User Reviews

Jessica is again on hand to help out her Niece Victoria, and her hapless husband Howard, when she's suspected of murder.

I thoroughly enjoyed this, it's an excellent episode. This has a degree of originality, and a streak of cleverness, it's also nice to see some returning characters, and Jessica helping out a niece for a third time.

I can't decide who was the biggest character here, but my money's on the Lietenant's wig.

Dean Butler steps in to the role of Howard, and Genie Francis is back as Victoria. Genie is very likeable, a nice character, and a competent performance. Always great to see Brenda Vaccaro on the show, another fine performance from her.

Very good, 8/10.

This episode has Jessica Fletcher in Los Angeles visiting niece Genie Francis and husband Dean Butler. Butler's an out of work actor having lost his gig on a soap opera and Francis is supporting both of them by working as a real estate agent.

That's a cutthroat business and Francis is trying to close a deal on an old Hollywood mansion which was the home of a famous director. His widow Jo DeWinter blows hot and cold about selling mainly because she won't sell to former Hollywood icon George Maharis who uses many dummy buyers to try and obtain the place. There's some bad history with her and Maharis from back in the day.

Francis makes a late night appointment to meet a buyer there and finds DeWinter there, killed with the ever ready fireplace poker. How many mysteries have you seen with that as the weapon. I suspect dozens. And at that point Angela Lansbury goes to work to clear her niece.

Detective Chad Everett is a bit more standoffish than most cops when JB Fletcher offers to help, but eventually he goes with the flow.

Memorable in the episode are Ken Olandt as Everett's son and heir a true Hollywood prince who thinks he has perogatives like royalty, Brenda Vaccaro as Francis's mentor/rival in the real estate game and Marty Ingels who has two memorable scenes as the used car dealer fronting for Maharis.

This one has an especially nice ensemble cast assembled.

This episode marks one of the last appearances of, and final television role for Andrea King, who has acted in film and television since 1940. Dack Rambo, who has appeared in three "MSW" roles, has also since passed.

It's open house at the Tarkington estate in Beverly Hills, California, as the wealthy Deborah Tarkington (Jo De Winter) seeks a buyer for her residence, she willing to sell to anyone with $3.9 million except for Alex Burton (George Maharis), a former actor who had worked in films for her director father, Harry Tarkington, after Alex broke Deborah's heart, by dumping her years ago.

Victoria Brandon Griffin (Genie Francis in her third outing as an "MSW" niece) represents Deborah Tarkington as novice Real Estate agent, at least for a brief stint, ending this day at midnight. As her option faces expiration, this open house sets the stage for rival Real Estate agents to swarm in for the sale.

Didi Blair (Brenda Vaccaro) befriends Victoria from the front but schemes behind her back to outmaneuver her attempts to sell the residence. Claire Hastings (Vicki Frederick) also searches for buyers to attempt to represent Deborah for her agency, along with Claire's husband, Arnold Hastings (Dack Rambo), whom Deborah discovers to represent Alex Burton, and thereby has Arnold hastily evicted from her premises.

Howard Griffin (Dean Butler), meanwhile loses his acting job upon a daytime serial, when Director (Robert Rigamonti) notifies him that he is written off the program, after Doctor (Murray Leaward) pronounces his character dead, along with his contract.

When Aunt Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) arrives in Beverly Hills, Victoria is busy trying to sell the Tarkington estate before her deadline, and Howard is busy looking for acting gigs, discovering one in a theatre workshop, and inviting Jessica and Victoria to attend the opening. But Victoria has a lead from used car dealer Seymour Densch (Marty Ingels), to look at the very expensive "Fixer-Upper" and cannot attend.

After the show, Jessica arrives at Harold's apartment until a telephone message from Seymour Densch to cancel their appointment. So, they rush over to the mansion, in time for Victoria to stumble across a body, and to hoist a fireplace poker to ward off these "Intruders," who are immediately followed by police officers, as Rent-A-Cop (R.J. Adams).

Jessica then follows Victoria to be interrogated by Detective Lieutenant Redick (Chad Everett), who inspects the case with Jessica's interference: "Oh, but Howard isn't a suspect. He was on stage at the time of the murder," she says, to Detective Lieutenant Redick's response, "I'll decide who the suspects are."

Victoria, out on bail the next morning, removes her signs from the Tarkington premises, as Deborah's son, Kevin Tarkington (Ken Olandt), encourages her to represent him as Deborah's sole heir. Howard disapproves of this notion and confronts Kevin, as Jessica conducts an investigation of her own, she obtaining a clue from Tarkington Housekeeper (Andrea King), as well as baiting other potential suspects along the way.

