Show108
I’ve seen this episode a half-dozen times, but every time I “remember” the murderer incorrectly! Does that ever happen to any of you? I don’t know why my faulty memory should fall victim to this episode in particular. In any event, I consider this a good episode; it has: credible suspects, an interesting plot, and an absolutely great performance by James Coburn. Ed Zoerner, 5/17/2011.
+It's weird you should mention that about this particular episode -- because I, too, mis-remembered who the killer was. It reminds me of the Twilight Zone episode where a woman turns into a leopard. Both my sister and I could have sworn, from watching it years ago, that she turned into a black panther, not a leopard. Submitted by scarter, 9/1/14
+++For whatever reason, I can "forget" the murderer in many of the episodes. Makes repeat viewings that much more enjoyable.Joe B. 04/13/2020
++++I too experienced this...or really something similar: at one point I said Well, it's going to be -----, it's just so obvious why s/he's being introduced that way. And I was wrong. And tho I focused on one particular character, there were actually several for which this could be said. I believe they did a particularly good job of bringing the various tropes together, but allowing them to serve as false flags. They also didn't show the murder, or really anything connected with it, which always gives a lot of latitude in how the case is presented (one downside to this, tho, is that the arrest is abrupt and disrupts our expectations of what's going on). Notcom, 031122.
I find James Coburn to be a rather unexpected casting choice. Submitted by gracenote, 7/4/2011.
James Coburn too often plays haughty, self-absorbed people who care nothing about how their actions negatively affect others. For this reason, he has *not* endeared himself to me. I guess for me to feel this way... is like the old silent movie days, when the audience "boos" the villain each time he appears. Submitted by Charles Richmond, 10/15/2013
In the novels, and perhaps in some episodes, Perry makes a great effort to keep one client (or potential client) from knowing who Perry's other clients are, especially if there is a possibility of one knowing the other. Perry even tells the client to exit the back door before the next client comes in through Della's office. In this episode, not only does Della freely announce that Mr. Aitken is waiting while Nicholson is consulting with Mason, when Nicholson asks if that is the Aitken of Aitken Publications Mason freely admits it is even though he knows they are both publishers and already knows that Nicholson at least knows of Aitken and allows Nicholson to exit while Aitken is entering. And sure enough Nicholson follows Aitken to his club and the plot point of them being together develops. Submitted by Wiseguy70005, 6/26/14.
Paul Lambert's character Ben Nicholson is an unusual fixture in PM -- making uncomfortable forthright observations of the behavior of these wealthy big shots. I'm sure literature has a name for such a character but I don't know what it is. His poetic delivery makes it all the more extraordinary. JohnK, 27 October 2021
I had to laugh at the scene with Lori Stoner and Paul Drake having drinks in the bar. It wasn't meant to be a humorous scene. But I had the thought that Stoner and Drake have "opposite hair". Stoner's hair was dark, with a light streak. Drake has light hair with a dark streak. Both streaks in almost the same place! Don't tell the boss that I found it humorous! Submitted by Paul's Operative. 4/8/2024.
It's rather redundant to say "3 a.m. in the morning." Submitted by scarter, 9/1/14
Hypocrite: Mr. Aitken, whose flagship publication was a failing literary magazine, tried to belittle Ben Nicholson for publishing a low circulation poetry magazine. Submitted by H. Mason 11/5/14
Guest appearances by Sara Shane and Barbara Lawrence. The only thing needed to make this episode a true guest trifecta of beauty would have been an appearance by Lisa Gaye. Submitted by BobH, 2 January 2017.
+ Paul and Perry are always also quite alluring. jfh 17Sep2018