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`MURDER, SHE WROTE' LOSES COZY SUNDAY TIME SLOT According to the article Angela Lansbury decided before the time slot change that season 12 would be the final season. It's unfortunate that Murder, She Wrote did not get the final season farewell that it deserved after all Angela did for CBS primetime. I totally get why the final season had episodes that shaded both Friends and CBS. “I mean, who would have thought a group of twenty-something young people sitting around all day long discussing their sexuality would turn out to be a top TV show?” Oh, the shade. I love it.

Murder, She Wrote key episodes by ratings September 30, 1984: The Murder of Sherlock Holmes (series premiere), rating 18.9 May 19, 1996: Death by Demographics (series finale), rating 12.3 Season highs April 21, 1985: Funeral at Fifty-Mile (season 1 finale), rating 24.5 January 12, 1986: Trial by Error, rating 28.5 March 1, 1987: Simon Says, Color Me Dead; rating 30.4 January 3, 1988: Who Threw the Barbitals in Mrs. Fletcher’s Chowder?, rating 25.2 February 5, 1989: The Search for Peter Kerry, rating 25.9 October 1, 1989: Seal of the Confessional, rating 22.1 January 6, 1991: Family Doctor, rating 19.0 January 12, 1992: The Witch’s Curse, rating 20.1 January 10, 1993: Final Curtain, rating 20.8 January 23, 1994: Deadly Assets, rating 21.0 November 13, 1994: Fatal Paradise, rating 17.6 February 26, 1995: Murder a la Mode, rating 17.6 February 25, 1996: Track of a Soldier, rating 14.1 Season lows December 16, 1984: Death Takes a Curtain Call, rating 16.2 October 27, 1985: Sing a Song of Murder, rating 21.1 May 10, 1987: Murder She Spoke (season 3 finale), rating 20.4 October 25, 1987: The Way to Dusty Death, rating 17.7 May 14, 1989: Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall (Part 1 of season 5 finale), rating 15.4 May 20, 1990: The Sicilian Encounter (season 6 finale), rating 14.1 May 12, 1991: The Skinny According to Nick Culhane (season 7 finale), rating 13.2 May 17, 1992: Murder on Madison Avenue (season 8 finale), rating 14.7 May 9, 1993: The Survivor, rating 15.7 May 22, 1994: Wheel of Death (season 10 finale), rating 14.0 May 7, 1995: Another Killing in Cork, rating 12.3 November 23, 1995: Deadly Billing, rating 7.0 Ten highest-rated episodes of the series March 1, 1987: Simon Says, Color Me Dead; rating 30.4 January 12, 1986: Trial by Error, rating 28.5 November 23, 1986: Magnum on Ice, rating 28.3 October 5, 1986: Death Stalks the Big Top (Part 2 of season 3 premiere), rating 28.2 January 19, 1986: Keep the Home Fries Burning, rating 28.1 January 4, 1987: Night of the Headless Horseman, rating 27.9 (only #1 episode) November 2, 1986: Corned Beef and Carnage, rating 27.7 January 18, 1987: The Corpse Flew First Class, rating 27.7 November 10, 1985: A Lady in the Lake, rating 26.9 February 8, 1987: Murder in a Minor Key, rating 26.6 Eleven lowest-rated episodes of the series November 23, 1995: Deadly Billing, rating 7.0 November 9, 1995: Nan’s Ghost (Part 2), rating 8.5 April 4, 1996: Southern Double-Cross, rating 8.7 October 12, 1995: Big Easy Murder, rating 8.9 November 16, 1995: Shooting in Rome, rating 9.0 September 28, 1995: A Quaking in Aspen, rating 9.2 December 14, 1995: Unwilling Witness, rating 9.2 September 21, 1995: Nailed (season 12 premiere), rating 9.3 October 19, 1995: Home Care, rating 9.4 November 30, 1995: Frozen Stiff, rating 9.4 February 15, 1996: Something Foul in Flapperville, rating 9.4

Kat is giving me feels of Y&R early Christel Khalil Lily. Trisha Mann-Grant and Ambyr Michelle should move on to bigger and better things as soon as their initial contracts are up. Get ready for sisters fighting over a guy w/ Kat/Tomas/Eva.

All this talk about Daytime Emmys during the Marland years got me to compile As the World Turns Daytime Emmy results that would cover the Marland years. Wins 1986: John Wesley Shipp (Supporting Actor) 1987: Drama Series, Larry Bryggman (Lead Actor), Gregg Marx (Supporting Actor), Martha Byrne (Younger Actress) 1988: Julianne Moore (Younger Actress) 1990: Andrew Kavovit (Younger Actor) 1991: Drama Series 1993: Directing Nominations 1986: Drama Series, Scott Bryce (Lead Actor), Larry Bryggman (Lead Actor), Elizabeth Hubbard (Lead Actress), Gregg Marx (Supporting Actor), Kathleen Widdoes (Supporting Actress), Brian Bloom (Younger Actor), Jon Hensley (Younger Actor), Martha Byrne (Younger Actress), Writing, Directing 1987: Scott Bryce (Lead Actor), Elizabeth Hubbard (Lead Actress), Lisa Brown (Supporting Actress), Kathleen Widdoes (Supporting Actress), Brian Bloom (Younger Actor), Jon Hensley (Younger Actor), Directing 1988: Drama Series, Larry Bryggman (Lead Actor), Elizabeth Hubbard (Lead Actress), Lisa Brown (Supporting Actress), Eileen Fulton (Supporting Actress), Scott DeFreitas (Younger Actor), Andrew Kavovit (Younger Actor), Directing 1989: Drama Series, Larry Bryggman (Lead Actor), Elizabeth Hubbard (Lead Actress), Andrew Kavovit (Younger Actor), Martha Byrne (Younger Actress), Writing, Directing 1990: Elizabeth Hubbard (Lead Actress), Directing 1991: Elizabeth Hubbard (Lead Actress), Kathleen Widdoes (Supporting Actress), Andrew Kavovit (Younger Actor), Writing 1992: Drama Series, Elizabeth Hubbard (Lead Actress), Scott DeFreitas (Younger Actor), Directing 1993: Drama Series, Ellen Dolan (Lead Actress), Writing 1994: Drama Series, Kathleen Widdoes (Lead Actress), Patrick Tovatt (Supporting Actor), Scott DeFreitas (Younger Actor), Martha Byrne (Younger Actress)

Not to derail the thread but I consider New Jack Swing era 1987-1992.