Jessica is determined to clear Victoria's name and to see her established as a Real Estate agent, as well as to see Howard to realize his acting dreams, along the lines of "The Fixer-Upper."

The cast is rounded out by Woman Client (Sally Champlin), Wife (Carol Swarbrick) and Husband (David Stenstrom), Buyer (Mitchell Edmonds), Medical Examimer (Jonathan Palmer) and Mark (Craig Shoemaker).

Who in the world convinced Chad Everett that his hair would look better if he wore it like...that? The man was a star and a very nice looking man, he always had his hair parted on the side, never a bowl cut.

This was my only problem with this episode. Murder She Wrote was a staple in our household. I just don't understand making a star like Chad Everett look so ridiculous in it. If it was to make other younger men in this episode look more handsome and stand out (which is the only reason I could think of) that is ridiculous too. The man (Chad Everett) in his own right is a great actor, don't make him look stupid for others to look better. Just my opinion, but I'd honestly like to know why they did that to this man.

This is the third episode featuring Jessica's niece, Victoria, and her husband Howard. While Genie Francis once again plays the niece, her husband is inexplicably no longer played by Jeff Conaway but a different actor. This change isn't explained. I can only assumed some voodoo curse of the like was involved.

Victoria is working as a realtor but she isn't doing very well...something which seems typical for Jessica's kin. In particular, she's trying to sell a $4,900,000 mansion but the really annoying client seems to be making it tough...yet blames her since it hasn't sold. Clearly, MOST folks wouldn't blame Victoria IF she kills her client...which eventually she is arrested for doing! Can Jessica determine the real killer? And, can she figure out why Howard looks so different?! And, can she figure out where Chad Everett got that godawful hairdo...one that looks like it belongs on Frankenstein!

This is a not particularly great episode. Much of it is because the killer admits what they did...with no real proof. The other reason is that I find some of Jessica's nieces and nephews a bit...well...dopey and it gets old seeing this again and again.

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.

"The Fixer Upper" turned out for me to be one of the best episodes of an uneven (it was this season onward where 'Murder She Wrote' from personal opinion became increasingly variable) sixth season. While there are great episodes such as this, "Dead Letter" and especially "The Error of Her Ways", there are also disappointments such as "The Grand Lady", "Night of the Tarantula" and particularly "Good-Bye Charlie".

Not much wrong here. My only complaint is the character of Howard, Dean Butler replaces Jeff Conaway (who starred as the character in Season 1's "Birds of a Feather" and Season 3's "Corned Beef and Carnage") and fares much better in the acting stakes, having a little more personality and not being as annoying, but the character is still not very interesting and it is difficult to root for his situation when not enough is done to make it or him worth caring about.

Genie Francis is very good however and Victoria thanks to Francis proves herself to be one of Jessica's most charming and best-acted relatives (while some fare well like Victoria, the energy-sucking annoying dead-weight that is Grady is a notoriously bad example). Angela Lansbury is terrific as always, and there is a very professional supporting cast showing how to do it all properly, a zesty and glamorous Brenda Vacarro is the standout.

Mystery-wise, "The Fixer-Upper" engages with some nice surprises, involving a clever murder and an ending that is not obvious and satisfies. It is very easy to root for Victoria and, although her innocence is never in doubt (one of the most predictable and most used tropes in 'Murder She Wrote' is that the innocence of the accused are nearly always obvious from the start), her dilemma is worth caring about. The other characters are colourfully drawn.

Production values as ever are slick and stylish. 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 suitably light-hearted, amiable and intriguing.

Overall, great with the exception of Howard. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Jessica Fletcher looks into a murder in the real estate business - for which her niece is the prime suspect. Fairly enjoyable episode with some good suspects, a light touch and a satisfying denouement. It's also an interesting incite in the heady world of real estate.

Jessica Fletcher visits her niece Victoria and her actor husband Howard Griffin in Hollywood where Victoria is trying to land her first big real estate sale for the daughter of a famous actor, Deborah Tarkington. Unfortunately, she is new to the real estate gig and under a very tight deadline to make the sale or lose the listing while her husband is struggling to find full time acting work.

It's a good thing Jessica is in town visiting when the home owner Deborah Tarkington is murdered and Victoria is the chief suspect. Can they figure out who the real murderer is in time?

Solid episode and well worth the watch for Genie Francis and the mystery. It maybe outside of Cabot Cove, but it has a little Hollywood glamor.