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20- Can Molly Interest You In...Murder She Wrote?
13 Plays3 hours ago
September’s here, which means it’s time to get cozy! Break out your classiest brooch and join us as Molly Cohn interests us in the ‘80s/‘90s tv show, Murder She Wrote. We talk about the enduring appeal of the show that put cozy murder on the map, and, of course, its writer/detective heroine, Jessica Fletcher, aka JB Fletcher, aka Angela Lansbury, aka BABE.
We learn about:
The high fashion and campiness of MSW.
JB’s embrace of technology (more than just typewriters!).
Angela Lansbury as backdoor humanitarian. Her storied film career. Her diet book. Her photo shoot in a tub. What? Yes, you read that right.
JB Fletcher’s one million nieces and nephews.
All the silly men she encounters.
MSW bingo parties.
Comfort, grandmas, Space Dad.
That there exists an action doll of JB Fletcher and it is en route to Molly’s house.
How Jessica lives in her values, maintains boundaries, and speaks the truth, all while circumnavigating gender roles.
Why she should be taller than all men!
The murder rate of Cabot Cove, Maine, and why Jessica is always putting herself in danger.
And finally, the excellent homework: The Murder She Wrote Drinking Game! (copyright Molly Cohn)
Angela in Virtual Reality:
https://share.google/images/K8mjFoK4BfsOLJAm1
Diet/exercise video of Angela:
https://youtu.be/lE7icznIxLc?si=tXtQjFU5ZPy6etVL
Logo design: Marielle Martin
Song: Upbeat Drums with Stomps and Claps by music_for_video
BlueSky: @canweinterestyouin.bsky.social
Instagram: @canweinterestyouin
Email us your interests! CanWeInterestYouIn@gmail.com
Website: CanWeInterestYouIn.com
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Transcript
Introduction and Listener Engagement
00:00:00
Speaker
You know that thing you love that your friends and family don't want to hear about anymore? Tell it to us, Patty and Charlotte. We want to learn all about your weird and wild obsessions or your perfectly normal hobbies that you've taken just a little too far.
00:00:15
Speaker
We want to dabble in your curious interests. Can we interest you in today's episode?
Meet Molly and Her Connection to the Hosts
00:00:35
Speaker
Hey, Charlotte. Hey, Patty. i would like to introduce you to my friend Molly calllo Hello, hello, hello. Hey, Molly. Nice to meet you all.
00:00:47
Speaker
How do the two of you know each other? Well, Charlotte was my supervisor um at our place of work in community mental health.
00:00:59
Speaker
Oh, nice. And you guys maintained the friendship outside of the workplace. I was obsessed with her. Literally, I was like, what are you wearing? what are you reading? what are you doing for fun What are you watching?
00:01:14
Speaker
yeah those are all questions that she has great answers to. And I, of course, had to wait until after, you know, I wasn't supervising Molly anymore. to So it wouldn't seem like I was coercing her, you know, to be on the podcast.
00:01:29
Speaker
And other duties not listed in this job description. Yeah. Honestly, what a job perk to be on a podcast.
Humorous Anecdote: Nephew's T-ball Practice
00:01:39
Speaker
Well, he was, is like, is like a genius therapist, i would say. I mean, just that's very kind. Genius feels strong, but I am a therapist.
00:01:51
Speaker
so um So real quick, before we get into it, I just took my nephew to t-ball yesterday. So he's five. And he's on like the youngest team of T-ball and it was just a practice. And so um my sister and I had decided like, oh, ill I will be in charge of everything T-ball just so it could be completely off her you know radar, whatever.
00:02:11
Speaker
So we're getting into the car after practice and he goes, why do you always come to my T-ball? And I was like, oh yeah, you know, would you want your mom to come? He's like, no, I don't want anyone who takes care of me to come. And I was like, oh, okay.
00:02:27
Speaker
was like, well, someone has to be there. And he's like, can you, can you like go away and then come back and get me? And I was like, I could sit farther away. And I was like, why? And he's like, I just don't want to see your face.
00:02:39
Speaker
oh a And I was like, uh, why? what's ra And he's like, so when he told me, he said it was just because he wanted to feel home alone.
00:02:54
Speaker
Like he's a big kid all on his own. But then he told his sister, it's because I make weird faces. And I was like, I think I do.
00:03:06
Speaker
I think I do. When I think I'm just being like, good job. You know, like, I'm like, I was like, I was just trying to be present and show that I was paying attention, but okay.
00:03:19
Speaker
I guess he's too good for that at five. You were too present. but I told him next time I'll. sit far away. And he's like where we sit? And I was like, I'm not going to tell you so you can't see me.
00:03:33
Speaker
To be fair, I have clients who are all also like often will call me out for like, I don't really like what your face is doing right now. Okay.
00:03:47
Speaker
That means you guys have a really good relationship. It's true. They really trust you if they can tell you they hate your face. Yeah. Out of the mouths of babes or clients who really trust you.
Molly's Obsession with 'Murder, She Wrote'
00:04:01
Speaker
yeah not So Molly, you're a therapist.
00:04:09
Speaker
You have a Peloton. What interest are you going to tell us about? apple I'm going to tell you about a little show that ran for 12 seasons called Murder, She Wrote.
00:04:23
Speaker
i just got a chill thinking of her on her bicycle she doesn't have a license she never learned to drive wait what really yeah jb fletcher jessica fletcher just never learned to drive so she rides a bike don't know she She lives in Cabot Cove, Maine, a tiny town, very walkable. And her husband, Frank, before he died, also probably had his license and drove her around. So she didn't need to drive her out.
00:04:59
Speaker
She was a kept woman. Yes. Yes. But also her own woman with a capital O. And that's very important, too. Wait, is that something that she says? No, it's more so just her persona that she carries throughout the show, delicately balancing the ego of men with the need to solve mysteries.
