- Title: A Nero Wolfe Mystery – Over My Dead Body
- IMDb: link
Flashback Friday us back to mid 20th Century New York and the private detective offices located at 454 W. 35th Street. “Over My Dead Body” is a complicated affair that involves the theft of diamonds, two murders, world politics, lies and deception, the FBI, a lucrative land deal, and a client claiming to be Nero Wolfe‘s (Maury Chaykin) daughter (Francie Swift). While investigating the theft of jewels, Archie (Timothy Hutton) stumbles onto a murder that evidence points to Neya Tormic (Swift), the woman claiming to be Wolfe’s daughter, and her associate (Kari Matchett) who hired Wolfe on Neya’s behalf. The fact that Wolfe is unable to get straight answers from either of them only complicates matters as does a document one of them decides to hide in the brownstone rather than see it fall into the wrong hands.
The two-parter has quite a few twists and turns and questions about Wolfe’s past which Archie is left to ponder as the credits begin to roll. Hutton does double-duty here directing the episode that makes good use of both Swift and Matchett as possible femme fatales responsible for the crimes. Debra Monk also provides some comic relief in a small role as the ridiculous Madame Zorka. The fact that for once Wolfe’s client turns out to be the guilty party isn’t lost on an irate Inspector Cramer (Bill Smitrovich), although the woman’s tragic demise prevents her from meeting any justice. The episode ends with an awkwardly sweet moment between reunited father and daughter as the show’s initial season comes to a close.
