Customer Reviews

Murder, She Wrote - The Complete Eighth Season

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(5)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Well, here we are again. America's most popular crime series returns in its eighth season. Jessica is no longer the "Down Maine" girl we have grown to love. She has moved from her cozy life in Cabot Cove, Maine, to the hustle-bustle of New York City to teach criminology.

For subsequent seasons, the show's "new look" divided its viewers with an adjustment of premise alternations. The switch to Manhattan permitted Jessica to expand her range of acquaintances and habitats. This irked some viewers. Fans of the show thought the series had changed its course and was becoming too--how shall I say this?--expansive? Jessica was leaving her comfort zone in Cabot Cove, and for some TV watchers, the change was disastrous. Like many people today, they did not like change; the idea of Jessica moving part-time to Manhattan and leaving her circle of friends back home, was a mystery in itself. On occasion, however, Dr. Seth Hazlitt and Eve Simpson would make apperances with Jessica in New York.

Ms. Lanbsury, however, wanted change. She was tired of the quaint life in Cabot Cove; she wanted to expand her horizions and take Jessica back into the classroom as a teacher. Personally, the shift added a freshness to the show--and it gave Jessica other dimensions and facets to her personality that were missing in previous seasons. After Jessica's sporadic absences in seasons six and seven, Ms. Lansbury had to steer the show in another direction. She became executive producer. This allowed her to take charge of the show. She hired female writers, and gave Jessica a makeover as "businesswoman." Out with the hand-me-downs of sweaters and jeans. A new Jessica Fletcher would be announced!

For all you Cabot Cove lovers out there, this season offers Jessica a reprieve from the hectic city life. She would make an appearance in her hometown on the weekends. Whatever qualm you have about the show during its eighth run, don't allow those prejudices to alter your love of a once-in-a-lifetime television franchise.

Episode one: "Bite the Big Apple" (New York City)
Episode two: "Night Fears" (New York City)
Episode three: "Unauthorized Obituary" (New York City)
Episode four: "Thicker Than Water" (Cabot Cove, Maine)
Episode five: "Lines of Excellence" (New York City)
Episode six: "Judge Not" (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Episode seven: "Terminal Connection" (Los Angeles, California; Santa Barbara)
Episode eight: "A Killing in Las Vegas" (Las Vegas, Nevada; New York City)
Episode nine: "The Committee" (New York City)
Episode ten: "The List of Uri Lermentov" (Washington, D.C.)
Episode eleven: "Danse Diabolique" (San Francisco, California)
Episode twelve: "The Witch's Curse" (Cabot Cove, Maine)
Episode thirteen: "Incident in Lot #7" (Los Angeles, California)
Episode fourteen: "The Monte Carlo Murders" (Monte Carlo)
Episode fifteen: "Tinker, Taylor, Liar, Thief" (London, England)
Episode sixteen: "Ever After" (Grill Harbor, Long Island; New York City)
Episode seventeen: "To the Last Will I Grapple With Thee" (New York City)
Episode eighteen: "Programmed for Murder" (Boston, Massachusetts; Cabot Cove, Maine)
Episode nineteen: "Day of the Dead" (Mexico City, Mexico)
Episode twenty: "Angel of Death" (Carmel, California; New York City)
Episode twenty-one: "Badge of Honor" (Cabot Cove, Maine)
Episode twenty-two: "Murder on Madison Avenue" (New York City)

T.B. Grant
12.29.07

I'm very excited about this release. Even though I love the small town appeal of Cabot Cove, I also enjoyed the polished look Jessica acquired when she moved to a New York apartment and there began solving mysteries. I'm looking forward to the episode where she gets a computer and has to learn how to use it, all the while writing her books and solving crimes. What I always loved about this show was they allowed a mature woman to not only be attractive and interesting, but adventurious and couragous. (A lot like the Golden Girls!) I hope after this is released they also release Father Dowling on DVD. When Tom Bosley left his role as Sheriff Tupper, I missed him. But I was so pleased when he went on to star in Father Dowling. Keep these great DVDs coming.

Here is another year of Murder and Mystery J B Fletcher, but this time she had decided to move to New York as a new place for her to be near more murder stories but still comes back to Cabot Cove every couple of episodes. What I find is so funny is that when she is back in Cabot Cove she has the typewriter/xcomputer in the kitchen on the kitchen table rather than ona comuter Desk and she lives in a big house and when she is in New York she has a computer Desk and a kitchen table and uses the table as a table where is the computer when in Cabot Cove and she is entertaining. All in All I still watching the series so I am definately looking forward to enjoying them. So keep buting them so they can realse the other four season and tv made movies that followed after the show ended in 1996

It's wonderful to have this available. I used to watch the shows on TV like clockwork, even set my time by them. Now I just insert the DVD and there they are. Wonderful!

