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Murder, She Wrote

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Critic Reviews

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71

USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 9 Ratings

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8.4

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8.4	Your Score
8.4	User Score Universal acclaim based on 9 Ratings

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Murder, She Wrote: Season 1

Now Playing: Murder, She Wrote: Season 1

Murder, She Wrote

Series Details & Credits

CBS | Release Date: September 30, 1984

Summary: Murder seems to follow Jessica Fletcher, a former English teacher and a mystery writer full of charm, zest-for-life, and personality; who happens to become "the investigator" when traveling around the country to promote a series of novels. Murder always occurs when she is present. Even in Cabot Cove!

Although Angela Lansbury was the onlyMurder seems to follow Jessica Fletcher, a former English teacher and a mystery writer full of charm, zest-for-life, and personality; who happens to become "the investigator" when traveling around the country to promote a series of novels. Murder always occurs when she is present. Even in Cabot Cove!

Although Angela Lansbury was the only regular character throughout the series entire run, she was frequently joined by a number of recurring and special guest stars, including Tom Bosley as Sheriff Amos Tupper in the early seasons and Ron Masak as Sheriff Mort Metzger in the later seasons, William Windom as Dr. Seth Hazlitt, Michael Horton as her nephew Grady Fletcher (one of her many, many relatives), and from time to time Jerry Orbach would appear as private eye Harry McGraw. Orbach's role later led into a short-lived spin-off, The Law & Harry McGraw.

The series aired a total of 263 color episodes from 7 October 1984 through 19 May 1996 and five telemovies (including the pilot movie, which aired in September of 1984).

As of the fall of 2009, 10 seasons have been released on DVD, with the 11th season due to be released in early 2010.… Expand

Genre(s): Drama, Suspense

Recent Episodes

No episode information is currently available for this season

See all Seasons and Episodes

Metascore

71

Positive:

16

Mixed:

4

Negative:

0

Critic Reviews

100

New York Daily News

Kay Gardella

Feb 1, 2022

Season 1 Review: The star of the show, Angela Lansbury, keeps you tuned in no matter what happens to the plot. It's a joy to watch an intelligent actress go through her paces. [28 Sep 1984, p.C26]

80

Boston Globe

Jack Thomas

Feb 1, 2022

Season 1 Review: Like any good mystery, though, Murder She Wrote has the ups and downs and twists and turns of a roller-coaster, and it's a ride you'd probably enjoy. [22 Sep 1984, p.7]

80

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Eric Mink

Feb 1, 2022

Season 1 Review: Murder, She Wrote looks like the most intriguing, if lighthearted, adult show of the new CBS entries. [17 Sep 1984, p.3E]

75

Detroit Free Press

Mike Duffy

Feb 1, 2022

Season 1 Review: Murder, She Wrote isn't up to Columbo class yet. But the show does display enough wit and style to make it a top-notch entertainment alternative to the noisy head-banging and mayhem on Knight Rider and Hardcastle & McCormick. [30 Sep 1984]

70

Orlando Sentinel

Noel Holston

Feb 1, 2022

Season 1 Review: Although it could have been wrapped up in 90 minutes without hurting the plot, and despite Lansbury's characterization getting a mite precious at times, the premiere is colorful, stylish entertainment, pleasantly free of acrobatic automobiles and chock full of semi-campy cameos by the likes of Keith, Ned Beatty, Arthur Hill and Anne Francis. [28 Sep 1984, p.E]

70

Philadelphia Inquirer

Lee Winfrey

Feb 1, 2022

Season 1 Review: Lansbury does her best with her characterization of Jessica and it is conceivable that her series, which should inherit a substantial audience from 60 Minutes, which precedes it on CBS, may emerge as one of the new hits of the fall season. [30 Sep 1984, p.62]

40

Miami Herald

Steve Sonsky

Feb 1, 2022

Season 1 Review: A stylish fraud, but a fraud nonetheless. [29 Sep 1984, p.7D]

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Write a Review

8.4

Mixed:

