The Cemetery Vote

Episode aired Apr 5, 1987
TV-PGTV-PG
47m

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

297

YOUR RATING

S3.E20

All episodes

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Crime

Drama

Mystery

The reform mayor dies in a so called "accident" and the mayor's father is murdered after he demands an investigation of it.The reform mayor dies in a so called "accident" and the mayor's father is murdered after he demands an investigation of it.The reform mayor dies in a so called "accident" and the mayor's father is murdered after he demands an investigation of it.

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

297

YOUR RATING

Top credits

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6User reviews

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Jessica visits Comstock, Idaho to comfort Linda whose husband, Mayor Jim Stevens, just died in a car accident. Or did he? His hot-headed father, Harry Stevens, is dead-set to prove his death was the work of the corrupt Sheriff Orville Yates and his hard-handed Deputy Wayne Beeler, who are in cahoots with Kate Gunnerson's illegal gambling. Shortly after they go trough Jim's effects, Harry storms out after seeing a ciphered reference, but is killed and left by the road, plundered even to his boots. State police Captain Ernest Lenko confirms his raids and corruption investigations always failed because legal procedure forces him to inform the sheriff's office. Jessica thinks through everything, especially relating to Jim's effects, and, after being run off the road while accepting a ride from Councilman David Carroll, Yates's respectable opponent in the spring mayoral election, sets a trap. —KGF Vissers

sheriff

mayor

election

state police

deputy

5 more

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Trivia
The title refers to the illegal electioneer practice of providing votes for candidates based upon the obituaries, public death rolls or from cemeteries to bolster one candidate over the other.

Quotes
[first lines]
Deputy Wayne Beeler: You're deep in the dung heap now, old man. Breaking and entering is a felony.

Connections
Featured in It'll Be Alright on the Night 13 (2001)

Soundtracks
Murder She Wrote Theme
Written by John Addison

User reviews6

Review

Top review

7/10

Who the hell is Jessica Fletcher

Jessica travels to Idaho, to offer comfort and support to her friend Linda, who's husband Jim recently died at the wheel of his car. His death was deemed accidental, but the obstinate Sheriff Orville Yates refuses the family access to the vehicle. Jim's father Harry breaks in to the pound where Jim's car is and attempts to check it over, he's set upon by Deputy Wayne Beeler. A body is later found.

It's very much a middle of the road episode, it's far from bad, but there's nothing instantly memorable here. It's a solid plot, with solid performances, coupled with the usual strong production values. It's always apparent when different people were behind the scenes, as the show ranges from light hearted to serious, this is very much a serious episode, with no jokes or cheer.

I would praise Ed Lauter for making Yates such an unlikable character, I'd say his performance stands out from the rest.

Pretty good, 7/10

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