00:05:19
Speaker
It's an art.
00:05:23
Speaker
That is so true. ah yeah So what about the what about the show has captured you? You know a lot of people are like, well, it's so cozy. And I feel like...
00:05:36
Speaker
It is really cozy and it captured me at a time in a life, like in my life where I needed coziness, um where like it was the beginning of COVID and my father had, he had passed, like he was like one of the early COVID like New York deaths. And so, and then we went into shutdown and I was in my basement apartment and I had just started dating my now husband for, we had been dating for two months.
00:06:05
Speaker
And I was like, we couldn't see anybody. i was in this basement and he was like, check this out. And he like showed me Murder, She Wrote. And I have the first episode that she ever did that I ever watched was a two part episode where she solves a mystery at the circus.
00:06:24
Speaker
I just saw part of that episode. First ever. Yeah. It's a two-parter. And it I was immediately like, what am I looking at? It's like 80s and like coiffed, like late 60s haircuts. And um so like the aesthetic did originally catch my attention. But then what held me into this place of, I would call it,
00:06:52
Speaker
rapture is um jessica fletcher as a character i am mesmerized by jessica fletcher i'm mesmerized by angela lansbury just obsessed with all the lore um around all of that so wait so had you had you heard of the show before Like in the way that you've heard of Magnum P.I., which I'll bring up later, you know, like all those shows of the 80s.
Cultural Significance and Nostalgia of the Show
00:07:22
Speaker
Miami Vice, I think that was a show at one point. Just like, or MacGyver, like the way you've heard of it, but never. um Like as a cultural reference.
00:07:32
Speaker
Yes, yes, but never. and This is part of me now, I see. That's funny because MacGyver was a part of me. of ah yeah Yeah, I forgot. I used to love lecture.
00:07:45
Speaker
ah Well, Matt's obsessed with both. And so he's just like, well, MacGyver always makes sure that kids learn the important lesson of values. and Like doing the right thing. And he cares a lot about like indigenous people. And I was like, thanks, babe.
00:08:00
Speaker
Uh-oh, he was really woke. He was ahead of his time. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Antifa, they would call him these days. so I don't know if you can keep that, but I said it. yeah Have you guys watched the new version of MacGyver?
00:08:20
Speaker
ah with Kathy Bates? Is that right? Or no? she's That's Matlock. That's Matlock. Another show that like... Cozy. Yeah, it is interesting though that they've like brought so many of those and like redone them because I think they also redid Miami Vice No, they did it as a movie that Michael Mann did that I was obsessed with for a while.
00:08:42
Speaker
I was going to say you and your brother loved that, right? Yeah. Okay, yeah. I mean, all of the above. But ah but no, Miami Vice was like a very serious, like, you know, the movie Heat.
00:08:56
Speaker
It was like in that vein and with Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx. And it was... oh it's so good i've seen it a bunch of times it's it's like this whole mood and but i read a review of it but that was like it's like you can't understand what anybody's saying in the whole movie but you're still like moved you know create your own um dialogue yeah there's just like mumbling or they have accents or shit
00:09:28
Speaker
It's very, we are men. And i like that kind of thing because it just makes me laugh. Like, yeah. Along like like football makes me makes me laugh.
00:09:40
Speaker
Oh, no. You're like, this isn't what we're going for. That's what we were expecting. That's really funny. I do feel like Murder, She Wrote is very much... without, I don't even think meaning to the ridiculousness of men specifically during that time, really just Jessica just pulls out how insane men are most of the time. And it's awesome.
00:10:08
Speaker
I feel like you can and at least, so there's like a Roku channel that's just Murder, She Wrote all the time. Oh, it's our, it is our channel. It is our TV channel. Seriously? It just plays episodes all the time.
00:10:20
Speaker
Yeah. Like sometimes we don't even watch our show because there's a good Murder, She Wrote app.
00:10:27
Speaker
Yeah. it I just started tuning into that one because of like a need for something cozy and- And where, you know, she like is just generally on top of things all the time. ah Oh, yes.
00:10:42
Speaker
Okay. So some lore, right? Jessica Fletcher, our girl, was a high school English teacher. She retires and she writes a murder mystery book and it like,
00:10:52
Speaker
crushes. And then she ends up being like a murder mystery writer. And because of her pretty great, her keen sense of observation and just like general common sense of being like a Maine high school teacher, lobster lady, fisherman, bike riding lady, all of a sudden she is able to solve murders that happen in her life all the time now.
00:11:16
Speaker
that's My dad always says, if she shows up, I got to leave because there's always going to be a murder wherever she goes. Yeah, their story is that she's actually a serial killer, and exactly which i don't buy into. I think she's perfect and she would never.
00:11:32
Speaker
She's guided by values and principles and she conveys great disappointment when people don't live up to those values and principles. And she solves mysteries better than any detective could, any cop could. And so cops are constantly like, what's this lady doing in our business? And Jessica's just subtly like, you know, i don't mean to pry.
00:11:53
Speaker
She does. But maybe I noticed that like this subtle difference of this clue might be blah, blah, blah or That's a red herring, but you're the man. So, you know, but maybe it's this and it's, it's artful. She's very artful in that way.
00:12:09
Speaker
Wow. And so do what, what's the name of the cove where she lives? Cabot Cove. Cabot Cove. So do most of the episodes take place there or does she just travel everywhere? Okay. I love that you asked this question.
00:12:23
Speaker
So our first few seasons are mostly based in Maine, but later on in the series, like she travels all over the world. So there's an episode, I believe in Hong Kong. There's a few episodes in Ireland there. She has, she has this cousin, i believe named Emma, um who lives in England and they are identical twins.
00:12:46
Speaker
So who should play her cousin in England, but Angela Lansbury. Yeah. but with like purple eyeshadow and like red hair. And there is one episode where they're in it together. So Angela Lansbury is like taking parent trapping, like Lindsay Lohan style, like playing herself and then playing.
