Melanie Cooper (Melora Hardin) is the main villainess from Part 1 of "Trash TV," episode 6.19 of Diagnosis Murder (airdate April 29, 1999). She is a publicist from POX Network, and the daughter of famed TV executive Pat Cooper.
However, Melanie became disgusted over what was on TV nowadays; programs that were disregarded as "trash TV," Among the programs was the "Masked Magician" show, which Melanie attempted to a sabotage. She first switched a prop arrow with a real one, which led to the Masked Magician being wounded during the show. His next program had the magician revealing himself before performing a trick involving a row of spikes. The escape trick included the magician breaking free from Velcro straps, but before the performance, the evil Melanie replaced one of the straps with a real one, which kept the magician from escaping and led to the spikes killing him. The villainess also attempted to kill Kent Beaudine by poisoning his coffee.
Melanie ended up caught and revealed as the killer in a trap set by Mark Sloan, as he managed to switch places with the villainess in a trick devised by Melanie to kill the next magician. After she was caught, Melanie revealed her motive, stating that her father wouldn't want TV to sink to such a low level. Though she admitted to the death of the magician and the attempt on Beaudine, she denied killing "Dr. Danger" star Derek Shaw, stating that she loved the show. Melanie was arrested for the murder and the attempt on Beaudine.
Trivia[]
- Melora Hardin made a previous villainous appearance on the series back in Season Two as the evil Savannah Bellows.
- Melora Hardin later appeared as villainess Erin Toner on NCIS, and as the evil Shelley Meyers on Scandal.
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