The Murdoch Mysteries (2004) s11e13 Episode Script

1 Our contestants are really in the thick of it now! Whose dish will be the finest? Who will make the most out of the delicious, nutritious Madison's Fine Beef? What do you have for us today, Mrs.
Tucker? Ahh! Another mélange of 100 unappealing ingredients it seems.
(MALE SPECTATOR): Isn't he great? He's just insulting all the dishes.
And you assured me the turnout would be better.
Ah, Miss Cooper.
Yours looks even worse, if such a thing is possible.
My cream toast is divine, sir.
Thomas! Thomas! - Try this! - What is it? It's my frizzled beef.
It's the only thing I could make to disguise this God-awful meat.
- Mm! It's not bad.
- No, Thomas! More lunch counter slop, eh, Mr.
Douglas? Loose-meat with stale Sally Lunn, it appears? Mr.
Crabtree! Spare your insults, sir.
I promise you, you have never tried the likes of my aunt Fern's - apple beef balls.
- How appetizing.
You know, this really is a wonderful set up.
Much better than I have at home in my boarding room.
You wouldn't believe how hard it is to make jiggs dinner on a camping stove.
It's a wonder you find joy in life.
- Ah! - George! Finally Mrs.
Brackenreid Sir.
Achevez, Monsieur Gordon ! A-ha! We have a dish.
Let's see Oh my, this looks unappetizing.
Is this the best a finely-trained chef can conjure? Mm! This is slop.
Terrible ! Inedible! You really are just a frog-faced buffoon, aren't you, Prideaux? You should be a (GASPING) ashamed ashamed you should be ashamed of you should I wouldn't pay (CHOKING) - Oh, dear! - What's happening?! - Is he all right? - Is he all right?! What have you done to me?! (CHOKING) Non ! Non ! Mon Dieu ! C'est pas moi ! (SOMBRE MUSIC) He was fine one moment, sir, full of his usual acrid vigour.
Then he had one bite of Monsieur Prideaux's dish The Frenchman poisoned him.
It's impossible to say at this point.
I mean, I suppose he could have had a stroke.
Perhaps we'll have a word with the Frenchman nonetheless.
The circumstance suggests a sudden onset of symptoms.
Prussic Acid came to mind.
Well, it wouldn't cause this level of paralysis.
Can you swallow, Mr.
Gordon? - (CROAKING) - Not easily.
- What about speech? - (CROAKING): Can't It must be a neurological toxin but I've never seen symptoms quite so devastating.
(CROAKING): That bastard tried to kill me! One bite of this and he fell ill? Sir, he positively keeled over.
I mean, the whole contest had to be cancelled.
A shame.
It looks terrific.
I think I'll go out for lunch, anyone care to join me? This disappoints me, but I soldier on.
Right.
We'll have to test the dish to ensure that it is indeed the source of the poison.
I assume you'll want to get started right away? That poor man has lost nearly all of his faculties.
Indeed.
- So you'll test the dish? - Hmm? - Yes.
Of course.
- Thank you.
George, the chef? Sir, he's in your office.
A little bit loopy, you know, he's very French.
I did nothing, I swear.
Well, I could hardly blame you.
I mean, the man did call you a frog-faced buffoon.
- I am not a frog-faced buffoon! - Well, I'm not calling you a frog-faced buffoon.
I'm merely saying that Mr.
Gordon called you a frog-faced buffoon, and you did not seem to care for being called - a frog-faced buffoon - Stop saying that! Du calme, Monsieur Prideaux.
Je m'excuse, Detective.
The fact is, our constables interviewed the other contestants, and they claim you called him a "damnable boor" with "the heart of a vile despot," "unworthy of a swift demise.
" I may have said some of those things, but it was only talk.
We are rivals after all.
So then who poisoned your dish? No one! C'est impossible.
I am always in control of my plate.
(SCOFFING) The most common neurological toxins are heavy metals.
Cadmium, lead, arsenic, mercury But those wouldn't react quickly enough.
No, but some animal toxins work almost instantaneously.
