# Murder, She Wrote (1984)

> A mystery writer turned amateur sleuth uses her insight into murder to help solve real-life homicide cases.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/454

## Facts

- Seasons: 12
- Episodes: 264
- Episode runtime: 45 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: mystery, crime, drama
- Created by: Richard Levinson, William Link, Peter S. Fischer
- Network: CBS
- Cast: Angela Lansbury, Tom Bosley, Kathryn Grayson, Richard Anderson, Tom Everett, Richard Jaeckel, Charlotte Rae, David Oliver
- TMDB rating: 7.3/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086765/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: mild
- Tone: comforting, witty, cozy, breezy

## What critics say

Audiences consistently rate the series as a comforting, well-crafted cozy mystery whose later seasons drew the strongest praise.

## Synopsis

Murder, She Wrote (1984-1996) is an American network mystery series created by Richard Levinson, William Link, and Peter S. Fischer for CBS. Angela Lansbury plays Jessica Fletcher, an unassuming mystery novelist who keeps stumbling into real homicide cases in small-town Maine. Tom Bosley appears as Amos Tupper, one of the recurring figures around her. Each episode is a self-contained case of the week, with Jessica using her professional insight into plotting and character to unravel a murder that local investigators struggle with. The run spans twelve seasons and 264 episodes, giving it the steady rhythm of a long-running broadcast procedural. The tone is gentle and comforting, with bright small-town charm and a warm, unhurried sense of justice. Fans of Columbo and Rosemary and Thyme will find resonance in its blend of accessible puzzles and an amateur sleuth who is more clever than she appears.

## Shows like Murder, She Wrote

- [Miss Marple: A Murder Is Announced (1985)](https://ember.film/tv/66211)
- [McMillan & Wife (1971)](https://ember.film/tv/10092)
- [Sherlock Holmes (1964)](https://ember.film/tv/21230)
- [Castle (2009)](https://ember.film/tv/1335)
- [Columbo (1971)](https://ember.film/tv/825)
- [Perry Mason (1957)](https://ember.film/tv/3971)
- [Agatha Christie's Poirot (1989)](https://ember.film/tv/750)
- [You're Killing Me (2026)](https://ember.film/tv/1104900)
- [Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime (1983)](https://ember.film/tv/13774)
- [Spenser: For Hire (1985)](https://ember.film/tv/935)

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