Murder, She Wrote

1984–1996 · Crime, Drama, Mystery · 12 seasons · ★ 7.5

Ended

Synopsis of Murder, She Wrote

Jessica Fletcher is a retired English teacher who, after being widowed in the early 1950s, decides to devote herself to writing mystery novels. She lives in Cabot Cove, a small town in Maine, where most of the series' stories take place. She soon finds herself solving murders that occur in the town, elsewhere in the United States, and even abroad. Created by Richard Levinson, William Link, and Peter S. Fischer, the series aired on CBS and stars Angela Lansbury, who plays Jessica in every episode.

«She may be wrong. But frankly, we doubt it.»

12seasons

264episodes

45 minper episode

7.5audience scoreTMDB · 474 votes

7.3IMDb rating33,628 votes

Seasons of Murder, She Wrote

Season 11984 · 22 ep. · ★ 7.9

Season 21985 · 22 ep. · ★ 7.3

Season 31986 · 22 ep. · ★ 7.7

Season 41987 · 22 ep. · ★ 6.9

Season 51988 · 22 ep. · ★ 6.8

Season 61989 · 22 ep. · ★ 7.5

Season 71990 · 22 ep. · ★ 6.1

Season 81991 · 22 ep. · ★ 6.7

Season 91992 · 22 ep. · ★ 7.9

Season 101993 · 21 ep. · ★ 7.8

Season 111994 · 21 ep. · ★ 9.7

Season 121995 · 24 ep. · ★ 9.8

Cast by Murder, She Wrote

Angela LansburyJessica Fletcher264 episodes

William WindomSam Breen53 episodes

Ron MasakMarty Giles41 episodes

Louis HerthumWilber25 episodes

Tom BosleyAmos Tupper19 episodes

Will NyeDeputy Floyd15 episodes

Michael HortonGrady Fletcher12 episodes

Ken SwoffordSid Sharkey11 episodes

Julie AdamsEve Simpson10 episodes

Herb EdelmanMax Hellinger10 episodes

Keith MichellDennis Stanton9 episodes

Bradford DillmanArthur Brent8 episodes

Richard PaulSam Booth7 episodes

Hallie ToddRhoda Markowitz7 episodes

Rosanna HuffmanDora Manchester7 episodes

Len CariouMichael Hagarty7 episodes

James SloyanRobert Butler7 episodes

Gregg HenryMark Reisner7 episodes

Alexander FolkHargrove7 episodes

Ken HowardMax Hagen6 episodes

George DiCenzoMario Carboni6 episodes

Jerry OrbachHarry McGraw6 episodes

Joe DorseyBennett J. Devlin6 episodes

Richard BeymerCharles Lawton Standish6 episodes

Gregory SierraSanchez6 episodes

Richardson MorseDr. Worth6 episodes

Leonard LightfootDetective Henderson5 episodes

Wayne RogersCharlie Garrett5 episodes

John AstinRoss Hayley5 episodes

Bruce GrayDean Merrill5 episodes

Madlyn RhueJean O'Neill5 episodes

Stephen MachtArthur Wainwright5 episodes

Ed NelsonCarl Turnball5 episodes

Barbara BabcockMeredith Delaney5 episodes

William LuckingSheriff Leland Waterman5 episodes

Robert PineEdgar Warner5 episodes

Alan FudgeDerek St. James5 episodes

Martin MilnerSheriff Bodine5 episodes

Allan MillerPhil Kreuger5 episodes

Steve ForrestSheriff Hank Masters5 episodes

Technical Details

Created by: Richard Levinson, William Link, Peter S. Fischer
Address: Anthony Pullen Shaw, Walter Grauman, Vincent McEveety, Seymour Robbie, Jerry Jameson
Writing: Peter S. Fischer, Robert E. Swanson, Tom Sawyer, Donald Ross
Production companies: Universal Television, Corymore Productions
Network or Platform: CBS
Country: United States
Original Language: English
Premiere: September 30, 1984
Last Episode: May 19, 1996 (12x24)
Status: Ended
Type: Fiction
Awards: Won 2 Emmy Awards; 36 wins and 55 nominations in total.
Links: IMDb · TMDB

Awards for Murder, She Wrote

🏆 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) (1985)
🏆 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Costumes for a Series (1986)
🏆 Golden Globe for Best Television Series – Drama (1985)
🏆 Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama (1985)

Source: Wikidata

Trivia about Murder, She Wrote

For two seasons, Angela Lansbury reduced her presence in several episodes and appeared only at the beginning and end, making room for Jessica's friends, such as Detective Harry McGraw.

In January 1996, CBS re-aired an episode in its former Sunday time slot, which drew nearly twenty million viewers, the highest figure of the season up to that point.

Much of the series was shot on the soundstages of Universal Studios in California, but Mendocino, in the north of the state, served as Cabot Cove for the exterior scenes.

Angela Lansbury has received twelve Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, one per season, a record, but she never won one.

Jerry Orbach, who played Harry McGraw, starred in the short-lived spin-off The Law & Harry McGraw in 1987.

After eleven consecutive seasons as the most-watched drama series, "Murder, She Wrote" dropped from ninth place to No. 65 when it was moved from Sundays to Thursdays during its final season.

The series ended with 264 episodes, 286 fictional murders, and more than 1,400 guest stars over its twelve seasons.

In 2025, Jamie Lee Curtis confirmed that she will star in a reboot movie of "Murder, She Wrote," although production had not yet started.

Sources: Wikipedia (English)