Jessica Behind Bars

Has a lot of similarities to Prisoner Cell Block H as has all female cast and similar prison uniforms and a Bea Smith character

This episode of Murder She Wrote has Jessica Fletcher being a guest creative writer lecturer in a women's prison. She says several of the prisoners show some promise. But then a riot takes place after Janet MacLachlan the prison doctor's body is found led by the toughest woman in the joint Adrienne Barbeau.

There's a new warden Vera Miles who's trying to make some changes and she has opposition from staff and cons. Another death in the place and it looks like possibly we will have a distaff version of Attica.

Angela Lansbury has to get answers if nothing less than for her own life being caught up in the mayhem.

A few familiar faces from old and new Hollywood and some types as there were in the great classic Caged. The grandma of all women's prison pictures.

Jessica agrees to substitute when a teacher for a class in a women's prison takes an unexpected trip to the hospital. However, she finds her time more occupied with investigation than instruction when the prison locks down and the staff doctor turns up dead in her office. Jessica finds herself the middleman between the desperate inmates and the law, and struggles to find the truth before the already uneasy situation disintegrates into mayhem.

Brilliant episode that features some fine acting performances, especially by Adrienne Barbeau as a loose cannon of a prisoner, some tension and very baffling mystery. Obviously an innocent person gets accused - well, it's a prisoner. The twist in the finale stings real effectively. In between the mayhem, subjects such as prisoner treatment is touched upon.

Jessica Fletcher does end up behind bars. Only as a substitute teacher for the women in prison to teach them a creative writing course.

Only for the prison doctor to die with inmate Mary standing over the body. So Mary instantly comes under suspicion.

Now the other inmates led by Kathryn (Adrienne Barbeau) to lead a prison riot.

It is up to Jessica to work out how Dr Irene Matthews died.

She uncovers some underhanded dealings regarding prison conditions. This puts the Warden on the frame who also has political ambitions.

Given the setting these has a starry female cast including Vera Miles as the prison warden. Some of the acting does get hammy as the women try to act tough. It is a decent enough mystery but you do wonder where the prison officers were as security was so lax.

Jessica stands in for a friend of hers to give a lecture at a women's prison. The prison is under the new stewardship of Warden Gates. Gates is seen having a heated argument with the Prison Doctor, Irene Matthews. Irene is killed. Tests show a convict's prints are on the vial, it leads to a riot.

I like the premise of the episode, and for the most part it's fun and entertaining, but in so many ways it's pretty silly. I know it's the eighties, but was it a Prison, or a hotel. Prisoners are wandering about, in and out of offices at will. I'm assuming each inmate had a private hair stylist, as in each scene, each prisoner appears beautifully coiffured.

It's well made, and nicely acted. I particularly liked Janet Maclachlan's Doctor, a shame she wasn't in it for very long. Vera Miles is excellent as the Warden too, a woman so strikingly beautiful in many films.

Good features, but a little unrealistic for the most part. 6/10