- Maybe bufotoxin.
- So how do we test for it? First we need to make sure the poison came from the dish in question.
I am sorry.
- Detective Watts.
- Oh, you.
- Yes? - I have a tip for you.
It's on the subject of processed meat.
Let's assume Mr.
Prideaux is telling the truth.
Is it possible that another contestant interfered with his dish? I should think it possible, sir.
And Mr.
Gordon's not the kindest of men.
Dickie Douglas warned us of that.
- Who is Dickie Douglas? - One of the contestants.
He works for Madison, the sponsors of the whole thing.
He's a cook at their lunch counter.
Apparently, Mr.
Gordon ate there every day - and never failed to hurl a fresh insult at the man.
- Gentlemen - I may have broken your case.
- Oh? - (TOGETHER): Oh.
- George, William, hear me out.
A few days ago, someone telephoned me.
They refused to divulge their identity, calling themself "The Good Samaritan.
" The last anonymous source you brought us was a fake.
- This one's real.
- Forgive me if I maintain skepticism.
He had information regarding Madison's Tinned Goods.
He said their new product was a hazard to public health.
The tinned beef? What kind of hazard? Tainted meat.
It was most certainly tainted.
- Botulism.
- Botulism? - What's botulism? - A bacteria found in sausages, - if I'm not mistaken.
- Very good, Detective.
Its defining factor is that it grows in anaerobic environments, sausage casing being one.
- A tin can would be another.
- Precisely.
Occurrences have been on the rise with the popularity of tinned goods.
So we all could have been cooking with poison.
Not exactly.
It takes effect between 6 and 36 hours.
So our victim wasn't poisoned by this dish.
Our friends here ate it one hour ago and remain in perfect health.
Although I did ask Mr.
Gordon to give a list of everything he'd eaten over the last two days, and he says he's had no other tinned goods.
That's not entirely so.
All the contestants and Mr.
Gordon had a publicity photo taken yesterday afternoon.
And for the camera, he ate a big spoonful of the tinned beef.
Now, he spat it out right away afterward.
Well, even a small amount can have a severe effect.
Well, that timing would make sense.
But he he'll be all right? His mind will remain conscious while his body shuts down from the inside out.
He will remain aware even when his lungs stop working, slowly suffocating him to death.
Everything all right, George? Sir, Mr.
Gordon wasn't the only one who ate the tinned beef for the camera yesterday.
We all did.
I suppose there's a chance that your tin wasn't tainted, George.
Sir, how can that be? Presumably if one can is bad, the whole batch is.
- That's likely true.
- So I'll die.
I'll never get to see Egypt.
Or Asia.
Or any of those new provinces we have now.
How many do we have now? - Nine.
- Nine.
Perhaps in the future, we'll have even more.
I'll never know.
I'll be dead.
It must be difficult to confront the prospect of one's own demise, George Oh sir, that's wonderful.
I thought you would at least have some words of reassurance.
Well the mortality rate from botulism is no more than 80%.
80%?! What is this, some kind of gambit to knock me out of the contest? I'm afraid not, Mrs.
Brackenreid.
I mean, there are constables rounding up the other contestants right now so I can inform them.
What nonsense! I feel just fine.
I feel cold.
I feel we should maybe go home and talk to the boys.
Oh, Thomas! Stop! Clearly I'm not dying.
However if some of the other contestants have weaker constitutions, so be it.
Crabtree, take your feet off the couch.
Sorry, sir.
(DOOR OPENING) I'm afraid a tin of Madison's beef is the only possible source of the toxin.
Well, what are we to do? First you'll surrender any can that could possibly be tainted.
How do we tell which ones are tainted? We have to assume that any one of them could contain the poison.
- But that would mean - You'll have every last tin.
- What? - We'll go to the papers.
Inform everyone.
Call on all of our customers to return to us every can.
But that would ruin us.
Our competitors will drum us out of business.
Honesty is our only option here.
We apologize and - hope the people forgive us.
- Mr.
Madison.
Lives are at stake.
