Something Foul in Flappieville

Jessica is at a television studios, where her latest project sees one of her creations about to come to life, to entertain millions of children. A murder on the set throws the show into chaos.

This is a lighter episode, not necessarily amusing, but it's a jolly enough murder mystery, the puppets are cute, and it does feel quite original, but there are some flaws, how on Earth is Jessica involved in a puppet show, it makes no sense.

I'll credit them for the murder victim, that seemed to come out of nowhere, not the victim I was expecting.

I don't know about you, but I couldn't help but think of The Happytime Murders, a film from a few years ago, which featured the Muppets.

It's officially Murder, she wrote's easiest mystery to work out, even if you're only half listening, you'll spot the glaringly obvious clue, it needed to be a whole lot more subtle.

6/10.

"And Introducing Ian Shaw," reads a line from the opening credits of this episode, which features a storyline about pre-teen orphan Stevie (Ian Lansbury, a grandson of Angela Lansbury and Peter Shaw), who appears in the audience of a televised puppet program (or a show within a show), at which many a temper flares behind the scenes.

Flappieville Studio (in an unidentified location, but by reasonable assumption, Los Angeles, California, with its palm tree groves and proximity to television network headquarters) produces the adventures of "Pound Dog," a puppet presentation, which Network Programming Executive Parker Foreman (Bryan Cranston) asserts is running out of steam and in its final season of production.

"Pound Dog" Creater and Voice Artist Darren Crosley (Stephen T. Kay) and Producer Robbie Dorow (Robert Knepper) stand at odds over the triangle created when Robbie's marriage with Mary Dorow (Dey Young) left Darren without Mary, who continuously attempts to smooth the fences between Robbie and Peter. But Robbie still doesn't trust Mary, as he often spots her around town in the company of Terry Fusco (Rick Dano), with whom Robbie believes that Mary has been cheating.

Mary, however, welcomes her dear old friend Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) to Flappieville, to adapt Jessica's latest children's Short Story into a French-flavored "Pound Dog" sleuth character, Inspector LeShay (sp?).

In the Flappieville Design Department, the multi-talented Illustrator and Voice Artist Jason Cardino (Steven Martini) creates the Inspector LeShay look, while Fashioneer Helena McKenna (Corinne Bohrer) designs his attire, with Kim Swofford's (Kimberley Kates) swaying back and forth, taking credit for the productivity of others, and trying to create a romantic triangle of her own in the process.

Gus Hayward (Alan Fudge) serves on the staff in the capacity of Voice Artist, but when Parker Foreman insists upon Flappieville's hiring Gus' talented but difficult ex-wife, Nattie Holt (Maryedith Burrell), to provide the voice-overs, it becomes up to Darren and Gus to sweeten her deal, for without Nettie, there will be no spin-off series, to keep Flappieville above sinking into the red.

Arvin Bucknell (Richardson Morse) serves on the staff as Security Guard, with more say in matters of policy and decision-making than the average "MSW" security guard would have.

So, by the time that Jessica arrives at the studio, wheeling and dealing has already been set into motion, with temperamental altercations to follow amid a battle of merchandising rights.

Robbie Dorow already has to deal with his problems with Mary and Terry Fusco, and now Darren Crosley has complicated matters by promising shares of Flappieville's merchandising operation to Nettie, Gus, Jessica and himself, which already exceed 135 percent, when Parker Foreman demands fifty percent under the table, in a conversation which Darren secretly records on audio-tape.

And now, everyone who learns about the secret audio-cassette must figure that it carries a large blackmail value because the desk in which it has been secretly stored has been broken into with a pair of scissors, tossed aside near a flat-iron, a Fiji travel brochure, a blood-splattered puppet, and a body on the floor, which Jessica stumbles across, while discovering Darren's kneeling beside it.

Lieutenant Spevak (Brian Cousins) investigates the murder with the able assistance of Jessica, who has been on hand to observe several clues, as she determines to tie the case together and to do what she can to find little Stevie a happy home-life if that is at all possible because there is always "Something Foul in Flappieville."

