Have always been quite fond of 'Murder She Wrote'. It is a fun and relaxing watch that makes you think as you try to unwind in the evening. If one wants more complex, twisty mysteries with lots of tension and suspense 'Murder She Wrote' may not be for you, but if you want something light-hearted and entertaining but still provide good mysteries 'Murder She Wrote' fits the bill just fine.
"Who Threw the Barbitals in Mrs Fletcher's Chowder?" stands out among the rest, in that it has the longest title of all the 'Murder She Wrote' episodes put together and it is certainly an unforgettable one, no matter how slightly generic it is. Is it one of my favourites of Season 4? No. Is it one of my favourites of the show in general? Again no. Is it a good episode? Yes, a very good one in fact.
Colleen Camp's character doesn't really go anywhere in terms of character direction, Camp does play her quite well but the character isn't particularly interesting. Also the writers maybe could have done better in knowing what to do and what direction to take with Winnie and kept it consistent. Then again that may be just me.
On the other hand, the production values are slick and stylish as ever with 'Murder She Wrote'. Loved the rustic Cabot Cove setting and the strong sense of close knit community, a huge part of the charm of the Cabot Cove episodes. The music has energy and has presence but also not making the mistake of over-scoring, while it is hard to forget or resist the theme tune.
Writing is thought-provoking, light-hearted and amiable and the story doesn't have a dull moment and entertains and shocks with a clever solution, even though one is amazed at Jessica's life not being jeopardised considering what she does at the end.
Angela Lansbury delights as usual in one of her justifiably best-remembered roles. Tom Bosley and William Windom are reliably solid as more-than-just-bumbling-sheriff-cliché Amos and curmudgeonly Seth, and the supporting cast, particularly a very likable Anne Meara, a love-to-hate Donnelly Rhodes and Henry Gibson likewise.
In summation, very good episode. 8/10 Bethany Cox