Amsterdam Kill

It's Amsterdam where Jessica Fletcher is in for this episode. She's at a writer's convention and meets yet another old friend Joseph Maher who is in town for the same event. Maher is a writer of spy novels and he writes from his own experiences.

A rather elaborate and well planned kidnapping of Maher is carried off, but not without arousing the suspicions of Angela Lansbury. The problem is who to trust.

Theodore Bikel plays the Amsterdam PD inspector and he's not quite as tolerant of Jessica Fletcher doing her own investigation as many other law enforcement officials in other episodes are. Besides he also has a related homicide to solve that Jessica and the various British Intelligence operatives aren't making easier.

Nicely done and nice solved of course in a story with the kidnappers themselves not really trusting each other. The episode reminds me a bit of the classic Hitchcock thriller Foreign Correspondent.

Jessica is in Amsterdam for a writers conference. Soon after arriving, she meets up with an old friend, a fellow writer who is about to do a presentation with her. However, when the time comes, he's not there...and Jessica knows the guy wouldn't just walk away from the conference or her. Someone is trying to hide this, however, as soon she gets word that he's back in England...which makes absolutely no sense. There are quite a few twists and turns and eventually, naturally, Jessica sorts it all out and saves her friend from doom.

This is a mildly entertaining episode. I'm surprised it was the second episode of season 11 instead of the first, as in many previous seasons the first episode was set in some foreign land (episode one was set at an American zoo). My only complaint is that when a man shows up saying he works for British Intelligence, Jessica never contacts her old British Intelligence friend, Michael Hagarty for help or to confirm whether or not this other man is an actual agent.

Jessica attends a conference in Amsterdam, where she encounters her old friend, another author, Nigel Allison. Nigel disappears, Jessica reports it to Inspector Van Horn, who dismisses her story as fantasy.

Series eleven has definitely started very well, another very enjoyable, very original episode. Whenever they decided to take Jessica on her travels, it was either London or Ireland, Amsterdam makes for a refreshing change.

Not particularly difficult to deduce who the face behind the mask is, or to work out what's going on, but it's an enjoyable mystery nonetheless.

Always great to see the wonderfully charming Marcus Gilbert, even if his on screen name out me in mind of a Carry on film. He was not impressed by Jessica's interference.

Perhaps the most successful effort yet in terms of making an episode look as though it was filmed abroad, the footage marries up well, some scenes look very convincing, Jessica however is never seen outside.

8/10.

Have always been quite fond of 'Murder She Wrote'. It is a fun and relaxing watch that makes you think as you try to unwind in the evening. If one wants more complex, twisty mysteries with lots of tension and suspense 'Murder She Wrote' may not be for you, but if you want something light-hearted and entertaining but still provide good mysteries 'Murder She Wrote' fits the bill just fine.

"Amsterdam Kill" is another one of the very much watchable but nothing special episodes. It's fun and intriguing enough with a very clever scheme and the ending was a surprising one, one really does not guess who it is responsible. As a result of having a lot of (perhaps too many) elements, it's also somewhat convoluted and slightly bloated. There is tension and urgency, but the duller stretches at times makes it not come quite consistently.

The dialogue does have its contrivances and dreariness again and for such a brilliant criminal and clever scheming the killer's acting was bland, not just in the denouement but throughout. There wasn't much difference to their acting in the denouement, which wasn't particularly ruthless which didn't match their actions, than in the rest of the episode.

On the other hand, Angela Lansbury seems incapable of giving a bad performance and Theodore Bikel really is a comfort in his role. The tension between the two is great and gives the episode the urgency needed. In fact much of the acting is good, Richard Lynch in his second 'Murder She Wrote' (the first being the victim in Season 8's "To the Last Will I Grapple with Thee") appearance is another standout.

While the mystery is not mind-blowing, it does maintain attention and is never obvious. A very good job is done giving a sense of not being able to trust anybody.

Production values as always are slick, stylish and suitably cosy. The music has energy and has presence but also not making the mistake of over-scoring, while it is hard to forget or resist the theme tune. The writing is patchy but has enough thought-provoking moments to intrigue.

In summary, watchable but not much special. 5/10 Bethany Cox

The scene is a writers' conference in Amsterdam, attended by (among many others) Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) and her British friend Nigel Allison (Joseph Maher). Things take a sinister turn when Nigel is kidnapped--whereupon the victim's so-called friend Collin Biddle (Marcus Gilbert) assures Jessica that there is nothing to worry about. Even investigating inspector Van Horn (Theodore Bikel) appears to be indifferent about the abduction, prompting Jessica to take a hand in matters. What follows is a maelstrom of intrigue involving espionage, illegal arms and illicit drugs.

Intrigue, hotel rooms, kidnapping plot and enough twist and turns to keep you watching, plus you got Jessica Fletcher wounding up everyone, especially the British secret agent, with her sleuthing ways. It's a nice amiable episode with a neat twist at the end.