Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall: Part 1

The action of this Murder She Wrote story starts in New York City where Richard Anderson who is a book publisher is telling mystery writer Jean Simmons that her last few books haven't been doing that well. He also confirms the rumor that he's looking to sign JB Fletcher as she's the current rage of the mystery reading public.

Things aren't looking good on the domestic front either as her husband Ken Howard is having an affair with her agent Shelley Fabares. In her mind she conceives that Jessica Fletcher is the cause of her problems, not logical, but Simmons isn't thinking logical.

Simmons decides to visit her rival in Cabot Cove and Angela Lansbury does welcome her at first.

This marks one of the few MSW stories where we never meet the murder victim. But a body is found on the beach and it's PI from New York City. Just what kind of case was he on that brought him to Cabot Cove. At this point all the guest cast members start showing up.

I've always thought so, but Ron Masak as sheriff gets a bit frustrated and wonders just why he took the Cabot Cove job. More murders here per capita than the South Bronx. Finally someone voices what every fan of the show has thought.

But the solution is in part 2.

When the story begins, Eudora Shipton (Jean Simmons) is meeting with her publisher....and hearing news she really DOESN'T want to hear. Apparently, her mystery novels have not been doing well and this queen of murder mysteries learns that the publisher is going to feature Jessica Fletcher instead of her. Oddly, shortly after, she arrives unexpectedly in Cabot Cove at Jessica's house....and you can only expect her to have really nefarious plans for Jessica!

Soon after arriving, Eudora dopes Jessica...making her sleep very soundly. During this time Jessica is knocked out, a murder is committed. You can only assume Eudora is responsible. After all, she drugged Jessica and stole a copy of her latest book! By the end of the episode, a beloved character in Cabot Cove is poisoned and is on the verge of death!

So much happens in this episode....and it's very exciting. Additionally, Simmons did a great job playing this evil writer. Well worth seeing.

....Who's the fairest mystery writer of them all?

Long standing Eudora McVeigh or Jessica Fletcher?

This episode explores what happens when an ailing Eudora arrives at Cabot Cove bearing gifts of luscious red apples, with evil intentions in her heart.

The beginning of Series five's two part finale is a classic story, episode such as this are the reason the show remains ever so popular.

First off, I love the title, it conjures up images of Sleeping Beauty, that simile completes when the cruel hearted Eudora arrives on Jessica's doorstep clutching a basket of rosy red apples.

The acting is always great on this show, but Simmons managed to take it to new heights, a favourite of mine, a Hollywood screen legend and beauty, her star quality is proven by her performance.

Jessica has always been on a pedestal throughout the show, and never really faced any sort of direct challenge, here she gets one from Eudora, who in this part is a true rival.

Wonderful, 10/10.

On the evening of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' (ATAS) Emmy Awards in 1989, presenters read the names of six nominees for the category of "Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series." "...And Jean Simmons for playing the role of Eudora McVeigh in 'Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Part 1.'"

Although another actress for a role in a different program was awarded the honor that year, Jean Simmons became the only guest star (female or male) to be nominated for an Emmy Award for a role in any of the 264 episodes (265 hours) of "Murder, She Wrote."

"Mirror, Mirror, On the Wall" begins in New York City with troubles mounting for the Shipton family. While Hank Shipton (Ken Howard) is experiencing financial and domestic difficulties, his irresponsible young adult son, Bobby Shipton (Daniel McDonald) squanders large amounts of cash in pool halls and race tracks, often getting into trouble, and depending upon his father to bail him out with pool sharks, as Jonathan (Richard Erdman) and Willie (Ken Gerson).

Meanwhile, Publisher Lew Bracken (Richard Anderson), in the presence of Literary Agent Liza Caspar (Shelley Fabares), admonishes Mystery Novelist Eudora McVeigh Shipton (Jean Simmons) that her recent work has not been up to par in spite of the fact that her titles have headed best seller lists for the past 22 years. When Liza speculates that Lew Bracken has offered to publish current best seller Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury), Eudora storms from his office, vowing to maintain her proper place as the world's foremost female Mystery author of the past two decades.

Back in Cabot Cove, Doctor Seth Hazlitt (William Windom) prescribes rest and relaxation for the overworked Jessica, who has been maintaining an exhausting pace at writing and traveling for several years. When she hears from Lew Bracken, she informs him that she has not reached a decision to publish with his company.

Liza and Hank express concern for the determined Eudora, as well as for each other behind closed doors. When Hank discovers Eudora missing from their apartment that evening, he stumbles across a J.B. Fletcher Novel and a Maine road-map, leading him to load his automobile with Bobby and an overnight bag, without realizing that a private investigator named Capeletti trails the Shipton vehicle.

Eudora arrives at Jessica's doorstep bearing the gift of a basket of beautiful red apples. Jessica warmly receives her old acquaintance, who slips her a sedative that evening, and searches for Jessica's latest manuscript to copy in an attempt to plagiarize for the sake of a "comeback." Hank, too, shows up at Jessica's doorstep the next morning, unsuccessfully urging Eudora to return to NYC with him, before suggesting that Jessica be careful around Eudora's high-strung state of mind.

But while Eudora accompanies Jessica upon a walking tour of Cabot Cove, an excited Cub Scout informs them that his troop has discovered a body upon the rocks below. The child rushes to alert a bewildered Sheriff Mort Metzger (Ron Masak), who arrives with Deputy Floyd (Will Nye), as a local photographer, Gadge (William Bryant), informs Eudora that the Sheriffs rely upon Jessica to solve Cabot Cove murders. Eudora suddenly plans to offer her assistance to the authorities, to attempt to solve the murder on Jessica's own turf.

In the presence of her husband, suspicious Victor Caspar (David Hedison), Liza turns on the television, as Reporter (Dick Wieand) broadcasts the report of the crime scene with two famous Mystery authors on hand to uncover clues. She immediately leaves for Cabot Cove, with Victor's trailing her, and Lew Bracken's flying in on his private jet, to be swamped with reports around the Sheriff's office.

Meanwhile, Jessica suspects that Eudora has "borrowed" her manuscript, but decides to consider Seth's advice to slow down a bit, by inviting him to dinner that evening, for which he volunteers to bake rhubarb pie. When he shows at the Fletcher residence to borrow a pie baking dish, he misses a call from Hank to alert Jessica to be cautious of Eudora, and then samples one of her apples, before collapsing to the floor.

This episode marks one of the last appearances of William Bryant, who has appeared in many film and television productions since 1950. Daniel McDonald has also since passed.

I have always liked MURDER SHE WROTE and there was a period that I used to watch it every day when I returned home after the lessons at University back in 2017. Having not seen an entire episode in years, I decided to try a two-part episode and I wasn't disappointed.

When the episode begins Eudora McVeigh (Jean Simmons) has a meeting with her boss (Richard Anderson) and he says that she has been surpassed as the best selling author by Jessica Fletcher. So Eudora storms off and decides to go to Cabot Cove without letting her husband know about her evil plan. Jessica is delighted of having a guest as she really needed a break from writing (as also Seth Hazlitt said her). The day after a dead man is found in a gorge and Jessica notices some of the pages from her book in production scrambled. Eudora is suspected, but then the episode ends.

I thought that this season was probably the best from the show and this episode of course didn't disappoint. Angela Lansbury was also very funny and it was surprising seeing a legendary actress of the 1950s such as Jean Simmons guest-starring in the show. William Windom, Richard Anderson and David Hedison give great support. The soundtrack too was great, and I think it's among the best for the entire show's installments.

The ending makes you anxious to see where everything is going, and it was for me until I saw the second part.