Murder, She Wrote: Season 2

CBS has been releasing the Murder, She Wrote DVD season boxed sets very, very slowly, so it is with much anticipation that fans will be receiving this second set. (NOTE: The gifted actor William Windom, joins the cast in Season Two as the crusty but warm-hearted Dr. Seth Hazlitt.)The three-disc set includes all Season Two episodes, which originally aired from 1985-1986. Thus far, the studio has not announced any special features to be included in the set.Episodes include:Widow Weep for Me: The episode that introduced Len Cariou as the British Intelligence Agent Michael Hagerty in what would be a wonderfully recurring role.Joshua Peabody Died Here-Possibly: Murder in Cabot Cove mixed up with the town's history.Murder in the Afternoon: A murder plot in a soap opera become all too real.School for Scandal: A mother and daughter involved in murder.Sing a Song of Murder: Angela Lansbury plays a dual role, Jessica and her cousin, Emma MacGill, a London dance hall performer. It is no coincidence that the singing and dancing Ms. Lansbury's given name is Angela Brigid MacGill Lansbury.Reflections of the Mind: Jessica comes to the aid of a friend being terrorized.A Lady in the Lake: Jessica investigates the drowning of a swimmer amidst marital and financial intrigue at a lake resort.Dead Heat: Jessica's niece, an aspiring racing jockey, is falsely accused of murder.Jessica Behind Bars: Jessica visits a women's prison then is held captive when an uprising occurs because of abuse and murder at the facility.Sticks and Stones: In Cabot Cove, Jessica investigates a land sale linked to murder.Murder Digs Deep: On an archaeological dig in New Mexico, Jessica ends up on the trail of a murderer.Murder By Appointment Only: A former student of Jessica's becomes involved in a love triangle that ends in murder.Trial by Error: Jessica winds up a jury foreperson in a take off of the classic Henry Fonda film "12 Angry Men."Keep the Home Fries Burning: Poised strawberry preserves served at the Joshua Peabody Inn result in murder.Powder Keg: An aspiring singer is wrongly accused of murder.Murder in the Electric Cathedral: A wealthy friend of Jessica's is murdered and leaves her fortune to an evangelist.One Good Bid Deserves a Murder: Jerry Orbach returns as Harry McGraw, in a story involving the murder of an actor.If a Body Meet a Body: Two corpses vanish then reappear.Christopher Bundy Died on Sunday: The ruthless owner of a periodical is murdered.Menace Anyone?: In Boston, Jessica investigates two murders at a charity tennis tournament.The Perfect Foil: In New Orleans at Mardi Gras, a distant cousin of Jessica's is falsely accused of murder.If the Frame Fits: Jessica investigates a string of art thefts and a murder.This venerable series features a multi-talented cast, interesting stories and outstanding production values. Murder, She Wrote is arguably the most beloved American TV mystery series, and for good reason.The series began in 1984 when Angela Lansbury was 58 and continued through 1996 producing 264 episodes for CBS, and easily winning its time slot for most of its run.The fabulous Ms. Lansbury, who as a distinguished career on Broadway and in the movies, portrayed the lead character of Jessica Fletcher, a widowed, childless English teacher from the fictional small seaport of Cabot Cove, Maine. (The exteriors of the homes, seaport and ocean scenes were actually shot on the opposite coast -- in Mendicino, Calif.)In the series, Jessica's quiet and predictable life is abruptly turned upside down after her nephew submits a mystery manuscript she wrote under the name "J.B. Fletcher" to an East Coast publisher without her knowledge and the book is published. (In the show, Jessica's middle name is Beatrice.) The book becomes an instant bestseller, and Jessica-the-author continues to write similarly popular yarns until she becomes internationally famous. Equally famous is Jessica's uncanny knack at solving crimes as an amateur sleuth who is called upon to help by law enforcement from Cabot Cove to Europe and beyond as the series continues. (It is interesting to note that Jean Stapleton, who portrayed Edith Bunker on All in the Family, was first offered the role of Jessica but, thankfully, declined.)Show creators Richard Levinson, William Link and Peter S. Fischer (Lansbury's real-life husband) brought an impressively combined resume that included Columbo, Mannix, Alfred Hitchcock Present and Ellery Queen.Each week, viewers were treated to the often murderous happenings in small town, quiet Cabot Cove, which ended up having at least 50 murders investigated by Jessica over the course of the series. Jessica helped the local constabulary there, initially bumbling Sheriff Amos Tupper, portrayed by Tom Bosley, then a more credible Sheriff, Mort Metzger, portrayed by Ron Masak, to solve whatever crime occurred.Along the way, Ms. Lansbury was supported by Windom, whose Dr. Seth Hazlitt was Jessica's closest friend. Hazlitt felt more than friendship for Jessica as the show continued, but unfortunately, the two were never officially brought together romantically.Let's hope the remainder of this fantastic series is released on a much quicker pace!!!!

