简介：As the sixth season of "Murder, She Wrote" strolls gracefully into view, the enchanting and ever-inquisitive demeanor of star Angela Lansbury, who plays Jessica Fletcher, the esteemed writer and intrepid amateur sleuth, remains as captivating as ever. While Jessica has persistently unraveled mysteries within her beloved hometown of Cabot Cove and across diverse landscapes—from the realms of high finance to the opulent world of opera and the mysterious terrain of voodoo—the current season heralds the debut of guest detective episodes. These are either narratives that Jessica herself has crafted or stories shared by her acquaintances, each featuring a diverse array of peculiar sleuths: a retired football star (Ken Howard, "The White Shadow"), matched with an astute poodle; a television crime-show producer who applies her skills to real-life crimes (Diana Canova, "Soap"); a burly Irish detective portrayed by seasoned character actor Pat Hingle; an irascible homicide cop (Barry Newman, "Vanishing Point"); and recurring "Murder, She Wrote" characters including the erstwhile jewel thief Dennis Stanton (Keith Michell) and the suave British secret agent Michael Haggerty (Len Cariou).

The show's producers undoubtedly sought to capitalize on the show's widespread appeal to spawn new series. However, none of these new additions from the season gained traction, and viewer disapproval swiftly terminated the guest detective episodes. The executives must have been taken aback to learn that, while murder mysteries are driven by their plots, the enduring appeal of the show is largely attributed to the undeniable allure of star Angela Lansbury. Nonetheless, these standalone episodes are uniformly up to par with the quality that Lansbury brings to the series, and viewers open to change will undoubtedly find them as engaging.

The remainder of the season boasts a dazzling lineup of guests, including esteemed film icons of yesteryear (Donald O'Connor, "Singin' in the Rain") and contemporary talents (Elliott Gould, "The Long Goodbye"), television legends (Shirley Jones, "The Partridge Family"; Jerry Stiller, "The King of Queens"; Doris Roberts, "Everyone Loves Raymond"; Kevin Tighe, "Battlestar Galactica"; and Gavin McLeod, "The Love Boat"), and a roster of D-list celebrities who would be missed (Dack Rambo, Morgan Brittany, Susan Anton, and more).