First of all, let me reiterate that Murder She wrote is my favorite TV series. As I have said in past reviews, the show defied Hollywood Standards by creating a heroine ( Jessica Fletcher) over 50. The character has incredible depth, and is incredibly well written and perfectly performed by Angela Lansbury. The character is inspirational for everyone, showing how a widow has a second chance at life after having lost her husband.
Nonetheless, Seasons 1-7 are MUCH better than 8. If you are a fan of the series and have seen 1-7, you'll notice how 8 has been revamped with a more Miami Vice feel; the music has been sexed up a bit ( they go back to how it was done in previous series come season 9, which is available on Netflix). The writing is also much weaker, save one or two strong episodes ( of course, the Cabot Cove ones!).
Then, Angela's character moves to New york for a good part of the series, and while in previous series the New York episodes were very strong, they were weak in 8. It was really a let down. But possibly the worst part was that the character ( Jessica Fletcher) had a different, much more metropolitan feel.
See, what makes this TV show is how Lansbury's character is so complex, as she is a small town woman who is highly educated but doesn't let the pomp and circumstance of the glitzy literary world change her spirit. That's what makes the show: how genuine and compassionate the lead character is.
But in 8, it's different.
Season 9 ( which again you can get on Netflix) they return to the 'old fashioned' music and traditional style of writing; nonetheless, 1-7 reign supreme.
If you are looking for an inspirational, well-written and groundbreaking show, Murder She Wrote ( with all its fantastic characters and guest stars) is for you!!

I have been a faithful fan of Murder She Wrote, and of Angela Lansbury for a couple of decades now. Every season offers a wonderful collection of interesting plots, credible acting by the cast and interesting choice of locales, be it in Cabot Cove, Maine [J.B. Fletcher's hometown] or other places. In Season 8, Ms Fletcher makes a move to New York, where she feels she will be better able to stay in touch with her publisher, as well as teach a class in criminology to college students. This is also the season where Ms Fletcher finally gives in to the superiority [or should I say the convenience] of modern technology and gets a personal computer to help her in getting her writing done.

The stories remain fresh - one of the strengths of this series. Though it seems remarkable that Ms Fletcher's character always seems to be unwittingly embroiled in murders, espionage, etc - Ms Lansbury's amazing screen presence and credible acting make it all believable. There are some recurring co-stars as well - Dr Seth Hazlitt, Sheriff Mort Metzger, and even MI6 agent Michael Haggerty. The guest stars also add a lot to enhance the storylines - such as David Soul [of Starsky and Hutch fame], the guy who played Highlander etc.

All in all, I love all the seasons of MSW, and Season 8 is as enjoyable as the previous seasons. It is fun, entertaining, and intriguing. Hope to see Season 9 out on DVD soon. All hail J.B. Fletcher!

ALL THE SEASONS OFFER A LIGHT WAY TO SPEND SOME TIME. USUALLY NOTHING BUT MYSTERY AND GREAT GAL IN ANGELA LANSBURY,

I was so happy to receive this season of Murder She wrote. It is true that I hope to one day own all 12 seasons but this box set had an episode on it that I only was able to see perhaps once. I never knew the title of it; Incident in lot 7, the one about the famous Bates House! I can watch this episode over and over and I will never get sick of it. It was so cool to be able to see it again after so many years!

As far as I'm concerned, Season 6 was the beginning of the end for "Murder She Wrote". In that season, Jessica (Angela Lansbury) only appeared in 13 of the 22 episodes, with alternative "detectives" in the remaining episodes. Season 7 continues the descent. Although there are only five episodes in this season in which Jessica isn't the detective, the guest stars aren't as impressive as in the earlier seasons (in the earlier seasons it was rare for there to be an episode where I hadn't heard of at least one of the guest stars, while by this season, it had become quite common) and many of the "regulars" (including Seth and Grady) have mysteriously vanished. The stories aren't too bad, though, and, in fact, are almost as good as those in the earlier seasons. If you can cope with the shortcomings of this season, then you shouldn't be too disappointed.

This DVD was a gift to my mother, who has the entire collection of Murder, She Wrote. When she received it, she sat down and watched it for hours and hours. She thoroughly enjoys the consistently good entertainment. We are awaiting the next season to be made available.