Hello, and welcome to the fourth and final installment of the episode guide for “Hit, Run and Homicide.”
- Part 1 includes the setting, characters, and context of the episode.
- Part 2 is a detailed timeline of the episode’s events.
- Part 3 is my analysis of the episode.
- This is Part 4, a collection of fun extras that I like to call Bonus Features.
Bonus Features!
Do Crimes.
Murder!
If you’re interested in Murder, She Wrote by the numbers, I recommend the MSWSW Statistical Analysis.
- Culprit: Leslie Andler (and Charles Woodley)
- Motive: Greed
- Weapon: Blunt Object
- Done Deed: Dean Merrill’s murder happens (just barely) offscreen.
- Crime Scene: A body by the side of the road, this time it’s sadly realistic.
- Discovery: At 13 minutes, or 27% through the episode
Weapons: A Digression
The MSWSW Statistical Analysis categorizes murder weapons thusly:
- Blunt Object (Bricks, stones, urns…)
- Explosive (Things that go bang, except guns)
- Gun (Guns, all varieties)
- Garrote (Lengths of wire, strings of pearls, telephone cords…)
- Pointy Object (Hat pins, knives, skewers…)
- Poison (Allergens, overdoses, toxic substances…)
- Rube Goldberg Contrivance (Absurdly complex contraptions and scenarios)
- Sabotaged Conveyance (Automobiles with the break lines cut, doped horses…)
A remote controlled auto was used to hit and kill pedestrian Dean Merrill. In this case, the car was used as a blunt object. If poor Jessica had been driven off the cliff while she was inside the car, it would have then been used as a sabotaged conveyance.
Other Crimes!
- I’m not even sure what the charges would be for intentionally sending a remote controlled car through a public park, or along a public road, but I’m going to go with multiple counts of reckless endangerment for Leslie Andler. Plus kidnapping, for taking Jessica on that wild ride.
- In that vein, in addition to murder, Charles and Leslie probably committed all kinds of lesser offenses, like lying to a police officer, conspiracy, trespass, and probably wire fraud for that phone call from Daniel’s landline.
- Speaking of wire fraud, there’s probably a case to be made against Jessica and Letitia, for snooping through Daniel’s phone records.
- Remarkably, Jessica did not trespass for an entire episode; she had Sheriff Tupper’s permission to go snooping around the old Gentry farm.
Psycho Killer
There is a theory that Jessica Fletcher is the most successful serial killer of all time. If she’s actually Dean Merrill’s murderer, she ran him down with a car, plain and simple. The remote controlled station wagon was just a red herring. Too bad Dean couldn’t run, run, run, run, run, run, run away.
Tropes, Devices, and Other Conventions
Mystery Tropes
Frame-up
This episode, an innocent person is framed for crimes they didn’t commit. This is a series first, but it won’t be the last time MSW uses this trope.
Suspicious Phone Call
While we don’t overhear any part of the phone call placed from Daniel’s home phone to Charles Woodley’s office, it’s certainly a suspicious phone call, or, at least, the shadow of one. In the final scene, Katie concludes that Leslie placed the call. We never find out for sure if the call was placed to incriminate Daniel, or just to communicate with Woodley about their dark deeds.
Plot Devices
flashback
Here at MSWSW, we aim for a thoroughness, even if it draws a tear. Technically, during Jessica’s confrontation with Leslie, there is a brief flashback to the car rental agreement, which we previously saw at the gas station. It’s honestly just salt in the wound, because it’s a second missed opportunity to show us that GD odometer, already.
There’s a second flashback during Jessica’s summation in the final scene. It shows Woodley outrunning the station wagon the day of the picnic, to emphasize how slowly the car must have been going. It’s pretty straightforward, expository stuff.
MSW Tropes
Door of Truth
As often happens on MSW, a seemingly random experience helps Jessica put it all together. This time, Jessica gains an adorable, albeit ambiguous, moment of insight while playing an arcade game with Ethan.
Infinite Jest
One of the things that makes MSW so cozy is that, sometimes, something completely absurd happens as a plot vehicle. This time, it’s the entire premise, and it’s literally a vehicle.
