That is a very interesting detail. It would have improved the ending a little bit.

Another possible production order switch I noticed is with "Most Dangerous Match" and "Double Shock." The copyright date for "Match" is 1973, while the date for "Shock" is 1972. "Double Shock" was probably saved for the season finale because of its unique twist, and it does have a solid conclusion.

Speaking of "The Most Dangerous Match," I've always been curious about Dawidziak's opinion of this episode. This is an episode I would love to be able to call a favorite, but I just can't ignore the serious plot deficiencies. Does Dawidziak give it high points for its chess setting, or does he find similar problems with the plot?

Hi, E, I don't have my copy to hand right now, so anyone who does feel free to correct me. To the best of my recollection, Dawidziak does not discuss plot holes in Most Dangerous Match, or in many other episodes for that matter. It may be that stuff like that is mostly of interest to the hardcore fans like us, rather than the general book-buying public.

Some episodes where Dawidziak does discuss plot holes are Dead Weight, Most Crucial Game, Old Fashioned Murder and Bye Bye Sky High. Interestingly, I think he is actually harder on Dead Weight than the episode deserves, even though it isn't one of the finest. D. says that it doesn't make sense for Hollister to have spun his yarn about the stolen gun decades before the episode, since he has not been planning to use it in a murder all along. I would reply that while he had no specific plans to kill anyone till he realized Dutton was putting him in danger, at the time the gun was "stolen" he was probably (a) already involved in shady dealings and (b) willing to kill anyone who got in his way. So it would make sense that he hid the gun for possible future use, without at that time having a specific target.

That's an interesting point about Hollister's gun that I had never thought of. I guess I always thought that he had only made up that story about losing the gun after the murder.

Another point someone brought up a while ago is that there should have been some traces of blood in Hollister's apartment because of the gun's caliber.

Although I do agree that "Dead Weight" isn't one of the greatest episodes, it has some enjoyable moments, and I think that the ending does have some drawing room murder mystery charm to it.