Murder Takes the Bus

Television shows from this time are famous for very low production value. This episode is remarkable in limited settings. The bus that is to take Fletcher and Sheriff to Portland drives the same curve over and over and over. We never see it on a straight stretch mostly because of the thunder storm. Rain storms are produced for movies and television by using fire trucks to spray massive amounts of water into the air. It is intended to fall like rain on the set. But rarely is rain made that way actually looks like rain. The area to make rain is not large unless many fire trucks are used. This episode uses mostly two sets, the restaurant and the bus interior. MSW has light stories as it is really a show to give audiences the opportunity to enjoy Angela Lansbury.

Jessica and a slew of passengers are forced to take refuge from a storm at a remote diner when one of the passengers is found stabbed in his seat on a bus to Boston.

An excellent entry that is confined to one area, in this case a cafe. Trains have been well-established as a setting for Murder, this one is committed in a bus, screwdriver in the neck. It's revealed in the course of Jessica's investigation that most of passengers knew the dead man, who just been released from State Penitentiary for a bank robbery along other gang members. The plot is unravelled like fine silk, the twist comes like a sharp knife. It's also good to see Jessica and Sherrif Amos Tucker ( my fave character) working together.

Amos accompanies Jessica on a bus trip to Portland, where she plans to give a speech. The weather takes a turn for the worse, and a worried looking man boards the bus, headed for Portland. As they continue on their journey they break down. All passengers head into a Cafe, as the bus driver remains outside to fix the engine problem. Jessica returns to the bus to collect a book, where she discovers the worried man, dead, with a screwdriver stuck in his shoulder.

There are many fans of the show that would place this episode top of the pile, for good reason. It is a brilliant mystery, has a true whodunit setup. It's dark, stormy, loaded with suspects, the principle cast are all cut off, and there's a big twist at the end. The music is arguably the best score to feature on the show. There are virtually no flaws to this episode, it's a wonderfully interesting cast, the villain has history, he's not just a bad guy upsetting all and sundry, even Amos Tupper shows a level of intelligence, proving he can observe and think, ahead of Jessica.

Every single thing about this episode is spot on, it's brilliant. 10/10

Have always been quite fond of 'Murder She Wrote'. It is a fun and relaxing watch that makes you think as you try to unwind in the evening. If one wants more complex, twisty mysteries with lots of tension and suspense 'Murder She Wrote' may not be for you, but if you want something light-hearted and entertaining but still provide good mysteries 'Murder She Wrote' fits the bill just fine.

Alongside "Lovers and Other Killers" and "Paint Me a Murder" (would count the pilot "The Murder of Sherlock Holmes" here too), "Murder Takes the Bus" is in the top 5 best episodes of a generally solid Season 1 (even the weakest episodes are not bad at all). Would go as far to say that it is one of the high points of the whole show.

Can't find anything to fault "Murder Takes the Bus", suspending disbelief of the distance of the bus ride is such a nit-pick and is instantly forgettable when one is enjoying the episode so much.

It's a good-looking episode as always. Nicely shot and attractive fashions that makes one nostalgic for the 80s period (even to those who weren't even alive yet). The music has presence but also not making the mistake of over-scoring, while it is hard to forget or resist the theme tune.

The script is often charming and amiable, while the story is hugely compelling and suspenseful with lots of twists and an ingenious ending.

Angela Lansbury is terrific in one of her best remembered roles one of the roles that is most closely associated with me at any rate). Tom Bosley is good and Linda Blair, Rue McClanahan and Michael Constantine are particularly strong in support.

Overall, wonderful and one of the best. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Murder follows wherever Jessica Fletcher goes, even on a bus that she and Tom Bosley are taking to different destinations.

This story is a homage to Agatha Christie's classic Murder On The Orient Express where John Davis Chandler is murdered on the bus. Turns out Chandler was a career criminal just released from prison who stashed a lot of loot from his last job before he was caught.

And like in the fame Christie classic a whole lot of the bus passengers had some kind of connection to Chandler even to one of them just being an insurance investigator hoping Chandler would lead him to the hidden loot. But greed is not the only motive for killing this man.

I have to say the murderer figured a clever way to give himself an alibi, just not clever enough.

We learn that Tom Bosley before he became sheriff drove a bus for a while. His knowledge of the operation of the vehicle turns out to be valuable.

One of the best of the series.