Actually, in this house what you hear a lot of between 6.00 and 7.00pm, Monday to Friday, is a stream of ungentlemanly moans and groans and grumps because, just as I sit down to my supper, the 'Memsahib' insists on having Murder She Wrote on the TV. Yeeeeeeeees, quite! Did you know that the series ran for 12 years and a total of 264 episodes - 264!!!! Oh my Gaaaaaaard!
Anyway, there I am trapped between my desire for grub and my loathing for Murder She Wrote which features, of course, the amateur detective, Jessica Fletcher, played by Angela Lansbury. In every episode I quietly pray for the arrival of a maniacal axe murderer who will execute every single person 'living' in Cabot Cove, the fictional New England village where-in the series is mainly set.
Truth be told, even if it is through gritted teeth, the series is mostly very professionally written, acted and directed but Angela Lansbury is the pillar that holds it all up. So, not just on behalf of the 'Memsahib', I am forced to get to my feet and applaud the lady for winning an Olivier Award last night for her performance on the London stage in Noel Coward's play Blithe Spirit - at the age of 89!
Jolly well done, Jessica, er, sorry, I mean Angela. I just wish I possessed a fraction of your skill and professionalism, you are, in the very best sense of the phrase, 'a real trouper'!
David she is a golden oldie. Bedknobs and Broomsticks is a fond memory.
Posted by: jimmy glesga | Monday, 13 April 2015 at 19:13
I love Angela Lansbury in everything she's done, even Murder She Wrote, which I agree is about the worse detective series ever put together. It was far too formulaic. There is always that "oh my gosh" moment at the end when Fletcher remembers something, 90% of the time, like this:
Some man: I was surprised to hear about the shooting
Fletcher: Oh my gosh, no one said anything about a shooting! You're the murderer!
And then you are left with the feeling that the previous 1 hour was just a waste of time. Ugh! yet I watched it every week!
Posted by: Dom | Monday, 13 April 2015 at 20:26
Yes, Dom, and I suppose that compared to some other offerings it avoids the blood and guts considered to be essential in every TV crime series.
Posted by: David Duff | Monday, 13 April 2015 at 20:44
Can't go past Poirot though, can you?
Posted by: Andra | Tuesday, 14 April 2015 at 20:01
I remember her from the excellent, although now rather dated, "Company of Wolves". It's a world away from her favourite television show.....
I don't often watch the fluffiness that is "MSW" since "Columbo" is a far superior production and if I want guts and gore, I turn to "NCIS : Glasgow". And I'm not sure that our own home grown "Midsommer murders : Don't live in the country or you're bound to be murdered" isn't rather better? It is odd, though, how often TV actors suddenly show their true roots on the stage. I never rated John Nettles as much of an actor, until I saw him in a "Midwinter's Tale" in London. Huge stage, and he absolutely dominated it.
Posted by: Mayfly | Wednesday, 15 April 2015 at 12:11
"NCIS : Glasgow"! Good grief, cany ou understand a single word or do they offer subtitles?
Posted by: David Duff | Wednesday, 15 April 2015 at 20:55
Och Aye ra noo.
Posted by: jimmy glesga | Wednesday, 15 April 2015 at 23:50
American and Scottish - not a hope! It took a long time to understand "Muuuuurrrrrrrrdurrrrrrrrrrrr".
Posted by: Mayfly | Thursday, 16 April 2015 at 08:47
supporting actress? she stole that show, put it in her pocket and took it home with her!
Posted by: Simon Harding | Tuesday, 21 April 2015 at 11:05