Three Strikes, You're Out

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.

While there are some excellent previous episodes to Season 5 (especially "Mr Penroy's Vacation", "The Search for Peter Kerry", "A Little Night Work", "Fire Burn, Cauldron Bubble" and "The Last Flight of the Dixie Damsel"), which generally is one of the better seasons, not all the episodes are great. While it is better than "Truck Stop" (to me the weakest and strangest of Season 5), "Three Strikes You're Out" did feel a bit lacking.

The mystery itself engages in how the deductions are done and how it is solved and everything revolving the baseball and the conflicts behind the scenes were interesting, but there are far more inspired and crisper paced mysteries. As well as more surprising reveals and more believable motives, the nature of the murder was less surprising.

Neither are most of the supporting cast are that inspired as characters that are not particularly well defined. Only Anne Lockhart and Vince Edwards rise properly above the material or stand out. Terri Garber also fares very well in one of the juicier roles but she deserved more to do. There are no problems to be had with Angela Lansbury though, she's terrific.

Production values as ever are slick and stylish, love the setting here. 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.

The writing is mostly thought-provoking, light-hearted and amiable.

Overall, above average but lacking and less than inspired episode. 6/10 Bethany Cox

The woman with the largest extended family on television Jessica Fletcher is visiting spring training for the Tucson Comets where Todd Bryant yet another nephew is a pitcher recently traded to the team and he's trying to make good.

Publicist Terri Garber comes on to a big story and unfortunately she's killed for it in her room which is right across the hall from where Angela Lansbury is staying.

Besides the players there are a lot of suspects which include Alpha male manager Vince Edwards, Sports agent Paul Sorvino, and snake oil salesman type General Manager Robert Mandan. Garber was his personal squeeze.

A lot of suspects for detective Reni Santoni of the Tucson PD to wade through. Angela Lansbury has to keep him on track as he seems more worried about the Comet pennant chances than solving the case.

A simple glass fragment is the key and it's Jessica Fletcher who puts it together of course.

At least you know it wasn't her nephew, or was Bryant her late husband's family?

Jessica is on hand to witness her Johnny Eaton land a big baseball post, naturally her presence spells doom.

It's not a bad episode by any stretch of the imagination, but it just doesn't have anything original about it, what this series has done so very well, is give us variety, stories have been original and varied, we were even given a variety of genres. We've been here before, it's an easily forgotten story.

There's a scene where Jessica is watching the baseball, and looks totally disinterested, in afraid I feel the same way, nothing here grabs you. No amount of muscled jocks or pretty reporters will mask the dull script.

Lansbury is great as always, and hard to fault, sadly none of the case are given any challenging material to complement her.

Disappointing, 5/10.

Jessica's nephew has a golden opportunity to pitch in Major League baseball - until murder steps up to bat. Average MSW, but still enjoyable. The setting is baseball and the politics are just as heady.

During the course of "Murder, She Wrote", there must have been 45028 epsides (give or take 45000) where Jessica Fletcher visits a niece or nephew....and "Three Strikes, You're Out" is yet another one. It seems that her nephew is a baseball player who was just traded to another team. Jessica comes to watch him in a few games and during this time, a woman is killed...and the killer made it look like it was a robbery turned bad. Of course, Jessica looks into it and there's more to it than some robbery!

This is a decent episode....but not an outstanding one. The mystery is okay but the nephew angle...well,...it certainly was overused. Still, if you can look past this cliche, it's not a bad show.