Murder, She Wrote: Showdown in Saskatchewan originally aired Sunday, April 10th 1988.

For 12 seasons viewers were enthralled by the deductive reasoning and crime solving abilities of mild-mannered mystery writer Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) as she solved crimes, outwitted crooks and cops alike, and made sure that justice was done on a week-to-week basis. Viewers were also delighted to see a virtual who's who (and also who used to be) of Hollywood's finest parade thru each episode, ensuring that their Sunday night would be crime free as well as very entertaining. This show would go on to be the longest running mystery program ever and a highpoint for all lovers of this television genre.

Jessica decides to visit her niece Jill Morton (Kristy McNichol), Jill has run away from her family and is living with a cowboy who is on the rodeo circuit in Canada. While Jessica is visiting, the rodeo's doctor (Joe Dorsey) is murdered and it seems that nearly everyone that works there is a suspect. Inspector McCabe (Lance LeGault) of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is heading up the investigation, but it is not long before Jessica is giving him a helping hand, as only she can. With the industrious Mrs. Fletcher on the case how long can it be before the true identity of the killer is ultimately discovered.

This is a typical episode of this show; there is nothing particularly groundbreaking or innovative here but it is sufficiently entertaining if this is the type of program that you would normally like. Kristy McNichol plays a supporting part, her performance here is adequate enough but there is nothing that raises it to the level of the extraordinary, just an average performance in an average story from this long running mystery program.

Buying note: This episode is now available as part of a 5 DVD box set, Murder, She Wrote: The Complete Fourth Season.

7-20-2007