It's unfortunate that due to real-life circumstances we didn't get MZ Roger vs. CB Alan in the late 1980s/early 1990s. GL had two show-defining villains and sadly so little of the 1977-1980 Roger vs. Alan storylines are out there.

I think Richard Channing intro as the new villain in season 2 was exactly what Falcon Crest needed to reach the next level. To me the first meeting of Angela and Richard is a pivotal scene that sets everything in motion for the rest of the series. The original villainess is a business-minded messy matriarch that attempts to control the lives of her daughters and grandson and takes down her enemies with words and not bitch slaps. The new villain is dangerous and mean yet wounded from a childhood devoid of love with a longing to be part of a family and that inner woundedness and longing is in conflict with the dangerous and mean exterior. In that first meeting, each knows they have met their match. After all, game recognizes game. When I saw that unfold, I was like "I am totally down for this."

So you liked Robert Calhoun/Douglas Marland era (September 1985-October 1988) over Laurence Caso/Douglas Marland era (October 1988-March 1993). We saw in the 1980s Ratings thread that it took about a year for Calhoun/Marland era to show growth but I say 1986 and 1987 were the creative peak. Remember too that the tail end of Calhoun's run overlapped with the writer's strike.

Look at the list of CBS primetime dramas that premiered in the 1980s which were not named Murder, She Wrote and had 5+ season runs: Falcon Crest; Magnum, P.I.; Simon & Simon, Cagney & Lacey, Jake and the Fatman. They all lasted as long as they did because CBS was in their third place primetime mess era. Remember that episode of The Golden Girls where Sophia referred to Jane Wyman as "that old crow from Falcon Crest"? Funny thing is Jane Wyman was only 6 years older than Estelle Getty.

@Taoboi I know Sean Freeman is not Shemar Moore level, but I don't put SF in the fake-ass Shemar category.

@soapfan770 That reads so much better than what's currently on screen. If Josh Griffith takes your ideas, I somehow feel that he'll fumble the execution.

@Khan Keeping it real here, after watching Falcon Crest episodes I was surprised it made it past season 5 and season 7 should have been the end. Falcon Crest may not have been a pop culture phenomenon, but it's place in television history is that of being Jane Wyman's late career comeback which pretty much overlapped with her ex-husband's presidency. It's also notable that Falcon Crest had the longest run of a CBS primetime drama series that premiered in the 1980s which was not named Murder, She Wrote.

Daytime dramas could get away with a lot more stuff in the first half of the 1980s. Then AIDS happened and that changed everything. GL chased all the 1980s trends (action/adventure, supercouples, Dallas/Dynasty influence) but it caused long-term damage that took years to recover from, or some may say never really recovered from.

I can't pinpoint the exact moment season 7 went off the rails, but the core families shrunk and the supporting characters and guest stars in short arcs didn't really work. Seasons 8 and 9 were the off the rails plus budget mode seasons. Season 8 was a chore to get through and season 9 had a darkness and sadness surrounding it that made it painful to get through. The final two seasons were not necessary and I feel they only happened because CBS was in their third place primetime mess era.

Season 5 tanking was cemented. The storylines were so start and stop and most of them really didn't work. Also being head-to-head with the new hotness Miami Vice and Dallas weakening as a lead in didn't help matters either.

Sean Freeman is the hotness of BtG. Could he be BtG's Shemar?

Season 6 and 7 were the high-octane action-packed thrill ride seasons. Season 6 was an improvement over season 5 but it was still tanking and signs of going off the rails were showing during season 7. Funny thing is SOD liked seasons 6 and 7 in the Best of 1987 and 1988 issues.

I had no idea Kim Zimmer was not the first choice for Reva, as I can't imagine anyone else in that role. If there was any character that defined the final 25 years of GL, it was Reva.

I haven't seen any links to verify, but my TV listings are showing BtG pre-empted April 29 and 30 for soccer coverage.

Halfway through the month and most of it has been garbage time. There are times I'm like "what is this mess?"

The late season tanking is why the Spring 1985 cliffhanger is not as well-remembered as Bobby's car accident, Royal Wedding shootout, and Val's babies.

Season 4 war crimes storyline was like a mashup of James Bond and Raiders of the Lost Ark. The abrupt ending to the war crimes storyline derailed all the momentum that was built during the course of the series and signs of tanking started showing during the last 10 or so episodes of season 4.

I brought up Crazy Like a Fox in the Time Slot Hits thread.

You know it! There has to be some conflict in order for them to realize that they are meant to be more than booty call hook ups.

You're welcome 1985/86 was the turning point season of the 1980s. That season in real life, s--- got real with the AIDS crisis, Space Shuttle Challenger, Chernobyl. With the world around us changing so much, television viewers sought comfort and warmth and Murder, She Wrote and the big family and workplace/friendship sitcoms gave us that.