Murder, She Wrote is an endlessly entertaining TV show with a delightful central performance by Angela Lansbury. Sure, the formula may be repetitive, and there must surely be a limit to how many times nieces and nephews can be falsely accused of murder, but Jessica Fletcher's adventures are always fun. In terms of strengths, the earlier seasons set in Cabot Cove are the best, with our intrepid crime writer interacting with a number of foils, such as Sheriff Amos Tupper, Sherrif Mort Metzger, and most notably, Dr. Seth Hazlitt. When the action shifts to New York, some of the charm is lost (although one must presume that this was necessary given that most of the residents of Cabot Cove had been murdered - Salem's Lot is a safer locale), although she does hit the road to solve crimes in Russia, Jamaica, Italy, Greece, Australia, Ireland, Great Britain and Hawaii (where she helps out Thomas Magnum PI!), which keeps things lively. However, when the producers tried to make the show hip with Jessica helping out pop and funk bands, again, the charm factor faltered. Finally, the season in which Jessica often simply introduces the mysteries is a very hit-and-miss affair (although the Dennis Stanton adventures are very good). So, an enjoyable show with guest stars galore (from the past and yet-to-be stars) with a very charismatic lead at its heart.
Review of Murder, She Wrote