I think that I have a fever.
Do you think I hen a fever Havry? Oh my goodness, did you hear that? I'm jumbling my words now this is definitely it for me.
I may not even have time to tell Nina.
Maybe you shouldn't.
It could be my last night on earth, Higgins! I have to tell my lover.
Please don't use that word.
My sweetheart.
You know what I mean.
I have to tell her.
I don't think you do.
You'll be dead by morning.
I wouldn't want to spend my last night watching a girl cry.
You're telling me if it was your last night, you wouldn't tell Ruth? Definitely not.
So, what would you do? Spend your life's savings on a bottle of whiskey and a trip to the bordello? I didn't say I wouldn't spend it with Ruth.
I'd just want one last beautiful night.
That's actually quite thoughtful, Henry.
Well if this is really it.
(WHIMPERING) Goodbye, Higgins.
So long, old chum.
(SOFT MUSIC) And finally, the case that was opened for the promotional photograph.
We should start there.
I don't think this is a good idea.
- Why not? - What are we to learn? It's all just ground up intestines, barely worthy of feeding to farm animals.
Can't we simply destroy it? We need to determine how widespread the problem could be.
The only test we have takes hours, and and we don't know everything there is to know about this toxin.
It could be airborne.
But it's anaerobic.
(SCOFFING) So it says in one book! It's barely been tested.
People are wrong about these sorts of things all of the time.
We could all die! Julia, is this because of Is what because of what, William? Nothing.
I don't know.
I need some rest.
Perhaps that's for the best.
Don't tell me what's for the best! I should see her home.
The testing can wait 'til morning.
I could do it.
Yes, but it could take all night.
I never sleep much anyways.
Thank you, Miss Hart.
Higgins! It's me! Hi, George.
"Hi, George"? Henry, I'm alive, for Pete's sake.
You could show a little enthusiasm.
I'm busy picking out a gift for Ruth.
Do you want me to tell the Detective? The Detective knows.
He called on me this morning, as did the Inspector, presumably because they care about my existence on this earth! George, I knew you weren't gonna die.
Ruth has a psychic.
He said you'd be fine.
So you're telling me you knew I wasn't going to die because Ruth has a psychic? And you didn't tell me?! (KNOCKING) - Come in.
- I've taken at least one tin from each case, incubating each individually and examining for botulinum.
Thank you, Miss Hart.
I must say, your work ethic is remarkable.
Thank you, Detective.
- And your results? - Nothing.
Every single can tested negative.
Perhaps the tainted tin was simply an aberration.
But wasn't there one more tainted can? The one that was sent to the reporter.
Miss Cherry! - Miss Cherry, a word.
- Detective! Hello.
Is it about George Crabtree? I hear he's likely dead.
- He is not.
- Oh.
There is no epidemic.
- You think I made it up.
- Not exactly out of character.
The Good Samaritan is real.
He sent me a tin of Madison's beef that was most certainly deadly.
- Was it sealed? - It was.
I opened it and it proved lethal.
There's a dead cat behind my house if you'd like to see for yourself.
That won't be necessary.
But I should like to examine the tin.
Even though no one but Mr.
Gordon has fallen ill, - I think my caution was wise.
- Oh yes, very wise.
- You're placating me.
- No, I'm not.
I am not some silly child, you are allowed to disagree with me.
- But I don't.
- Stop it! Well, Detective There is in fact botulinum in this tin.
It appears your friend was right.
Thank you, Miss Hart.
- Only one other tin was poisoned? - So it would seem.
And none of the others who consumed the meat the day of the photography session have fallen ill.
Well, then they're isolated incidents.
It could be just one man on the line being reckless.
Or malicious.
There's something odd about this tin.
- How do you mean? - I'm not quite sure.
It just feels off.
Hold on I swear there's something different about it.
I don't understand.
- Did that company change cans at some point? - No, never.
All of our tins are the same, across all of our products.
Someone has taken a Madison's label and cut it down by a fraction of an inch and made it fit on a different tin altogether.
