User Reviews

Season Five opens with this Robert E. Swanson-penned and Anthony Pullen Shaw-directed episode about international intrigue, great distrust, and a political assassination which lands Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) in jail for the balance of the duration.

Anthony Pullen Shaw, a son of Angela Lansbury and Peter Shaw, averages one "MSW" episode per season to direct during its early years, and, beginning in Season Five, becomes a prolific Director, to amass 68 credits by series' finale.

This opens in San Francisco, California, where Grady Fletcher (Michael Horton) finds himself on assignment from his company to conduct an accounting project, with plans to meet Aunt Jessica at the hotel at which they have made reservations.

But Jessica doesn't show because at the airport, British MI6 Agent Michael Hagarty (Len Cariou) encounters her, to offer her a ride, and not even Jessica might imagine how extensive a detour Hagarty would have her to take this time.

Hagarty abandons Jessica in his automobile in an alley beside a bedraggled hotel, as he sneaks onto an upper floor to confront Ivanov (Joseph Ruskin), or "the Bulgarian," as he is often referred. When Ivanov asks for the password, and Hagarty doesn't supply it, Ivanov exits onto a fire escape, to descend into the alley, to enter Hagarty's automobile, from which Jessica emerges and cannot help him to supply its ignition key.

Two law enforcement officers dart into the alley via their automobile once gunfire reverberates, and the team discovers Jessica's hovering over a body. First Officer (Gregory J. Barnett) then apprehends Jessica for interrogation, as she removes a Zane Grey paperback from the victim's jacket to carry into the police vehicle.

SFPD Sergeant Nash (Michael Callan) incarcerates a frustrated Jessica, without heeding a word of her account, he claiming that the real Jessica Fletcher has reported her luggage and purse stolen from the airport. But when Grady arrives at her request to identify Jessica, he disavows this prisoner as his Aunt, to her chagrin.

British MI6 Commander Lancaster (John Rhys-Davies) and MI6 Agent Roger Travis (Maxwell Caulfield) meet with Hagarty at the dilapidated Conlin Exporters' office on a pier to discuss the feared international terrorist "the Cobra," who conducts political assassinations in various locations as Mozambique, Spain, Kenya and Greece, as Hagarty and Travis blame each other for botching cases under their charge of political protection. And now, these three trust not one another, for "the Cobra" strikes again.

Veronica (Maureen Arthur), a proverbial "Hooker with a Heart of Gold," neighbors Jessica in an adjoining cell, as the one individual who befriends Jessica and offers any assistance possible to bear the misunderstandings and confinement in conjunction with her malady.

Miami PD Sergeant Joe Santiago (Ron O'Neal) arrives at SFPD to discuss "the Cobra" and this case in process bearing his M/O after "the Cobra" has struck in Miami, Florida, with a similar political assassination.

U.S. State Department Attorney Kevin Styles (Sam Behrens) also arrives at SFPD with a similar itinerary, as he and Sergeant Joe Santiago ponder with Sergeant Nash the $500,000 pay-off, which "the Cobra" was to receive from a source from behind the Iron Curtain (still in effect at the time of this episode's production).

Glenda Morrison (Leslie Easterbrook) pounds upon the door of the hotel room reserved for Jessica, as Grady returns to his suite. Hagarty has instructed Grady to distance himself from Jessica for the safety of all three, and to report on any strange and suspicious circumstances.

Because Glenda Morrison is both strange and suspicious, further altercations erupt among Glenda, Grady and Hagarty, as Glenda claims to represent the Chronicle Newspaper, and having an appointment to interview Jessica, whom Glenda now believes to have been kidnapped and intends to report upon this breaking story, instead of a book interview.

Hotel Desk Clerk (John Harnagel) adds to the confusion, as he explains to Glenda that Jessica has yet to arrive (upon Glenda's next visit) with Sergeant Joe Santiago on the trail of the missing $500,000, which leads to another altercation with Glenda and Grady. And now fiancée Donna Mayberry (Debbie Zipp) calls Grady's hotel room with Glenda's asking questions over Grady's shoulder, each lady wondering about the other, and not giving Grady the benefit of any doubt.

So, Grady's in hot water once again; Hagarty presents himself as Jessica's attorney, to lead to another confrontation, and tempers continue to erupt around the various departments after someone fires a shot at Grady and Hagarty from behind the tinted window of an automobile.

Will Jessica be able to identify "the Cobra" and to discover the prize at stake before another murder may be committed during her tenure as "J.B.. as in Jailbird?"

There seems to be a goof whether it originates in the original production or in re-broadcasts: three scenes (featuring Behrens, O'Neal and Callan at the station, Cariou and Horton in the taxicab, and Miss Lansbury and Caulfield at the jail cell) completely repeat themselves with an additional cycle. (Once they play, the action returns to the same exact scenes with Behrens, O'Neal and Callan at the station, Cariou and Horton in the taxicab, and Miss Lansbury and Caulfield at the jail cell.)

This episode represents one of the earliest roles by John Harnagel, as well as the first of two "MSW" appearances each for Sam Behrens and Maxwell Caulfield, the first of three for John Rhys-Davies, the first of four for Leslie Easterbrook, the second of four for Michael Callan, the third of five for Debbie Zipp (her second of four as Donna Mayberry), the third of seven for Len Cariou (each in his role as Michael Hagarty), and the ninth of twelve "MSW's" for Michael Horton (each in his role as Grady Fletcher).

Ron O'Neal, acting in film and on television since 1970, has unfortunately since passed.