00:13:08
Speaker
Her cousin. and it's like where her cousin is dead, but she's not really dead. So Angela has to go over there. It's very good. But then later in the series, she moves to New York City to teach, I believe, at Columbia, maybe. she She goes to New York City to teach.
Expansion of the Show's Setting and Scope
00:13:25
Speaker
So now Jessica's in New York City and it opens up a whole new... But again, she's traveling all over the world, like California.
00:13:32
Speaker
know There's a Las Vegas episode that's really... Very sparkly, like so many. Wow. Yeah. Yeah. to 12 seasons, like 22 episodes a season. You got to go places. Yeah. Well, and when they moved to New York, did it feel a little jump the shark-ish or no? Because how does Angela play into New York? She she gets this amazing teaching position, you know, because she's a renowned writer at this point.
00:14:00
Speaker
Everybody knows her books. Oh, because she keeps writing. She's writing. well She's writing this whole time. God. And one thing we love about her, she embraces technology. Like the computer comes along and Angela specifically is like, well, we got to learn.
00:14:18
Speaker
and so We got to progress. We are people who progress. But never, you know, she's never doing it in anyone's face. She's just subtly being like, well, you could use a typewriter or we could just learn how to use this computer.
00:14:31
Speaker
Yeah. The other day um i was on the Roku channel and I noticed that the the opening credits even changed. Like she used to be on her typewriter and then it became like she's on this two inch thick laptop.
00:14:44
Speaker
And we switched to a printer. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. There is an amazing, so she, she does take a computer class and obviously a murder happens. There's also one episode that is on my recommended episodes for you all that I made a list of. that They're not, they're just my favorites. They're not anybody, but she, her book gets turned into a computer game. That's virtual reality.
00:15:12
Speaker
Like Jessica with like these gloves with these wires on them. and I know. I wish I could. I don't even know how to like show you guys an image. I'll show you on my phone maybe. Oh my gosh. They were so cutting edge.
00:15:26
Speaker
Because what channel did this used to be on? Was it like a CBS show? was wondering. That's a good question. And I was also wondering like what day it was on. Because I remember watching it with my grandmother. yeah It was on like 8 p.m. I actually think I have it written down because I wrote some notes because I was like, but it like aired at like 8 p.m. on Sundays on CBS. Okay, Sundays. That's what I was thinking. Oh, yeah. That seems exactly right.
00:15:53
Speaker
Oh, gosh. I need to just show you this picture, though, of her in virtual reality. Oh, yeah. What a... um
00:16:09
Speaker
ah It looks like post-cataract surgery. Literally. Literally, wait. Here's another one of her really
00:16:24
Speaker
it. It gets real meta, right? Because in the virtual reality, offices somebody winds up murdered. And it's like, uh-oh. so char Charlotte, you used to watch it.
00:16:36
Speaker
Oh, yes. Yes. And... It was sometimes it's like while I'm watching, it's like she's my grandma, even though she and my grandma are pretty, we're pretty different. Although they were both independent ladies.
00:16:51
Speaker
But I feel like it was like of that certain era, if you were ah white grandma, yeah you were into it. Yeah. Oh my God. Yeah.
00:17:03
Speaker
I feel like Jessica like lives out.
Fashion and Costume Design in the Series
00:17:07
Speaker
Obviously nobody wants their spouse to pass or whatever, but like a widow in the eighties, it's like, well, I'm going to write books and travel the world and solve mysteries. And I'm not like cute as fuck doing it. Her outfits are so cute. She sometimes goes with a high belt.
00:17:24
Speaker
They, they, I think, Of all the Emmy nominations, like nobody ever won an em um Emmy. Jessica never won an Emmy. The show only won Emmys. My understanding, you might have to fact check me on this, but my understanding is that they only won Emmys for their fashion.
00:17:41
Speaker
And so when you like watch it back now, you're like, oh my God, because now you're watching because everybody looks insane. And you're like, oh this is high fashion.
00:17:51
Speaker
Like this is like, this was pushing the envelope. Yeah. Yeah. And you're just like, what? And it's just shoulder pad after shoulder pad after the brooches and the necklaces and the earrings.
00:18:04
Speaker
Yes. My grandma wore brooches and, and all that stuff. And i just think The brooches were like, I guess, of that time and of that age.
00:18:15
Speaker
have maybe Bring them back. Yeah. Bring them brooches, yes. Not the shoulder pads, I feel. Not the shoulder pads. I feel, yeah, no more bulk, but the brooches. Another very fun fact that just want to tell you all is that she would bring on, like, there's so many extras because you have circus people, right? Like in that one episode, you know, you have the murderer, you have the family, you have like all the people who could be the murderer. Right.
00:18:41
Speaker
So she would take folks who hadn't worked in a long time, who got insurance through SAG. That was about to expire because you have to like work with it, have worked within the year to keep your insurance. And Angela would make sure that those people got guest spot on the show.
Angela Lansbury's Impact and Contributions
00:18:58
Speaker
What a humanitarian. Literally. And like a backdoor humanitarian where she's like, people deserve healthcare. care So we'll just give them like Buddy Hackett's on a really weird episode with a horse. And it's like,
00:19:10
Speaker
what is happening? And you're like, this dude clearly needs health insurance. You know what I mean? um That's so wild. And I wonder how that came about. like Were they approaching her to be like, hey, Angela, or were they friends of hers? Or did she have like a list?
00:19:25
Speaker
I was about to retire. Let's get that. Well, i think eventually it did travel by word of mouth that like if you needed, like you just, like you know, because she later and became a producer for the show, had a lot of decision making, lot of decision making in her wardrobe and her sort of every part of it.
