Death Stalks the Shadow, 10-9-1938

A much shorter opening than the previous set of episodes.

Some guy named Murdock is visiting someone in jail. The guy being visited is due to be executed. The guy says Murdock planned the killing, and it was messed up by the Shadow.

The guy threatens to tell the Shadow about Murdock, but that night the guy's due to be executed. Murdock tells a guard he wants to talk to Commissioner Weston. Lamont and Margo are at a restaurant, and Lamont realizes that is the night that the guy is going to be executed.

Lamont talks about photoelectric beams that can automatically open doors, and that it would be a problem for the Shadow. Then Weston comes over, and says he needs to contact the Shadow.

Back to the prison. The guy is pacing his cell, then he hears the voice of the Shadow. The guy tells the Shadow what really happened with Murdock. He tells the Shadow Murdock plans a slum fire to collect on insurance. Dopey Jake is a friend of the guy's, and he tells the Shadow to talk him, plus there are things in Murdock's house that the Shadow can use.

The scene moves to Murdock's place, and a bunch of guys and a woman are there. They realize he knows about Dopey Jake. Murdock says he will kill the Shadow. Murdock plans a crime to get the Shadow to follow him; his henchmen are to kill Dopey Jake. Murdock is setting a trap for the Shadow.

Lamont and Margo are getting near where Dopey Jake lives. Lamont knocks on Jake's door. The door is unlocked, and they enter. They find Dopey Jake already dead. There's a note on his body, “This is our pal, Dopey Jake. Get him to talk to you now, Shadow.”

Some kind of wiring is being done at Murdock's, with sliding steel doors. It works by a infrared ray (which ties it in to the discussion at the restaurant at the start of the episode.) The door itself is set up to be charged with electricity and will kill anyone who touches it.

The guy who built the door is killed by one of Murdock's henchmen.

Murdock and a henchmen is waiting for the Shadow. The henchmen opens the door and the Shadow enters. He tells the Shadow where Murdock's private room is. The Shadow enters the room and the door closes. There's a panel that Murdock can talk through. Murdock says he's smarter than the Shadow.

The Shadow sees a filing cabinet and there's a body in it. It's the guy who wired the room.

The Shadow calls Margo and tells her to call the Commissioner and bring the police. (Where did the Shadow find a radio???) Murdock is hooking up a gas line into the room which contains poison gas. He's due to die in ten minutes. The lights in the house go out; the Shadow has blown the fuse. The door opens, and Murdock and the others try to flee.

The police arrive at the house. Inside, Murdock and the others hear the voice of the Shadow. Murdock shoots the woman as she tries to escape. Murdock takes the gun from Murdock. The police break in and the Shadow tells him Murdock killed the woman and there's another body in the house.

There's a different guy playing the Shadow this season, and I don't think he's as good as those who played the part before him.

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