Footnote to Murder

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.

"Footnote to Murder" is not one of Season 1's best, like "Lovers and Other Killers", "The Murder of Sherlock Holmes", "Paint Me a Murder" and "Murder Takes the Bus", but not one of its lesser ones, such as "Murder to a Jazz Beat", "Deadly Lady", "It's a Dog's Life" and "My Johnny Lies Over the Ocean" which are still not bad episodes at all, far from it (which is testament to how solid Season 1 is).

There is not really much wrong with "Footnote to Murder", it's just missing the extra special something to make it one of the best, occasionally is a little silly (though there are certainly far sillier 'Murder She Wrote' episodes) and lacks suspense. Otherwise, it is a hugely entertaining episode that does a good job showing the dark and less than glamorous side of being an author and being in the publishing industry. Not a new idea, pretty old actually even then, but an interesting one.

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 has some good conflict and is compelling mostly with a clever final solution that sees a not so common (for the show) case of feeling sorry for the murderer, it's actually the victim one hates from the start.

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), with Robert Reed, Diana Muldaur, Pat Harrington, Morgan Brittany, Talia Balsa and particularly Kenneth Mars having a lot of fun.

Overall, very good. 8/10 Bethany Cox

This episode of Murder She Wrote has Jessica Fletcher at a writer's convention where she runs into many of her literary colleagues, some of them a lot nicer than others. The one she practically has to be a nursemaid to is Paul Sand a perpetually drunk poet. It is he who is suspected of murdering arrogant one book wonder novelist Kenneth Mars, stabbing him with an umbrella that can turn into a sword for defense. Mars also has the draft of a second book in his possession and that too is stolen.

This MSW story is interesting however for two things. First Ron Masak shows up as a homicide detective four years before he became the sheriff of Cabot Cove. He has to follow however full of himself District Attorney Pat Harrington who no one can stand. Still Jessica with more patience than normal leads Harrington to a solution. Not liking it a bit, but justice is justice.

When Jessica attends an award ceremony for writers she becomes caught up in a real-life whodunnit after the abrasive host of the gala is found dead. Jessica's friend and striving poet is arrested initially, which prompts her to investigate, and there's a wide of interesting characters to prod in her polite but firm manner. This is a good mystery centred around the complex world of writers, but what I liked most about this one was the Assistant District Attorney, who, in my opinion is hilarious. He's useless in his job, and it was fun seeing Jessica point out at his oversights.

This episode is more notable for its cast than its storyline.

Paul Sand is adorably funny as a dipsomaniac fellow author who finds himself in one inane situation after another. Kenneth Mars, who usually played comedically odd or amusing characters, plays a heavy and unsympathetic character. Diana Muldaur is her usual astringent self in a rare non-NBC role. Ron Masak makes one of a few of his guest appearances before he landed the role of Sheriff Mort Metzger following Tom Bosley and John Astin's sheriffs left the show (for vastly different reasons). Robert Reed is, shall we say, graphically flamboyant although the artistic milieu in which the story is grounded more than accommodates the characterization. The rest of the cast was not particularly memorable, for me anyway.

"Footnote to Murder" is a very good episode of "Murder, She Wrote"...not just because of the general plot but because it brings up the notion of acquaintance rape...something rarely talked about on TV.

The episode is set at some sort of convention and awards ceremony for authors. As Jessica enters the hotel, she does something that is VERY tough to believe...she accepts an unsolicited manuscript from a would-be writer. I say this because I saw the show with a best-selling author...and she indicated to me that professional writers NEVER do this for a variety of reasons...particularly legal reasons. If an author accepts something and agrees to read it (which is unlikely, as their time is valuable), they could easily be accused to plagiarism later if in any way any of their stories remotely resembles the manuscript. I was also told that additionally publishers and agents warn authors never to read such things. Now most people watching the show will not realize this, so it's not like it's a serious problem in the script.

During the convention, there are a lot of egos and jerks and, not surprisingly, the biggest jerk of all is soon found dead. One of Jessica's friends is accused of the murder, and so, of course, she springs into action to solve the case.

The story is interesting...particularly the true story of what really happened. Additionally, the characters (minus Paul Sand, who plays pretty much the same guy he always played on TV shows) were good...particularly Robert Reed who played a wonderfully condescending and crabby guy (he was a real hoot to watch). Overall, a very solid episode..well worth seeing.