Episode 1 - "A Fashionable Way to Die"
This is another good one written by Donald Ross (and, incidentally, also taking place in Europe). Jessica to Paris to support - you guessed it - an old friend. This time the old friend is a fashion designer whose line is about to make its big debut; except the Eurotrash loan shark who has been funding her suddenly demands a bigger cut, or the debut ain't happening. Guess who gets murdered.
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
Sunday, June 5, 2016
Murder, He Wrote (Season 3, Episodes 20-22)
Episode 20 - "The Cemetary Vote"
Wow, another nasty one. Jessica goes to Idaho after hearing of the death of a friend, and walks right into another rural hornet's nest. This show really loves to portray small-minded small town types who lord over "out of towners" and "do gooders" until they finally get their just comeuppance.
Wow, another nasty one. Jessica goes to Idaho after hearing of the death of a friend, and walks right into another rural hornet's nest. This show really loves to portray small-minded small town types who lord over "out of towners" and "do gooders" until they finally get their just comeuppance.
Murder, He Wrote! (Season 3, Episodes 17-19)
Episode 17 - "Simon Says, Color Me Dead"
What a terrible episode title! Reductive in the worst way, and not even really amusing. As it implies, we have an artist named Simon who is, indeed, found murdered in his studio. The artist, Simon Thane (which, for once, sounds believable) is a personal friend of Jessica going back many years, and she attends a dinner party in his honor on the very night of the murder - imagine that!
What a terrible episode title! Reductive in the worst way, and not even really amusing. As it implies, we have an artist named Simon who is, indeed, found murdered in his studio. The artist, Simon Thane (which, for once, sounds believable) is a personal friend of Jessica going back many years, and she attends a dinner party in his honor on the very night of the murder - imagine that!
Friday, June 3, 2016
Murder, He Wrote! (Season 3, Episodes 14-16)
Episode 14 - "Murder in a Minor Key"
This is the episode that made me think Murder, She Wrote had really made it. Although the ratings were really high at this point, and they were luring bigger guest stars than ever, it's when the show felt comfortable to start taking narrative chances that I thought it had turned the corner.
This episode is both ambitious and a little odd: Jessica Fletcher appears only has a sort of narrator, breaking the fourth wall and speaking directly to the viewer, describing the plot of her newest novel, Murder in a Minor Key. The remainder of the episode features the fictional characters of her book as if they were real, and so Jessica doesn't actually solve the crime.
This is the episode that made me think Murder, She Wrote had really made it. Although the ratings were really high at this point, and they were luring bigger guest stars than ever, it's when the show felt comfortable to start taking narrative chances that I thought it had turned the corner.
This episode is both ambitious and a little odd: Jessica Fletcher appears only has a sort of narrator, breaking the fourth wall and speaking directly to the viewer, describing the plot of her newest novel, Murder in a Minor Key. The remainder of the episode features the fictional characters of her book as if they were real, and so Jessica doesn't actually solve the crime.
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Murder, He Wrote! (Season 3, Episodes 7-13)
Episode 7 - "Deadline for Murder"
Ah, how quaint - a murder of a newspaper publisher. Newspapers, remember those? Jessica is friends with an old-school hard-workin' reporter with the improbable name of Haskell Drake, who is fired by the heartless new tabloid monster who bought the newspaper. In fact, he's not just fired, he has a full heart attack (the publisher just barks "Get some photos of this!"), and Jessica comes to visit him in the hospital.
Ah, how quaint - a murder of a newspaper publisher. Newspapers, remember those? Jessica is friends with an old-school hard-workin' reporter with the improbable name of Haskell Drake, who is fired by the heartless new tabloid monster who bought the newspaper. In fact, he's not just fired, he has a full heart attack (the publisher just barks "Get some photos of this!"), and Jessica comes to visit him in the hospital.
Friday, May 27, 2016
Murder, He Wrote! (Season 3, Episodes 1-6)
Episodes 1 and 2 - "Death Stalks the Big Top, Parts 1 and 2"
Wow, this is a helluva season opener - circuses! Lecherous sadists, carnies, a grandfather who may have faked his death, a bullied kid, possibly murderous elephants, and - of couse - our beloved Jessica Fletcher right in the middle of it.
Jessica's niece Carol is about to get married in three days, when she receives a secret gift in the mail - a gift that indicates her dead grandfather may be less than dead. Jessica tracks the gift to a nearby pawn shop, who indicates the purchaser originated in the local circus (!). Of course he did.
Wow, this is a helluva season opener - circuses! Lecherous sadists, carnies, a grandfather who may have faked his death, a bullied kid, possibly murderous elephants, and - of couse - our beloved Jessica Fletcher right in the middle of it.
Jessica's niece Carol is about to get married in three days, when she receives a secret gift in the mail - a gift that indicates her dead grandfather may be less than dead. Jessica tracks the gift to a nearby pawn shop, who indicates the purchaser originated in the local circus (!). Of course he did.
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Murder, He Wrote! (Second Season Wrap-Up)
Time for some quick odds and ends in summary of the second season!
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Murder, He Wrote! (Season 2, Episodes 18-22)
Episode 18 - "If a Body Meet a Body"
We're on the final stretch of Season 2, and boy do they start bringing out the big guns. This one opens with the funeral of Henry Burning, a respected Cabot Cove businessman - but he's been cremated surprisingly quickly after dying on vacation with his wife. Wife claims it was a middle-of-the-night heart attack, but Henry's mistress storms into the funeral, accuses the wife of murder, and then topples the casket (!!).
