It Runs in the Family

Jessica's British cousin, Emma MacGill (played by Angela Lansbury), is charged with an old flame's murder. There's no Jessica in this one, though we do get Emma, her cousin. Angela Lansbury shows her acting chops in this one, playing a totally different character, while still retaining those grey little cells that solves the murder. It's an ok mystery with a nice old school setting where everyone has afternoon tea and have plummy accents.

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.

Compared to the very good to outstanding previous five episodes, "It Runs in the Family" is something of a disappointment. Certainly not awful and there are worse episodes in the show, but it just isn't the most inspired or compelling of episodes. It is most notable for being the only episode to not feature Jessica Fletcher other than in brief passing in conversation (the mystery is solved by her cousin Emma McGill), but Jessica's absence, despite being deeply felt, is not among the reasons really as to why "It Runs in the Family" doesn't work.

There are certainly good things, the best assets being the production values and the cast. It's very nicely shot and there are as ever some attractive and nostalgia-inducing fashions. 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.

Angela Lansbury, playing Emma, heads the cast with aplomb and there are also noble efforts from Mark Lindsay Chapman, Christopher Hewett, Jane Leeves, and Anthony Newley. Some of the writing provokes thought and is suitably light-hearted and there is the odd intriguing part to the mystery.

On the other hand, "It Runs in the Family" is one of the episodes that doesn't feel like it comes from 'Murder She Wrote' and like it comes from any old show. There are worse cases in the show though, especially some of the book-ends (not all) and "The Szechuan Dragon" (needs a re-watch, but do remember it being a show low-point).

Regarding the story, the first half is particularly dull with much of it being overlong set up. The mystery itself, apart from the odd intriguing part, is one of those paint-by-numbers, who-cares mysteries, and lacks inspiration and compelling thrust mostly. The script is the same, while the characters are not particularly interesting other than Emma and the accents are almost as bad as those of the likes of "Sing a Song of Murder" and "Southern Double Cross".

Altogether, not awful but didn't do much for me. 5/10 (with regret) Bethany Cox

Jessica's English cousin Emma receives an invitation to meet up with an old friend, Geoffrey Constable, a Viscount. Her presence is not welcomed by his family, soon a murder occurs.

An episode of Murder she wrote without Jessica, is like roast beef without Yorkshire pudding, but we do get Emma, you genuinely wouldn't notice JB was missing.

First of all, a good job with the filming, I imagine this was filmed in The States, but it passes for the English countryside, the house however looks very American. Some clever cutting and mixing of footage.

A mix of British and American actors, but they all do a fine job, it makes a nice change to hear accents that aren't all the standard Received pronunciation.

How sad that John David Bland who plays Derek diwd at such a young age, he did a fine English accent. Some fine talent here in Carolyn Seymour, John Standing and Richard Johnson.

I like the story, it's engaging enough, poor Emma seems to attract murder in a similar fashion the her American cousin.

Ok, so some of the scenes are a bit cringe worthy, but take it for what it is, a cosy mystery to enjoy curled up on the sofa, with a cup of tea, and a biscuit. 7/10.

But probably for all the wrong reasons!

Set in a storybook version of England, this episode of Murder, She Wrote has Jessica Fletcher's British cousin (played by Angela Lansbury) contacted by an old flame and invited to spend a weekend with him and his unlikeable family. When a murder occurs, Cousin Emma leaps into sleuthing mode to help Inspector Frost aka Tony Newley.

Some good actors enjoying themselves here, particularly Carolyn Seymour chewing the scenery while spitting out, "I'm the wife of the 19th Viscount". Her in-laws are either too shocked or too well mannered to make the obvious reply, "That's right, dear, have a nice cup of tea".

John Standing is her husband - the 19th Viscount himself - giving his accustomed stiff upper-lipped aristocrat. Then there's Jane Leeves, Frasier's Daphne, with a Cockney accent almost as excruciating as her Frasier brother's (Anthony LaPaglia) As ever, for me the biggest mystery is why everyone is always over dressed. All the women are immaculate in pale linen suits with pastel silk shirts, tasteful matching jewellery and perfectly coiffed hair. Sure, for a luncheon engagement or dinner party but for a relaxed weekend with friends or pottering round the garden? Even discovering the murdered corpse of a beloved relative in the wee small hours seems to require the application of full make-up and carefully styled hair. Makes me laugh every time.

