Murder, She Wrote was the longest-running detective mystery series on American television. In it, Angela Lansbury stars as Jessica Fletcher, former substitute English teacher and famed mystery writer Jessica Fletcher has a gift for solving mysteries. The good-natured widow living in an 85-year old Victorian house in the peaceful hamlet of Cabot Cove, Maine she leads a quiet life as a talented - but undiscovered mystery writer and crime solver - her life is changed when a relative submits a manuscript to Coventry House Publishers, who turns her into a best-selling novelist. As the pride of Cabot Cove, Fletcher goes on to become a super sleuth, with an uncanny knack for both solving crimes and turning out best-selling mysteries novels.
The Producer Peter S. Fisher created this series in collaboration with Richard Levinson and William Link; at the time even they had no faith in the series, but were obviously pleasantly surprised. It was a show where you had to pay attention to it, and it was scheduled in a time slot where no show on CBS since Ed Sullivan had succeeded. It did however become CBS's most successful show of the decade, this could be down to the talent of Angela Lansbury as she gave the mystery writer Jessica Fletcher believability and appeal that cut across age lines and overcame the drawbacks of being an amateur detective.
It is estimated Murder She Wrote brought in over 2 million dollars to the local economy. In addition, generous donations were presented to local service groups and organisations, including local volunteer fire departments, the school district, and the recreation department. The 20 member Mendocino High School band appeared in one segment, and received enough money to fund a field trip.
The series is still ever popular today and regularly viewed on some television channels, check DigiGuide for the next viewing.
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(3 Star)
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