Do you ever see those word puzzles for which you're to guess a purportedly familiar phrase from the illustrated representation, such as "Pride Fall," and you suppose that this means, "Pride goeth before the fall," and then you turn the page upside down, to discover an answers such as "Falling out of the lion's den," causing you to wonder how the puzzle editor defines "Familiar phrase?"
Well, this time around, Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) understands each and every clue as a series of mysteries unravels around the corporate headquarters of "Larry and Gary's Frozen Stuff," which she visits to receive their donation of $750,000 toward the Literary Foundation upon which she serves.
So, perhaps a nice-looking cast (extra points for this) veers the viewer's attention from an abundance of sub-plots, which seem to leave unanswered questions before the ultimate frozen frame of laughter.
Co-founder and CEO of the ice cream corporation, Larry Armstrong (Bill Smitrovich), hosts Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) at his Wisconsin residence during her stop-over to collect for the fund-raiser.
Although the community's name is unspecified, day trips are mentioned to cities as Green Bay, Milwaukee and Racine, which would most likely place the setting in southeastern Wisconsin's dairy country.
The Gary of "Larry and Gary's Frozen Stuff" would be Gary Harling (Dirk Benedict), who's good for a few wise-cracks to lighten the tension caused by a variety of sources, including his gold-digging wife, Carol Harling (Kristen Dalton), who demands of Gary to find new sources of revenue to furnish her lavish lifestyle.
Kyle McGregor (Don Bovingloh) has been working for the corporation for many years, but his request for advancement to the Board of Directors remains denied, while his wife, Susan McGregor (Christina Pickles), has yet to learn of Kyle's secret past.
Administrative Assistant Peggy Evans (Ann Hearn), Secretary Victoria (Sarah Koskoff), and Accountant Jim Kenton (George Wyner) also work for Jerry and Gary's, in the offices around the computers, of which files have been deleted to cover the trail of the $750,000, which has been embezzled, leaving the Literary Foundation contribution dry.
Ralph Brewer (Gregory Itzin) enters to charge false advertising practices of Larry and Gary's, for claiming to create their ice cream from natural ingredients, while he threatens to expose them for purchasing milk from hormone-treated cattle.
Woodstock 'Woody' Seabrook (Bryan Travis Smith) sneaks into the offices on the night of Jessica's arrival, to hack the computer system, when he overhears a conversation in the outer office, and stumbles across a body. He attempts to place a call to Larry, but hangs up after the clock signals "9:00" and not all is well.
Peggy Evans discovers the next body in the deep freezer, hence, "Frozen Stiff," after Jessica and Sheriff Mike Chubb (Christopher Curry) are busy investigating the first murder, of which Jessica neglects to remark, "I'm sure that the murders are connected somehow," and probably because there are a number of other subplots transpiring.
For one, the the now-orphaned Woodstock 'Woody' Seabrook harbors a secret from Larry, who also has a secret past under the name of Leonard Atkins, because he spent three years in prison after an ex-Marine-turned-judge sentenced him for protesting against the war. But Jessica figures this from the moment that she catches Woodstock's breaking into Larry's residence one night.
For another, Carol Harling joins forces with Ralph Brewer to sway corporate shareholders to vote her in as CEO.
For yet another, Kyle has been blackmailed for concealing his secret past from Susan. Plus there is that missing three-quarters-of-a-million.
And then there is young love for Jessica to try to patch up the differences between Victoria and Woodstock so that they might try to find the happiness which nobody else around town has ever known.
So, Jessica also must figure where the missing funds have gone, who's blackmailing whom, how to figure which shipment of ice cream has been contaminated, how to keep Sheriff Chubb from arresting the wrong suspect for one murder, how to set the trap for the other murder, and how to get the advertising campaign back on track, especially when clues would otherwise be "Frozen Stiff."
But somehow all of the publicity which these crimes generate translates into an increase in sales for "Larry and Gary's Frozen Stuff." Now, that probably really makes you wonder how and why.
The cast is rounded out by Fred Sanders as Coroner, and Charles C. Stevenson Jr. as Priest.