Amusing, undemanding pleasant fare for a cold grey afternoon.

This episode marks the last television role by Peter Ashton, who began acting in 1959, as well as the last television role by Lester Fletcher, who began acting in 1958. Anthony Newley, who began acting in film and television in 1944, and Christopher Hewett, who began acting in 1951, have unfortunately also since passed.

This also represents the one and only "Murder, She Wrote" episode which does not feature the character of Jessica Fletcher although she is mentioned by her identical British cousin, Emma McGill (Angela Lansbury).

It all begins at a table in a London pub, which the lively Emma McGill shares with friends Pru (D.J. Sullivan) and Burt Hawkins (Peter Ashton), when Humphrey Defoe (Christopher Hewett) approaches, to ask for a word with Miss McGill.

Humphrey explains that he represents a Viscount, Lord Geoffrey Constable (Richard Johnson), whose dying wish would be a visit from his old flame, one Emma McGill, at the Constable estate, in the British countryside a nominal distance from London.

An ever-humble Emma accepts the invitation for Humphrey to the estate of nobility, she standing on ceremony when the the Butler (Peter Browne) and the Constable family and Geoffrey receive her although Geoffrey confides to Emma that he admires her down-to-earth quality, and she his non-pretentious "salt of the earth" fortitude.

Geoffrey's sister, Sybil Constable (Rosemary Murphy), along with his elder nephew and wife, Arthur Constable (John Standing) and Pauline Constable (Carolyn Seymour), their son, Derek Constable (John David Bland), and Arthur's younger brother, Johnny Constable (Mark Lindsay Chapman) join Emma and Geoffrey at dinner, accompanied by Johnny's spirited guest, Gwen Petrie (Jane Leeves), whom Sybil and, especially, Pauline, treat in patronizing fashion, even more so than they do with the other "commoner" in their midst, Emma.

But Geoffrey and Johnny, even to an extent Arthur, receive Emma and Gwen well, Geoffrey then requesting that Emma perform for the family in the parlour on piano with vocals, to the disdain of Pauline, who feigns a headache.

When Emma launches into an English Folk Song "Early One Morning," Geoffrey asks her to liven the score, by playing something which he associates with her act of decades past. Emma then gleefully performs the Edward Laska-Jerome Kern composition "How'd You Like To Spoon With Me?," introduced in the 1946 film "Till the Clouds Roll By," some 41 years earlier--by Angela Lansbury.

The next day, Doctor Blandings (Ian Abercrombie) pays a call at the estate to examine Geoffrey, who announces that his patient's health has improved a great deal since his last visit, the results of which Geoffrey credits to Emma and her cheerful company.

While Emma packs a luncheon to picnic with Geoffrey, Gwen returns to London, Pauline prepares for a luncheon meeting with Mrs. Dexter-Hundley (Pamela Kosh) and her inner circle, and Derek joins his Uncle Johnny on a hunt in a nearby forest.

But soon Johnny and Emma find themselves in a great deal of trouble, as someone takes a shot at Derek, wounding him in the shoulder, and Emma is suspected of poisoning the body which she finds on her hands, with no explanation to the family or Scotland Yard Inspector Frost (Anthony Newley).

Emma suspects that the two incidents must certainly be related and carries her theories to Inspector Frost, she deducing that if one were poisoned, then an ancestor who had recently passed also may have been poisoned. With Arthur's permission, Emma and Inspector Frost approach Reverend Twilley (Lester Fletcher) to exhume the body from his church yard.

By the time that Emma is once again asked to leave the Constable estate, which she willingly agrees to do, she pieces together the puzzle after noticing one final clue of evidence, accepts the family's forgiveness for suspecting her, and agreeing with Inspector Frost about her Cousin Jessica's proclivity to sleuthing, Emma adding, "It Runs in the Family."

This episode represents the first of two "MSW" guest roles each for John Standing and John David Bland, the first of three "MSW" appearances for Carolyn Seymour, and the first of five "MSW" performances for Mark Lindsay Chapman.