Nan's Ghost: Part 1

Jessica's fourth "MSW" visit into Ireland marks her third journey into County Cork, at which she is welcomed to vacation at Ballynook Castle, near which mysterious apparitions have been witnessed, of a young wailing female in flowing white shroud, who appears from castle into forest especially upon storming evenings.

Shopkeeper Jack Conroy (John Saint Ryan) ensues the apparition one night, under the impression that his 18-year-old daughter, Nan, who has been missing for a year, runs before him, as lightning illuminates his wooded path into an ancient crypt, at which he discovers her remains.

Inspector Rory Lanahan (Rod Taylor), on a working vacation under the assignment of tracing a money laundering scheme, welcomes Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) into County Cork, where at an outdoor café, she collides with Peter Franklin (Raphael Sbarge), who manages to lift her wallet, in order to gain entrance into Ballynook Castle, to return this, under an ulterior motive for a clandestine tryst with a married woman.

Eileen O'Bannon (Fionnula Flanagan) continues to operate Ballynook Castle, after losing her late husband, Patrick, while daughter Deirdre O'Bannon (Edita Brychta) studies Medicine, and son Ian O'Bannon (Ross Kettle) disagrees with his mother to sell the property and farmland, as Eileen plans to relocate to Dublin.

Officer Matthew Ryan (Mark Lindsay Chapman) expresses a continuing romantic interest in Deirdre, who informs Matthew of her harboring no intentions of remaining in this area near Cork, and so Dierdre battles Matthew, while Eileen continues to argue with Ian toward the focus of the O'Bannon family's future arrangements.

Vincent Nader (Peter Jason) and wife, Andrea Nader (Leslie Bevis), arrive at Ballynook after making a shady deal through their Real Estate Attorney, Paul Lafferty (James Warwick), to purchase the property, in order to convert the Castle into a hotel.

Moira (Felicia Lansbury) and Leonard (Thomas Kopache) serve on Ballynook Castle's domestic staff, she a life-long friend of the now-late Nan Conroy, he as a paid informant of Vincent Nader, to spy upon Andrea and her young devotee, Peter Franklin, as Vincent busies himself with financial deals.

Superintendent Arthur Joyce (John Karlen), of the village Garda Station (Police Guard), arrives at the Castle for the reception to honor the passing of Nan Conroy. Arthur Joyce supervises Matthew Ryan, who aspires to the position of Sergeant, and also has close dealings with Inspector Rory Lanahan, who socializes with Jessica and her dear old friend Eileen O'Bannon.

Zulika Brown (Wendy Schaal), an eccentric artsy type, also vacations at Ballynook, and snubs Jessica, who inquires about her writing Romances. Zulika also harbors a hidden agenda as she eavesdrops around Conroy's Whatnot Shoppe, as Jessica shops for pottery wares.

Doctor John Sullivan (Christopher Neame) visits from Dublin, as an authority of the legend of Mary Cromwell and the Cromwell treasure, which is believed to have been stashed centuries earlier, perhaps inside Ballynook Castle dungeon, a factor also believed to contribute to Nan Conroy's demise.

But, as Jessica attempts to piece together evidence to prove whether or not Nan has been murdered, another body is discovered in the castle yards, the victim of a gunshot wound, for which Peter Franklin is arrested.

Jessica, however, believes Peter's innocence, but now she harbors the notion that the two crimes are somehow related, especially after Rory receives a series of mysterious telephone calls, which he will not discuss, and after Jessica witnesses the apparition inside the castle corridor.

The next morning, as some guests begin to check out of the castle inn, reporter Jonathan Fisk (James Bartz) telephones Jessica from Cork or, perhaps, Dublin, to provide her with information bearing upon her inquiries.

But when Jessica hears the wailing of Nan outside the castle dungeon, she becomes sequestered from civilization, when a perpetrator locks her into the isolated dungeon, to face a probable similar fate as "Nan's Ghost."

This episode represents the first television credit by Roger Ferreira (in his role as Ambulance Attendant), as well as the first of two "MSW" appearances each for Peter Jason, Thomas Kopache, John Saint Ryan, Wendy Schaal and James Warwick, the second of three each for Leslie Bevis, Edita Brychta, Ross Kettle, Christopher Neame, Raphael Sbarge and Rod Taylor, the third of three for James Bartz, the third of four each for Fionnula Flanagan and John Karlen, and the fourth of five "MSW's" each for Felicia Lansbury and Mark Lindsay Chapman.

