Written by: J. Michael Straczynski
Directed by: Walter Grauman
The community center of Cabot Cove is getting ready to produce a play with retired actor David North. What follows is interrupted rehearsals and a murder in town.
Tropes:
- Blackmail Backfire: What ends up killing Eric Benderson.
- Call-Back: Eve Simpson's involvement in local theatre was previously seen in "The Witch's Curse".
- Engineered Public Confession: Jessica stages one, literally, for David North.
- Fiery Cover-Up: Attempted by the killer to hide evidence of what he had done in the past that the victim was using to blackmail him. It was only partially successful, however, as the fire left clues that helped Jessica solve the murder.
- Loony Fan: Lyman Taggart is just a little too obsessed with David North and with the prospect of working with him.
- Must Have Caffeine: With all that's happened in the episode, Jessica is barely able to stay awake working on her novel at the episode's end. She can barely manage to grab the cup to drink its contents.
- Promoted Fanboy: In universe: Sheriff Metzger was just trying to shoosh down some noisy people during a rehearsal of the play when his loud voice impressed David North and he gets hired to play the loud Constable.
- Red Herring: Taggart's temper and obsession with David North makes him a likely suspect for the murder of Eric Benderson (and the arson of his motel room).
- Right Behind Me: Eve was just describing David North to producer Jerome Mueller when he pops in behind her.
- Running Gag: People keep telling Sheriff Metzger that he's going to die (first Jessica when Mort was standing in for a character in her novel, then later Eve who tells Mort what will happen to his character in the play). He does not like that at all.
- Stealth Insult: Upon learning from producer Jerome Mueller that they will be holding auditions in Cabot Cove for a play, Eve gets excited and tells him that she has some acting experience. Jerome notes that he finds that unsurprising, a reference to Eve being of a somewhat Shady Real Estate Agent.
- Violence Detector: The special paint used on some prop paintings to make them glow in UV light proves instrumental in determining the killer.