"Every time there's a dead body, you're in the neighborhood", a police detective tells Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) in the episode "One Good Bid Deserves A Murder." He concludes, "If murder were a disease, you'd be contagious." True, everywhere that Jessica goes, murder follows. The second season of "Murder, She Wrote" features plots that are even more diverting and tighter than the excellent first season. Angela Lansbury has a few more opportunities to display her amazing versatility. In the Season Opener "Widow Weep For Me," (featuring Lansbury's "Sweeney Todd" co-star Len Cariou) Jessica pretends to be a rich diva while she investigates the murder of a friend at a Carribean resort. Lansbury also plays dual roles, as Jessica and Jessica's British cousin Emma Macgill, in the episode "Sing A Song Of Murder." While in New Orleans, Jessica encounters Mardi Gras madness, mayhem, and murder in the episode "The Perfect Foil." Jessica also solves murders in her home base of Cabot Cove, assisted by her good friends Dr. Seth Hazlett (William Windom) and Sheriff Amos Tupper (the delightful Tom Bosley) in the episodes "Joshua Peabody Died Here...Possibly", "Keep The Home Fries Burning," "Sticks And Stones" and "If A Body Meets A Body." In the popular episode "Keep The Home Fries Burning", Jessica, Seth, and Amos go to a busy restaurant where, during the breakfast rush, a jar of poisoned preserves ends up at too many tables. Michael Horton returns as Jessica's adorable nephew Grady in the episodes "Murder By Appointment Only" and "Christopher Bundy Died On Sunday." In "Murder By Appointment Only," guest star Jayne Meddows Allen, as a snobby cosmetics diva, humorously calls Jessica's home base "Cabbage Cove" instead of Cabot Cove. Guest star Ann Blythe ("Mildred Pierce", "The Helen Morgan Story") is driven to the brink of insanity in the suspenseful episode "Reflections Of The Mind." Insanity/schitzophrenia is also an important part of the plot of "Menace, Anyone?", featuring Doug McKeon ("On Golden Pond") and Brian Cranston ("Malcolm In The Middle", "Breaking Bad") as hot-headed tennis pros. My two favorite episodes of season two are entirely different in terms of tone. In the wildly fun and over-the top episode "Jessica Behind Bars," a riot occurs immediately after Jessica is trapped inside a women's prison, along with guest stars Vera Miles ("Psycho"), Yvonne De Carlo ("The Munsters"), Adrienne Barbeau ("Maude") and Eve Plumb ("The Brady Bunch"). In the excellent episode "Trial By Error", Jessica serves as foreperson on a jury for a murder trial that takes a dramatic twist. Angela Lansbury remains as charismatic as ever; making "Murder, She Wrote" extremely entertaining, and addictive, viewing.

Season 2 without a doubt continues the sucess and brilliance of Season 1. JB Fletcher is back to don the Typrewriter and Magnifying Glass. One of the best elements in these episodes is when Jessica traps the Killer or tricks them into saying something incriminating and along with that we get the comedy duo of Sherrif Tupper and Doc Hazlet who when are not working arguing over th existence of Cabbot Cove's supposed Founder Jessica Peabody. My Favourite Episodes wereWidow Weep for me, Murder in the Afternoon, Sing a Song of Murder, Reflections of the Mind, A Lady in the Lake, Dead heat, Jessica behind bars, Trial by error, keep the home fries burning, One good bid deserves a murder, if a body meet a body, Christopher Bundy died on a sunday, Menace anyone

Brilliant box set for my Daughter we both love this program so well used 😁

I love MSW but why is there always a murder when Jessica shows up????

was very pleased with the product well packaged very happy with the purchase and very good price to pay .I found nothing wrong with the item i loved it and would buy more.I gave 5 stars because the service was very good item to buy .

Only thing is, these episodes are repeated so often, know who murderer is. Have now added them to my Chronilogical list, so won't be watching them for a year or two. Will be able to enjoy them again then.