So it's some other meat? What does all this mean? The photograph.
Do you have it? There was a series of pictures taken Here's a clear shot.
There.
The stripe at the top of the can is missing.
It's been tampered with.
Ah! - So the poison isn't our product? - No.
This was a deliberate attempt at sabotage.
Someone set out to kill Mr.
Gordon.
So, the poisoning was intentional.
But to what end? Sir, you do have a handsome office.
I'm sorry? Oh, well, it's just Sir, since my recent brush with mortality I've found a new appreciation for the little things in life.
Like your office for instance.
It's sophisticated yet warm, yet officious.
In fact I suppose the root of officious is office.
Ha! Ha! The wonders of language.
Yes.
Well We know that the killer went to great lengths to disguise the poisoned meat as Madison's.
- Perhaps to disparage the brand.
- Indeed.
And Mr.
Madison did express some concern over his competitors.
Which could explain why the "Good Samaritan" sent a second tin to the press.
Well, perhaps the Good Samaritan is our killer.
George, find Miss Cherry and see if she can recall - any more details about him.
- Sir, do I have to? - Yes.
- What, the reporter? She seems fine.
She once called the Detective a bore.
Huh The least of her offenses.
She once impersonated a sequential killer - simply to sell more newspapers - I'll work with her.
People are not to be defined merely by their words, thoughts, and actions.
(MUMBLING): What the Are they not? Sir, I can't believe there are so many types of canned meat.
Do people really eat this stuff? Henry, you've only had access to your fiancée's chef for a few weeks.
Surely you've eaten canned meat prior to that.
Sir, I try not to think about that time in my life.
What we're looking for, Henry, is a can that matches the size of this one.
The Madison tin.
Yes.
But half-an-inch shorter because this isn't actually a Madison's tin.
It says it is Let's just find a match.
Now, there are plenty that match the true size of the Madison's tins, but Oh, wait.
What does this mean? It means I need to have a word with Mr.
King.
Right.
Thank you all for coming.
I've just been speaking with Mr.
Madison and I have an important announcement to make.
What, are we gonna die again? - No, nobody's going to die.
- Well, except for Mr.
Gordon, I suppose.
- Oh non ! - Mon Dieu ! - My dish has made me a murderer.
- Your dish is not the culprit.
The contest is still going ahead, with a new judge, and an even bigger prize.
Whoever wins the contest now will become the new face of Madison's.
How brilliant! So the poor man is at death's door and we're going to be competing to be his replacement? Right.
In any case, the competition will be going ahead this afternoon at four o'clock.
I hope to see you all there.
Will you be re-entering in the contest, Monsieur Prideaux? Fate beckons, madam.
Whether I will answer remains an uncertainty.
I certainly hope you do.
And I'm sure all those nasty rumours are just nonsense.
- Rumours? - Hmm-mmm.
- The Frenchman resigned? - Hmm-mmm.
People are saying whoever poisoned Mr.
Gordon is trying to kill all the best chefs in Toronto.
He was worried he might be next.
Exactly which people are saying that? Oh people.
In any event, this means my path to victory is now open.
Imagine, the face of Madison's.
- What, you? - That's right, Thomas.
You could be married to a celebrity.
Of course, there's still George.
He's my biggest competition now.
If only he'd resign But that's just silly! I'm gonna have to beat him fair and square.
We commissioned a slightly smaller can to increase our margins.
I hardly think it's a crime worthy of a police investigation.
So yours is the only food cannery to use these smaller tins? As far as I know, yes.
Well then, Mr.
King, this must be one of yours.
All right.
So someone put a Madison's label on my tin - So what? - Well, sir, this particular tin tested positive for botulism.
It was one of your cans that poisoned Mr.
Gordon.
Dear God! But those cans were destroyed! I can assure you, Mr.
King, not all of the tins in question were destroyed.
I oversaw it myself.
Who first discovered this problem? My Vice President, Arthur Power.
He happened to sample a tin from that batch and fell ill.
They paid me off.
I can't work anymore.