Bait of Falsehood
Often, our lady practices to deceive in the service of justice. This time, she doesn’t outright lie or present false evidence. She does, however, trick Leslie into thinking the station wagon controls are still in the red and gray van during the reenactment.
Smile and Smile
Jessica’s been practicing that arcade game at McIntyre’s??? LOL!
Goofy freezeframe!
Roll credits!
What She Wore
How to Wear a Scarf
Jessica wears a number of scarves this episode, here they are, in order of appearance:
If you’re interested, you can find all of Jessica’s scarves from our journey so far here.
Jessica’s Best Look
My favorite of our lady’s looks this episode is the red, white, and blue she wears to the Founders’ Day picnic. I think a belted shirt is a flattering silhouette for Angela, and this scarf is a lot of fun. Poor Lois gets lost in a sea of red check tablecloths, but Jessica stands out. She’s appropriately festive, without being eye-searing.
Best Look Overall
Best look overall goes to Katie, and her collection of statement necklaces. My favorite is the red and black one pictured here. I love it so much I feel a bit covetous.
Jessica’s Least Best Look
Before the nap dress, there were Laura Ashley, Jessica McClintock, and Gunne Sax. These flowy, uber-feminine dresses were supposed to be comfortable and pretty, but tbh, they make me feel uneasy, and possibly a little queasy.
In the first dinner party scene at Jessica’s house, both our hostess and her guest, Leslie, wear dresses inspired by the Gunne Sax/Laura Ashley trend of that time. These characters are both independent, professional women with active lifestyles, and in every other scene of this episode, their respective sartorial choices reflect that.
…Which is why I think these particular dresses stood out to me. While they are certainly very much on-trend for the time, they do not suit the characters wearing them.
No other notes for Leslie though, she looks great in her white dress. (Patti D’Arbanville would probably look fantastic in anything.)
Unfortunately, the pale pink, billowy dress that they put on Angela is not flattering. The scarf feels out of place, and initially, I felt like perhaps it was added because Angela also felt this dress wasn’t the right thing.
And then, I found this:
There it is, legal precedent for the neckerchief and nightgown look. Case dismissed?
But why then do I still feel so ill at ease about these really comfy dresses?
Wait.
What’s that in the upper righthand corner?
What message is Jessica McClintock sending us?
Without telling me, he told me.
Gunne Sax by Jessica McClintock
He loves the way I look when I look this way.
Ugh. No. Nope. No thank you to this post-feminism backlash BS. Wear what you want, but please dress for yourself, and not for an unarticulated male gaze.
Full disclosure, I never had a Gunne Sax dress; not by choice, exactly.
I was still in my Polly Flinders era.
Least Best Look
Least best look goes to Tony, and his troubling pattern of conspicuous deshabille.
Within the context of an episode of Murder, She Wrote, Tony’s inability to keep his shirt buttoned isn’t sexy, just louche and a little bit desperate.
Interior Motives
This episode’s award for most distinctive interior goes to Daniel’s made for TV workshop.
The Rest of the Story
The writers put a great big bow of a happy ending on this one for us. I haven’t really discussed it, mainly because I don’t care. I don’t feel invested in Daniel and Katie. They are too thoroughly nice and guileless to be interesting. However, their happily ever after happens in Jessica’s dining room, and I’ve included shots from that scene in my overview of our lady’s iconic home.
Tony turns out to be an easy come, easy go kind of guy. After the initial shock of Leslie’s duplicity wears off, he quickly bounces back.
Neither Jessica nor Ethan wins the Spy Hunter tournament at McIntyre’s. Lois Hoey unexpectedly routs the entire field.
Extra Credit
In a small town, locals severally glimpse a mysteriously conveyed vehicle. Its ultimate purpose is to circumvent the complexities of an estate plan.
Polly Flinders makes a cameo.
For a good read that bears a passing resemblance to this episode, I recommend Dorothy Sayers’ short story The Undignified Melodrama of the Bone of Contention.
Murder, She Wrote, She Wrote 