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Harbinger of Death

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"Harbinger of Death" is the thirteenth episode of the fourth season of Murder, She Wrote and its 79th episode overall. It aired on January 24, 1988.

Summary[]

Jessica visits her niece Carrie Palmer's husband Leonard Palmer, who actually forgot his own anniversary date, being an obsessively comets-devoted astronomy researcher at the Astro-Physics Institute where director Russell Armstrong and high-profile, high-maintenance careerist scientist Dr. Thor Lindquist who insists they attend the reception they hold to land a Defense contract Leonard disapproves of. That night Leonard is seen rushing out without signing out or closing up his computer-programmed telescope, which is manually pointed at a 30-mile-away vacation house owned by Armstrong, focused at the corpse of Drake Eaton. The house was lent to Carrie Palmer, who admits she had an affair with Drake. Jessica agrees to ghostwrite a book for investigating police sergeant Kettler to get access to all the data, while Leonard is fired to avoid image damage. Conflicting statements from Leonard and Carrie make them the obvious suspects, yet Jessica suddenly concentrates on the programming of the telescope.

Starring[]

Regular cast[]

Guest stars[]

Trivia[]

  • Jessica's niece Carrie and her husband, Leonard Palmer, are introduced.
  • Dr. Palmer sees something at a house 33 miles away through his observatory's astronomical telescope. No telescope that large could focus on something that close.
  • The title of the episode refers to the ancient superstition Jessica relates that comets appear when something terrible is about to happen. The term “disaster” comes from the Greek words “dis” and “aster,” or “evil star.”
  • This is the second time Karen Grassle, of Little House on the Prairie (1974) fame, has been cast. She appeared as Christine Stoneham in Murder, She Wrote: Murder in a Minor Key (1987).
  • This is the second time Dean Jones has been cast. He appeared as Marcus Boswell in Murder, She Wrote: It's a Dog's Life (1984).
  • This is the second time Marcia Rodd has been cast. She last appeared as the victim in Murder, She Wrote: Keep the Home Fries Burning (1986) .
  • This is the third time George DiCenzo has been cast. He also appeared as victims in Murder, She Wrote: We're Off to Kill the Wizard (1984) and Murder, She Wrote: The Perfect Foil (1986)

Gallery[]

Home media releases[]

Item Region Release date
Murder, She Wrote: The Complete Fourth Season Region 1 October 17, 2006
Murder, She Wrote: Season 4 Region 2 March 26, 2007
Murder, She Wrote: The Complete 4th Season Region 4 September 5, 2007
Murder, She Wrote: Seasons 1 - 5 Region 2 October 22, 2007

External links[]