What other option did I have? You promised to keep quiet.
They said they fixed it.
No one else was going to get hurt.
Someone has, Mr.
Power.
Randall Gordon.
Gordon? That's Madison's beef.
He was poisoned by a can of Mr.
King's disguised to look like Madison's.
(LAUGHING) He tried to take them both out in one go.
- Who? - King.
He wanted Gordon to be his spokesman.
But Madison stole him.
I thought you said you could contact him via post box.
Well I feel the fool.
I should have checked that the post box was real.
I have a notion.
Follow me.
Sit down and close your eyes.
- Why? - For my notion.
- What's your notion? - You'll see.
- Not if I close my eyes.
- By taking away your sight and focusing only on sound, you will place your mind in the reality of that telephone call, and unearth a forgotten detail that will lead us to his identity.
That's stupid.
If I'd heard something, it would be in my notes.
Nothing of interest What about this? "I-N-D.
" - Indecipherable.
- Yes, but why was it indecipherable? There was a noise.
Almost as if it were on top of him, - a loud grinding noise.
- Grinding? Like - (MIMICS WHIRRING) - No, more like (LOUD CONTINUOUS BLOWING) - (BOTH BLOWING) - Yes.
And there was another noise on top of that.
Sharp, metallic Eeeeeeeee - (BLOWING LOUDLY) - (HIGH-PITCHED SQUEALING) (BOTH BLOWING AND SQUEALING) A moleta.
Crabtree! George Margaret's winning that contest.
And you're making sure of it.
Sir, I I have no control over the other contestants.
No.
But you do have control over one contestant.
You.
You mean - Sir, I couldn't.
- Oh yes, you could.
You can, and you will.
Sir, if I don't try my best, I'll be impugning the whole spirit of the Madison's Fine Beef Culinary Challenge.
Let's just say it'll be in your best interest.
I couldn't take your money, sir.
I'm not offering you any money, George.
But the next time you ask for a Saturday off work, you'll already know the answer.
And it won't change for the rest of your bloody life.
- You're heading out? - Oh! Yes.
I need to speak with Mr.
Gordon about who was at the photograph opportunity.
There may have been an agent of Mr.
King's Tinned Foods.
Oh, good! I want to check on his condition.
I'll join you.
- How are you feeling? - Fine.
Why wouldn't I be? No reason at all.
Oh! I've purchased something for you.
- Oh! What is it? - Tobacco.
You want me to take up smoking? - Well, only when you're feeling - Feeling what? I've read that for women in your condition, it can have a calming effect on emotions.
Oh Where did you get that tip, the New England Journal of Quacks? Nicotine is a stimulant, William.
Or have you forgotten? I've also read that you're not to quarrel in your state.
Let's focus on work, shall we? Good idea.
(CHOKED BREATHING) Mr.
Gordon? He can't speak.
Is there something you want to tell us? - (GROANS) - Mr.
Gordon, if Mr.
King was present, blink once.
(GROWLS) Do you know who did this? That's it! That's the sound I heard.
He must have placed the call somewhere around here Unlikely.
This is the only moleta in Toronto, but he sets up in a different location each day.
The call came on Tuesday of last week.
(SPEAKING ITALIAN) I'll read out the rows by the first letter.
When I read the right one, you blink Then I'll proceed along that row and do the same.
Yes? A-F - K-P - Yes.
- P - Q - R-S.
- Yes.
- S.
- S.
A-F - V-W.
- Yes.
- G-H-I - I.
- S-W-I.
- Switch.
Mr.
Gordon, are you saying you had a tin in your hand and it was switched that day? (GROANING) Who did this? Who was it? A - Yes.
- A B-C C - F K - Yes.
- M N - N.
C-O-N.
Contestant? One of the contestants switched your tin? But you don't know which one? - (BREATHING PAINFULLY) - Are you sure? If you didn't see it occur, how can you be Mr.
Gordon? Mr.
Gordon! Is everyone ready? We will begin henceforth.
Fine work, Mr.
Rhodes.