We're on the final stretch of Season 2, and boy do they start bringing out the big guns. This one opens with the funeral of Henry Burning, a respected Cabot Cove businessman - but he's been cremated surprisingly quickly after dying on vacation with his wife. Wife claims it was a middle-of-the-night heart attack, but Henry's mistress storms into the funeral, accuses the wife of murder, and then topples the casket (!!).
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Murder, He Wrote! (Season 2, Episodes 15-17)
Episode 15 - "Powder Keg"
What a nasty, nasty episode! Damn if this isn't the most unpleasant episode I've seen so far - vicious rednecks, cruel rednecks, stupid rednecks, virulent racism, a lynch mob (!), a murder victim who THOROUGHLY deserved it, and women who are thought of as possessions if they are thought of at all.
What a nasty, nasty episode! Damn if this isn't the most unpleasant episode I've seen so far - vicious rednecks, cruel rednecks, stupid rednecks, virulent racism, a lynch mob (!), a murder victim who THOROUGHLY deserved it, and women who are thought of as possessions if they are thought of at all.
Murder, He Wrote! (Season 2, Episodes 10-14)
Episode 10 - "Sticks and Stones"
This is a pretty good one - Sheriff Amos retires (with gusto) and hands the badge over the former realtor Harry Pierce (seen in several recent episodes). At the same time, the lovely Bev Gareth is electrocuted in her bath when he tries to adjust her TV that has a badly (and intentionally?) frayed cord - and with her death, the way is clear for hundreds of condos to spring up on a beautiful Atlantic bluff in Cabot Cove. Hmmmmm.
This is a pretty good one - Sheriff Amos retires (with gusto) and hands the badge over the former realtor Harry Pierce (seen in several recent episodes). At the same time, the lovely Bev Gareth is electrocuted in her bath when he tries to adjust her TV that has a badly (and intentionally?) frayed cord - and with her death, the way is clear for hundreds of condos to spring up on a beautiful Atlantic bluff in Cabot Cove. Hmmmmm.
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Murder, He Wrote! (Season 2, Episodes 7-9)
Episode 7 - "A Lady in the Lake"
This is a pretty good one - Jessica takes a retreat at a remote inn to do research for a new novel, and joins an eccentric cast of characters that includes two couples, a bird watcher, a nature lover, a womanizing boat guy, and more. Meanwhile, the inn owner is pressured by Harry Pierce (Cabot Cove realtor) into buying (?) the property; I guess the implication is she's renting now? That subplot was never very clear.
This is a pretty good one - Jessica takes a retreat at a remote inn to do research for a new novel, and joins an eccentric cast of characters that includes two couples, a bird watcher, a nature lover, a womanizing boat guy, and more. Meanwhile, the inn owner is pressured by Harry Pierce (Cabot Cove realtor) into buying (?) the property; I guess the implication is she's renting now? That subplot was never very clear.
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Murder, He Wrote! (Season 2, Episodes 1-6)
Episode 1 - "Widow, Weep For Me"
The second season has a strong opening when Jessica gets a letter from her friend Antoinette, who dies just after mailing it. Jessica travels to the Caribbean to investigate at a luxurious hotel resort.
Things get interesting quickly with a jewel thief, another murder, and a cast of interesting and dissolute scums who are living high and fancy free. Things also get interesting when Jessica butts heads with hotel security, and takes on a mentor-type role to a cute Iowan schoolteacher. There is also a great car chase scene. All in all, a pretty colorful start to the season.
The second season has a strong opening when Jessica gets a letter from her friend Antoinette, who dies just after mailing it. Jessica travels to the Caribbean to investigate at a luxurious hotel resort.
Things get interesting quickly with a jewel thief, another murder, and a cast of interesting and dissolute scums who are living high and fancy free. Things also get interesting when Jessica butts heads with hotel security, and takes on a mentor-type role to a cute Iowan schoolteacher. There is also a great car chase scene. All in all, a pretty colorful start to the season.
Monday, May 9, 2016
Murder, He Wrote! (First Season Wrap-Up)
Time for some quick odds and ends in summary of the first season!
Sunday, May 8, 2016
Murder, He Wrote! (Season 1, Episodes 18-22)
Episode 18 - "Footnote to Murder"
This is a fun one - a group of writers gather at an awards show and their comically outsized egos ensure lots of conflict and, eventually, murder.
Jessica and her poet friend Horace (!) go to the awards together; Horace is a real character and I wish he was in every episode - he's funny, sarcastic in a self-deprecating way, clever, perceptive, and sensitive. He makes a ton of jokes about drinking a lot, but never crosses the line into bad behavior - probably why Jessica takes a shine to him.
This is a fun one - a group of writers gather at an awards show and their comically outsized egos ensure lots of conflict and, eventually, murder.
Jessica and her poet friend Horace (!) go to the awards together; Horace is a real character and I wish he was in every episode - he's funny, sarcastic in a self-deprecating way, clever, perceptive, and sensitive. He makes a ton of jokes about drinking a lot, but never crosses the line into bad behavior - probably why Jessica takes a shine to him.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)