00:19:44
Speaker
So then do you think that because you said you also know or, you know, you are into Angela Lansbury. So personality wise or person wise, like do you feel like there's those overlaps?
00:19:56
Speaker
um I do. I mean, i I think so. She's very... Her first movie was in the 30s, and it was, think I've told you this, Charlotte, or in between sessions where I'm like, you wouldn't believe this about Angela Lansbury. But she actually starred in a movie that is responsible for the phrase gaslighting.
00:20:19
Speaker
And that was like one of her first major roles where it was this movie where she was married to this man who kept telling her that the gas lamp in another house and the window was on and it wasn't.
00:20:30
Speaker
And it was to make her feel crazy so that he could have access to her fortune. And that's where like the phrase gaslighting comes from is from an Angela Lansbury movie. So she's been acting since the thirties and she was in theater for a really long time. i think Mame.
00:20:47
Speaker
And then she's in Beauty and the Beast, obviously. She's Mrs. Potts. A super long career and then just like really obscure stuff. But I do feel like this you have to know about her too. I'm sorry. I'm so obsessed with her.
00:21:03
Speaker
So she released this diet book. um I don't know if y'all listen to the podcast Maintenance Phase, but they have a really good app episode about Lansbury's diet book.
00:21:19
Speaker
It might even be a two two-parter, and she like released it with video, maybe? Let me see if I can find out. Why we need a video with a i just like that anything Well, and I believe it's a visual of her in a tub.
00:21:37
Speaker
I just, when you said that I was picturing it a tub filled with cottage cheese. yeah' like Oh yeah. Okay. So it's called, it's, it's, it's a video and it's a, it's called Angela Lansbury's positive moves.
00:21:52
Speaker
can And this is just the, it comes with a free exercise poster and this is just the cover of What? She's doing Bollywood dancing. Yeah, and it's fitness and well-being. And if I'm not mistaken, one point she's, oh, here's the back cover. You can kind of see her just being like, and it says, I'll read her quote if I can see it.
00:22:18
Speaker
Oh, fuck, I lost it. At one point she's like, yeah, regular sex is going to be pretty good for you. Like in this positive move. And I think she talks about that from the tub.
00:22:30
Speaker
So... ah Wow. I know. And I wonder, like, did that book come out in the 80s or 90s? Kind of. Oh, yeah.
00:22:41
Speaker
I think it was around that time. Hold on. I think you can kind of see.
00:22:46
Speaker
oh my goodness. Oh, my goodness. Oh, she's wow She's got her shoulders bare. What? Yeah. Whoa. I know. Whoa. That was like a close up on her.
00:22:59
Speaker
Cooch. Yeah. Yeah. Oh my gosh. So anyway, is she like known for being, i mean, no offense, Angela, but she doesn't look like no she just has like a normal ass body. Yeah. Yeah. yeah No, she's just like, this is how I've stayed healthy getting older.
00:23:15
Speaker
Well, and she does. i was noticing this, like, even though the shows over the course of 12 years, she looks exactly the same the entire time. She does not age. And this was pre-work, right? I mean, probably. Yeah.
00:23:29
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, positive moves, baby. She kept it, kept it fresh. Lay on the top and put your foot up. Exactly. So I do love her as a person. what im excited So did, did she as a character, i know she had a husband who died, but did Jessica Fletcher have any children?
00:23:52
Speaker
No, they never had children. Angela Lansbury ever have children? She does have children, yeah.
Character Dynamics and Family in the Series
00:23:59
Speaker
Okay, okay. But I'm so glad you asked about that because no children, one million nieces and nephews, I don't know, roughly, um that she goes and helps out. She has one nephew in particular named Grady who's an idiot, lovingly.
00:24:16
Speaker
My God, this man cannot help but get himself framed for murder every couple months, swear. Grady, stay home. know. And he's just like buffoon. He's so clueless. And Jessica's like, oh, um okay, Grady. Okay.
00:24:33
Speaker
But she'll come to his rescue every time, even though he's just ah a silly man, like all the silly men in the show. Courtney Cox is her niece in an episode. Lots of famous people. George Clooney's in a couple episodes. Joaquin Phoenix.
00:24:49
Speaker
Oh my gosh. I just saw one with Jim Caviezel and he looked so good. Yeah. So they, lie young yeah. The mom from Arrested Development. She has a great episode. She has a great episode.
00:25:06
Speaker
Oh, Lucille? Lucille. fun. It's very fun. Yeah. She's like, I don't, I'm not going to give it away, but her episode's really good. She's kind of like, I believe she's like a gossip reporter.
00:25:21
Speaker
Oh, that feels right. I remember right. But yeah. It feels like this picks up like that there were tropes of series at this time. Like, I don't know how this overlaps with these two series, but like Golden Girls, obviously older women, amazing that they had shows about older women who were like either,
00:25:41
Speaker
widows or divorced or single for whatever reason and what they could do with their life. And then also the love boat, like that was one where it was like always a cast of characters. Like it was all about the cameos and like having yeah other stars come on and stuff. It's totally so fun. And then this also feels so soap opera, you know, like a because there's murder, but then to have your twin characters,
00:26:07
Speaker
cousin who might have died but didn't die. You know what i mean? It's just wonderful. It's so good. and I wonder if it was just grandmas who liked it at the time, how our parents you know felt about it. But I do feel like my aunt, who's significantly younger than my dad, this was like her favorite show for so long. And she passed that on to her kids, who were my younger cousins, loved it too, to the point where I remember when my cousins were in high school and grammar school, I like watched them while my aunt and uncle went away.
00:26:43
Speaker
And so the youngest of the three was the only one that was at home. And we watched episodes of Murder, She Wrote for on DVD for like probably eight hours straight. And like she still apologizes. She's like, I'm sorry I did that too you. And I'm like, are you kidding me? That was a dream because I hadn't watched it in so many years, you know? so it's like the most evening.
