Murder, She Wrote
Murder , She Wroteis an iconic mystery serial publication . Indeed , the landmark whodunit series go 12 seasons , draw from 1984 - 1996 . Angela Lansbury , who played the professional author moonlighting as a super - sleuth , Jessica Fletcher , appeared in virtually all 264 episodes of the serial publication , winning four aureate Globes in the process . With such a high volume of episodes , it ’s fair to wonder whichMurder , She Wroteepisodes are the best .
InMurder , She WroteJessica Fletcher oft ascertain herself by chance stumbling into mystery situations after she publishes her first mystery novel . She ’s charming and approachable , which also leads to her often being require by those around her how she would write the murder currently being investigated . Jessica ’s alone take on criminal offence ( critics calledMurder , She Wrote"cozy " ) makes for a bunch of excellent episodes of television that are n’t as dark or formulaic as modern law-breaking procedurals .
15“The Witch’s Curse” S8.E12
Jessica Fletcher always preserve a logical mind even when work out seemingly impossible closed book . That ’s why she does n’t initially trust rumor about a fledgling to Cabot Cove being a witch in this sequence ( which also stages a play about a woman falsely impeach of witchcraft ) . As strange things keep materialize , however , even Mrs. Fletcher starts to have her dubiety .
“ The Witch ’s cuss ” is one of the raretruly creepy-crawly episodes ofMurder , She Wroteto delve more into the supernatural side of mysteries ( though , obviously , still include a coherent account for everything ) . It breaks the average forMurder , She Wrotea bit because of that , which is why it ’s one of the good .
14“Sticks And Stones” S2.E10
Cabot Cove ’s longtime sheriff ( and Jessica ’s good friend ) decides to retire , but of course , he does it just in time for his replacement to have to take on a execution probe or two . The murder investigation coincides with the potential development of 400 condo .
Murder , She Wrotehas many storylines that deal with the conservation of Cabot Cove ’s beaches and keeping the small Ithiel Town complimentary of too many tourists . This is one of the few episode to compound that plot line with its execution mystery well . It can be unmanageable to discourse the harm tourer can do on a vacation daub without alienating some of the audience , but this episode manages to do it .
13"The Return Of Preston Giles" S7.E7
sports fan were thrilled to see the return of Jessica ’s inaugural enemy . In the episode , the first man Jessica put behind bars , Preston Giles , is mysteriously released from a double - execution charge after only six years . Giles , Jessica ’s former publishing firm , goes back to work at his older publishing house , where a rival editor in chief is suddenly polish off .
As Jessica sleuth around , she determines whether Giles has commit his third murder or if he ’s being framed by a criminal Einstein . It ’s a great callback episode that rewards fan of the show for pose with it for seven seasons .
12"One Good Bid Deserves Another" S2.E17
Since the bulk of theMurder , She Wroteepisodes do n’t in reality take spot inJessica Fletcher ’s hometown of Cabot Cove , it ’s no surprise that many of the best episode boast Jessica traveling about and far . In this installment , she heads to Boston to bid in an auction bridge on behalf of one of her moneyed friends . Her aim is to get a daybook , but during the vendue , her friend winds up dead , the daybook goes missing , and Jessica ends up as a suspect . Luckily , her friend and secret detective Harry McGraw ( Jerry Orbach ) shows up to help .
It ’s always a full episode when Harry shows up . Orbach is great in the role . ‘ XC TV rooter will likely know him well for his role inLaw & Orderas a detective , but here he channels 1930s - dash intemperately - boil police detective , a complete line to the wholesome Jessica Fletcher . Their dynamic makes the episode even well than the mystery does .
11"If It’s Thursday, It Must Be Beverly" S4.E7
This deed is a play on the 1969 filmIf It ’s Tuesday , It Must Be Belgium . Jessica is tasked with assist Nox deputy Jonathan Martin , whose pill - popping married woman was see deadened from a bullet release from Jonathan ’s free small-arm . Was it suicide or something more nefarious ?
Despite his philandering way that would seem to give him a motive , Jonathan has an airtight excuse for the night of his married woman ’s dying . As Jessica investigates , she utilise stolen ring armor and shady drawing slate to uncover the true statement . There ’s a destiny of unusual evidence in this sequence , which is what makes the mystery so fun to unravel .
10"Nan’s Ghost Parts 1 & 2" S12.E6 And E7
While most ofMurder , She Wrote’sbest episodes sharpen on straight - up slaying cause that have a twist , the two - part “ Nan ’s Ghost ” leans more toward the supernatural at first . The storey features the idea of a untested cleaning lady haunting an Irish castle . Of naturally , it ’s the same edifice where Jessica Fletcher finds herself in the episode .
The episode is often thought of as one of the creepiest ofMurder , She Wroteepisodes as well , leaning into the potential for supernatural horror . Jessica even gets immobilize in the supposedly haunted cellar , making for some real playfulness as she tries to find a fashion out and solve the possible murder of the “ trace . ” There ’s even an erstwhile treasure in these instalment , giving speck of an old adventure movie as well .
9“Keep The Home Fries Burning" S2.E14
The installment ab initio paint challenger between eating place as the potential causa of murder as several client from one place have intellectual nourishment poisoning before one person ends up dead . The weapon is poisoned strawberry preserves , but competition is n’t the reason at all .
As often bump in the series , it turns out the motif for execution is wholly dissimilar from what Jessica initially believes . It finally add up out that the poisoning is revenge for an affair - something else that materialise in the serial pretty regularly . The episode render a not bad instance of a typical plot made more entertaining by the friendship between Jessica and Amos as they dog down the truth .
8"The Days Dwindle Down" S3.E21
The Season 3 closing curtain ofMurder , She Wrotesits among the series ' most beloved episode . Not only does Jessica find herself in the literal crinkle of fire , but she also ties the matching bullet to an unsolved shooting that jailed a human beings for 30 long time .
The military personnel in question is Sam Wilson , an accountant book for murdering his knob , Richard Jarvis . Jarvis make up Sam $ 10,000 to pretend to kill him and make it face like a suicide . When Sam ’s wife approaches Jessica to solve the crime , she ties the murder artillery that killed Jarvis to that of her own assailant . There ’s nothing like aMurder , She Wroteepisode that solves two cases at once .
7"The Sins Of Castle Cove" S5.E17
job in paradise arise when Jessica ’s old mentee Sybil Reed compose a vengeful expose called " The Sins Of Castle Cove . " When the dweller of Cabot Cove learn the story is inaccurately based on their close - rumple community of interests , they lash out in protestation . before long , the murder plot of Miriam ’s novel becomes a bloodcurdling realism .
short , Cabot Cove ’s Miriam Harwood is buffet to death with a fry goat god . Jessica investigates two primary suspects : Noah Harwood , Miriam ’s shady husband , and the local stumbler , Tim Mulligan .
6"Mirror, Mirror On The Wall: Parts 1 & 2" S5.E21 & 22
The net two episodes of Season 5 still rate among the most adored chapter ofMurder , She Wrote . The installment starts with the arrival of Eudora McVeigh , whose friendly demeanor is a cunning front for her attack to sweep over Jessica ’s persona in Cabot Cove .
When local doctor ( and one of the most often recurringMurdercharacters ) Seth Hazlitt is poisoned with an orchard apple tree that Eudora gives to Jessica , Jessica still conserve her friend ’s innocence . However , once Eudora ’s hubby Hank is discovered to be having an affair with her agent Liza Caspar , Jessica reassesses the office . It ’s by all odds a case of not judge a volume by its cover and having to understand that even someone who seems harmless could be telling spate of Lie .
