelist, the episode does NOT portray him (Steve Forrest) as a total sleazebag hypocrite. I appreciated that, as it would have been too easy to go that way. The same with the dead woman's family...they weren't exactly stereotypes. Overall, not a bad episode at all...and the only thing I hated was Barbi Benton's godawful wig. She was such a lovely lady....and the wig made her look clownish.

This episode features one of the last appearances by stage, screen and television star Mildred Natwick, in her delightful performance as Carrie McKittrick.

In its back story, Carrie had served as a schoolteacher, who encouraged Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) to teach and to write. Carrie had gone on to settle in Oklahoma, to marry widowed farmer Wendall McKittrick, who struck oil on his land, to incur wealth. Wendall's son, Carrie's stepson, Harvey McKittrick (Richard Herd) continues in the oil business some fifteen years after Wendall's passing. Carries hasn't seen Jessica in more than thirty years by now, but they continued to correspond, and Carrie has told her that if she ever crosses through Oklahoma, to stop by for a pleasant visit.

Upon Jessica's stopover to Cherokee Flats, Oklahoma, in the Tulsa region, Carrie informs her that she has met "the most wonderful man," a local televangelist who ministers to the masses through his Church of the Electric Cathedral.

Reverend Willie John Fargo (Steve Forrest), along with his wife, Sister Ruth Fargo (Judy Geeson), and his business manager/brother Earl Fargo (Frank Bonner) has created an empire, consisting of television studio, hospital, soup kitchen and three clinics on a nearby reservation. And now Carrie has named Willie John in her will as sole beneficiary to her estate.

Carrie's stepson, Harvey, and grandson, Sam McKittrick (Art Hindle) adamantly oppose Carrie's bequeathing her fortune to Willie John Fargo. Sam's wife, Alice McKittrick (Jeannie Wilson) befriends Jessica, confiding Sam's cruelty toward her.

Dr. Mark Brady (Jack Bannon) operates the hospital on the grounds of the Electric Cathedral, with capable Nurse Sue Beth (Barbi Benton) near at hand.

And after the night of a "Murder in the Electric Cathedral," District Attorney Fred Whittaker (Dick Van Patten) welcomes Jessica's assistance to investigate clues in the absence of his police force, and in the presence of the mounting feud between McKittrick oil interests and the Electric Cathedral ministry, often battled in hospital corridors.

Rounding out the guest cast, the character of Maid Ethel O'Neil (Belinda Beatty) witnesses one of the will documents, and secretary at the D.A.'s office, Tammy Lee (Jill Hill), provides information leading to additional clues.

"Murder in the Electric Cathedral" earns points for convincing acting, meticulous directing, well-scripted dialogue, sharp fashion and beautiful segue music.

Jessica takes advantage of her time in Oklahoma to pay a visit to her old friend Carrie McKittrick. Before the pair can chat at great length Carrie's Stepson and Grandson burst in, berating her for changing her will, leaving her vast fortune to Rev. Willie John Fargo, head of the Electrical Cathedral. During the argument, Carries suffers a heart attack, and gets taken to the Church attached to the Electrical Cathedral. Soon after arriving, a body is found.

I must admit all I could think about watching this was what an appalling selection of wigs, so it made me laugh to read the other comments.

It's a pretty good mystery, a clever enough plot, though the involvement of the Electrical Cathedral movement, was I thought a little bit tacky.

The innocence of the show is never more apparent then here, to see Jessica picking the syringe up at the crime scene and pop it into her bag is quite amusing, not bothered by her great friends death at all, but a twinkle in the eye knowing there's a murder to solve.

Well acted, Mildred Natwick is particularly good, had a real sense of quality about her acting.

Pretty average in a strong series, definitely better then the poor Powder Keg, it's a solid watch, 7/10

Jessica must find the murderer of her close friend whose will is in contention between family and a popular evangelist. The evangelist is played by Steve Forrest, who is in full Elmer Gantry mode ( well sort of), and he steals every scene he is in. Actually he's the anchor in this above average mystery. Of course, Jessica Fletcher does what she does best - get to the bottom of the mystery. The rest of the cast is great - and I love the wigs. They're so cool.

An above average episode of MSW, with an occasionally over-wrought plot, but well put together, and a nice appearance from Mildred Natwick. What makes this remarkable, however, is not the plot or the acting, it's the wigs.

Jack Bannon, Richard Herd and Dick Van Patten sport amazingly obvious cheap hairpieces. This goes on all the time, of course, but in this particular episode it's very distracting. In one scene, Jack, Dick and Richard are arguing and decide to take the row elsewhere. The viewer just hopes it isn't the car park, because at the first scent of a high wind it's going to get like The Trouble With Tribbles out there. Steve Forrest looks like he's augmented as well, but this could just be a an extension put on to help his characterisation as a florid tele-evangalist.

I don't think any of that counts as spoilers. More a warning.

Over all scores: Episode: 7/10; rugs 2/10.