This episode represents the most recent acting credit to date for Bryan Travis Smith, the second of two "MSW" appearances each for Ann Hearn, Dirk Benedict, and Charles C. Stevenson Jr., and the third of three for George Wyner.
Well, this time around, Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) understands each and every clue as a series of mysteries unravels around the corporate headquarters of "Larry and Gary's Frozen Stuff," which she visits to receive their donation of $750,000 toward the Literary Foundation upon which she serves.
So, perhaps a nice-looking cast (extra points for this) veers the viewer's attention from an abundance of sub-plots, which seem to leave unanswered questions before the ultimate frozen frame of laughter.
Co-founder and CEO of the ice cream corporation, Larry Armstrong (Bill Smitrovich), hosts Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) at his Wisconsin residence during her stop-over to collect for the fund-raiser.
Although the community's name is unspecified, day trips are mentioned to cities as Green Bay, Milwaukee and Racine, which would most likely place the setting in southeastern Wisconsin's dairy country.
The Gary of "Larry and Gary's Frozen Stuff" would be Gary Harling (Dirk Benedict), who's good for a few wise-cracks to lighten the tension caused by a variety of sources, including his gold-digging wife, Carol Harling (Kristen Dalton), who demands of Gary to find new sources of revenue to furnish her lavish lifestyle.
Kyle McGregor (Don Bovingloh) has been working for the corporation for many years, but his request for advancement to the Board of Directors remains denied, while his wife, Susan McGregor (Christina Pickles), has yet to learn of Kyle's secret past.
Administrative Assistant Peggy Evans (Ann Hearn), Secretary Victoria (Sarah Koskoff), and Accountant Jim Kenton (George Wyner) also work for Jerry and Gary's, in the offices around the computers, of which files have been deleted to cover the trail of the $750,000, which has been embezzled, leaving the Literary Foundation contribution dry.
Ralph Brewer (Gregory Itzin) enters to charge false advertising practices of Larry and Gary's, for claiming to create their ice cream from natural ingredients, while he threatens to expose them for purchasing milk from hormone-treated cattle.
Woodstock 'Woody' Seabrook (Bryan Travis Smith) sneaks into the offices on the night of Jessica's arrival, to hack the computer system, when he overhears a conversation in the outer office, and stumbles across a body. He attempts to place a call to Larry, but hangs up after the clock signals "9:00" and not all is well.
Peggy Evans discovers the next body in the deep freezer, hence, "Frozen Stiff," after Jessica and Sheriff Mike Chubb (Christopher Curry) are busy investigating the first murder, of which Jessica neglects to remark, "I'm sure that the murders are connected somehow," and probably because there are a number of other subplots transpiring.
For one, the the now-orphaned Woodstock 'Woody' Seabrook harbors a secret from Larry, who also has a secret past under the name of Leonard Atkins, because he spent three years in prison after an ex-Marine-turned-judge sentenced him for protesting against the war. But Jessica figures this from the moment that she catches Woodstock's breaking into Larry's residence one night.
For another, Carol Harling joins forces with Ralph Brewer to sway corporate shareholders to vote her in as CEO.
For yet another, Kyle has been blackmailed for concealing his secret past from Susan. Plus there is that missing three-quarters-of-a-million.
And then there is young love for Jessica to try to patch up the differences between Victoria and Woodstock so that they might try to find the happiness which nobody else around town has ever known.
So, Jessica also must figure where the missing funds have gone, who's blackmailing whom, how to figure which shipment of ice cream has been contaminated, how to keep Sheriff Chubb from arresting the wrong suspect for one murder, how to set the trap for the other murder, and how to get the advertising campaign back on track, especially when clues would otherwise be "Frozen Stiff."
But somehow all of the publicity which these crimes generate translates into an increase in sales for "Larry and Gary's Frozen Stuff." Now, that probably really makes you wonder how and why.
The cast is rounded out by Fred Sanders as Coroner, and Charles C. Stevenson Jr. as Priest.
This episode represents the most recent acting credit to date for Bryan Travis Smith, the second of two "MSW" appearances each for Ann Hearn, Dirk Benedict, and Charles C. Stevenson Jr., and the third of three for George Wyner.