00:27:04
Speaker
Yeah. Well, and it's funny because, okay, so since I, like, I am not bigot, like, I, like, I'm so happy to be hanging out with you, but I'm not the best person for this because I have,
00:27:15
Speaker
My partner, and then I had met this man through a friend who was even more obsessed than me with it. And he he links it to, he spent so much time with his grandma growing up and it was always on.
00:27:29
Speaker
And it was just so so much comfort for him.
Fan Community and Cultural Impact
00:27:32
Speaker
And now he leans in and he's got like the merch. He has this really amazing Murder, She Wrote bingo game that he like hosts parties and like invites people over to live.
00:27:44
Speaker
Oh my gosh. Yeah, there's like an action doll that I can wear. Wait, wait. You got it, right? Yeah, I bought it. It hasn't come yet, but once it does, I have two faces. You were detached to a face. That's right.
00:28:07
Speaker
One is like, murder, murder, and one is like, I'm just Jess.
00:28:15
Speaker
So what is your partner, like, what does he say inciting incident for this is or like his love of it? You know, and he so kind of the opposite where like he did not come from like ah very warm, like family. It was kind of, they were a little bit cold, a little bit, shall I say, waspy.
00:28:37
Speaker
Charlotte, it's what we also complained about. We had a super professional relationship. Yeah. um But they, i think Jessica actually provides comfort that kind of fills a hole for him, right?
00:28:52
Speaker
Similarly, like Captain Picard from Star Trek The Next Generation, Matt lovingly refers to him as like Space Dad. where these sort of like And those two do have a lot in common where they're like warm They're caring, they're compassionate, but they have they're well-boundaried, they live in their values, and they hold people to the standard of pretty humane values, which are like treat all beings with compassion and kindness. And and probably also some like consistency. Yes, but I...
00:29:23
Speaker
but i Like, I know where that boundary is. So I know when I'm getting close to it versus like, sometimes it's here, sometimes it's there, you know, like. Totally. and And like silence, like these households, like, you know, I think Jessica does a good job of just being like, I'll, like, I will say the thing that needs to be said, you know, and I think, right. What bringing it back, bringing it back to me, I think what she does such a good job of like, given the time period, she kind of circumnavigates sort of those gender roles and like a really,
00:29:52
Speaker
the way anybody could at that time to still be heard. And, you know, i think for me, I'm like, oh yeah, like you know, staying safe as a woman, staying in like your lane, but being clever enough to maintain your safety, but solve the murder and like get the right thing done.
00:30:16
Speaker
I think she also does a really good job of that. She gets herself into some dangerous situations. Jessica's held at gunpoint constantly, but... um Yeah, I think she truly, I like really like she'd provide this really strong force that also just like had to um adapt, you know, and on in meta levels, right, where it's like, I'm on CBS on Sunday nights at 8pm, like, to appeal to be on the air for 12 years. Yes.
00:30:43
Speaker
I have to kind of shape myself this broad audience, but I'm not going to like compromise on like some of these values that I hold, like truth telling and like telling men they're wrong when they are and things like that.
00:30:57
Speaker
So, yeah. je a I just started watching like again, and now I'm excited to watch like even more now that you're describing that. Cause I think I went through this kind of evolution of like,
00:31:12
Speaker
Oh my God, so nostalgic. And then I was like, how come every episode is like a new story and I got to learn these new characters to being like, actually, that's pretty amazing. And I'm into it. So, but I had...
00:31:28
Speaker
Yeah, I think i I am starting to appreciate more what you're saying about her and that she's able to be in all these settings and still maintain her values, like you said, and she's really not afraid of anybody.
00:31:44
Speaker
No. Or anything. It's amazing. one time One time I was at this party and we were watching Murder, She Wrote. And I had never met any of these people in my life. It was like a ski weekend and we were up at a ski cabin.
00:31:58
Speaker
And I had like obviously ah little bit of substance inside of me and I was all drunk. And it was on and it was like some scuffle with men where men were just being fucking idiots. i don't know if I'm allowed to curse on this podcast. You can that out, right? Please do.
00:32:14
Speaker
And Angela's like just trying to subtly because they're like, oh, Jess, you there you go again, seeing things or what's this lady doing in our business? And to be fair, she's Snoopy. will give I will give anybody that.
00:32:29
Speaker
But she has to be because everybody around her is incompetent. Like, why is this retired teacher? Literally. And like, so this woman is on vacation and and like, she has to solve your murder now because you're so incompetent and she's not getting paid. You're getting paid.
00:32:46
Speaker
It's neither here nor there. But like in the middle of one of these scuffles, I just like shouted. I was Angela Lansbury should be taller than all men.
00:33:06
Speaker
And I stand by that to this day. to this day, I believe that she really should be taller than all men. Absolutely.
00:33:24
Speaker
it's like it's like praise like here i'm gonna make you taller i'm not just like like angry angry my feminine my feminist rage right it's like manifesting and like wanting angela lansbury to grow or men to shrink i don't know that they can finally everybody can know she's the best um she's the best i know I do think that on that show, it's like you can always tell when there's a terrible man who's not the hottest man on the show and the episode, he's probably the one who's going to die.
00:34:02
Speaker
It's always like some sort of monster. Yucky. Not yucky. I'm like some of them. No, I do appreciate that most, a lot of the times they just kill off people you don't like. Yeah. Because, you know, they you need there to be a lot of motive to kill the person. Correct. Many people who don't like him.
00:34:23
Speaker
Right, right. And then also you don't feel sad because sometimes, you know, it's like, oh, that was so tragic. Yeah. No. Yeah. exactly Exactly. You want to be like, I'm fine with this. let's Let's use deduction now. I feel fine. with I'm just so excited to solve this.
