Murder, She Wrote - TV Series Review

Murder, She Wrote takes people into an interesting sphere which is introduced by a brilliant actress Angela Lansbury as a woman Jessica Fletcher solving crimes with her brains and ladies’ touches. Fletcher is a widowed mystery writer turned detective, who unwittingly stumbles upon murders across the globe, and ranging from Cabot Cove to the big apple. Through the character’s adventures with friends, such as Dr. Seth Hazlitt and different sheriffs, Fletcher, the viewer is introduced to episodes and different plots combined into the framework of a successful detective TV serial.

Some of the persistent themes in this show include cunning, hard working, and justice, where Fletcher stands as a strong female character in an industry that was dominated by male detective. It also keeps it rather tense which blends rather well with cute and comfort moments and that can mostly be contributed to Fletcher being genuinely likable. The thing is that viewers get the impression of the murders’ investigation while getting a slice of the simple labors of life in Cabot Cove.

Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher is not only the series’ mascot, but she is also a cultural reference at this point. Lansbury’s delivery application brings Fletcher’s logical and compassionate aspects to life and develop Fletcher into a realistic and remarkable character. William Windom and Tom Bosley are also well cast to support Lansbury’s sparkling vitality and add to the richness of the characters and the ongoing intrigue.

Several directors —Anthony Pullen Shaw, Walter Grauman and Vincent McEveety — skillfully work to deveop an engaging story that will maintain viewer interest on a weekly basis. Thanks to their creative concepts they are able to develop each episode as a new and interesting one, while building characters and the mysterious plot simultaneously.

The music of ‘Murder, She Wrote’ mainly consists of compositions by John Addison and the music of the series is as remarkable as the series itself. The opening credits with Jessica Fletcher singing the show’s theme song puts the viewer in Jessica Fletcher universe and lays out the beat for the suspenseful, yet lighthearted drama that unfolds throughout each episode.

Murder, She Wrote also enjoys remarkable cinematography that captures both the idyllictextured setting of Cabot Cove and every other setting depicted in the show. It also adds to the comfort and mystery of the show, as well as makes the viewer more engrossed.

The elements of production design focus on the setting of the show from Fletcher’s home to the various locations that she finds herself having to solve murder in. Every set is stylish to pin the show’s visual appeal to the fabulous but complex world of Jessica and contribute to the show’s intrigue.

Although relying on the special effects, the series wants to stay believable yet quite interesting. Even such elements as attention to detail of crime scenes and clues makes a plot of Jessica’s adventures even more inveterate without becoming too extensive to overpower the series.

Good editorial work succeeded in providing a clear and coherent development of the series which is decisive for the mystery-based story. Such transitions between events and transitions from suspect interviews enable the show to build and progress at a rate that would enable the viewers to solve cases together with Jessica Fletcher.

Murder, She Wrote has a slow and deliberate pace because of its episodic nature. Reads like a slow burn mystery drama each episode is complex and well thought out, the episodes are long enough to allow for character work and often contemplative solving which leads to a satisfying pay off that encourages tuning into the next episode.

The dialogue in Murder, She Wrote is very witty and nuanced. Climax in the show; The conversation part which at times discloses crucial aspects of the character and enhances tension, forms one of the most adorable qualities of warmth and charm of Fletcher.

While Murder, She Wrote may remain fascinating to date, perhaps the nature of Jessica’s constant traveling around the world to solve crimes may cause the show to seem monotonous over time. But, the periodic nature of the series and Angela Lansbury’s captivating performance do not fail to offer the viewers to get involved and intrigued by every new mystery.

Murder, She Wrote feels like a Sunday afternoon cozy, familiar, balanced, enjoyable and cosy, with Lansbury’s performance and interesting plots that are perfectly complementing each other. This capacity to combine themes of detective series along with warm emotion makes it an emotionally gripping show to watch. A creeping sense of anticipatory exhilaration is accumulated with each episode of this series, and it is built to encourage multiple viewings.