Laurence Heath (1928-2007) joins the "MSW" creative team for Seasons Ten through Twelve as Co-producer, bringing along his television screen writing proclivity dating back to the 1950's. Laurence contributes ten screen-stories to the series during Seasons Nine through Twelve, including "Kendo Kill," the only "MSW" episode set in Japan.
Miko Ishida (Vivian Wu) takes an excursion from her family's provincial traditions, by working in New York City, to translate a volume of Japanese verses into English poetry, to edit "From the Heart," a collection commissioned by Hartley Publishers.
While in the States, Miko also ventures from tradition to plan her engagement to a young engineer of the Caucasian race, one Rick Walsh (David Stratton), who travels from Los Angeles, California, to Osaka, Japan, for the motorcycle racing circuit, to remain near the returning Miko.
Koji Hitaki (Bruce Locke), a fellow motorcycle teammate of Rick's, has a past with Miko but realizes that her heart lies with Rick, and he wishes them a promising future together although hardly anyone else does, for Miko and Rick each considers Koji her or his closest friend, and nearly everyone else as those who try to break them up.
Yosuki Ishida (Byron Mann) presents one problem for his sister Miko's happiness, as Yosuki plans to conduct a political campaign to run for public office, with Ikuma Nakata (George Cheung) as his adviser. But Yosuki decides that Miko's involvement with a foreign-born fiancé could jeopardize Yosuki's credibility in the eyes of the electorate.
Yosuki, therefore, assigns Tommy Crane (Steven Lambert) and Chauffeur (Jesse Borja) to trail Miko and to report on her and Rick's activities around Osaka, including the racetrack and his apartment.
Akira Hitaki (Pat Morita) presents another problem for Miko's happiness, as he demands his son, Koji, to propose to Miko, as Koji would need a traditional Japanese bride to become a CEO at Hitaki Industries one day. Akira also insists that Koji abandon the motorcycle racing circuit, to concentrate on the business, against Koji's wishes and intentions.
Nobu Hitaki (Maggie Han) sees a different course for the future of Hitaki Industries, as a capable potential CEO in her own right, with a keen sense of business and management. Nobu intends to prove to her ailing father (Akira) that she qualifies above her brother (Koji) to manage the reigns of Hitaki Industries.
Bill Dawson (Tom Wopat) arrives from Dallas, Texas, to propose his city as an ideal location to expand Hitaki Industries. While he works closely with Nabu on an engineering design project, Akira requests of Koji to conduct a marketing study of the Dallas area to realize its benefits and risks.
If Koji refuses his father's assignment, which includes proposing to Miko, then Akira will disown his son. If Koji accepts, then Nabu could lose her dreams of becoming the corporations next CEO.
Into the center of this activity arrives Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury), to deliver the first edition of "From the Heart" to Miko, plus a computer diskette of E-7 turbo engine design to Rick, as sent from Rick's newly-widowed mother, Dorothy, from Los Angeles.
But upon her arrival, Jessica's hotel room is ransacked, and a perpetrator has made off with her camera, earrings, laptop computer, and a sentimental gift of a pearl necklace from her dear late husband, Frank.
Jessica reports the theft to Inspector Ota (Jim Ishida) as a "robbery," but would this not be a "burglary" if no one were present in her hotel room to face the threat of a robber? This appears as a minor goof, for Jessica ought to know her crimes by now.
Anyway, Jessica must now champion young love, as Miko feels threatened by all sides except from Nobu, who says that she cares not whom Miko loves because she has better things to do, as to run the corporation. Could murder interrupt yet another potential wedding?
Of course, danger follows Jessica wherever she may go, and now a sinister perpetrator slices fuel lines on two motorcycles at the race track, causing one to burst into flames and another to run out of gasoline along a rural route in Osaka, before someone else suffers cardiac arrest and is rushed to the hospital in the aftermath of a stabbing in the martial arts building, resulting in "Kendo Killing."
James Wong rounds out the cast as Waiter, who serves Jessica the spoiled bean dish, which she orders from the menu while scrutinizing Tommy and the Chauffeur.
This episode represents the most recent appearance to date by Maggie Han.
This also marks the second "MSW" appearance by Vivian Wu, the only member of the guest cast to appear in another "MSW" episode, as she, ironically, portrays the interracial daughter of a British father (in #10.1).
Pat Morita, acting in film and on television since 1967, has unfortunately since passed.