00:34:44
Speaker
And it's never too gory, right? Or like... Well, it's never too gory. It really isn't. There is one episode which I have on the list to recommend to you all because I was like, I was telling Charlotte, I took a lot of public transportation this past week. So I was like, what other episodes do I love for them?
00:35:02
Speaker
um And there's one episode where it's like murder by hanging and they kind of represent that. And that is the only time that I've been like, whoa, Jessica.
00:35:15
Speaker
Mm-hmm. Calm down. But otherwise, no. it's Otherwise, it's like pretty... ah blood a blood spot and like a weapon and like dishevelment. Yeah.
00:35:25
Speaker
so And then they also don't really touch on women being brutalized or raped. and no, no, no, no. no no no no no no no Yeah. It's it's um not... There's no sensationalizing.
00:35:40
Speaker
And I do feel like Angela Lansbury, too, like you know... I just, I feel like she probably had like a lot of cultivating in, in some of that. We're going to murder, but we're going we're going to keep, we're going to like keep it tasteful.
00:35:57
Speaker
I'm sure this is like this is a thing that comes up a lot in any murder she wrote conversation, but she's always putting herself in danger by trying to get a confession.
Jessica Fletcher's Role and Risk-taking
00:36:07
Speaker
Like she's trying to help out the attorneys and, you know, I,
00:36:11
Speaker
I guess I get it. like She's like, okay, I'm going to get this person to confess. But it really puts her in danger a lot. She's in danger all the time. i Often, I'm like, Jessica, what are you doing? There's got to be a better way. well let Let the legal system do its job, you know?
00:36:28
Speaker
Truly. No, she's not into it. I think, yeah, you know, maybe she loves living on the edge, you know? Like, she loves the thrill. I can't deny her that, you know? I'd love to, like, maybe chalk it up to something savvy where she's like, well, I've been...
00:36:43
Speaker
This person has been out of the limelight. This person's too protected. So we need a full on confession to make this go anywhere. And she's like, you know, I don't want to put anybody else in danger. So I'll just put myself in danger.
00:36:55
Speaker
But also, i don't know, maybe she just lives for the thrill, lives for the catch, you know. And to that point. Yeah. yeah Living high. What was her way of getting that high when she was a high school teacher? You know, well, that bathtub looked.
00:37:14
Speaker
That's her and Frank. Yeah. So she did love Frank so much. She loved him so much and she does not find love again. She has like one interest, love interest in like the pilot episode. And he turns out to spoiler alert, be the bad guy. and it she's heartbroken. Oh,
00:37:34
Speaker
So, um and I think there's a flirty episode. There's a lot of men with elbow pads that are like, Jessica, let me take you out. But when you can't trust them, when you're like, oh, well, you might be one of the bad guys. And and that's how we feel. That's how we feel, okay me.
00:37:50
Speaker
I feel this first man ruined any entertainment at a second shot at love for Jessica. so I saw part of an episode where there was this younger man who was...
00:38:04
Speaker
sort of creepily interesting the new york city one where he is like working for her he's like you're hot that's yeah and like she's but yeah that's a great episode because uh he is he's coming for her hard literally and he's not even like covert about it let's f jessica um and she is just like a she's like The power differential with our age difference is unacceptable, but I will help you become unframed for murder.
00:38:39
Speaker
Let's keep our, again, boundaries. She has a strong sense of boundaries. Yeah. Yes. I also think it's interesting that they had to give her a husband, you know, like it's almost like that made this palatable that we're following this single woman around who has power. It's like, oh, okay.
00:38:55
Speaker
You were married. You do did love him. he left you in death. So it's okay. It's like okay. Yeah. again Yeah. And it again, it just kind of speaks to, okay, how can we make this character palatable to broad audiences? And it's like, well, if she was married to a man, then like that feels pretty good.
00:39:17
Speaker
Yeah. um Yeah. And then she has a bestie in Cabot Cove who is also, he is a ah widower as well. And his name is Seth and he's like the town doctor. Oh, that's a good matchup.
00:39:30
Speaker
I keep on thinking he's the murderer in episodes and then I'm like oh no he's he's her friend still that's still it's still he's still not the murderer yeah he's like a grumpy war veteran doctor man who Jessica has to constantly be like oh Seth don't you think you're being a little too grumpy right now they have a good balance with each other so um it's like often in the early episodes too it's like him her and the sheriff of Cabot Cove and they all team up Oh, that's good.
00:39:59
Speaker
Which, like, how small is this population and so many murders? Oh, I know. Their rate, that's bad. It's bad. I do have a fact about that, too. Oh, good.
00:40:11
Speaker
It has a population of 3,500 people yet managed to have over murders which gives it a rating it gives it a murder rate of fifteen hundred per million which which would make it not only more dangerous than any real world city, but also Gotham.
00:40:36
Speaker
But to be fair, like Gotham doesn't have a lot of murders. They have more theft and yeah kidnappings and yeah diabolical plans, large scale diabolical plans that never really get to fruition.
00:40:49
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Penguins. The fact that you have so many people in your life who also love this show, do you think, and that you were at a party where you're all watching it, do you think that you are drawn to people who that chicken or egg? You know what i mean? Like, is it like, we all like Murder, She Wrote, and so we became friends?
00:41:14
Speaker
Or is there something about Murder, She Wrote lovers that is an attractive... quality? That's a really wonderful question.
Cross-Generational Appeal and Episode Recommendations
00:41:23
Speaker
um don't know. you know i think
00:41:28
Speaker
I don't know. It's hard. It's hard. I think like it speaks to something within us that feels like I'm searching out something that feels consistent and cozy. I feel like maybe there's something generational to it, right? Sort of like this millennial flux existence, right? That like we talk about all the time of, ooh, what is it? Like the the meme on the talk or whatever that's like, oh, I guess we'll just live through another world event. No big deal. Whatever, whatever.
