Jessica is delighted to return to New York City with the announcement of her nephew's impending engagement. But when a restaurant employee is killed, the engagement is threatened.Jessica is delighted to return to New York City with the announcement of her nephew's impending engagement. But when a restaurant employee is killed, the engagement is threatened.Jessica is delighted to return to New York City with the announcement of her nephew's impending engagement. But when a restaurant employee is killed, the engagement is threatened.
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis was Debbie Zipp's first appearance as Grady's fiancee, and later wife, Donna. She and Michael Horton are married in real life.
- GoofsFrom about 13:24 on, over a few days, Jessica is wearing the same red and white blouse. Sometimes with a red jacket, sometimes without.
Jessica is wearing the red and white blouse and jacket when her nephew Grady (Michael Horton) calls and says his fiance broke off the engagement. (34:55)
The next scene (35:05): In the bar that Grady called from. He's sitting in the same place wearing the same thing.
Jessica is next to him, now wearing a black jacket and a white shawl-collar thing, which she wears through the remainder of the show.
p.s. Although it's never close enough to be certain, there's a woman toward the end of the bar in the scene who appears to be wearing Jessica's red jacket and skirt.
- Quotes
[last lines]
Grady Fletcher: But there's somethin' I gotta confess to you, too. I already met your father and he fired me.
Donna Mayberry: Oh! That's okay. I mean, he fires everybody. He- He probably won't even remember it.
Grady Fletcher: Really? You think?
Donna Mayberry: Oh, he fired me once, too.
Grady Fletcher: You're kidding. That's great. No, I mean that's not great...
- SoundtracksMurder She Wrote Theme
Written by John Addison
Season 4 generally is one of the more consistent and one of the best 'Murder She Wrote' seasons, when it comes to season with the highest number of very good to classic episodes Season 4 is up there. There is however at least one episode every season to not be particularly good. Season 4 has two, "It Runs in the Family" and this. Not easy to tell which is better or worse between the two, "Just Another Fish Story" at least feels like 'Murder She Wrote' (unlike "It Runs in the Family") but one of its biggest problems is that it has not one but two of my least favourite recurring characters featuring in it.
As much as it is annoying for me to mention once more my dislike for Grady, it is hard not to. The good news is that he is not featured quite as prominently as in some of his other episodes and he isn't as dead-weight bland or grating and his situation thankfully is different. The not so good news is that he is not a compelling or interesting character still at all. "Just Another Fish Story" introduces Donna, and she comes over as the female Grady with the blandness and annoying factor multiplied, we are reminded constantly in all her appearances that she is a lovely character but with such a-not-easy-to-get-behind character and Debbie Zipp's inability to act with any humour, charm or subtlety the viewer has a very hard time seeing it.
The two have very little chemistry together, ironically considering that Zipp and Michael Horton are married. And just like with most of Grady's problems, despite Jessica's involvement and determination to help them, one just doesn't care about their problem and situation here. The mystery itself also underwhelms, notable only really for its very unique (for 'Murder She Wrote') murder method. It's so uninteresting, the investigation is not focused on enough (taking a back-seat to Jessica, Grady and Donna) and it's totally forgettable, that one remembers Grady and Donna more than the mystery is not a good sign. The denouement is similarly one of the show's least satisfying, the perpetrator was a mild surprise but the motive is not a difficult one to figure out and the outcome makes one shout what at the screen.
Do agree too that the title is terrible (one of the show's worst) and that a lot of the dialogue and episode is corny.
For all those faults, "Just Another Fish Story" has its merits. Production values are slick and stylish as ever with 'Murder She Wrote'. 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.
Some of the writing is thought-provoking and amiable but this is too far and between.
As one would expect, Angela Lansbury is terrific and it is not hard to see why Jessica Fletcher is one of her best-remembered roles. The rest of the supporting cast do very well with what they have, Brenda Vacarro indeed being the standout and the best asset of the episode.
In conclusion, has its moments but unsatisfying on the whole. 5/10 Bethany Cox
- TheLittleSongbird
- Sep 3, 2017