(Extra points for fine acting especially by Pat Morita, Maggie Han, Bruce Locke and Byron Mann. But this is one of those very sad episodes for the loss of a fine victim whom you probably do not wish to have seen slain.)
Miko Ishida (Vivian Wu) takes an excursion from her family's provincial traditions, by working in New York City, to translate a volume of Japanese verses into English poetry, to edit "From the Heart," a collection commissioned by Hartley Publishers.
While in the States, Miko also ventures from tradition to plan her engagement to a young engineer of the Caucasian race, one Rick Walsh (David Stratton), who travels from Los Angeles, California, to Osaka, Japan, for the motorcycle racing circuit, to remain near the returning Miko.
Koji Hitaki (Bruce Locke), a fellow motorcycle teammate of Rick's, has a past with Miko but realizes that her heart lies with Rick, and he wishes them a promising future together although hardly anyone else does, for Miko and Rick each considers Koji her or his closest friend, and nearly everyone else as those who try to break them up.
Yosuki Ishida (Byron Mann) presents one problem for his sister Miko's happiness, as Yosuki plans to conduct a political campaign to run for public office, with Ikuma Nakata (George Cheung) as his adviser. But Yosuki decides that Miko's involvement with a foreign-born fiancé could jeopardize Yosuki's credibility in the eyes of the electorate.
Yosuki, therefore, assigns Tommy Crane (Steven Lambert) and Chauffeur (Jesse Borja) to trail Miko and to report on her and Rick's activities around Osaka, including the racetrack and his apartment.
Akira Hitaki (Pat Morita) presents another problem for Miko's happiness, as he demands his son, Koji, to propose to Miko, as Koji would need a traditional Japanese bride to become a CEO at Hitaki Industries one day. Akira also insists that Koji abandon the motorcycle racing circuit, to concentrate on the business, against Koji's wishes and intentions.
Nobu Hitaki (Maggie Han) sees a different course for the future of Hitaki Industries, as a capable potential CEO in her own right, with a keen sense of business and management. Nobu intends to prove to her ailing father (Akira) that she qualifies above her brother (Koji) to manage the reigns of Hitaki Industries.
Bill Dawson (Tom Wopat) arrives from Dallas, Texas, to propose his city as an ideal location to expand Hitaki Industries. While he works closely with Nabu on an engineering design project, Akira requests of Koji to conduct a marketing study of the Dallas area to realize its benefits and risks.
If Koji refuses his father's assignment, which includes proposing to Miko, then Akira will disown his son. If Koji accepts, then Nabu could lose her dreams of becoming the corporations next CEO.
Into the center of this activity arrives Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury), to deliver the first edition of "From the Heart" to Miko, plus a computer diskette of E-7 turbo engine design to Rick, as sent from Rick's newly-widowed mother, Dorothy, from Los Angeles.
But upon her arrival, Jessica's hotel room is ransacked, and a perpetrator has made off with her camera, earrings, laptop computer, and a sentimental gift of a pearl necklace from her dear late husband, Frank.
Jessica reports the theft to Inspector Ota (Jim Ishida) as a "robbery," but would this not be a "burglary" if no one were present in her hotel room to face the threat of a robber? This appears as a minor goof, for Jessica ought to know her crimes by now.
Anyway, Jessica must now champion young love, as Miko feels threatened by all sides except from Nobu, who says that she cares not whom Miko loves because she has better things to do, as to run the corporation. Could murder interrupt yet another potential wedding?
Of course, danger follows Jessica wherever she may go, and now a sinister perpetrator slices fuel lines on two motorcycles at the race track, causing one to burst into flames and another to run out of gasoline along a rural route in Osaka, before someone else suffers cardiac arrest and is rushed to the hospital in the aftermath of a stabbing in the martial arts building, resulting in "Kendo Killing."
James Wong rounds out the cast as Waiter, who serves Jessica the spoiled bean dish, which she orders from the menu while scrutinizing Tommy and the Chauffeur.
This episode represents the most recent appearance to date by Maggie Han.
This also marks the second "MSW" appearance by Vivian Wu, the only member of the guest cast to appear in another "MSW" episode, as she, ironically, portrays the interracial daughter of a British father (in #10.1).
Pat Morita, acting in film and on television since 1967, has unfortunately since passed.
(Extra points for fine acting especially by Pat Morita, Maggie Han, Bruce Locke and Byron Mann. But this is one of those very sad episodes for the loss of a fine victim whom you probably do not wish to have seen slain.)
