Review of Murder She Wrote: Season 2

Introduction

Wait long enough and there`s time to make a detective out of anyone. By the 1980`s there was a detective for everyone-scruffy, fat and in this case a mature female novelist with the unerring habit of tripping almost daily over corpses-New England had never been a more dangerous place to live. Angela Lansbury had an early career in films which then was eclipsed by her Broadway musical appearances. She worked on "Murder She Wrote" from 1984 until 1996 and also managed to fit a few more films in between including a career topping performance as a rather amazing teapot in "Beauty and the Beast".

"Murder She Wrote" ran for nine seasons and after that they also came back to make a couple of TV movies. Lansbury joined Tom Selleck for two crossovers episodes but you`ll have to wait for Season 3 for that and you`ll also have to get Magnum P.I. Season 7 for the first part!

This simple story of a woman mystery writer, who copes with the inordinately high body count of her New England home by helping the local sheriff solve all the murders, was a great success. Ably filling the spot shared with McCloud, Columbo and Cannon this energetic post-menopausal heroine had her fair share of screen time with attractive men and always bamboozled the villain(if it wasn`t for that pesky novelist…I`d have got away with it…)

Already we are into the release of Season Two with many more to follow. I`m at a loss to know why a release is necessary given the incessant reruns of this and other series from the same 80`s stables.

Thankfully I was only sent the first disc for the pleasure of reviewing. The stories are linked only by Jessica Fletcher, the woman novelist who doesn`t have time to write because she is always falling over bodies and the local sheriff and doctor. There`s a hint of romance with the doctor played by William Windom (still going strong at 83). The sheriff as played with an impossible accent by Tom Bosley (Ritchie`s Dad from Happy Days) is also still working; someone else without a pension.

Episodes are:

Widow Weep for Me, Joshua Peabody Died Here... Possibly, Murder in the Afternoon, School for Scandal, Sing a Song of Murder, Reflections of the Mind, A Lady in the Lake, Dead Heat, Jessica Behind Bars, Sticks & Stones, Murder Digs Deep, Murder By Appointment Only, Trial by Error, Keep the Home Fries Burning, Powder Keg, Murder in the Electric Cathedral, One Good Bid Deserves a Murder, If A Body Meet A Body, Christopher Bundy - Died On Sunday, Menace Anyone?, The Perfect Foil, If the Frame Fits.

Video

The reproduction of the original transmission picture is adequate. Don`t expect anything with bells on. It accurately recreates the 70`s experience.

Audio

Apart from expecting Ms Lansbury to launch into something from "Beauty and the Beast" and waiting for her to say to the sheriff "Hop into the cupboard now Chip" the sound does not disappoint. It is perfectly clear but I had forgotten how pronounced Tom Bosley`s accent is (and I`m not sure how accurate it is for New England either!)

Features

None

Conclusion

Oh, how tortured these tales seem now in the age of flashy special effects and plots where you might need to take notes for future reference. The progress of these murders is as pedestrian as Miss Marple. It`s an excuse for Jessica to dress up, get romanced, usually by the killer and dispense worldly wisdom over the corpses and cocktails.

This is a waltz into the past and if the pace of modern life is too hectic, immerse yourself in the dubious designer fragrance of Jessie`s Messes` and wallow in the scented waves of nostalgia. No matter the slowness and the bone-crunching boredom of working out who did it. Admire the make-up, the fashions, aging film stars with facelifts trying to botox their sagging careers. It`s a minor victory for the over 40`s that that this stuff has been made at all. Everybody has to be younger and slimmer these days to make it on a hip TV series.

Warning: do not watch in the bath in case your partner throws the TV in and Do Not be seen purchasing these DVDs-that`s what mail order is for.

I`m giving it a 6 for being the backbone of afternoon scheduling and for Ms Lansbury`s pension-I hope she gets a good cut.