Season Eight begins with the introduction of Jessica's leasing a NYC apartment upon accepting a position of Criminology Instructor at Manhattan University, as well as the debut of David Moessinger as series interim Executive Producer for this year's 22 episodes, for which he also writes two scripts, including this one, thus giving him the distinction of becoming the only "MSW" Executive Producer/Screenwriter.
This begins in Cabot Cove, where a dozen or so friends and neighbors, including Eve Simpson (Julie Adams), Doctor Seth Hazlitt (William Windom), and Man at Party (David Schall), spring a surprise "bon voyage" celebration for a surprised Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury), who reminds them of her plans to average three days per week in NYC, dividing the remainder of her time with Cabot Cove and her book tour travels.
As painters prepare apartment 4B at Penfield House for Jessica's arrival, sinister activity interrupts their work, as the former tenant, involved in an international diamond smuggling operation, is murdered by firearms in the basement parking garage.
NYPD Law Enforcement Officers, Lieutenant Jack Boyle (Eugene Roche) and Sergeant Nick Acosta (Jay Acovone) arrive on the scene before does Jessica, to search every corner of the apartment, as 4C neighbor, Rose Tessler (Liz Sheridan), scrutinizes activity through the open door of her residence, across the hallway.
Ahmed Shankar (Andrew Brye) debuts in his recurring role as Penfield House Doorman and also witnesses events of the day, which links the crime to Freelander and Freelander Import/Export business, operated by Harry Freelander (John Considine) and Mike Freelander (Alan Feinstein).
Estelle Freelander (Rosemary Forsyth) visits 4B in disturbed fashion and is surprised to find Jessica, to whom she confides that her husband (Mike) has been living with his secretary, Sharon Kingsley (Rebeccah Bush).
Scott Freelander (Scott McGinnis), meanwhile, bitterly opposes his father's (Harry) direction for the business, as both he and Sharon maintain that the operation does not include jewelry exporting, or at least until Sharon gives notice and vacates her position.
But Ahmed has seen Sharon's running across the street into Caravan Book Store immediately before the body was discovered in the garage, while a detective was spying on Sharon and Mike from a parked automobile. Sharon explains to Jessica that she slipped through the rear of the Book Store to signal a taxicab from the alley.
To her surprise, Seth arrives at Jessica's to protect her from assault, as Rose watches on, especially the next morning, when Seth is stranded inside the hallway, wearing his pajamas. When Rose discovers that Seth is a medical doctor, she raises her opinion of him and confides her account of the day of the murder.
Jessica's curiosity to solve the case takes her to Freelander and Freelander, in the presence of Lieutenant Boyle and Sergeant Acosta, as she presents a set of invoices, which she discovers in the shower rod, before Seth discovers a large diamond in the drain pipe, as he fiddles with her kitchen plumbing.
But when Jessica returns to Freelander and Freelander, to discover it closed, but with activity within, she sneaks into the delivery entrance, to witness another murder, as the perpetrator knocks her to the side upon fleeing into the alley.
Once she connects the clues provided by nearly every survivor involved with the case, Jessica then sets a plan into motion to trap the killer in the double homicide, which more than threatens to "Bite the Big Apple."
The cast is rounded out by Claire Paradis as Waitress, Alexander Folk as Painter, Darrell Harris as Detective, and Michael Scott Martin as (Voice of Dispatcher).
This episode represents the first acting credit by Andrew Brye, the only acting credit to date by Michael Scott Martin, and the most recent acting credit to date by Claire Paradis.
This also marks the second of two "MSW" guest roles each for Rosemary Forsyth and Alan Feinstein, the second of three for Jay Acovone, the third of three for John Considine, the first of four for Andrew Brye, in his role as valet Ahmed Shankar, the fourth of four for Eugene Roche, the sixth of seven for Alexander Folk, and the sixth of ten for Julie Adams in her role as Eve Simpson.
Eugene Roche, acting in film and on television since 1961, David Schall, acting since 1987, have unfortunately since passed, David at the young age of 52.
This begins in Cabot Cove, where a dozen or so friends and neighbors, including Eve Simpson (Julie Adams), Doctor Seth Hazlitt (William Windom), and Man at Party (David Schall), spring a surprise "bon voyage" celebration for a surprised Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury), who reminds them of her plans to average three days per week in NYC, dividing the remainder of her time with Cabot Cove and her book tour travels.
As painters prepare apartment 4B at Penfield House for Jessica's arrival, sinister activity interrupts their work, as the former tenant, involved in an international diamond smuggling operation, is murdered by firearms in the basement parking garage.
NYPD Law Enforcement Officers, Lieutenant Jack Boyle (Eugene Roche) and Sergeant Nick Acosta (Jay Acovone) arrive on the scene before does Jessica, to search every corner of the apartment, as 4C neighbor, Rose Tessler (Liz Sheridan), scrutinizes activity through the open door of her residence, across the hallway.
Ahmed Shankar (Andrew Brye) debuts in his recurring role as Penfield House Doorman and also witnesses events of the day, which links the crime to Freelander and Freelander Import/Export business, operated by Harry Freelander (John Considine) and Mike Freelander (Alan Feinstein).
Estelle Freelander (Rosemary Forsyth) visits 4B in disturbed fashion and is surprised to find Jessica, to whom she confides that her husband (Mike) has been living with his secretary, Sharon Kingsley (Rebeccah Bush).
Scott Freelander (Scott McGinnis), meanwhile, bitterly opposes his father's (Harry) direction for the business, as both he and Sharon maintain that the operation does not include jewelry exporting, or at least until Sharon gives notice and vacates her position.
But Ahmed has seen Sharon's running across the street into Caravan Book Store immediately before the body was discovered in the garage, while a detective was spying on Sharon and Mike from a parked automobile. Sharon explains to Jessica that she slipped through the rear of the Book Store to signal a taxicab from the alley.
To her surprise, Seth arrives at Jessica's to protect her from assault, as Rose watches on, especially the next morning, when Seth is stranded inside the hallway, wearing his pajamas. When Rose discovers that Seth is a medical doctor, she raises her opinion of him and confides her account of the day of the murder.
Jessica's curiosity to solve the case takes her to Freelander and Freelander, in the presence of Lieutenant Boyle and Sergeant Acosta, as she presents a set of invoices, which she discovers in the shower rod, before Seth discovers a large diamond in the drain pipe, as he fiddles with her kitchen plumbing.
But when Jessica returns to Freelander and Freelander, to discover it closed, but with activity within, she sneaks into the delivery entrance, to witness another murder, as the perpetrator knocks her to the side upon fleeing into the alley.
Once she connects the clues provided by nearly every survivor involved with the case, Jessica then sets a plan into motion to trap the killer in the double homicide, which more than threatens to "Bite the Big Apple."
The cast is rounded out by Claire Paradis as Waitress, Alexander Folk as Painter, Darrell Harris as Detective, and Michael Scott Martin as (Voice of Dispatcher).
This episode represents the first acting credit by Andrew Brye, the only acting credit to date by Michael Scott Martin, and the most recent acting credit to date by Claire Paradis.
This also marks the second of two "MSW" guest roles each for Rosemary Forsyth and Alan Feinstein, the second of three for Jay Acovone, the third of three for John Considine, the first of four for Andrew Brye, in his role as valet Ahmed Shankar, the fourth of four for Eugene Roche, the sixth of seven for Alexander Folk, and the sixth of ten for Julie Adams in her role as Eve Simpson.
Eugene Roche, acting in film and on television since 1961, David Schall, acting since 1987, have unfortunately since passed, David at the young age of 52.
