Big Easy Murder

Jessica travels to New Orleans and is caught up in a web of voodoo related murders in this above Average episode with some interesting characters and good mystery.

Several recent murders and other passings transpire immediately before Jessica conducts her fifth trip into Louisiana during this series, which include four episodes set in New Orleans (#1.12, #2.21, #8.06, #12.04) and one in Bergen Falls (#4.04).

Olivia Cole guest stars in three New Orleans' episodes (#1.12, #8.06, #12.04), while co-star Robert Forster guests in two (#2.21, #12.04), while Brian McNamara co-stars twice with Mitch Ryan, here (#12.04) plus (#8.10), set in Washington, DC.

This opens with a fourth slaying by machete knife in Gulu Ruins, a foggy swampland adjacent to New Orleans, as "New Orleans Daily News" reporter Jim Nash (Steve Curtis) attempts to connect the series of murders to a syndicate attempting control of local supper clubs, while a guilty party makes the killings appear to relate to a sect of voodoo practitioners.

Lieutenant Alex Tibideaux (G.W. Bailey) appears early on, he investigating the latest body discovered in Gulu Ruins, as "Daily News" intern Cynthia Broussard (Lisa Akey) and reporter Tom McCray (Brian McNamara) meet the officer at the scene of the crime to obtain the scoop.

Jim Nash, whom she plans to meet upon her arrival, has been assisting Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) with research for her latest manuscript in process, as has Kelly, a curio shopkeeper, who has been providing Jessica with researching the poisonous herb Anesta Lupus, but Kelly has meanwhile passed.

The mother of Cynthia Broussard, Emily Broussard Renwyck (Elizabeth Ashley), then welcomes her dear old friend Jessica Fletcher to her estate, while Emily's husband, former Senator Brent Renwyck (Mitch Ryan), plans the opening celebration of his French Quarter nightclub.

Housekeeper Yvette Dauphin (Olivia Cole) also welcome her old friend Jessica, while Yvette's daughter, Priscilla Dauphin (Anne-Marie Johnson), arrives after graduating from the Julliard School, to sing in Brent's nightclub, accompanied by pianist Charlie (Nick LaTour).

Brent Renwyck, meanwhile, meets with syndicate leader Frank Roussel (Robert Forster) and Mal Carter (Lewis Van Bergen), a nightclub host, who, in the presence of their heavy, Ralph Danton (Clifton Powell), give Brent an ultimatum to sign over to them survivors' ownership of Renwyck's nightclub, after tying up Brent and Emily's funds to finance its renovations and repairs, and without the option of notifying Emily.

Ralph, meanwhile, forcedly orders curio shoppe employee Vera Welles (Juliette Jeffers) not to leave town, after discovering an airplane ticket to Los Angeles in her possession, as Jessica enters the shoppe to halt his brutal altercation. Vera explains that Kelly has passed six months ago, and now Vera fears for more lives at Ralph's dastardly hand.

Ralph also stalks reporter Tom McCray, who is now hot on the trail of the Gulu Ruins murders, while also linking them to the crime syndicate, as Jessica then manages for Tom an escape from harm from Ralph at an outdoor café, at which Ralph scrutinizes their conversation.

Priscilla, meanwhile, confronts Emily with a letter purporting that Priscilla is actually a daughter of Emily's late father, Arthur Broussard, by Yvette, and is, therefore, entitled to half of Arthur's estate, which, for the most part by now, is tied up in Renwyck's nightclub, where Priscilla performs in song.

Emily welcomes Priscilla to her share in the event that her claim bears any merit, as Yvette alleges affirmatively, and so Emily must consult her (unseen) attorney, Walter Drake, who would have to audit Renwyck's nightclub, which would lead to exposing the secret deal with Frank Roussel and Mal Carter.

On the night of the opening, several attendees exodus the nightclub at one point or another, in a series of events which leads to Emily's discovering a body with a voodoo doll at its side.

Jessica rushes to Emily's side as she screams, and then she notifies Lieutenant Alex Tibideaux, who declares this a natural passing, but Jessica suspects foul play and attempts to untangle a web of deception and intrigue surrounding the latest "Big Easy Murder."

The cast is rounded out by Ayo Adeyemi as High Priest, Devino Tricoche as Fire Eater and George Sharperson as Waiter.

This episode represents the first television acting credit by George Sharperson, the most recent appearance to date by Devino Tricoche, as well as the only acting credit to date by Steve Curtis.

This also marks the second of two "MSW" appearances each for Elizabeth Ashley, G.W. Bailey, Robert Forster and Clifton Powell, the third of three each for Olivia Cole and Brian McNamara, and the fourth of four "MSW" guest roles for Mitch Ryan.

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.

Season 12, along with Seasons 9 and 11, is one of the weaker and more variable ones of 'Murder She Wrote'. It is though a season that got off to a good start and "Big Easy Murder" is another episode that continues this initially good if not great standard and is among the season's better episodes. To me, it is one of the show's better excursions to Louisiana.

"Big Easy Murder" is hardly an original episode. Elements of the story and script are recycled, voodoo and politicians is hardly unfamiliar territory. As are a large number of the actors.

The good news is that "Big Easy Murder" for all its lack of originality is still a very well executed episode. The guest stars are all just great, especially Olivia Cole, GW Bailey, Robert Forster and Brian McNamara, and easily one of the season's strongest guest casts. Angela Lansbury continues to delight as Jessica.

Regarding the mystery, it's a lot of fun and always interesting. It has a lot of twists and surprising ones, this is including the denouement. In terms of the atmosphere and writing, it does get a little over-heated and slightly weird in places, my only other complaint of the episode.

Production values are slick and stylish with great use of the setting. 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 amiable and thought-provoking.

All in all, very well done. 8/10 Bethany Cox

New Orleans once again becomes a place of misfortune for Jessica, who's once again caught up in a series of murders, murders seemingly with a voodoo theme. Lt. Alex Tibideaux investigates, with a little help from Jessica.

It's a very fine later episode, it's a good mystery, with some very nice characters. Again they went but and bold for the opening sequences, they really started to nail those dramatic beginnings.

Olivia Cole was excellent I thought, another fine performance from her. He's perhaps best known for playing another very well known Lieutenant, but G. W Bailey is excellent, I just wanted him to say it, move it, move it!

Once again, Lansbury wears some very tasteful outfits.

Nothing much to fault here at all, a thoroughly enjoyable mystery.

7/10.

This episode of Murder She Wrote has Jessica Fletcher staying with Elizabeth Ashley in New Orleans as she researches voodoo exotic poisons for a new novel. Her research pays off in solving murders of Mitchell Ryan who is Ashley's husband and who is a nightclub owner.

There's a nasty turf war going on with club owners and organized crime in New Orleans. Another element in this story has to do with a paternity suit involving Ashley's father. Claiming paternity is Anne-Marie Johnson who was Althea Tibbs on In The Heat Of The Night. Her mother Olivia Cole is a maid in the household and a practitioner of the black arts of voodoo.

Representing the law here is G.W. Bailey. Let's say Angela Lansbury's research pays off for him big time in establishing a connection, the who and the how.

You'll want to stick around and see how Jessica does it.