I may well get out of all this awfulness with my company intact.
We only did what was right.
The people saw that.
Ladies and gentlemen, the competition will commence shortly.
But first, we will prove once and for all that Madison's Fine Beef is entirely safe Come.
Madam, please.
Watch you step.
Even safe enough for this baby! See, she loves it! (APPLAUSE) OK.
Very well.
- George! - Sir? Mr.
Gordon believes that his tin was intentionally switched - by one of the other contestants.
- I'm inclined to agree, sir.
If I was you, sir, I would speak to Lolo Tucker.
She said Mr.
Gordon "got what he deserved".
- Right.
I'll speak with her.
- One other thing, sir.
Do you think it's ethical to let somebody win unfairly? George, I don't believe anyone wins in a murder investigation.
No, I don't mean the investigation, sir, I mean in general competition scenario.
Something like this.
Well, not this.
But let's say like this, yes.
Well, I suppose if you were to do it for your own gain, that would be wrong.
But if it's a selfless act, then I see little harm.
Mr.
Gordon certainly deserved what he got.
God does the right thing every once in a while.
- Perhaps He had some help.
- Not from me.
But if you need to bring me in for questioning, I won't object.
- That won't be necessary, Mrs.
Tucker.
- Oh.
Then perhaps I can help you.
I've heard a thing or two about little miss sunshine over there.
Miss Cooper? What have you heard? That she is not "Miss Cooper" at all.
(MISS COOPER): Oh, that! I simply changed my name.
My real name is Zagorskis.
Latvian.
It's too long for a poster.
And I intend to be a star, Detective.
You plan to pursue fame through a cooking competition? Once you're famous you can do anything.
No one minds how you got there.
Ladies and gentlemen, the competition is about to begin! (APPLAUSE) - Inspector! We found the moleta.
- The what? When the Good Samaritan called, there was a grinding noise in the background.
- (MIMICS SOUND) - It was a knife-sharpener or a moleta.
You're saying you know where the man was calling from? Precisely.
His location on the day in question was right beside Madison's cannery.
- The killer called from Madison's.
- He is likely an employee.
And one of our suspects works at their lunch counter.
Good work! We know it was you, Douglas.
We know the killer worked for Madison.
I didn't kill anyone.
It was the Frenchman.
Mr.
Prideaux's dish did not kill Mr.
Gordon.
What is your relation to Mr.
King? - Do you work for him? - King? I'd never work for him.
That meat is disgusting.
Aren't they the ones who tried to pass off their bad batch as Madison's? We never told anyone about King being the culprit.
People knew.
I was told by a customer weeks ago.
- About the fake tins? - No, no, no, about the bad batch.
- I just put two and two together.
- Who told you this? He did, him over there.
Mr.
Rhodes.
- What are you doing? - Nothing.
- Are you fiddling with my salt? - No, I would never! It must have been someone else Baking soda! You cheat! Mrs.
Brackenreid, I was going to do you a kindness this day.
But now you can be sure to see George Crabtree - at his culinary best! - Contestants! Ready your pans! On your marks, get set, cook! Please, gentlemen.
Mr.
Powers, the man who was poisoned by King's meat? He's an old friend of mine.
I telephoned the reporter, nothing more.
Why would you want to destroy your own company? "The man who saved Madison's.
" Guiding the company through a crisis, taking responsibility, engendering the good will of the public.
They'll teach students about me in business schools.
I'm sure they'll include the fact that you were hanged for murder.
I don't think so.
I put a few Madison labels on some bad tins, I sent one to Miss Cherry.
But I have no idea who gave one to Gordon.
I'm not sure anyone will believe that.
But it's true, Detective.
I wasn't even at the photograph opportunity that day.
It's true, sir.
Mr.
Rhodes wasn't there.
You see? Now, I appreciate your diligence, gentlemen, but I have a contest to judge.
Maybe he switched the tin beforehand.
Mr.
Gordon was adamant that the switch occurred at the scene.
