Bite the Big Apple

Season 8 of Murder She Wrote has Jessica Fletcher taking an apartment in New York because she's joined the faculty of one of the colleges here. Her BFF Dr. Hazlett is skeptical about big cities especially New York's reputation for crime in the streets.

William Windom when he visits Angela Lansbury spends the whole episode with an 'I told you so' look on his face because sure enough when she arrives Lansbury finds Alan Feinstein the previous tenant the subject of a murder and the cops in the persons of Eugene Roche and Jay Acovone investigating. In fact Roche is a big old fan.

Feinstein was in the smuggling business using his brother's import/export business for a cover. He's got a lot of people wishing him ill will.

There's a nice performance from Rosemary Forsyth who is Lansbury's new neighbor who keeps her door perpetually open. No mugger would bother this lady, but God forbid she should miss some juicy gossip.

A heralded debut in the Big Apple for Jessica Fletcher.

There is an old Jewish joke in the form of a prayer: "Oh, Lord, protect me from my friends; I can take care of my enemies." NEVER have I seen a better dramatization of this truth than "Bite the Big Apple." Seth Hazlitt, who is ordinarily an excellent foil for Jessica, is here utterly and totally insufferable. He shows up at Jessica's apartment unannounced, moves in to stay for several days (despite Jessica's obvious hints that she wants him GONE), and monitors her every action (if anyone EVER said to me "Where do you think YOU'RE going?" IN MY OWN HOME, those would be their last words in this world). This episode is excellent in every other way; but this is a really unusual, and unpleasant, take on a generally popular character.

Season eight of "Murder, She Wrote" saw some big changes in the show. First, Jessica moves to New York City and plans to commute back and forth to Cabot Cove. Additionally, after being gone for some time (as William Windom was working on another series), the Doc returns to the series.

When Jessica announces she's getting an apartment in New York, Doc Hazlitt is worried. After all, it's New York City and the murder rate is very high...though Cabot Cove, Maine STILL remains the per capita murder capital of the world! She promises him everything will be just fine...and soon arrives in New York to find that a murder was committed in her apartment the day before she arrived!! She doesn't call the Doc like she promised...but soon he shows up because he KNOWS she's in trouble somehow. What's next?

This is a good episode, though I am apprehensive to see the show change locations...at least part-time. Much of it is because the Cabot Cove episodes are usually among the most charming. The other is that I live just outside Mendocino, California where much of the Cabot Cove shows were filmed and I enjoy seeing this cute city.

Jessica moves to New York to teach criminology at Manhattan University. She soon has a chance to practise what she preaches when she discovers that the previous tenant of her apartment was found murdered. A fun MSW with Dr Seth Hazlitt visiting her apartment- he's worried about her because of the plethora of crime in New York. The twist at the end adds an extra bite to a good episode.

Jessica has landed a new job teaching in The Big Apple, she takes an apartment in Manhattan, and soon gets drawn into the murder of the previous tenant of her new home.

Series eight sees the format of the show changed somewhat, Jessica would spend a lot of her time in Manhattan, away from dear Cabot Cove.

This series kicks off with a great episode, it's an intriguing mystery, it features an intriguing crime linked to Jessica's new apartment, and it throws in Seth for some familiarity.

I really enjoyed the music, it feels very well made, with some strong visuals and a refreshing change of scenery.

The ending is a memorable one, it's always great to see Jessica thrown into a dangerous scenario. The humour comes from Seth, who provides several laughs.

A very satisfying episode.

8/10.