Murder, She Wrote Hooray for Homicide (1984–1996) Online

Classic film star Virginia Mayo plays a studio wardrobe manager in this star-studded Hollywood-based episode featuring many familiar television veterans, as Claude Akins, Melissa Sue Anderson, John Astin, Ron Palillo, John Saxon, Morgan Stevens and Lyle Waggoner.

The action begins at her Cabot Cove residence, when Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) learns via a television news report that a motion picture studio prepares to adapt her bestselling first Mystery, "The Corpse Danced at Midnight" into a rather lewd film production, causing her to consult with friend and neighbor Captain Ethan Cragg (Claude Akins) to chauffeur her to the airport, so that she may protest her objections directly to the source of this travesty.

Jessica meets several individuals at the studio and surrounding localities, including Ross Hayley (John Astin), Marta Quintessa (Samantha Eggar), Allan Gebhart (James MacArthur), Sunny Finch (Marianne McAndrew), Paddy (Hank Rolike) and Ted Lafferty (Paul Ryan), some open to her suggestions and willing to assist in Jessica's plight to tone down the carnal aspects, which, of course, are not covered in her original material.

But when she meets Producer Jerry Lydecker (John Saxon), who also plans to direct the picture, after a bitter exchange, he informs Jessica that she has signed over film rights, and, therefore has no input into the matter.

Studio chief Marty Strindberg (Lyle Waggoner) clarifies the legal ramifications of Jessica's contract, but sympathetically appoints a junior lawyer, Norman Lester, Esq. (Ron Palillo), to resolve her any differences.

On the set, Eve Crystal (Melissa Sue Anderson) and Scott Bennett (Morgan Stevens), who are cast as the leads in "The Corpse Danced at Midnight" don't seem to mind shedding a few garments to model for the poster, to which Jessica also objects but can't seem to exchange rational dialogue with Scott, although she manages to connect with Eve a little more readily, after Eve and Scott rehearse a scene in a memorial park on an indoor set.

Norman Lester helps Jessica to decide that she hasn't treated Jerry Lydecker nor the company as sensitively as she may have, and so she returns to the studio that evening after most of its lights have dimmed.

But there on the set, Jessica stumbles across a body, with a Security Guard and police officers not far behind, to accuse her of murder.

LAPD Lieutenant Mike Hernandez (José Pérez) and LAPD Detective Mack Brody (Erik Holland) soon change their tunes, however, and embrace Jessica's cooperation to assist in their investigation, after she has discovered a brass button at the scene of the crime, which suddenly disappeared upon her return to the scene, after she had been taken aside for questioning.

When Jessica attempts to search a dressing room trailer, she witnesses an altercation between Allan Gebhart and Ross Hayley, who nearly knocks her to its floor, as he tries to escape the scene.

Elinor (Virginia Mayo) welcomes Jessica into the studio's Wardrobe Department, which she manages, and affirmatively answers her requests to scrutinize the garment racks, a search which Elinor facilitates with her capable organizing skills.

Marta Quintessa invites Jessica to an outdoor party early that evening, at which Jessica manages to weave together the clues involving the missing piece of evidence, and deciding the reason as to why one of the suspects had been feigning drunkenness for "Hooray for Homicide."

The cast is rounded out by Wayne Powers as 1st Assistant Director, Lisa Hope Ross as Tour Guide, Barbara Lynn Block as TV Newswoman, Jack Scalici as TV Newsman #1, R.J. Adams as TV Newsman #2, and Michael Milhoan as Security Guard.

This episode marks the second of only two television roles to date by Lisa Hope Ross, and the first television acting role by Michael Milhoan. This also represents the first of three "MSW" appearances each for John Saxon, Morgan Stevens and Lyle Waggoner, and the first of five "MSW" appearances each by John Astin and R.J. Adams. Virginia Mayo, acting since 1939, and Hank Rolike, acting since 1973, have unfortunately since passed.

Have always been quite fond of 'Murder She Wrote'. It is a fun and relaxing watch that makes you think as you try to unwind in the evening. If one wants more complex, twisty mysteries with lots of tension and suspense 'Murder She Wrote' may not be for you, but if you want something light-hearted and entertaining but still provide good mysteries 'Murder She Wrote' fits the bill just fine.

After a great pilot episode in "The Murder of Sherlock Holmes", an interesting, decent if slightly bland "Deadly Lady" and the better if with more room to grow still "Birds of a Feather", "Hooray for Homicide" doesn't yet see 'Murder She Wrote' hit its peak while showing no signs of the first season declining. Again, "Hooray for Homicide" is likable, light-hearted fun with a mystery good enough to keep one engrossed.

Not amazing by all means. The very final scene is once again eye-rollingly cheesy, something that was a tendency for 'Murder She Wrote', and again like "Birds of a Feather" it has its predictable elements.

Once the body was discovered it was clear who the accused was going to be and even more so it is obvious from the moment they're introduced who the victim (a suitably loathsome one but also one one doesn't really get to know properly).

However, these things weren't quite enough to mar my overall enjoyment of "Hooray for Homicide". Again, it is a good-looking episode. Very nicely shot with attractive locations and fashions and a fun and atmospheric film world setting. music has presence but also not making the mistake of over-scoring, while it is hard to forget or resist the theme tune.

The writing is charmingly light-hearted, gently amiable and down to earth but provokes thought too. The mystery is straightforward and compelling with a clever and not too obvious or confusing final solution and a genuinely suspenseful build up to the discovery of the body (even though one does get a feeling that would be what would happen).

"Hooray for Homicide" does a great job showing (even though it's hardly new territory) that what looks like a glamorous, fun profession is not what it seems behind the scenes. The conflicts were nicely done. There is a real cosy, amiable charm and everything is neatly tied up, and one still admires that Jessica is more than your standard female detective.

Angela Lansbury is terrific in one of her best remembered roles (one of the roles that is most closely associated with me at any rate), and the supporting cast support her competently.

In summary, another good episode. 8/10 Bethany Cox

This is a great episode with a great cast, and worth watching for Virginia Mayo alone. One scene and she is wonderful. But be warned, I bought the set twice to find that this one episode freezes and lock up your player. No way to get over it except to pull the plug from your player and try again. Then use fast forward search to skip through the dance sequence and for some reason it will play through the scene that locks up. This problem is also documented on the Nixpix blog. It apparently occurs on all DVD releases. Clearly no one was doing quality control at Universal and that is a great pity. The moral? If your disc freezes, don't call out a technician and waste even more money!!!!

Jessica is outraged to learn that her first novel 'The Corpse danced at Midnight is to be made into a cheap slasher movie. She sets off for Hollywood to confront director Jerry Lydecker, but after spending a little disgruntled time on the set, she discovers Jerry's body. As Jessica had signed a contract waving her rights to interfere in the film's production she's very much a suspect.

This is a pretty good episode, one that builds on the wonderfully named book, The Corpse danced at midnight, such a catchy title. It's believable that Jessica would want to intercede in the production of that film, very much in keeping with her character.

Particularly nice production values, the sets look great. Well acted as always, John Saxon does a particularly good job making Jerry such a dislikeable character. John Astin feels a little underused, appearing as Ross, it wouldn't be long before he'd return as regular Harry.

I would like to take issue with the words of Jessica Fletcher, not putting whisky with Diet Coke, I beg to differ :-)

A good episode with a few nice twists. 7/10