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The Best Episodes of Murder, She Wrote

Every episode of Murder, She Wrote ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Murder, She Wrote!

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An unassuming mystery writer turned sleuth uses her professional insight to help solve real-life homicide cases.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    Murder, She Wrote Season 1 Episode 18 - Footnote to Murder
    8.6/10(1080 votes)

    #1 - Footnote to Murder

    S1:E18

    An unpublished manuscript is stolen and its author murdered during an awards convention.

    Director:Peter Crane
    Writer:Robert Swanson

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  2. Murder, She Wrote Season 2 Episode 13 - Trial by Error
    8.5/10(792 votes)

    #2 - Trial by Error

    S2:E13

    It's a bad day for the jurors when Jessica is the foreperson of the jury hearing the case of a man claiming self-defense in the death of an enraged husband.

    Director:Seymour Robbie
    Writer:Paul Savage

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  3. Murder, She Wrote Season 3 Episode 12 - The Corpse Flew First Class
    8.5/10(713 votes)

    #3 - The Corpse Flew First Class

    S3:E12

    Theft and murder of the courier occur on board a jet bound for London.

    Director:Walter Grauman
    Writer:Donald Ross

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  4. Murder, She Wrote Season 5 Episode 21 - Mirror, Mirror, On the Wall (1)
    8.5/10(586 votes)

    #4 - Mirror, Mirror, On the Wall (1)

    S5:E21

    Eudora McVeigh, a rival mystery writer, arrives at Jessica's door with seemingly friendly intentions, but the discovery of a corpse and a web of deceit follows her to Cabot Cove leading Jessica to suspect the woman of ulterior and sinister motives.

    Director:Vincent McEveety
    Writer:Peter S. Fischer

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  5. Murder, She Wrote Season 5 Episode 22 - Mirror, Mirror, On the Wall (2)
    8.5/10(532 votes)

    #5 - Mirror, Mirror, On the Wall (2)

    S5:E22

    After Seth is hospitalized and diagnosed as poisoned, with an apple Eudora gave Jessica, she still believes in her colleague's innocence. Sheriff Metzger discovers the murdered P.I. was following her husband, Hank Shipton, and found him adulterous with rich Victor Casper's wife, Lisa. Hank's son, Bobby, is beaten up by local Arnie on account of pool bet debts. Jessica ties up all the loose ends.

    Director:Vincent McEveety
    Writer:Peter S. Fischer

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  6. Murder, She Wrote Season 3 Episode 21 - The Days Dwindle Down
    8.4/10(758 votes)

    #6 - The Days Dwindle Down

    S3:E21

    Thirty years ago, Sam Wilson was sent to prison for murdering his boss, Malcolm Jarvis. After finally being released, Sam goes home to his wife and now-grown son who is expecting his first child with his wife, Terry. At Georgia Jarvis' request, Jessica looks into the crime, and through flashbacks, Sam remembers when Jarvis had offered him $10,000 to make his suicide look like murder. While Jessica believes that Sam is innocent, she doesn't believe it was suicide, and asks Sam's son Rod, a police officer, to lend a hand.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Murder, She Wrote

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  7. Murder, She Wrote Season 4 Episode 7 - If It's Thursday, It Must Be Beverly
    8.4/10(731 votes)

    #7 - If It's Thursday, It Must Be Beverly

    S4:E7

    When Deputy Martin becomes a widower by murder, the investigation turns up some surprising activity.

    Director:Peter Crane
    Writer:Wendy Graf

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  8. Murder, She Wrote Season 7 Episode 14 - Who Killed J.B. Fletcher?
    8.4/10(574 votes)

    #8 - Who Killed J.B. Fletcher?

    S7:E14

    A snoopy fan in Texas impersonates Jessica when she starts investigating a potential dog show scandal and Jessica is reported dead.

    Director:Walter Grauman
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. Murder, She Wrote Season 5 Episode 3 - Mr. Penroy's Vacation
    8.3/10(647 votes)

    #9 - Mr. Penroy's Vacation

    S5:E3

    The sisters used a new type of fertilizer to make their chrysanthemums best of show.

    Director:Anthony Pullen Shaw
    Writer:Robert Swanson

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  10. Murder, She Wrote Season 5 Episode 17 - The Sins of Castle Cove
    8.3/10(592 votes)

    #10 - The Sins of Castle Cove

    S5:E17

    A red hot novel, written by a former Fletcher student, seems to expose the small town's secrets and inspires murder. Julie Adams, Gloria DeHaven, Kathryn Grayson and Ruth Roman appear again as the local gossips.

    Director:John Llewellyn Moxey
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Murder, She Wrote Season 2 Episode 10 - Sticks and Stones
    8.2/10(697 votes)

    #11 - Sticks and Stones

    S2:E10

    When a woman is electrocuted in her bathroom, Amos chuckles that even Jessica can't make a murder out of it. Michael Dugby: Parker Stevenson. Harry Pierce: John Astin. Frederich Hoffman: Paul Benedict. Adam Frobisher: Christopher Stone. Edna: Evelyn Keyes.

    Director:Seymour Robbie
    Writers:Mark Giles, Linda Shank

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  12. Murder, She Wrote Season 2 Episode 14 - Keep the Home Fries Burning
    8.2/10(719 votes)

    #12 - Keep the Home Fries Burning

    S2:E14

    Jessica, Seth and Amos try out a new tourist-oriented restaurant, and murder interrupts their meal.

