Murder, She Wrote

Binge-worthy obsessions are my go to for any show that I watch. Normally I can finish an entire season in one sitting on a rainy Saturday afternoon. This is perfect for my schedule because I don’t have a lot of free time to enjoy these things normally. Then came covid quarantine! My husband and I have probably watched more tv shows of all genres and styles throughout the quarantine just to keep our sanity. But what do you watch when you feel like you have watched it all?

Murder, She Wrote. That’s what you watch.

I remember watching Murder, She Wrote with my family when I was a young child. Every Sunday night was a family time tradition. Mom wouldn’t cook, and my older sister and I were allowed to have as much buttery popcorn or ice cream as we wanted. But you couldn’t have both. You had to choose, those were the rules. I mean let’s not get too crazy right? All of us would get into our pajamas and cuddle under the sofa blanket with the lights dimmed in the family room. We would first watch the Disney Sunday Night movie, followed by Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote. She would uncover the most elaborate mysteries that you could think of. Still to this day I never guess who did it. And I am true Crime Junkie Fan! But the mystery and mystique of the show doesn’t really hold up as it did when I was kid. I remember being invested and even a little frightened at times. Now when I watch the shows they are delightful and humorous. Something my husband and I can watch and enjoy and chuckle about. Not just because of the 80’s style fashion and lingo, but seeing famous actors when they either were nobody’s or just starting their career. The last one that we watched had Joaquin Phoenix in it as a very young boy, and he was credited at Leaf Phoenix - prior to his name change.

From the iconic music in the beginning to the incessant typing on the typewriter, Angela Lansbury is the true gem of the show. But my opinion of her character has changed over the years. When I was a child I remember asking my mother, “Why does anyone kill when Jessica Fletcher is in town? Don’t they know she is going to figure it out? They shouldn’t kill anyways, but if they do, they should wait til she leaves town.” What I thought was a nosy, know-it-all busy body woman when I was younger is really a caring and kind hearted woman who truly wants to help those who have been wrongly accused. She makes instant bonds with strangers and gains the respect of those around her through her actions.

I even had a younger friend of mine watch the show and she thought it was the best thing that she had seen in a long time. The outfits, the hair, the elaborate schemes and coverups. How can it be bad for you?

I know that Murder, She Wrote may not be for everyone, and it does hold sentimental value for myself since it was a family tradition. But I think that during these tough times everyone could watch and enjoy this show. I dare you to try to guess who did it!