Murder, She Wrote Episodes
Season 1
The Murder of Sherlock Holmes • Deadly Lady • Birds of a Feather • Hooray for Homicide • It's a Dog's Life • Lovers and Other Killers • Hit, Run and Homicide • We're Off to Kill the Wizard • Death Takes a Curtain Call • Death Casts a Spell • Capitol Offense • Broadway Malady • Murder to a Jazz Beat • My Johnny Lies Over the Ocean • Paint Me a Murder • Tough Guys Don't Die • Sudden Death • Footnote to Murder • Murder Takes the Bus • Armed Response • Murder at the Oasis • Funeral at Fifty-Mile
Season 2
Widow, Weep for Me • Joshua Peabody Died Here... Possibly • Murder in the Afternoon • School for Scandal • Sing a Song of Murder • Reflections of the Mind • A Lady in the Lake • Dead Heat • Jessica Behind Bars • Sticks and Stones • Murder Digs Deep • Murder by Appointment Only • Trial by Error • Keep the Home Fries Burning • Powder Keg • Murder in the Electric Cathedral • One Good Bid Deserves a Murder • If a Body Meet a Body • Christopher Bundy - Died on Sunday • Menace, Anyone? • The Perfect Foil • If the Frame Fits
Season 3
Death Stalks the Big Top: Part 1 • Death Stalks the Big Top: Part 2 • Unfinished Business • One White Rose for Death • Corned Beef and Carnage • Dead Man's Gold • Deadline for Murder • Novel Connection • Magnum on Ice • Obituary for a Dead Anchor • Stage Struck • Night of the Headless Horseman • The Corpse Flew First Class • Crossed Up • Murder in a Minor Key • The Bottom Line is Murder • Death Takes a Dive • Simon Says, Color Me Dead • No Laughing Murder • No Accounting for Murder • The Cemetery Vote • The Days Dwindle Down • Murder, She Spoke
Season 4
A Fashionable Way to Die • When Thieves Fall Out • Witness for the Defense • Old Habits Die Hard • The Way to Dusty Death • It Runs in the Family • If It's Thursday, It Must Be Beverly • Steal Me a Story • Trouble in Eden • Indian Giver • Doom with a View • Who Threw the Barbitals in Mrs. Fletcher's Chowder? • Harbinger of Death • Curse of the Daanav • Mourning Among the Wisterias • Murder Through the Looking Glass • A Very Good Year for Murder • Benedict Arnold Slipped Here • Just Another Fish Story • Showdown in Saskatchewan • Deadpan • The Body Politic
Season 5
J.B. as in Jailbird • A Little Night Work • Mr. Penroy's Vacation • Snow White, Blood Red • Coal Miner's Slaughter • Wearing of the Green • The Last Flight of the Dixie Damsel • Prediction: Murder • Something Borrowed, Someone Blue • Weave a Tangled Web • The Search for Peter Kerry • Smooth Operators • Fire Burn, Cauldron Bubble • From Russia... with Blood • Alma Murder • Truck Stop • The Sins of Castle Cove • Trevor Hudson's Legacy • Double Exposure • Three Strikes, You're Out • Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall: Part 1 • Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall: Part 2
Season 6
Appointment in Athens • Seal of the Confessional • The Grand Old Lady • The Error of Her Ways • Jack and Bill • Dead Letter • Night of the Tarantula • When the Fat Lady Sings • Test of Wills • Class Act • Town Father • Good-Bye Charlie • If the Shoe Fits • How to Make a Killing Without Really Trying • The Fixer-Upper • The Big Show of 1965 • Murder - According to Maggie • O'Malley's Luck • Always a Thief • Shear Madness • The Szechuan Dragon • The Sicilian Encounter
Season 7
Trials and Tribulations • Deadly Misunderstanding • See You in Court, Baby • Hannigan's Wake • The Family Jewels • A Body to Die For • The Return of Preston Giles • The Great Twain Robbery • Ballad for a Blue Lady • Murder in F Sharp • Family Doctor • Suspicion of Murder • Moving Violation • Who Killed J.B. Fletcher? • The Taxman Cometh • From the Horse's Mouth • The Prodigal Father • Where Have You Gone, Billy Boy? • Thursday's Child • Murder, Plain and Simple • Tainted Lady • The Skinny According to Nick Cullhane
Season 8
Bite the Big Apple • Night Fears • Unauthorized Obituary • Thicker Than Water • Lines of Excellence • Judge Not • Terminal Connection • A Killing in Vegas • The Committee • The List of Yuri Lermentov • Danse Diabolique • The Witch's Curse • Incident in Lot 7 • The Monte Carlo Murders • Tinker, Tailor, Liar, Thief • Ever After • To the End Will I Grapple With Thee • Programmed for Murder • Day of the Dead • Angel of Death • Badge of Honor • Murder On Madison Avenue
Season 9
Murder in Milan • Family Secrets • The Mole • The Wind Around the Tower • The Dead File • Night of the Coyote • Sugar & Spice, Malice & Vice • The Classic Murder • A Christmas Secret • The Sound of Murder • Final Curtain • Double Jeopardy • Dead Eye • Killer Radio • The Petrified Florist • Threshold of Fear • The Big Kill • Dead to Rights • Lone Witness • Ship of Thieves • The Survivor • Love's Deadly Desire
Season 10
A Death in Hong Kong • For Whom the Bell Tolls • The Legacy of Borbey House • The Phantom Killer • A Virtual Murder • Bloodlines • A Killing in Cork • Love and Hate in Cabot Cove • Murder at a Discount • Murder in White • Northern Explosion • Proof in the Pudding • Portrait of Death • Deadly Assets • Murder on the Thirtieth Floor • Time to Die • The Dying Game • The Trouble with Seth • Roadkill • A Murderous Muse • Wheel of Death
Season 11
A Nest of Vipers • Amsterdam Kill • To Kill a Legend • Death in Hawaii • Dear Deadly • The Murder Channel • Fatal Paradise • Crimson Harvest • Murder by Twos • Murder of the Month Club • An Egg to Die For • The Scent of Murder • Death 'n Denial • Murder in High-C • Twice Dead • Film Flam • Murder a la Mode • The Dream Team • School for Murder • Another Killing in Cork • Game, Set, Murder
Season 12
Nailed • A Quaking in Aspen • The Secret of Gila Junction • Big Easy Murder • Home Care • Nan's Ghost: Part 1 • Nan's Ghost: Part 2 • Shooting in Rome • Deadly Bidding • Frozen Stiff • Unwilling Witness • Kendo Killing • Death Goes Double Platinum • Murder in Tempo • The Dark Side of the Door • Murder Among Friends • Something Foul in Flappieville • Track of a Soldier • Evidence of Malice • Southern Double-Cross • Race to Death • What You Don't Know Can Kill You • Mrs. Parker's Revenge • Death by Demographics
Other
Murder, She Wrote: TV Movies
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