    Director:Peter Crane
    Writer:Philip Garson

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  13. Murder, She Wrote Season 8 Episode 1 - Bite the Big Apple
    8.2/10(444 votes)

    #13 - Bite the Big Apple

    S8:E1

    Jessica heads off to New York to begin teaching and has difficulty finding an apartment. She finally gets one that she likes, only to learn that a murder recently took place in the apartment complex and that someone desperately wants something that is inside her apartment. She's relieved when Seth comes to New York to check up on her, and enlists his help in cracking the case.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:David Moessinger

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  14. Murder, She Wrote Season 6 Episode 11 - Town Father
    8.1/10(516 votes)

    #14 - Town Father

    S6:E11

    The town gets a shock when bachelor Mayor Sam is confronted on the speaker's platform by a young woman claiming he is the father of her five children. Julie Adams, Gloria De Haven, Kathryn Grayson and Ruth Roman return as gossips Eve, Phyllis, Idal and Loretta.

    Director:John Llewellyn Moxey
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. Murder, She Wrote Season 7 Episode 7 - The Return of Preston Giles
    8.1/10(454 votes)

    #15 - The Return of Preston Giles

    S7:E7

    This time it is the company controller that seems to have been the victim of the previously convicted publisher.

    Director:Walter Grauman
    Writer:Tom Sawyer

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  16. Murder, She Wrote Season 7 Episode 13 - Moving Violation
    8.1/10(440 votes)

    #16 - Moving Violation

    S7:E13

    An influential father cuts no ice with Sheriff Metzger.

    Director:Anthony Pullen Shaw
    Writer:Robert Swanson

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  17. Murder, She Wrote Season 8 Episode 4 - Thicker Than Water
    8.1/10(406 votes)

    #17 - Thicker Than Water

    S8:E4

    When his younger brother Wayne, the family's black sheep, becomes chief suspect in the murder of his employer, Sherrif Metzger relies on Jessica to help him keep his perspective about the case.

    Director:Anthony Pullen Shaw
    Writer:Larry DiTillio

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  18. Murder, She Wrote Season 8 Episode 12 - The Witch's Curse
    8.1/10(445 votes)

    #18 - The Witch's Curse

    S8:E12

    The thespians of Cabot Cove put on a play about a 17th century woman who cursed the town before she was executed as a witch.

    Director:Jerry Jameson
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. Murder, She Wrote Season 8 Episode 13 - Incident in Lot 7
    8.1/10(495 votes)

    #19 - Incident in Lot 7

    S8:E13

    The Bates House of the movie, Psycho, is to be the setting of Jessica's book in the film made at Universal Studios.

    Director:Anthony Pullen Shaw
    Writer:J. Michael Straczynski

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  20. Murder, She Wrote Season 2 Episode 6 - Reflections of the Mind
    8.0/10(695 votes)

    #20 - Reflections of the Mind

    S2:E6

    Jessica decides to pay a visit to her long-time friend Francesca, only to learn that Francesca, who is now married to a much younger man, is convinced that she is being haunted by the ghost of her first husband, Ross. When her new husband, Scott, turns up dead, the investigation reveals that he had been poisoned, and suspicion turns to Francesca. Jessica, however, is determined to prove that her friend did not commit the crime, and begins looking into the mysterious re-appearances of her dead husband.

    Director:Seymour Robbie
    Writer:Robert Swanson

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  21. Murder, She Wrote Season 3 Episode 13 - Crossed Up
    8.0/10(664 votes)

    #21 - Crossed Up

    S3:E13

    The phone wires get crossed during a storm and Jessica can't convince anyone that what she heard was real.

    Director:David Hemmings
    Writer:Craig W. Van Sickle

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  22. Murder, She Wrote Season 5 Episode 7 - The Last Flight of the Dixie Damsel
    8.0/10(563 votes)

    #22 - The Last Flight of the Dixie Damsel

    S5:E7

    The airplane her late husband bailed out of in 1952 has finally been found -- with a body inside.

    Director:Vincent McEveety
    Writer:Peter S. Fischer

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  23. Murder, She Wrote Season 5 Episode 9 - Something Borrowed, Someone Blue
    8.0/10(596 votes)

    #23 - Something Borrowed, Someone Blue

    S5:E9

    Grady's wedding seems doomed when someone does in the persnickety housekeeper.

    Director:John Llewellyn Moxey
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. Murder, She Wrote Season 7 Episode 6 - A Body to Die For
    8.0/10(450 votes)

    #24 - A Body to Die For

    S7:E6

    Eve is appalled to find the body of a friend of the local gym owner in her bedroom, but at a loss to explain it.

    Director:Anthony Pullen Shaw
    Writer:Donald Ross

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  25. Murder, She Wrote Season 8 Episode 9 - The Committee
    8.0/10(402 votes)

    #25 - The Committee

    S8:E9

    The governing committee of an exclusive men's club commissions Jessica to identify a rogue member's killer--who likely serves on the committee.

    Director:Jerry Jameson
    Writer:J. Michael Straczynski

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Best Episodes Summary

"Footnote to Murder" is the best rated episode of "Murder, She Wrote". It scored 8.6/10 based on 1080 votes. Directed by Peter Crane and written by Robert Swanson, it aired on 3/10/1985. This episode scored 0.1 points higher than the second highest rated, "Trial by Error".