Birds of a Feather - Jessica Fletcher Saves a Man in Drag

Season One, Episode Three
Aired: October 14th, 1984
Rating:

Synopsis:

Jessica heads to San Francisco for the wedding of her niece, Victoria Brandon, only to learn that Victoria is having second thoughts because she suspects that her fiancé, Howard, is having an affair. Although Jessica and Victoria are relieved to learn that Howard isn't cheating but rather dressing up as a woman to perform at a nightclub, Les Champignons, the relief is short lived when Howard is arrested for murdering his boss, Al Drake, who had been refusing to pay him. The police are convinced that Drake was shot during Freddy York's act, which doesn't leave a lot of time, but Jessica is determined to prove Howard's innocence.
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Impressions:

Spike: What a zany, delightful episode. Don't you agree?

Ginger: I loved it! It was amazing. It was funny, exciting, thrilling. Just cool. It was just really cool.

Spike: This was the type of episode that made me love "Murder, She Wrote". Great dialog, outlandish characters… I especially enjoyed the relationship between Jessica Fletcher and the police detective.

Ginger: My favorite part was when she knocked on his apartment door, and his expression was really funny.

Spike: Did you think this episode had a good murder?

Ginger: Yes, yes, yes!

Spike: Definitely. I don't think the murder was especially creative, but watching Jessica figure out how it was done was entertaining. How about the killer? Easy to spot, or did you have to wait until the end?

Ginger: I had to wait until the end. I had lots of suspects, but I couldn't pinpoint them.

Spike: Everybody had a believable motive to kill the victim, so the show kept us guessing. This episode had a good ending, too, don't you think? I especially liked that you could follow along if you were paying attention and connect the dots when Jessica did.

Ginger: All the people I guessed weren't guilty. The person that I never would have guessed was.

Spike: Any other thoughts on this episode?

Ginger: Jessica's soon to be nephew doesn't look good in pink.



Actors spotted: Ginger spotted the guy who played Gepetto in Pinocchio, but Spike remembers him from Space 1999. Spike also remembers Jessica's nephew-in-law as the guy from A-Team and Babylon 5.