Death Takes a Curtain Call

Everything was beautiful at the ballet…

Greetings, dear readers. Welcome to an unexpectedly eventful afternoon at the ballet. Before we take our first steps, I recommend watching the entire episode; there will be spoilers. If you’re peckish, I recommend some coffee and pie.

There are four parts to this episode guide:

This is Part 1, which includes the setting, characters, and context of the episode.
Part 2 is a detailed timeline of the episode’s events. (Coming Soon!)
Part 3 is my analysis of the episode. (Watch this space!)
Part 4 is a collection of fun extras that I like to call Bonus Features. (ETA? TBD!)

A Deadly Dance at the Boston Ballet

Jessica attends the invitation-only U.S. premiere of a renowned Soviet ballet troupe. The delicate dance takes a deadly turn, and international intrigue pirouettes all the way from Boston to Cabot Cove. Fair warning: if you don’t like my dance puns, it’s only going to get worse from here.

We’re Off to Kill the Wizard

Don’t be afraid, my friends. Nothing frightening awaits you.
Oh, perhaps a moment or two of panic, but we did warn you.
Seat belts pulled tight? That’s good. And now, just sit back…

Welcome to Horatio’s House of Horrors!

This episode is a delightfully campy, deftly executed locked room mystery. If you want to make it dinner and a show, you can eat along with Jessica and the Donovans with this family-friendly menu. Guests who wish to avoid spoilers should watch the entirety of “We’re Off to Kill the Wizard” before proceeding. Thank you, and enjoy the ride!

Hit, Run and Homicide

Fair Warning

Hello, and welcome back to Cabot Cove for another cozy murder mystery. Before reading further, please watch the episode, there will be spoilers! If you’ve got a beach nearby, this episode pairs nicely with a New England Clambake.

There are four parts to this episode guide:

This is Part 1, an introduction including the setting, characters, and context of the episode.
Part 2 is a detailed timeline of the episode’s events.
Part 3 is my analysis of the episode.
Part 4 is a collection of fun extras that I like to call Bonus Features.

A Crash Course in Road Safety

Welcome back to Cabot Cove for Jessica’s second collaboration with Sheriff Tupper. Or is it? Either way, there’s an absolute fleet of autos that make this episode go. Even the famously non-driving Jessica gets her turn behind the wheel.

Lovers and Other Killers

Hello, and welcome to one of my favorite episodes of Murder, She Wrote. We’ll dive into all the details and identify the killers, although we won’t solve every mystery this episode presents. I recommend watching the entire episode first, preferably after sating your appetite with some fin e food and drink.

There are four parts to this episode guide:

This is Part 1, an introduction that includes the setting, characters, and context within the MSW universe
Part 2 is a detailed timeline of the episode’s events
Part 3 is my analysis of the episode
Part 4 is a collection of fun extras that I like to call Bonus Features

Seminar: Murder for Profit

Bestselling author J.B. Fletcher, at the request of an old friend, Edmund Gerard, makes her first appearance as a guest lecturer at a major university. Flattered by the invitation, she nevertheless must balance her enthusiasm for teaching with the demands of her publishing schedule. As always, things quickly turn a bit murder-y.

It’s a Dog’s Life

Tallyho!

What follows is a deep dive into a somewhat notorious episode of Murder, She Wrote, “It’s a Dog’s Life.” You know, the one where the dog did it. Sort of. There are more spoilers to come, so I recommend watching the entire episode first, ideally after a proper breakfast.

Ladies and Gentlemen, to Horse!

Hooray for Homicide

Fair Warning

Hello, and welcome to this installment of MSWSW. What follows is a detailed, somewhat meandering look at “Hooray for Homicide.” There will be spoilers. I recommend watching the entire episode first, possibly with a light beverage and nosh, before proceeding.

Hooray?

This episode appears to have everything one could want in a great episode of MSW: a glamorous locale, plenty of camp, the oeuvre of J.B. Fletcher… and yet, perhaps much like Tinseltown itself, the allure quickly fades.

Well, we’re here, so let’s do this thing.

Birds of a Feather

Fair Warning

What follows is a detailed discussion of Murder She Wrote S1 E3, “Birds of a Feather.” The plot will be spoiled, and the tea will be spilled. I recommend you watch the episode before reading further, and maybe make it dinner theater.

A Feathery Farce

MSW S1 E3 “Birds of a Feather” was inspired by the 1978 film La Cage aux Folles, which was also released as Birds of a Feather. Like the film, this episode concerns a drag club, although no one in 1984 San Francisco seems to know the colloquial term for “female impersonation.” More on that later. MSW’s “Birds” combines romantic farce and murder mystery. Will it lay an egg?

Deadly Lady

A stormy Shakespearean tragedy blows through Cabot Cove.

Fair Warning

This episode guide is a deep dive into the details of Murder She Wrote S1 E2, “Deadly Lady.” There will be spoilers. There will be what passes for comparative literature here at MSWSW. I recommend you grab a bite and watch the episode before continuing.

“Rage, Blow, You Cataracts and Hurricanoes”

Welcome to the first Cabot Cove episode of MSW! It opens dramatically, on a dark and stormy night. The MSW writers are still fresh and full of ambition. After taking on Sir Conan Doyle in the series premiere, they move right on to Shakespeare in the second episode. “Deadly Lady” doesn’t quite merit being called a modern retelling of King Lear; it’s a very standard MSW episode with a heaping measure of Lear flavor in the mix. The very first notable Lear element is the hurricane, which Ethan calls a “deadly lady.”

The Murder of Sherlock Holmes

Move over, Sherlock. We’re in Jessica’s world now.

Fair Warning

This is a discussion of a murder mystery. It will contain many, many spoilers. If you have not yet had the pleasure of watching the entire episode, I suggest you make an evening of it and then return here to pick over the bones with me.

Hello and Welcome

“The Murder of Sherlock Holmes” is the premiere episode of the Murder, She Wrote series. It is double length, which allows time to introduce Jessica Fletcher as she embarks on a new and unexpected chapter in her life.