A&E: The "Murder She Wrote" Channel
Fun
| March 14, 2003
| Tim
Perhaps its just my imagination, but once upon a time, didn't A&E feature other daytime dramas than just Murder She Wrote? It seems its all that's on each time I turn on A&E during the day. I recall there being shows like Northern Exposure, Law & Order, and Quincy. Perhaps this reduction in variety is a cost-saving measure.
I guess I've never liked Murder She Wrote very much. It's not really Angela Landsbury's fault. Or is it?
For one, she lives in the most phenomenally dangerous town in the world. I mean, the crime rate at Cabbot Cove, Maine has got to be astronomical with all those murders! It would not suprise me if the townsfolk often consider relocating to New York City, London, or South Africa to improve their safety!
It also suffers from what I call the "Agatha Christie" syndrome because (due to its titular obligations) Angela is beset with murder upon murder to solve. It doesn't seem like other crimes, which can also be pretty darned interesting (white collar swindles, con games, armed robbery, kidnapping, etc.) are worth experiencing and solving, as Holmes did. Only murder is to pique our interest.
Next, there's the "Bill Clinton" effect: It seems everyone around this woman is dropping dead! Even when she leaves town! I mean, for a few episodes, we might buy this as just an amazing coincidence. But after week after week of murder, it must become clear to us something more than mere co-incidence is operating here! This woman is an ominous nexus of death! I mean, sure, she looks innocent enough, but with this many murders a more nefarious motive presents itself: Perhaps she's orchestrating all these deaths in order to further her publishing career! Or perhaps, unbeknownst to her, her publisher is pulling strings and taking out contracts in order to give her crime-novel fodder and increase her sales.
Last in this list of celebrity-named diagnoses is the "Perry Mason" effect in which the murderer immediately breaks down with a full confession in the last several minutes when presented with even the slightest inconsistances in his or her story. I mean, if real life, they can have DNA and videotape footage, and the guy still claims innocence. But MSW killers have very weak powers of deception. Apparently, they've all been just dying to confess throughout the episode, and break at the slightest provocation.
Of course, this suspicious eagerness to confess could be yet still further evidence of the dark conspiracy hinted at previously... :-)
We have to say that we do agree very much so with what you have written. The only thing we care to add is that it may be possible that it is infact Miss JB Fletcher herself that is the murderer. After all, if Jessica appeared in your town, there is no way you would consider murder, you would just get the hell out of there!!!!!
Also a few questions:
1. What happened to Jessica's late husband Frank?
2. What on earth does the 'B' in J.B Fletcher stand for?
3. Where does she find time to write her novels?
And finally
4. What is going on with Jessica's English cousin???????????? who actually looks like a twin????? spooky huh???
Ami and Natalie,
Brilliant insight about Jessica really being the force of evil! What more perfect disguise than a little old lady who looks like Angela Landsbury?
And recall, she often played the bad woman in other films too, like the sinister Manchurian Candidate! :-)
- Tim
To answer some questions, Frank simply passed away. It has never been said what exactly he died of, however, you're lead to believe that it was natural.
The "B" stands for Beatrice. Jessica Beatrice Fletcher. (or however you'd spell it.)
I don't know where she finds time to write...
And last, she is her english cousin. She uses it as a facade or something. I'm not real sure.
that's all i have to offer.
It seems to me you never watch the show. Most of the shows are not even in the cove. They are in New York, Paris, London, ect. Lots of people die all over the place. It is only on twice in the morning and twice in the late afternoon. As for northern exposure it's boring show. As for Agatha Christie, Did it ever occur to you that this series was based on her novels. How can you comment on a show you never watched. You are telling us just because she is on the show she did it, that is real good. So I guess all the cops on Law and Order are guilty too acording to you. If your there to solve it you did it.
Jessica,
It's a TV show. That was humor. Relax.
I really enjoyed your observations about JB Fletcher on Murder, She Wrote. Why the hell would anyone invite her to visit - you are basically inviting someone to get killed. What is wrong with Grady Fletcher - how many times can he be the main suspect for murder?
Why is Murder She Wrote not being shown anymore?
I happen to like Murder She Wrote -I think because I just like Angela Lansbury.The best thing it has going it that it's not gory or trashy like most shows these days. You don't come away from it feeling like you need a shower!
I'm English and want to know where abouts in maine cabbot cove is, it doesnt appear on any maps. How is one supposed to get an autograph when one cannot find where Ms Fletcher resides?
Also where in Indiana is Eerie, I understand the lake pun of erie, but where is Eerie?
Also do you guys know Patsy from California? If you don't I'm just as surprised as when you ask me whether I know a random person in a vague area in England, because it's sooo obvious that each English person knows all other 60million English persons. Thus I infer that each american person knows all other 256million americans. I mean, gosh, we English people know all 60m, so you with all your technology must know all 256m. Yeah american technology- it appears to be very expensive for things that do nothing but flash and produce nothing but error messages.
Uh, yes, Geoff. Haven't you heard? All Americans are absolutely identical. We're all alike -- completely interchangable units -- just like the BBC tells you.
So, of course, if an American once asked you if you knew another Britt, this post, a discussion about a mystery TV show, is certainly the place to share that frustration which troubles you so deeply.
(Rather funny, since you're doing basicly the same thing you complain about in others.)
Not to mention the many deep, interrelated connections between "Murder She Wrote" and -- the software industry? (An odd attack, coming from a country which barely produces any at all.)
I just can't get enough of MSW, especially the Cabot Cove episodes. They are pure entertainment. My son observed many of the same points-she is a dangerous woman to be around--my kind of woman. It would have made a perfect ending for the series is Jessica was found to have committed all of those murders. Of course she would have been discovered by Colombo and then defended by Matlock.
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We have to say that we do agree very much so with what you have written. The only thing we care to add is that it may be possible that it is infact Miss JB Fletcher herself that is the murderer. After all, if Jessica appeared in your town, there is no way you would consider murder, you would just get the hell out of there!!!!!
Also a few questions:
1. What happened to Jessica's late husband Frank?
2. What on earth does the 'B' in J.B Fletcher stand for?
3. Where does she find time to write her novels?
And finally
4. What is going on with Jessica's English cousin???????????? who actually looks like a twin????? spooky huh???
Posted by: Ami and Natalie on December 10, 2003 07:26 AM