Murder, She Wrote

[Soaplovers]

In general, the period between 1990/91 to 1992/3 is a weird transition period for most of tv.

Murder She Wrote went in a more procedural/gritty direction in the early 90s before settling into that mid 90s minimalist vibe (where the guest stars were no longer Hollywood Starlets.. but mostly unknowns)

I think season 8 was a transition season and the tone just didn't fit with the more 80s comfort vibe.  Personally I understood why Jessica would have more then one residence... but I would have had her in LA instead of NYC since her books were starting to be adapted to movies/tv... and East Coast Jessica in West Coast Hollywood would have been an interesting element to explore.

[Khan]

That's an interesting idea, @Soaplovers, but I think the show's overall tone would have changed even more than it actually did when she acquired the NYC apartment.  Sort of like when "Diagnosis: Murder" shifted locales (from Denver to L.A.) between seasons with no on-screen explanation.  When they moved to L.A., the show itself became campier and harder to believe.

[Soaplovers]

No harder to believe then Cabot Cove being the murder capital of New England.. and people still opted to visit or move there LOL 

[Khan]

I always love how townspeople like Seth complain about tourists and newcomers "invading" CC.  It's like, "Well, maybe if you told more outsiders about all the murders that occur in town, they wouldn't be so inclined to visit or move there, lol!"

[Paul Raven]

That downgrading of guest stars was obviously a budget thing.

Were there any MSW episodes that 'broke the mold' eg went against the formula in any way?

Edited April 22 by Paul Raven

[kalbir]

Angela Lansbury was 59 in 1984 and 71 in 1996.

I would guess by the time of Murder, She Wrote, she must have cut down/quit smoking and was more vigilant about sun protection.

Whatever work she had done during Murder, She Wrote was not blatantly obvious and in your face.

[DaytimeFan]

No, Angela had refreshed herself several times before Jessica got her NY apartment. 

Angela had her facelift a lot earlier than people think. She had her first facelift when she debuted as Mame on Broadway in 1966. She had her lower eyes done a few years later to rid herself of under eye bags. 

She then had her neck and chin tightened up in the late 1970s before having another neck tuneup in 1986. Angela had another facelift in the early 90s. 

She was really something of a pioneer in very good, conservative work. 

Yes, indeed. When she lost 20 lbs it inspired her to launch Positive Moves...

Angela really took herself as a potential role model for women, especially older women, very seriously. 

Angela was mostly preoccupied with her jawline and any perceived jowls. It's somewhat hard to screw up a lower face lift except if the pull is too tight around the mouth. Angela left her lines alone, so she never strove to look 'young' she strove to look 'good' and she looked great as a result.

[Cat]

Angela Lansbury's wardrobe was an inspiration for ladies of a certain age -- and even in the repeats 3 decades later, her style has translated well because she stuck with the classics. Aquascutum tweed/houdstooth blazers (which Talbots would copy for her fanbase at the time), pencil skirts, a sensible heel, silk patterned scarves, beautiful gold broaches and earrings. She knew what would look good but wouldn't detract from the story. 

My mom noticed something years ago on MSW which was, in addition to her conservative, judicious face-lift, Lansbury also utilized a 'veil' or special filter in her close-ups in the early seasons of the show. It is not so apparent in the later New York seasons, but the fuzzier filter was noticeable in many episodes when the show would cut from her close-up to another person's close-up. I think some of the special guest stars who had been female movie stars in the 1950s (like Celeste Holm, for example) also utilized the 'veil' when they appeared on the show.

Edited April 23 by Cat

[Khan]

Definitely!  I probably should list them all in a spoiler tag, though, lol.  Bookend and two-hour episodes notwithstanding...

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Edited April 24 by Khan

[Paul Raven]

@Khan thanks for that, very interesting!

[Khan]

No problem! 

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As you can see, the majority of atypical episodes happened during the Peter S. Fischer era (1984-1991).  Once he departed as showrunner, and especially after Lansbury took over production in '92, MSW became more risk-averse.

[Soaplovers]

Two of the season 9 episodes you mentioned... I remember my late mom raving about both of them for being different.  She much preferred the one you mentioned had the twist ending (she was in the camp that liked the clever twist)

[kalbir]

1980s hangover, plus a good number of the big 1980s hit shows were winding down.

1993/94 I think was the season that the 1990s really began on primetime: peak Beverly Hills 90210, Melrose Place took off, peak Home Improvement, Seinfeld blew up, NYPD Blue premiered. Then of course the following season ER and Friends premiered and we know the rest.

By Fall 1993, the only dramas premiering in the 1980s that were still on were Murder, She Wrote; L.A. Law, Matlock, In the Heat of the Night. L.A. Law and In the Heat of the Night ended Spring 1994, Matlock ended Spring 1995, and Murder, She Wrote ended Spring 1996.

Murder, She Wrote was bookended by two very different eras in primetime dramas. It started in the Dallas/Dynasty era and ended in the ER/NYPD Blue era. Murder, She Wrote may not have been as cool and trendy as Miami Vice, Moonlighting, and L.A. Law but Murder, She Wrote out-rated and outlasted them.