User Reviews

Jessica Fletcher is back in Cabot Cove a little R&R which Angela Lansbury explains is needed to recharge the batteries. She's there just in time to help Sheriff Ron Masak solve a pair of murders.

The story centers around Chad Everett who up to a few years ago had a busy factory with good employment churning out missile guidance system. Now he has an overflow of stock which he can't get rid of because of the Cold War ending.

So Everett is disposing of surplus quite illegally. It isn't like getting rid of excess wheat if you're a farmer. Everett is also real unpopular in Cabot Cove with all the people he's laid off.

A couple of murders with striking similarity as to method occur and Everett is looking good for it. Good thing he has Angela Lansbury on his side to find the real perpetrator.

William Windom who is my favorite character in the show is a bit more crusty than usual. Seems as though he threw his back out and refuses to go to a chiropractor as he doesn't consider them real doctors.

Nicely solved by our favorite mystery writer.

This episode marks the final appearance of Robert Patten, who has acted in films and on television since 1946.

Well, the ever-flirtatious Eve Simpson (Julie Adams) is at it again, but this time around, Eve plans to settle down with her latest beau, Martin Fraser (Chad Everett), CEO of Pentechnics Defense Contractors, who has been laying off employees and may exit Cabot Cove along with Eve...unless maybe a murder or two may interrupt their happy plans.

Its title may well parody that of the film "The Big Chill" (1983) although this hasn't to do with a college reunion, but some hanky-panky.

One stormy evening in Cabot Cove, Henry Riddett (Sandy Ward) and Phil Shannon (Don Stroud) load drums of merchandise from Phil's truck onto Henry's boat, to deliver to a freight ship in Portland Harbor. Sheriff Mort Metzger (Ron Masak) arrives at the docks, creating caution in Phil, who tells Henry to get rid of Mort quickly.

Brian Bentall (Michael Beck) emerges from the shadows once Mort exits, to determine that plans to deliver the cargo of nuclear missile devices to a Russian freighter remain on schedule.

(We learn that Mort invites Brian to his Thursday evening poker game, which places Eve and Martin's reception on Wednesday, which, in turn, places the storm on Monday and Tuesday, which means that dock scene takes place on Monday.)

Tuesday finds Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) with plenty of activities to conduct: to finish a manuscript, to grade essays from her Manhattan University students, and to handle roof damage at her Cabot Cove residence, this leaking again, as she places buckets to collect water pouring through. (But didn't she recently have that roof replaced, as she describes in one of her book-end episodes?)

Russell Nielsen (Richardson Morse) assists Jessica with water damage, he recently laid off from his position at Pentechnics, as have many other Cabot Covers because now that the Cold War has ended, the government has little need for Defense Contractors.

Doctor Seth Hazlitt (William Windom) has an especially grouchy disposition this time because of the storm and his helping Jessica with the upstairs water damage, and he throws out his back in the process, but refuses to acknowledge the medical legitimacy of chiropractic treatment techniques when Jessica recommends a Portland chiropractor (but he later sneaks into her kitchen while she's attending Eve and Martin's reception, to retrieve the chiropractor's calling card from Jessica's cabinet drawer).

To a grumbling Seth's dismay, Eve stops by Jessica's to invite her to the reception. (Seth does not approve of Eve's relationship as he has no use for Martin, for laying off some of his patients. Usually, he campaigns against industry and development around Cabot Cove, to preserve its natural beauty, but he's really irritated all the way around today.)

Helen Lewis (Hope Lange) serves as Martin Fraser's efficient Adminstrative Assistant over at Pentechnics Defense Contractors, and the two have been romantically involved, or at least before Eve has met Martin. In a brief scene by Martin's staircase, Eve approaches Helen to say that she's aware of Helen and Martin's past, but...they are interrupted by Martin's arrival, and the audience is kept guessing.

Carl Ward (Gregg Henry) serves as Financial Adviser to Pentechnics and confronts Martin Fraser and Brian Bentall on occasion, to expose the deal which the company has made with Russian agents.

At the Wednesday evening reception, Jessica observes Mr. Kurtz (Dana Gladstone) and Martin in a quiet argument, as Eve tries to smooth over rough edges among Pentechnics and the rest of Cabot Cove.

Mort, meanwhile, stumbles onto a body inside the cabin of a boat, the victim of a bludgeoning and carbon monoxide infumation. (Why the engine exhaust empties into a boat's cabin is anyone's guess, but it happens again one evening later because on Friday morning, another body is discovered in the cabin of a boat, the victim of a bludgeoning and carbon monoxide poisoning, as exhaust pours into the cabin after the second victim is struck in the same manner as the first, but this one handcuffed.)

Deputy Andy Broom (Louis Herthum) is given little to do this time around except to attend the Thursday evening poker game with Mort, Brian Bentall, and a few others.