"Nan's Ghost" is most unusual, as it's a two-part episode...something I don't think they'd ever done before. Because of this, it felt a bit overlong and drug out, but not obviously so and the overall story is quite intriguing.

Episode one finds Jessica once again in Ireland and she's looking into the supposed accidental death of a girl she knew in a castle which MIGHT harbor treasure from the 17th century. Naturally, while the police just chalk the death up to an accident, Jessica's murder senses tell her there's far more to it. This episode ends with Jessica being locked in a hidden portion of the castle...and no one can hear her or knows where she's gotten to.

The story is fresh and interesting and features a nice setting...even though it really wasn't filmed in Ireland. The second unit who filmed various sites in Ireland provided some nice color.

You might wonder why this show so often has Irish episodes. I think it could easily be because Angela Lansbury actually lived there for some time and must have loved the country.

Jessica Fletcher is in Ireland on vacation and it's her plan to stay in Fionnula Flanagan's Irish castle. It's a genuine Irish castle all right, but Flanagan actually plans to sell it to some Donald Trump like philistine of a developer Peter Jason who wants to just tear it down and put up some swank Hilton like operation. Her son Ross Kettle strongly opposes the idea.

Who wouldn't want to stay here with the legends of ghosts roaming the countryside. And another legend is that scourge of Catholic Ireland Oliver Cromwell stayed at the place and buried a lot of loot somewhere around.

But they've got other concerns. A young girl who went missing is found in a walled off part of the castle which brings the local constabulary down in the person of John Karlen and JB Fletcher's old friend an inspector from Dublin Rod Taylor.

Then Jason himself is killed and while any number of folks would have lined up to do the deed, the young lady who by all account was loved by the whole village is another story.

This first part ends with Angela Lansbury in quite a pickle.

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.

As corny as the review title sounds, both parts of "Nan's Ghost" deserve the corker distinction. To me they are by far the best episodes of a very inconsistent season and easily the best of the Irish episodes. Would even go as far to say that they are among the best episodes of the latter seasons and in the top half ranking the 'Murder She Wrote' overall.

It is easy to criticise the accents, personally they did not bother me that much and they were far worse in the other Irish episodes (especially the "Killing in Cork" ones). It is perhaps also easy to criticise the recycling of actors in a relatively short space of time from their last appearance, that was not a problem either being neither lazy or confusing.

My only real complaint of both parts of "Nan's Ghost" is the acting of some of the minor actors, which is less than great. One of the biggest offenders being Felicia Lansbury who is pretty bland.

Criticising Angela Lansbury however in one of her most celebrated and most fondly remembered roles, for good reason, is impossible, she is delightful. Ross Kettle, Mark Lindsay Chapman and Fionnula Flanagan give committed support.

"Nan's Ghost" benefits from a terrific mystery, it's tight, charming, elegantly absorbing and at times very creepy. Nothing obvious or convoluted, while having plenty of twists and turns to keep one on their toes guessing. There is a real sense of danger and suspense, and the story not just benefits from being split in two parts but, considering the amount that goes on, the story actually needed two parts to work and uses that to full advantage. The script is thought-provoking and amiable, taking things seriously without over-doing it that it becomes dreary.

Production values are slick and stylish with great use of the setting, the best-looking of the Irish episodes by quite some distance. The music has energy and has presence but also not making the mistake of over-scoring, while it is hard to forget or resist the theme tune.

On the whole, great. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Jessica travels to Cork, she hears a story about a ghost and begins a hunt for missing treasure. In no time at all, she's investigating a murder, but is it linked to the treasure?

It's decent, but flawed, I liked the story, intriguing enough, and there are some rather nice characters here.

Dare I say it, it feels a little slow, two part stories were very few and far between, I think they could easily have condensed this one down.

Miss Brown....not the greatest performance I've seen so far, and why is Jessica using a torch in a fully illuminated hallway? Christopher Neame is a cut above.

The main gripe, why do we have to have the stereotypical Irish treasure, Irish jigs pumping out every two seconds, and a few accents that make Allo Allo seem realistic, James Warwick and Edita Brychta in particular, not the best.

It gets better in prt two.

5/10.