The 60 Minutes Segment That Had Viewers Talking About A Murder She Wrote Reboot
Despite her obvious talent, Angela Lansbury was known as more of a character actress than a Hollywood one at the beginning of her career, but that changed after she landed the role of mystery writer and amateur sleuth Jessica Fletcher in "Murder, She Wrote." The show was a massive hit for the CBS network. As reported by PBS, the series raked in ratings for years. Lansbury still holds the record for the most Golden Globe nominations and wins for best actress in a television drama series, as well as the most Emmy nominations for lead actress in a drama series. Playing Jessica Fletcher was the first time Lansbury got to take center stage as the leading lady, so she was naturally devastated when the show was cancelled.
In November 1996, Lansbury was interviewed by Lesley Stahl for "60 Minutes" shortly after audiences learned that "Murder, She Wrote" would be ending after 12 seasons (via YouTube). Throughout the installment, she describes the importance of Jessica Fletcher's cultural impact, and the segment highlights how the role changed her career. Lansbury was nearly moved to tears over the show's cancellation, and her passionate response has fans wondering why a reboot of the series hasn't been considered.
Angela Lansbury reflects on the cancellation of Murder, She Wrote
During the "60 Minutes" interview, Lesley Stahl went into detail about the chain of events that led to the ending of "Murder, She Wrote." The show was a hit for the network's Sunday night lineup for years, though an effort to draw a younger audience led the powers at CBS to move the show to a new timeslot. This decision backfired, and viewership plummeted. The show was ultimately cancelled after 12 seasons, but a revival is always possible in a world where old shows are constantly getting rebooted. In a Reddit thread discussing the "60 Minutes" interview, user u/chumchees couldn't help but wonder, "How has this show not been rebooted yet?"
The idea definitely has merit, though the show would need to be adapted for a modern audience. The show's original format may require updates, but the overall premise offers plenty of storytelling opportunities. "A reboot of the show would have to be played straight. 'Murder, She Wrote' was an incredibly sincere show, and being jaded or cynical with it would be very difficult to pull off," pointed out u/radixius.
Sadly, Angela Lansbury passed away in October 2022, so hopefully, any potential reboot would pay homage to the actor. Thankfully, Redditor u/s3rila already has an excellent idea for what a spin-off series could be about: "Do a season about finding out who killed Jessica Fletcher, who wanted revenge from her the most? So many people to investigate."