The Key (5 Nov. 2006)

The team reopens a 1979 murder of a schoolteacher when new evidence, including a key-chain belonging to a man with whom the victim had been having an affair, turns up in the wooded area ... See full summary »

Director:

David Barrett

Writers:

Meredith Stiehm (creator), Jennifer Johnson

Stars:

Kathryn Morris, Danny Pino, John Finn

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Kathryn Morris	...	Lilly Rush
Danny Pino	...	Scotty Valens
John Finn	...	John Stillman
Jeremy Ratchford	...	Nick Vera
Thom Barry	...	Will Jeffries
Tracie Thoms	...	Kat Miller
Nestor Carbonell	...	Mike Valens (2006)
Tay Blessey	...	Helena Bradley (1979)
Ben Bode	...	Jed Huxley (2006)
Allison Dunbar	...	Alison Huxley (1979)
Matthew Glave	...	Carl Bradley (1979)
Jay Huguley	...	Joe Livingston (1979)
Ele Keats	...	Helena Bradley (2006)
George Newbern	...	Bill Huxley (1979)
Robert Pine	...	Carl Bradley (2006)

Storyline

The team reopens a 1979 murder of a schoolteacher when new evidence, including a key-chain belonging to a man with whom the victim had been having an affair, turns up in the wooded area where the body was found. The investigation soon discovers that the relationship was not kept a secret from anyone, including both of the spouses and their children.

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Plot Keywords:

older woman younger man relationship | swingers party | teenage boy | disco dancing | swinger | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 November 2006 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Stage 22, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jerry Bruckheimer Television, CBS Paramount Network Television, Warner Bros. Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The detectives state that a total solar eclipse happened on the day of the murder, February 26, 1979. This is true, but in Pennsylvania, it was only a partial solar eclipse, not total, as depicted in the show. (The path of totality was farther North.)

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Soundtracks

"Babe"
Styx

User Reviews

Annie Wersching Shines in this Episode

It is the height of the sexual revolution and a man bored with his schoolmarm wife pushes her into a 'key party'. Never once did it enter his head that another man might want her. Never once did it enter his head that she might blossom into a babe which she does. Never once did it enter his head that 'open marriage' cuts both ways. Never once did it enter his head that she would get the 'better deal' instead of him.

Annie Wersching does a remarkable transformation here from rejected wife who thinks she has kinda missed out on life by always playing by the rules and doing what was expected of her to 'liberated swinger' and back to responsible mom. Libby Bradley remains profoundly sympathetic throughout because she brings more generosity of heart to this situation than any of the other 'swingers' do. Unlike her husband and unlike her new lover she is a giving person. I am glad to see that Annie Wersching went on from this to "General Hospital" and will be starring in this season of "24".

The story line clearly disapproves of their actions. The fashionable at the time belief that sexual exclusivity in marriage is a 'hangup' which the truly liberated can just outgrow was on a collision course with reality. The authors of the '70's "Open Marriage" book which touted all of this themselves acknowledged in their follow up book that they got buckets of mail from people who tried it and ended up either in divorce court or going back to monogamy. It is massively "too much information" for the children to handle and much damage is done out of sheer carelessness.