Monsters Vs. ‘Murder, She Wrote’: Vampire, Witches, Ghosts, and the Headless Horseman
The series was co-created by Columbo creators Richard Levinson and William Link, along with Peter S. Fischer
One of the longest-running television crime series, “Murder, She Wrote” starred Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher, a mystery writer who also happens to solve murders wherever she happens to be, whether she’s at home in Cabot Cove, Maine, traveling across the United States, or overseas. The series was a instant hit, starring lots of familiar guest stars. It lasted 12 seasons (1984-1996)—followed by four TV movies.
One of the show’s fun angles is that, although it was presented as normal life—albeit in a “murder mystery” series set in a small town where the lead character knew ALL KINDS OF murder victims—there were a few episodes that featured supernatural themes, such as witches, ghosts, a vampire, and a headless horseman.
Below are listed seven episodes of Murder, She Wrote if you’re in the mood for spooky mysteries…
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Also on Monster Complex
Monsters Vs. Murder, She Wrote
01 [Ghost] Reflections of the Mind (2.6)
When a phone call from Francesca’s supposedly dead first husband precedes a fatal incident, Jessica must unravel the truth from hysteria to find a killer. Co-starring: Ann Blyth, Wings Hauser, Steven Keats, Martin Milner, Ben Murphy, Stacey Nelkin, Esther Rolle, Janet DeMay.
02 [Headless Horseman] Night of the Headless Horseman (3.10)
A shy lovelorn poet, who has been the victim of ridicule by a ‘Headless Horseman,’ becomes the prime murder suspect when his tormentor’s dead body is found decapitated. Co-starring: Doug McClure (star of 1974’s The Land That Time Forgot, 1976’s At the Earth’s Core, and 1977’s The People That Time Forgot), Thom Bray, Karlene Crockett, Judy Landers, Hope Lange, Charles Siebert, Guy Stockwell, Fritz Weaver, Barry Williams.
"That Time Greg Brady Lost His Head on Murder, She Wrote" via Pushing Up Roses
03 [Witch] Fire Burn, Cauldron Bubble (5.13)
A sighting of the ghost of a Pilgrim woman accused of witchcraft foreshadows a Cabot Cove murder. Co-starring: Roddy McDowall (co-star of the original Planet of the Apes films and TV series, as well as 1985’s Fright Night), Christopher Stone and Dee Wallace (both of whom starred in 1981’s The Howling), Juliana Donald, Brad Dourif, Bill Maher, Ron Masak, Russell Nype.
04 [Witch] The Witch’s Curse (8.12)
Cabot Cove suspects a woman playing a witch in a community play is the real thing. Co-starring: Robert Vaughn (co-star of Battle Beyond the Stars, among lots of other stuff), William Windom (co-star of the 1956 film Invasion of the Body Snatchers), David Ackroyd, Julie Adams, Mary Crosby, Ron Masak, Marian Mercer, Ed Nelson, Marian Seldes.
"That Time Murder, She Wrote Had A Witch-Burning" via Pushing Up Roses
05 [Ghost] Angel of Death (8.20)
A playwright haunted by his wife’s suicide loses another family member to murder. Co-starring: Darren McGavin (star of Kolchak: The Nightstalker), Stephen Bogardus, Doran Clark, Sondra Currie, Ken Kercheval, Maria Mayenzet, Austin Pendleton, Noble Willingham, Ray Reinhardt, Michael Canavan.
06 [Vampire] Legacy of Borbey House (10.3)
A mysterious stranger obsessed with restoring an old Cabot Cove landmark is murdered. Is a VAMPIRE involved? Co-starring: David Birney, Roy Dotrice, Richard Gilliland, Gary Hershberger, Judith Jones, Ron Masak, Christopher Neame, Lawrence Pressman, Madlyn Rhue, William Windom.
“Vampires Are Real (According to Murder, She Wrote)” via Pushing Up Roses
07 [Ghost] Nan’s Ghost (12.6 and 12.7)
In part 1, Jessica’s investigation into ghost stories lands her in the dungeon. In part 2, Jessica is freed from the dungeon and finds those behind the hoax. Co-starring: Rod Taylor (star of 1960’s The Time Machine), Leslie Bevis, Edita Brychta, Mark Lindsay Chapman, Fionnula Flanagan, Peter Jason, John Karlen, Ross Kettle, Thomas Kopache, Felicia Lansbury, Christopher Neame, Raphael Sbarge, Wendy Schaal, John Saint Ryan, James Warwick, James Bartz.