It had to be someone who was there Three! Two! One! Spatulas down, hands off your pans! It's time to taste these fine concoctions! (APPLAUSE) He had to have been involved somehow.
That second mislabelled tin was no coincidence.
Then we have to presume that he was working with one of them.
But why kill Gordon? Sending the tin to Miss Cherry would have achieved the same result.
An exposé doesn't create the same splash as a death.
A warm hand for all our contestants! He had to have another reason to kill Gordon.
Oh no! It's truly horrible.
- (APPLAUSE) - Mmmm! Marvelous work, Constable! - (APPLAUSE) - What a unique showcase for our Fine Beef.
Thank you, sir.
Fabulous.
Fabulous! (APPLAUSE) Fine work, ma'am.
Fine work! Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you! A very difficult decision, indeed.
But I can award victory only to one.
Miss Kathleen Cooper! - (APPLAUSE) - (MARGARET): What?! - What?! - This is nuts.
No! I can't have lost.
There's no way that woman won! There's no benefit from being a sore loser, Margaret.
I'm telling you she CAN'T have won.
(WHISPERING): I swapped out her salt.
(THOMAS): You what?! You swapped out her salt?! - (MARGARET): I wanted to win! I deserved to win! - Mr.
Madison! Just a moment.
Just a moment.
Mr.
Rhodes, perhaps you should taste this dish one more time.
Why would I need to do that? (SPITTING) - (EXCLAMATIONS) - Because it's utterly inedible! You wanted Miss Cooper to be the new face of Madison's all along.
So the two of you conspired to kill Mr.
Gordon and set your plan in motion in the process.
I didn't do anything! - Look out! - (PEOPLE GASPING) Wait! One question, Mr.
Rhodes: why add murder to your plan? That part was her idea.
Hmm.
You were happy to go along with it.
I wanted to be great, to be renowned, for the public to know my name.
The public will know your name.
(MARGARET): I'm going to do it.
I'm doing it! (APPLAUSE) Ladies and gentlemen, it is my other to present to you, the new face of Madison's: Margaret Brackenreid! Thank you! Thank you so much.
Yes! Come on, look at us! (MARGARET LAUGHING) Fine work, Miss Cherry.
- For that, you have my thanks.
- And your apology? - For what? - For judging me unfairly.
It may once again be safe, but I'm not sure I'll ever regard meat with the same enthusiasm again.
Perhaps you should stick to freshly butchered cuts.
I thought the same.
Then I read up on the abattoir conditions in the stockyards.
The Shelleys subscribed to a Pythagorean diet.
- Da Vinci too.
- Pythagorean? You mean vegetarian? I do.
"My body," said da Vinci, "will not be a tomb to other creatures.
" Yes.
Yes, it's the only way to live, isn't it? Join me, Miss Cherry.
From this day forward, we shall follow the ranks of all moral men in our strict adherence to vegetarianism.
Uh, I don't think so.
What are we, cows? William, are you going to spend the next seven months - too afraid to speak? - I I was looking for the right thing to say.
It seems I've become quite the burden now that pregnancy has made me just a little emotional.
Burden? No, not at all.
It's just that I spend a great deal of time trying to figure out how best to help and I I feel useless.
I feel the same.
(SOFT MUSIC) Let me just say: Good choice, Crabtree.
Sir, to be entirely honest, I didn't let Mrs.
Brackenreid win.
- Eh? - I tried my best, she won fair and square.
I suppose I'm not such a terrific chef after all.
Few men are.
There's an idea, sir.
What if bachelors like myself didn't have to cook? What if you could just purchase a prepared meal? - What for? - For convenience.
It would be ready to heat, ready to eat.
That would be the slogan.
And I would call it "Tasty Vittles Dinner.
" Bit of a mouthful.
Well, I suppose I could shorten it.
"TV Dinner.
" And you could eat it whenever you're watching whatever you can see out your window, I suppose.
I mean, the news of the day, some copper solving a case, - perhaps a cooking competition.
- That sounds ridiculous.
Why wouldn't you just get yourself a wife? (THOMAS CHUCKLING)