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.
"Death Stalks the Big Top Part 1" is a great start for Season 3, and to me the best 'Murder She Wrote' since Season 2's "Keep the Home Fries Burning". To me it wasn't overblown and with such a lot of twists and a lot going on having the episode in two parts was not just justified but in some ways needed. Just personal opinion of course. The whole business with the leprechaun figurine did create some poignancy, while the scenes at the circus were fun and saw a lot of tension between the characters, hard not to with such a loathsome character in Hank.
Who's going to get killed is blatantly obvious, hardly the first time on 'Murder She Wrote' and certainly not the last, but in no way does that spoil the enjoyment of the episode.
Production values are high in quality as to be expected, with slick photography and a great circus setting that has so much colour and fun but also an equal amount of character tension under the surface. 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 tight, thought-provoking and typically amiable and the characters and chemistry are good fun. The story is very engaging and suitably twisty.
Can't say enough good about Angela Lansbury, she is always dependable and there is a reason as to why Jessica Fletcher is one of her best-remembered roles. It was interesting to see a young Courteney Cox in an early role while former child star Jackie Cooper and Laraine Day bring classy colour and Charles Napier relishes his role as perhaps one of the show's most loathsome characters.
In conclusion, great season premiere. 10/10 Bethany Cox