This little story is a hidden gem in the series. Jessica is in the wrong place at the wrong time and is jailed for murder. Lou Cariou as Michael Hagerty is thoroughly engaging and has terrific chemistry with Angela Lansbury. Perhaps the tale is a little more implausible than usual, but Jessica in the slammer is worth a watch. Grady (Michael Horton) is entertaining as always and is actually of some use despite an early seeming betrayal of Jessica. Great cast including the wonderful John Rhys-Davies...for once, a plot that utilizes these people to advantage. Excellent lead-in episode for a new season.

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.

"J.B. as in Jailbird" is a very good start to Season 5 if not a favourite episode of mine. Grady's compliance in the plan is not easy to swallow and Debbie Zipp (Donna is pretty pointless here too) is unsurprisingly awful in her one mistaken identity scene with her painful attempts at comic relief.

However, Grady is at his least annoying, least dead weight and actually contributes to the plot rather than distracting from it. By Grady standards this and "The Murder of Sherlock Holmes" are his best episodes by quite some distance. Michael Hagarty returns and it is a joy to see him and Len Cariou playing him so charmingly, cannot get enough of him and Angela Lansbury as Jessica together. Oh and when he gets short with Grady that felt immensely satisfying, being something that was very much deserved and long overdue.

This is also an episode that sees Jessica in genuine danger, even inside the prison, which gives the episode a lot of tension. The reveal is a surprising one.

Angela Lansbury is terrific, as is Cariou. John Rhys-Davies and Maxwell Caulfield are sturdy support and Michael Horton gives his best performance of the series. Only Zipp falls flat.

Production values are slick and stylish as ever with 'Murder She Wrote', even in the confines of a prison cell. The music has energy and 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 thought-provoking and amiable and the episode does intrigue hugely.

Overall, very good Season 5 opener. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Jessica unwittingly gets involved in a contract killing, leading her to be accused of being the assassin and jailed after someone tips off the police that the real Jessica Fletcher had her purse and luggage stolen at the airport and they saw her shoot the foreign agent. The incarcerated detective tries to tell the detective that she is Jessica Fletcher but he doesn't believe her. And it doesn't help that her nephew Grady tells the detective that she isn't his aunt. Trust British secret agent Michael Hagarty to arrange this - but this is for her own good or she might be the target of the killer known as the Cobra.

Amusing episode that has a spy/Bond feel and proves that even in jail there's no stopping Jessica from solving a murder and she does after much intrigue which mainly involves brain box Grady and Haggerty.

This episode is totally engaging from the word go. Could have been a little film. From the start Jessica is accused of a murder she had just witnessed and soon she finds herself in jail. A place where she is secure because all sorts try to find her not knowing who is the real villian. There is a comedic subplot which I thoroughly enjoyed involving her nephew, his girlfriend and a mysterious journalist.

Shortly after the episode begins, a man is shot and killed....and Jessica is arrested for murder! While this might sound strange, it's MUCH stranger after she's in jail. Jessica should easily be able to prove who she is, but her purse is stolen and then her nephew, Grady, comes to jail to identify her...and says that she's NOT Jessica. What is going on here? Well, it involves her old spy friend....and surely he's behind all this...but why?

The episode is enjoyable and worth seeing. Nothing particularly great nor objectionable in it. And, it's nice to see Grady in an episode where he isn't so darned useless.

Jessica's in the wrong place at the wrong time, and ends up in the slammed for murder.

I love this episode, it's cracking start to the new series, the way I see it, it's Murder she Wrote does James Bond, from the style of it, the plot, and even the music, there are Bond touches throughout, we have the big boss man that nobody ever meets, undercover agents and to my ear snippets of similar music.

It's arguably one of Grady's best episodes, he is very funny in this one, and adds the humour, but it's there to drive the story, it's not just there for the sake of it.

Jessica and Michael stories are always great, this is definitely one of the best, I like when the show gave us recurring characters, that weren't simply Seth or Amos. It seems that with each Series, the production values go up a notch.

Very well made, fast paced, Jessica lands up in real trouble, it's a winner, 9/10.

Jessica Fletcher meets up with her old friend British agent with the Irish accent Len Cariou who was also Angela Lansbury's co-star on Broadway in Sweeney Todd. She runs right into the shooting of a Bulgarian diplomat attributed to an international assassin known as the Cobra.

British Intelligence which consists of Cariou, John Rhys-Davies, and Maxwell Caulfield want this guy bad. But no one knows what he looks like. As for Lansbury they decide she might be safer in the slam so they concoct an arrest for her for the murder of the Bulgarian and the impersonation of J.B. Fletcher.

What was a bit hard to swallow was getting Michael Horton as nephew Grady Fletcher to agree. That Cariou, so full of Irish blarney.

Turns out Lansbury isn't all that safe in jail. But she does solve the mystery from there.

Did you doubt she would?

I've watched a lot of MSW and this one had multiple story lines that went no where. Characters that had a story line then did nothing the Miami cop? The reporter? Gimli from lord of the rings. Storyline just ended.

Murder, She Wrote is usually entertaining viewing, but J.B. as in Jailbird had way too many layers of complexity. The fact that the protaginists (or antagonists) kind of looked the same in this episode didn't help one bit. Perhaps giving one of them a moustache or one of them being bald would give some visual shorthand to identifying who's who in this somewhat muddled episode. Hopefully this fine series can be rebooted one day, and perhaps a black Jessica would be the tonic in this toxic world.