0

User Reviews

10

charlespedronso

Jun 7, 2019

Una increíble actriz que lleva todo el peso de una serie que está entre los recuerdos de toda una generación y que ojalá disfruten las genearaciones venideras. La recuerdo con enorme amor ya que fue la típica serie que veía con mi abuela y a ella le encantaba. Los casos eran repetitivos peroUna increíble actriz que lleva todo el peso de una serie que está entre los recuerdos de toda una generación y que ojalá disfruten las genearaciones venideras. La recuerdo con enorme amor ya que fue la típica serie que veía con mi abuela y a ella le encantaba. Los casos eran repetitivos pero molaba intentar encontrar al asesino desde el minuto 1.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

9

Filmanalyzer

Jun 28, 2019

A good old 80s family crime series which makes you smile and laugh. With love and Charme are the episodes mostly told. Who thinks there's just Angela Lansbury who solves mysteries is wrong. There is also Keith Mitchell who solves as Dennis Stanton murders mostly more entertaining than theA good old 80s family crime series which makes you smile and laugh. With love and Charme are the episodes mostly told. Who thinks there's just Angela Lansbury who solves mysteries is wrong. There is also Keith Mitchell who solves as Dennis Stanton murders mostly more entertaining than the episodes with Angela Lansbury.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

9

popdod

Oct 26, 2020

Great show. Highly recommend watching a few episodes if you've never seen it before. It's currently streaming on NBC's PeacockTV for free with no commercials. Oddly, though just about every episode has a murder in it, the atmosphere, music, and characters makes it feel calming and almostGreat show. Highly recommend watching a few episodes if you've never seen it before. It's currently streaming on NBC's PeacockTV for free with no commercials. Oddly, though just about every episode has a murder in it, the atmosphere, music, and characters makes it feel calming and almost otherworldly. Even the murderers don't seem threatening and once caught give calm explanations as they are casually arrested. It's funny to think this tiny, idyllic town, Cabot Cove, is apparently murder and crime ridden. Each episode is full of twists and every character who isn't a show regular is made to appear suspicious. And that is perhaps the only real flaw with the show, it can be a bit formulaic and with so many episodes (around 12 seasons with 20 per season at nearly an hour each), it's hard to justify binge watching the whole thing. That time can be used for a lot of other things in our limited lives, even just enjoying other TV shows and films. I myself watch the episodes in the "best of Murder She Wrote" lists I found and some other special ones like holiday episodes and those set outside of Cabot Cove (actually Mendocino, CA btw). As is common with most "mystery" shows, every little thing can be a clue but they are often missing just enough details that you are not able to confidently figure it out before the main character (making sure you watch the whole thing I guess), at best, you can feel like you're solving at as Lansbury does but sometimes how she figured it out is just way beyond what was shown to the viewer prior.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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Seasons & Episodes

71

Series Overview
Season 16

tbd
- Season 16 Overview
  Air Date: September 30, 1984
- No episode information is currently available for this season
Season 15

tbd
- Season 15 Overview
  Air Date: September 30, 1984
Season 14

tbd
- Season 14 Overview
  Air Date: September 30, 1984
Season 13

tbd
- Season 13 Overview
  Air Date: September 30, 1984
Season 12

tbd
- Season 12 Overview
  Air Date: September 21, 1995
Season 11

tbd
- Season 11 Overview
  Air Date: September 25, 1994
Season 10

tbd
- Season 10 Overview
  Air Date: September 12, 1993
Season 9

tbd
- Season 9 Overview
  Air Date: September 20, 1992
Season 8

tbd
- Season 8 Overview
  Air Date: September 15, 1991
Season 7

tbd
- Season 7 Overview
  Air Date: September 16, 1990
Season 6

tbd
- Season 6 Overview
  Air Date: September 24, 1989
Season 5

tbd
- Season 5 Overview
  Air Date: October 23, 1988
Season 4

tbd
- Season 4 Overview
  Air Date: September 20, 1987
Season 3

tbd
- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: September 28, 1986
Season 2

tbd
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: September 29, 1985
Season 1

71
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: September 30, 1984