Murder She Wrote is coming back

For the nostalgics of the legendary Jessica Fletcher, the astute detective and mystery writer devoted to her typewriter, there is good news: Murder She Wrote, embodied by Angela Lansbury, the actress who portrayed our favorite investigator for two decades, is set to return to the big screen (in addition to the series, four films were produced in the '90s and 2000s dedicated to the investigator). This revelation comes from the magazine Variety, which reports that Academy Award winner Jamie Lee Curtis could take on the role of Fletcher. A staple of television between the '80s and '90s with her coiffed hair, tweed suits, cream trench coat, and cardigans paired with scarves, the polite yet enterprising Jessica Fletcher remains a constant in an ever-changing world.

Murder She Wrote is the original title of the cult series that established Lansbury in the collective imagination of the whodunit genre, the classic deductive mystery beloved by Agatha Christie, which also includes the legendary Columbo, portrayed by Peter Falk, and Miss Marple, a role Lansbury herself played years earlier. Curious, determined, and with an innate sense of justice, Fletcher entered millions of households for twelve seasons starting in 1984. Her soothing yet firm voice accompanied intergenerational audiences until 1996. The show’s success is evident in its numbers, averaging 25 million viewers per episode with peaks reaching 40 million.

The series revolves around a retired teacher recently widowed, who unexpectedly finds success as a writer. Her passion for investigation leads her to outsmart the police in solving complex cases against the sunny backdrop of Cabot Cove, Maine. Angela Lansbury’s iconic role seems destined: in 1984, Jean Stapleton, the director’s first choice, turned down the role for personal reasons, as Lansbury confirmed in an interview with PEOPLE: «She had just lost her husband and didn’t want to do anything.» Reflecting on the script, Lansbury said, «When I read it, I felt it could have been written for me. Besides, there are so few decent roles for women on television, and I was immediately drawn to Jessica.»

Without a badge, Jessica Fletcher owned crime scenes in a lace-covered Gotham City and became a heroic figure in her grounded, relatable nature, as if crafted to mirror our best traits. Her empathy, ability to see the good in people, intelligence, and of course, her manners, won the hearts of millions. Jessica enchanted everyone and tackled every challenge with consistency and courage, always ending each episode with a smile. «Attempting to keep my show going is a big challenge. If I succeed at the age of 59, it will be a small miracle. I felt it would be a gap in my acting experience if I never did a TV series. I wanted to act for that vast audience at least once,» the protagonist once remarked. She paved the way for an entire generation of actresses who found fame after fifty, creating a renaissance for mature women, previously relegated to minor roles.

Many details transformed Fletcher, with her creative intuition, into a communal character guiding us through clue-finding journeys. Iconic elements like her bicycle or the numerous taxis where she unraveled city mysteries became staples. With a linear, coherent narrative, the epiphany of discovery of the culprit—always ten minutes before the episode ends—became a reassuring formula. Another comforting element was her home, at 698 Candlewood Lane in fictional Cabot Cove, unchanged until the sixth season. In the seventh, due to declining viewership, Angela Lansbury took on the role of executive producer, relocating the story to New York and replacing the typewriter with a computer, all while maintaining her authentic and sharp demeanor. These elements continue to make Murder She Wrote an enduring phenomenon, perfect for those wanting a break from family intrigue dramas. Even if the co-stars aren’t Hollywood A-listers or the pacing and plots are repetitive, the show’s enduring appeal lies in the certainty of crime resolution.

Over time, various social media adaptations of Murder She Wrote emerged: the Instagram account @murdershelook turned the detective into a Millennial icon. Cici Harrison, born in 1984—the same year the series premiered—celebrated the show pivotal to her formative years by creating a profile showcasing the protagonist’s best outfits: high-waisted jeans, elegant hats, cowgirl attire, and vibrant plaid shirts. Never out of place, with looks reminiscent of beloved vintage racks. Trench coats, long skirts in subdued colors, turbans, tailored jackets—the impeccable style of Lansbury, as planned by costume designer Eilish Zebrasky, was well thought out. In a LA Times interview from 1992, Zebrasky noted: «The character doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone and simply needs to be herself,» reinforcing one of the most popular lessons from our favorite nosy sleuth: «Those who need to prove their worth are rarely worth much.»