The cast is rounded out by Wendy Hoffman as Carol the Receptionist, Réné as Puppeteer #1, Douglas Seymore as Puppeteer #2, and Thom Fountain as Puppeteer #3.

This episode represents the only acting credit to date each for Ian Lansbury, Douglas Seymore and Réné, as well as the second of two "MSW" appearances each for Stephen T. Kay, Steven Martini, the third of three each for Corinne Bohrer, Bryan Cranston, Rick Dano and Robert Knepper, the fourth of four for Wendy Hoffman, the fifth of five for Alan Fudge, and the sixth of six "MSW's" for Richardson Morse.

(Not much great acting going on here amid a noisy episode, but Dey Young adds a nice touch among otherwise vindictive females, and Steven Martini adds a nice touch with his impersonations, while Bryan Cranston and Brian Cousins photograph well, as usual. What a clothing iron is doing in an office is anyone's guess.)

This episode of Murder She Wrote has Jessica Fletcher branching out so to speak. She's gone into the business of writing a children's book with an engaging animal character who is a policeman. Now she's dealing with television who would like to give her character a show.

If Angela Lasnbury thought the publishing business could be cutthroat wait till she has to deal with the various egos involved with television. Stephen Kay who at times is almost childlike himself like Michael Jackson is the host of a current show who'd like to get Lansbury to collaborate with him. Kay is woeful as a business person.

A security guard is killed preventing someone from stealing a prototype puppet and notes on the character. Kay looks good, but we know it won't be him.

Who'd have thought kid's television could be so nasty?

JB is watching the Flappieville puppet show with a keen eye, as Inspector Lachère is her creation, something she came up with for her grand nieces and nephews, and now Flappieville Toys want to take Inspector Lachère on the road. She soon gets pulled into a murder investigation when one of the studio backers is murdered and the puppet based on her character is used as the murder weapon.

Even in the children puppet industry things can become cutthroat which leads to murder. It's an interesting setting, but a rather pedestrian episode that ambles on and lacks that urgency. However Jessica is always great to watch.

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.

"Something Foul in Flappieville" is not only to me one of the worst episodes of Season 12, it is in the bottom 10 worst 'Murder She Wrote' episodes in general. Admittedly was very sceptical as to whether it would work in the first place, with the idea seeming so beneath 'Murder She Wrote's' usual standards and it just seemed on paper so out of place conceptually within the show. My scepticism proved to be correct, the idea just didn't work for me and the execution was near-bottom of the barrel.

There are saving graces. The production values as always are slick and stylish. Some of the scoring 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 is as always terrific, Jessica Fletcher being one of her best-remembered roles for very good reason. Most of the acting is not good at all, and that's being kind, but Dey Young and Corrine Bohrer show some charm and Bryan Cranston does menacing very well.

When it comes to the rest, there is a lot of over-acting going on in "Something Foul in Flappieville" and it is very poor over-acting that wouldn't even pass for unintentional humour. Stephen Kay in particular is embarrassing with the most annoying character of an episode full of characters too over-the-top to be taken seriously. They do have a very contrived and awkward script to work with, one that doesn't have any subtlety of any kind with self-indulgent wannabe witticisms and cringe-worthy funny lines delivered with voices nearly as creepy as the puppets.

Can say nothing better about the story. It takes far too long to get going, the murder investigation is both rushed through and uninspired, with too much strangeness and nowhere near enough twists. For instance it is far too obvious too early who the prime suspect will be, and one doesn't care because not only is the outcome one that can be seen right from the start the prime suspect is also too annoying to be worth investing in. Wasn't that shocked by the reveal either and my interest honestly had wavered by then.

Oh, and the puppets are neither entertaining, cleverly used or interesting. If the writers were trying to go for creepiness they succeeded (pretty certain it was not intended), but to excessively overkill effect that was one step away to scarring the viewer for life.

In summary, pretty foul episode and a 'Murder She Wrote' low point. 3/10 Bethany Cox