Sarah Riddett (Kathy Molter) is also given little to do except to share a scene with her father (Henry Riddett) and to receive his captain's log in the mail, to deliver to Jessica.

But Eve Simpson's part is pleasantly expanded to give her a proper send-off even though it's not a "bon voyage" type of farewell although it keeps the audience guessing as to what Eve thinks of Martin once she meets the handsome and friendly Ben Wright (Lyle Waggoner), who approaches her for Real Estate advice while Eve breakfasts with an understanding Jessica.

Mort and Jessica don't know quite whom to arrest for the nightmarish double homicide until Jessica receives her sudden realization from the chiropractor's calling card which Seth has sneaked from her kitchen, but she suddenly remembers a scene from which she wasn't even present (once again), to set a trap for the perpetrator of "The Big Kill."

The cast is rounded out by Toshi Toda as Japanese Businessman, Robert Patten as Fisherman, and R. Leo Schreiber as Driver.

This represents the the second of two "MSW" appearances each for Hope Lange and Don Stroud, the second of three for Sandy Ward, the third of three for Lyle Waggoner, the fourth of four for Chad Everett, the third of six for Richardson Morse, the fifth of seven for Gregg Henry, and the tenth of ten for Julie Adams in her role as Eve Simpson.

In addition to Robert Patten, Hope Lange, acting in film and on television since 1956, and Sandy Ward, acting since 1971, have unfortunately since passed.

Martin Fraser's defence company looks close to going under, two of his associates are found murdered, he's in the frame, but given an alibi by Eve Simpson.

Quite an enjoyable episode, there is definitely more of a complexity to this one, it's not a straight up whodunnit, there's a bit more depth to it. Some really interesting characters, familiar faces, and a general sign of the times.

I loved the solution, it wasn't one I'd expected, but it was definitely a bit different.

I've enjoyed seeing more of Eve Simpson, I wish some of the other regulars of Cabot Cove had reappeared, but seeing Julie Adams is great. Chad Everett provided some real star quality, if only he'd had a bit of a haircut for it.

Is it me, or are they using different sets, and a completely different location, i watched an earlier episode this morning, everything looks so different.

7/10.

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.

Cabot Cove and its regular inhabitants are always a welcome sight and they're used to full advantage, and "The Big Kill" is a pretty good episode. Having said that, it did follow on from two of Season 9's (which as said a few times already is one of the weaker and wildly hit and miss 'Murder She Wrote' seasons) best episodes "The Petrified Florist" and "Threshold of Fear". So to have a somewhere in the middle episode that was neither among the best or worst of the season or the show in general was a little bit of a let-down.

Suspension of disbelief somewhat is needed regarding new businesses constantly popping up just like that in a place as small as Cabot Cove. Will confess too to guessing the murderer well before Jessica did in a case where suspects were too few. While the season has certainly had far worse endings, the ending was pretty vanilla.

The mystery however was pretty good, nothing out of the ordinary but it was nicely paced and maintained attention. The murders are pretty clever and the staging of the discovery of the first murder was well done. Angela Lansbury demonstrates as always why Jessica Fletcher is one of the roles she is best remembered by, while she has great support from fellow Cabot Cove regulars William Windom, charmingly curmudgeon as ever and with more crustiness to usual, and Ron Masak. Julie Adams is funny and classy, sad that this is the episode where we say goodbye to her.

In support, Chad Everett, Gregg Henry, Michael Beck and Hope Lange are particularly strong of a solid guest supporting cast.

Production values 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.

Writing is amiable and thought-provoking.

On the whole, pretty good if not so big. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Most of the killings in "Murder, She Wrote" occur as singles. However, in "The Big Kill", you have two murders...which is a bit unusual.

Martin Fraser (Chad Everett) is in trouble. His high tech company is on the skids and it looks as if he'll soon be bankrupt. When two of the folks he works with end up dead, Sheriff Metzger thinks Martin is the murderer...but of course, Jessica has other ideas.

This is a decent if unremarkable episode. There's nothing wrong with the show at all...but also nothing particularly outstanding other than giving you a nice chance to see Julie Adams playing the recurring role as a man-crazy realtor.

The town is concerned when a local fisherman dies, but concern turns to confusion when a second body is discovered aboard a fishing boat. Both men died from carbon monoxide poisoning, but seem to have no connection until the fisherman's daughter receives her father's logbook and nautical charts in the mail.

Chad Everett had a busy factory with good employment churning out missile guidance system. Now he is in trouble as he is unable to get rid over some of the stock, Everett is getting of the surplus quite illegally. Everett is also real unpopular in Cabot Cove and none to sad when he's accused of a couple of murders. With all the people he's laid off.

A rather pedestrian episode that just ambles along. It's not too well executed and nothing stood out. But Angela Lansbury and the rest of the cast help keeping from being a total dud.