00:41:58
Speaker
So maybe there's something in that like cozy consistency there that's like really appealing. And it's, it is truly like quite campy. Right. And so, you know, and I think the camp also is like, yeah, I like campy shit and I like people who are campy. And so maybe there's something there too.
00:42:18
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. You know, i i don't think Murder, She Wrote and Drag Race are that far apart from each other. You know, I could see both of them offering that sort of, ah this is fucking like sparkly. And I love Yes, yes, yes.
00:42:37
Speaker
Yeah, I think that's it. I think it just feels... Just cozy and consistent, but also like silly and audacious. And like the outfits and the men and the you know the murders, everything is just like, this is wild.
00:42:51
Speaker
Yeah, but there's still some more substance to it where you can be like, this is how she is taking a stand against the patriarchy. and Yeah, exactly.
00:43:01
Speaker
Exactly. And like on a story level, they do a good job of like really... giving you like that cast of new characters and the setup and the everything.
00:43:12
Speaker
yeah Each episode. Yeah. Yeah, and as somebody who I am bad at following world building, it's not just like you put a map at the beginning of a book. It's like, count me out. I cannot, you know.
00:43:27
Speaker
um You can still watch it without, I often, like some of them are like, well, the corporate merger and the script and the blah, blah, blah, and then the uncle. And I'm like, I don't know, but I'm having a good time. You know you can like dial in or out as much as you want.
00:43:44
Speaker
For example, if I'm doing tons of paperwork at the end of the day, I'm like, well, a little Jessica, you know, yeah it's like a talk to you in the background. It's like a glass of wine at the end of the day.
00:43:55
Speaker
so yeah, it's comforting. And, you know, she's going to solve it. You know that she's going to take care of things. She's going to get the niece who's been wrongly accused.
00:44:08
Speaker
acquitted or you know yeah off the hook no worries about that things mostly and it's ah and then you always leave you feeling good you know because that the they do like the ending scene and then they always freeze frame it on jessica's face just do it just like you know just like just having her moment and you're like see you next week babe you know or in my case see you in two more minutes that so did they when they ended the 12 seasons do you know like did they know they were going to end it and so were they able to like end it on a strong that's a good question I actually don't know the answer to that that's fine I actually you know I don't even know if I've ever seen the last episode I've never watched it
00:44:57
Speaker
in order ever uh-huh I've only ever just like clicked an episode and so that makes me end up seeing the same 10 over and over somehow but but that's comforting too like i I often will not watch the last episodes of shows that I love I've still never seen last episode of Lost I've still never seen the last episode of um The Good Wife which I loved that one just so many of those series that I watched forever as it gets to the end I'm like I don't need to see that.
00:45:28
Speaker
yeah Even like competition shows that I love, once it gets who's going win, I'm like, that's not really what I'm interested in. but We're the same. I also don't finish shows. I never finish shows.
00:45:38
Speaker
I'm like, I don't, want I don't need to, I don't want to. I don't need it to end. I'm good. Yeah. Just forever. um but just They live on in your head. Yeah. Right.
00:45:50
Speaker
You can kind of make the ending yourself. Yeah, yeah exactly exactly. Especially if I know it's sad. If somebody's been like, whoa, that was a really sad ending. I'm like, well, I won't be seeing that.
00:46:02
Speaker
Just keep on living in fantasy world. Thank you. So should we move on to homework? Okay, so Molly, you told us you have homework for us, which thank you for taking it so seriously.
00:46:13
Speaker
Yeah. um And I have my pen and paper ready. Charlotte, are you ready for your homework? ready. and Okay. okay So your homework is to pick an episode. And I listed off some of my favorites, but you pick whatever episode you want. And then I have – and I can email you these, but I'll read them out to you.
00:46:33
Speaker
So I didn't want to take the bingo game, but I – I pulled out some common things from the episodes and I would scour the internet and I made you sort of like a drinking game, but you have a drink for it. But it's like,
00:46:48
Speaker
you know, a noting, maybe you have a sip of whatever, whatever you do, tea, whatever makes you cozy. But um I'll tell you a little bit about some of the episodes that I enjoyed and picked out. I think I listed five that I really like.
00:47:02
Speaker
And then I'll read you a few of the things that maybe you want to look out for while you're watching. So Snow White, Blood Red, is um season five, episode four, like a ski episode, like an Olympic ski team, and they all get like snowed in, and there's more than one murder, and I'm not going to like give too, that's the one that does have a hanging so it's like a little more visually triggering um but there's also death by bow and arrow so that's really funny and interesting and i just thought colorado could be a fun theme death stalks the big top which is season three episode one and two and that's that circus episode which is my first episode ever that i still think about where she like is looking for one of like frank's brothers and like um
00:47:53
Speaker
like a long lost relative and there's a murder by elephant but is it by elephant i don't know season three episode eight is called magnum on ice which is the crossover episode no way yeah magnum pi and murder she wrote and it takes place in hawaii oo I just saw like the tiniest bit of that the the other day and then texted Molly and was like, ah!
00:48:23
Speaker
I didn't see the whole thing though, so... On ice. This one is my personal favorite because I feel like it really collides with my 90s childhood really well, which is Murder Among Friends, season 12, episode 16.
00:48:39
Speaker
And let me see, I believe, so that episode basically takes place on a TV set that is like a show about five, six friends, three women and three men.
00:48:51
Speaker
no wait was this before Friends? No, because i if I remember right, Friends bumped the murder she wrote time slot and Jessica wanted
00:49:07
Speaker
i get revenge. She's like, Courtney Cox, you had been on my show. Yeah, do. They do. Yeah, literally. and The Courtney Cox one is really good too.
00:49:18
Speaker
Yeah, so it's petty. It's like very petty, but basically it um the show is called The Buds, um which is about six attractive 20-year-olds.
