SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 48 Min.
Appropriately televised on NBC on October 31, 1987, this Dennis Dugan-directed installment conjures up some chilling plot twists reminiscent of Agatha Christie. Wealthy businessman George Edelton is assassinated in the family’s corporate office, just like his murdered father the year before. Yet, could the killer be the father’s ghost?
With two unsolved murders implicating the Edelton family, L.A. police detectives, Sgts. Rick Hunter & Dee Dee McCall, interrogate the remaining Edeltons and their two servants at the family’s remote Bald Mountain mansion. A blizzard traps everyone together for at least two days, as a disguised serial killer pursues a personal vendetta.
Sgt. Rick Hunter: Fred Dryer
Sgt. Dee Dee McCall: Stepfanie Kramer
John Edelton: Dann Florek
David Edelton: John O’Connell
Capt. Charlie Devane: Charles Hallahan
Michael Edelton: Richard Kline
Sylvia Brand: Tricia O’Neil
Clara: Mary Jackson
Carl Brand: Frank Ashmore
Bert: Parley Baer
Elaine Farmer: Carolyn Ann Clark
George Edelton: Robert Frank Telfer
REVIEW:
As a conventional “And Then There Were None”-style whodunnit, this episode is solid, in spite of some broad hints re: the culprit. Even if its clichéd mystery moments (i.e. a spooky eye spying through a wall’s hidden hole) aren’t too scary, there’s still sufficient suspense. Hunter & McCall’s platonic banter makes for some great fun, especially as they trade off on who’s more creeped out by the sniping Edelton clan. Packed with reliable guest stars portraying the Edeltons (i.e. they plausibly resemble siblings), Three Company’s Richard Kline steals this episode with nonchalant sarcasm.
However, the ‘logic police’ should have arrested the scriptwriters for some blatant contrivances. For instance, why would an ingenious killer, no matter how deranged, risk targeting more victims when there are already two armed cops on the premises? There isn’t any rationale as to why this culprit wouldn’t (or couldn’t) wait for a safer opportunity. For that matter, in classic whodunnit logic, even if the determined murderer succeeds in gunning down the Edeltons, wouldn’t Hunter & McCall automatically deduce their culprit by process of elimination?
Unfortunately, the script settles for Hunter & McCall’s guesswork rather than satisfactory revelations. Another ‘it only happens on TV’ gaffe occurs when the two detectives are shown all too eagerly departing/escaping the Edelton crime scene before the forensics/coroner squad even shows up to deal with the corpses.
The finish itself is a mixed bag, as one last ghoulish plot thread is resolved (sort of). Again, too much (i.e. the real motive/culprit behind the dad’s murder) is left to inference. In all fairness, the cast’s chemistry (particularly Kramer & Dryer) makes up most of the difference hiding this entertaining episode’s gaping plot holes.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6½ Stars
