Production Information[]
| Production Number: | |
| Aired: May 14th, 1989 | |
| Written By: Peter S. Fischer | |
| Directed By: Walter Grauman | |
| [INSERT SCREENSHOT IMAGE HERE] | |
| Created By: Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson & William Link | |
| Executive Producers: Peter S. Fischer | |
| Producers: Robert E. Swanson & Robert Van Scoyk | |
Summary[]
A has-been mystery writer arrives in Cabot Cove with apples for Jessica, but she may have something else up her sleeve.
Trivia[]
With how Eudora was on the road & stopped off to get the apples, she had doctored, but yet, Bobby, her step-son knew that she pulled off the road to buy the apples after his vicious beating in the pool hall, after Seth fell victim to the doctored apples, how did he know about the apples, when she had already had bought them before Bobby & his dad fallowed Eudora to Cabot Cove?
Second two part episode; the first is Death Stalks the Big Top (Part 1) & Death Stalks the Big Top (Part 2).
The title is taken from a famous line in the fairy tale of "Snow White" where the evil queen asks her Magic Mirror "magic, mirror, on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?" The basket of poisoned apples Eudora has also is a reference to the story.
the line of “Magic Mirror on the wall” is often misquoted as “Mirror Mirror on the wall” hence the confusion with the episode name.
Lew Bracken compares Eudora to several real life mystery writers, such as Agatha Christie (known for Hercule Poirot & Miss Marple, who served as an inspiration of such for Jessica), Dorothy Sayers (creator of Lord Peter Wimsey) & P.D. James (creator of Adam Dalgliesh) Of the three, James was the only one still alive at the time of the episode (she died in 2014).
At the time this episode aired, guest star Shelley Fabares had just begun work on Coach (1989).
Sheriff Metzger points out the high propensity of murders that seem to occur in Cabot Cove, noting "I've only been here a year, this is my fifth murder! What is this, the murder capital of Maine?"
Mort mentions this being his "fifth murder" since he started as sheriff; the others were in Mr. Penroy's Vacation, Weave A Tangled Web, Fire Burn, Cauldron Bubble, & The Sins of Castle Cove.
Amos is mentioned for the first time since he retired back in Mr. Penroy's Vacation.
Victim: Tony Cappaletti
Killer: Bobby Shipton
Cause of death: Bludgeoned with a rock.
Motive: Didn't want him to cause his dad, Hank Shipton, to divorce Eudora McVeigh Shipton as it would mean he'd lose access to her money.
Regular Cast[]
Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher
Recurring Cast[]
Ron Masak as Sheriff Mort Metzger
William Windom as Dr. Seth Hazlitt
Guest Stars[]
Richard Anderson as Lew Bracken
Shelley Fabares as Liza Casper
David Hedison as Victor Casper
Ken Howard as Hank Shipton
Daniel McDonald as Bobby Shipton
Jean Simmons as Eudora McVeigh Shipton
Co-Stars[]
Richard Erdman as Jonathan
William Bryant as Gadge
Ken Gerson as Willie
Richard Wieand as T.V. Reporter
Will Nye as Deputy Floyd