00:49:28
Speaker
Um, because friends basically was on NBC, but it aired at the same time and it helped kind of like it took murder. She wrote readings way, way down because they had moved Jessica to Thursday nights up in her final season.
00:49:41
Speaker
Wow. Basically she takes the set of friends and turns it into a murder. I do like that even with her values and all of that, that pettiness is one of her, you know, values too. Because I yeah i like that.
00:49:57
Speaker
yeah like Yeah, she's not, she's no saint. She's like a grounded person who's like, let's treat others with decency. But I am going drag this show through the mud for like,
00:50:09
Speaker
you know, kicking my show off. And so looking it up right now too. So like the writers, producers, cast are all kind of portrayed as like pretty big dicks throughout the episode.
00:50:20
Speaker
And I won't tell you who gets murdered, but that is one of my favorite episodes as well for both the pettiness and the, and then like the very campy virtual murder season 10 episode five, which is that VR episode.
00:50:36
Speaker
So good. Cause I like that. It's like a span of, you know, early, so early episodes and late seasons. Yeah. Yeah. Yep. Okay. And so some of the things that like, it's a long list, but to look out for, ah Jessica Fletcher snoops in someone's office and I'll email you both these two.
00:50:56
Speaker
She hides underneath a desk while snooping. She spots a concealed weapon. You see a gloved hand. Spooky music plays to set the scene.
00:51:09
Speaker
Someone breaks into Jessica's hotel room. Jessica breaks into someone else's hotel room. ah man talks down to Jessica or greatly underestimates her or touches her too much.
00:51:21
Speaker
Like just touching her like, arm I'm like, get off her. Jessica's like snooping around. um Someone drops something on the floor. Homicide detective tells Jessica to go back to where she came from.
00:51:37
Speaker
When someone tells her, I don't have to answer your question, lady. little Anytime you say to yourself, hey, it's that one person from that one other thing or show.
00:51:48
Speaker
Whenever local law enforcement tells Jessica to stay out of the investigation, whenever someone whenever someone recognizes Jessica as a famous writer, never having met her before, and if they read her books or their wives read her books, or whenever Jessica's epiphany occurs, like when she like when she's solved it and you like see it in her face, when she has to rescue a niece or nephew, nephew or when you see an obsolete piece of technology. Yeah.
00:52:17
Speaker
Oh my God. Such a good list. Yeah. Yeah. So I'll email that your way. So you have some things to look for. um definitely going to do this as a drinking game. Patty, we should do like a zoom viewing.
00:52:31
Speaker
Yeah. Please do that. That'll be so. yeah please do that that will be so fine And Molly, if you want to be in a Zoom viewing or just come over to my house. Oh my God, say less. I am there. ah right. Yes.
00:52:47
Speaker
Depending on how your dogs get along, you could even bring your dog like they could, you know, Charlotte has a little yard now. Oh yeah, Janine. Yeah. Peter loves Murder, She Wrote. Peter watches Murder, She Wrote all day with me Peter's very smart.
00:53:00
Speaker
Yeah. computers yeah And he believes in women's Yeah.
00:53:07
Speaker
He's like, fuck the patriarchy. Literally. Yeah. That's his mantra. Peter's mantra. oh what a wonderful way to start the day.
00:53:17
Speaker
Yeah. So fun. Thank you so much for having me. Thank you for sharing with us. My gosh. It's been honor. feel, feel lucky be able to talk about my girl.
00:53:29
Speaker
I am so excited for this homework. Yeah. Like I, As much as I've like seen the show when I was younger, i didn't know like all this stuff before you you told me like any of it.
00:53:40
Speaker
Right. Such a new appreciation. Yeah, we love her. We do. So, yeah, when she passed away, like, I mean, she's like in her 90s when she died. It was like a couple years ago.
00:53:53
Speaker
I hadn't heard about it. And we were driving home from, do you know, like that, that murder, The Glass Onion. Did you oh yeah like see on Netflix that like murder mystery with the detective played by Daniel Craig from the, it's like the follow up to the, the one that was What's it called? Yeah, I know what you're talking about. But yes, it is a follow up to that.
00:54:17
Speaker
Knives out. Knives out. Oh, okay. Yeah. And like it opens on like a bathtub scene of the zoom call with Daniel Craig in the bathtub and Angela Lansbury is on the zoom call as is Natasha Lyonne from poker face. Yeah, a couple other like murder mystery.
00:54:35
Speaker
folks on there oh that's hilarious yeah yeah and so we were driving home from that movie and matt's like i'm so sorry she's gone and i was like what do you mean she's gone and he's like well died was like she died he's like you knew that didn't i didn't know that had to like pull over to the side of the road i know she was in her but she was so oh So I'd also just watch with like, just like a gentle, like and miss you girl. Yeah.
00:55:07
Speaker
Yeah. Keeping her legacy alive. know. What a babe. So I appreciate like being able to like word vomit at you. I feel honored. Cause like I said, like I'm some folks on, they just, they, they know so they love it more than me. But now that I'm talking about it, well, I'm like,
00:55:24
Speaker
I do really love it. yeah And hey, we're not expecting experts here. We're just inter inter wait, what's that inviting people who have interests.
00:55:35
Speaker
It's an interest. That's fine. You don't have to be the know all. Yeah. An interest that you're obsessed with is the greatest kind. Yeah, it's good. Good. Yeah.
00:55:46
Speaker
Cool. cool All right. Well, on that note, stay interesting. And stay interested. And thanks for letting me be interested. oh and you are interesting too.
00:56:00
Speaker
Bye. Bye. Thanks for listening to today's episode. Please subscribe, comment, and like the podcast. Follow us on Blue Sky Social at CanWeInterestYouIn. Send us an email at CanWeInterestYouIn at gmail.com.
00:56:14
Speaker
And join us next time.