User Reviews

An intriguing story that features 70's TV star heavyweights Stefanie Powers (character Sharon Renford) and Wayne Rogers (character Gil Atkens). Also in the forefront is actor Daniel J. Travanti, who is perfectly cast as "Lon Stevens".

As the IMDb summary says, even with what appears to be conclusive evidence that Gil Atkens is innocent, Barnaby Jones has a hunch that something else is afoot. Can he find out what, if anything, is going on here?

I rate "Echo of a Murder" 10 stars.

Calven Clements, Jr., wrote 11 episodes for the series, and the reason is his work was terrific. He also wrote many episodes for GUNSMOKE, later DALLAS.

This is another one of those puzzlers for Barnaby that's so much fun to solve. Wayne Rogers plays Gil who stands accused in the drowning death of his wife on a boat in the middle of the lake --and there's lots of witnesses? Interestingly, he has a friend in Stefanie Powers (as Sharon), who proves quite valuable to him in so many ways. Do the math.

This is extremely clever stuff, and an original story, that has Barnaby eventually realizing he's been hoodwinked. This certainly won't be the first time it's happened, still it's neat to watch him outwit a guy who thinks he's staged the perfect crime. And when you think about it, it truly is as close as you can get to a perfect crime!

Good support from Daniel Travanti as Lon, and also look for two veteran actresses, Irene Tedrow and Helen Kleeb (the WALTONS), both familiar faces on tv for decades. Wayne Roger's lawyer is Bill Erwin, who also had a lengthy career, in later years playing bickering old guys and having lots of fun.

I do agree with the last reviewer it is rather curious as to why Sharon would hold onto a wig, which would be valuable evidence. Bragging rights, possibly, but she and Gil are walking a thin line here. I remember seeing this episode when it first came out and, yes, I did a double take, but I guess it was meant as an inside joke between them.

According to production notes, Stefanie Powers actually wore two wigs, which must have required a top flight hairdresser.

This was beautifully filmed at Malibou Lake, Agoura, California, about 40 miles from Los Angeles, near Thousand Oaks. The lake was used in many films and tv shows with good reason.

SEASON 2 EPISODE 3 remastered CBS dvd box set.

At the beginning of the episode, you see and hear a harpy of a wife screaming and nagging her husband incessantly. While they are in the middle of a lake, the guests at this resort can all hear the commotion and the wife seems like the most godawful woman. Well, as the guests look on at the caretaker being harangued by his wife, the woman unexpectedly stands up in the rowboat they are in and the boat begins to rock. He stands up, possibly to get her to sit to the boat doesn't capsize...and she falls overboard. He seems to use the oar to try to save her (as neither can swim) and soon the woman drowns.

Here is the problem. All the witnesses agree that the wife was a godawful mess....but some think they witnessed him striking her deliberately with the oar and murdering her. Some think he was innocent and the wife's nutty actions resulted in her death. Barnaby is called in to figure out the truth...and at first, he, like the rest, is fooled.

The story idea is generally very good. However, in one scene where the husband and his girlfriend are having dinner, this is a serious mistake. Why would the woman be wearing the wig during this dinner? This makes no sense....and you'd think such a wig would have been disposed of as soon as possible. It just defies common sense...especially when the man behind this scheme seems very smart and planned everything else so well. Without this scene, I'd give this one a 9..with it, a 6 because it really undermines the story.