‘Murder One’ Leaves Hole In Plot

If you’ve been watching ABC’s “Murder One” on a regular basis and recently thought that something was amiss with the continuity of the story line, you’re right.

The series, which focuses all season on one big-time murder case, recently has included references to a partnership between Justine Appleton (Mary McCormick) and Richard Cross (Stanley Tucci). The problem is that most viewers didn’t know the business relationship existed. It was sealed in an episode that never aired, at least not in this country.

The loss of the Appleton-Cross deal was the result of ABC’s decision to revamp the series late last year. The show was shelved in October and returned on a different night, Mondays, in January. While it was off the air, the B story lines - those that started and ended in one episode - were removed, leaving the Appleton-Cross relationship on the cutting-room floor. Indeed, the only reference to the Appleton-Cross connection came during an opening-segment reprise a few weeks back, which would have been missed by anyone tuning in late.

The network hasn’t received any calls about the snafu, according to a spokeswoman.

While viewers in the U.S. were left out in the cold, “Murder One” fans abroad were not. The missing episode aired Monday night in London. For more details on the missing episode, check the Internet. The computer world is buzzing with “Murder” chat.