Murder, She Wrote: It's a Dog's Life Rewatch

August 30, 2014 4:34 PM - Season 1, Episode 6

An older millionaire dies when his normally placid horse goes wild on a fox hunt, and a subsequent murder is pinned on the heir to his estate: his dog.

Jessica is visiting her cousin Abigail Benton Freestone, who is the horse (and dog) trainer for a wealthy, spoiled family, the Langleys. There is many back-handed comments thrown between members of the family, all heirs to a multi-million dollar fortune, including a fine art collection.

Jess joins the family and friends on a fox hunt, where the head of the family, Denton Langley, falls off of his otherwise mellow horse when the horse jumps over a hedge. In Denton's video will ("the latest in will technology," Denton tells the viewers in his video), he leaves the bulk of his estate to his damned/faithful dog, Teddy. Hijinks and no-goodness ensue.

posted by filthy light thief (4 comments total)

The gate murder seemed more Final Destination than Murder She Wrote.
posted by Monochrome at 9:57 PM on August 30, 2014 [1 favorite]

Ah, I get to link to one of my favourite although sadly not often updated websites: Exploring Jessica Fletcher's Closet on this episode, noting her dashing tan riding suit against the reds.

The gate-squishing murder and the dog were particularly creepy. I felt like Jessica's cousin's romantic interest in the dead man was sort of brought up and then dropped too fast - it was sweet and then creepy almost.
posted by viggorlijah at 12:18 AM on August 31, 2014 [1 favorite]

Thoughts from the episode:

1. How do you expect a horse named Sawdust to live very long? Better than Ol' Gluepot, I guess.
2. That drunken, snarky pre-ride breakfast looked amazing.
3. Oh, to be a rich old man, who can talk about "withers" and not sound creepy. Oh wait, he totally sounded creepy.
4. Jessica is now a "world famous writer." Such progress between episodes!
5. Denton refers to his dog as "that damned dog" in one moment, then he's Denton's only true friend and given the majority of Denton's estate.
6. "Echo" and her love of technology, with those woofers and tweeters and heavy metal
7. Denton's dangerous horse ride looked so very realistic, now with real horse sounds!
8. Cousin Abigail says something about death being wrong. In that case, stay away from Jessica.
9. VHS Video Will: the latest in Will Technology! "And it's legal as hell" (which really is the technical terminology used when referring to wills).
10. Trish used to be a root beer fanatic, now she's a lush.
11. The dream of three owls in a black oak tree ... bum bum BUM!
12. Locoweed is a real thing
13. Poor Trish, killed by a gate and everyone is fixated on the fact the dog might have done it, not that Trish wash crushed to death.
14. Morgana: "My first real ghost, but nobody will believe me."
15. The dog was trained to kill ... with a button!
16. TECHNOLOGY ALERT: the sheriff has metal detectors! (Woo, new-fangled technology!)
17. Under duress, the English go straight for ... the tea
18. "I have little use for theories" (so you always know who committed the crime?)
19. Jessica's response: "I don't see what the voters see in you."
20. Retort: a sarcastic "Thank you so much"
21. Apparently hillbillies kill without a second thought, and it's totally normal
22. "Off the record, you've been an ass."
23. Jessica: "I hope I don't sound too much like a teacher." Good one, Jessica!

posted by filthy light thief at 9:12 AM on August 31, 2014 [2 favorites]

Jessica is now a "world famous writer." Such progress between episodes!

And no Internet for her stuff to go viral!
posted by Alexandra Kitty at 1:27 PM on September 2, 2014