MURDER, SHE WROTE, My Thoughts by Dottie Coffman

22 Oct MURDER, SHE WROTE, My Thoughts by Dottie Coffman

Anyone who has been around me very much knows my passion for Jessica Fletcher and MURDER, SHE WROTE.   I even have all the DVDs of the shows.  It used to air on Sunday nights at 8:00 pm.  I would either tape it or rush home from evening church service to see it.

The series began in 1984.  The first several episodes I didn’t remember anything about because my father died in May 1984 so a great deal of that year is utter oblivion.  It is hard to figure out when I actually became addicted, obviously sometime after 1984.  It is not that I am a “murder” enthusiast, not at all.  Blood, gore and more, are not my style.  But the fascination with “MSW” is the character Jessica Fletcher, played by Angela Lansbury.

Angela Lansbury made her screen debut in 1944.  She won 4 Tony awards for Broadway musicals such as Mame and Sweeney Todd.  Then “Murder, She Wrote” ran 12 seasons and became the longest-running dramatic series with a female star and the longest-running hour crime show.   Originally, Jean Stapleton (Edith Bunker) was planned for this role.  She turned it down.

Jessica is a former English teacher turned mystery writer.  She is a widow and remains single throughout the show.  Jessica is through and through a true lady, as is her real life persona, Angela Lansbury.  Ms. Lansbury has maintained the integrity and professionalism not ordinarily found in the acting business.  Jessica does not use foul language, does not have affairs, does not know judo and does not use any weapon.  She doesn’t even drive (or own) a car.  She rides a bicycle or rides a taxi everywhere.

Jessica has uncanny intuition, specific knowledge of weapons and motives, and an evolved sense of curiosity.  All that adds up to solving the crimes.  She does at times do a little sneaking….little white lies sometimes, performing an “act” to accomplish the task of finding the guilty party.  That is the worst vice I can find in her and in her case, I can chalk it up for the “greater good”.  There is no blood and gore in the shows.  No action like high speed chases, jumping tall buildings in a single bound, or heads spinning around.  Just good old-fashioned mystery.

Jessica went off the air in 1996.  I miss the old girl.  I have watched her shows over and over and amazingly I rarely remember “who done it.”  Maybe I don’t remember on purpose so I can enjoy the program again and again.  She is on the Hallmark Channel and I still watch the reruns.  I also pull out her DVDs (of which I have every single episode) when I feel I need a “fix”.  As one of Jessica’s younger friends said one time, “Jessica, you’re a great old broad.”  Though not my choice of words, my sentiments exactly!!

Though my analogy may be a bit loose here, I find because of her character I always come back to Jessica Fletcher.  A character is so important and something so thinly taught these days.  Proverbs 31 teaches us that the virtuous wife has a value far above gems.  A woman of character is respected, is full of strength, is trusted and honored, is wise and kind.  I want to be that kind of woman.  I want people to always want to “tune me in” over and over because of my good character.

Dorothy (Dottie) Coffman has been involved in many things including: sports, drama and music, radio talk show host and station manager, writing, photojournalism, Bible teacher, public relations, community relations, and more. Being a professional interviewer, a radio personality, and now a writer, Dottie finds that real life is the best subject of all.