User Reviews

On occasion through the "MSW" series, an episode may be set in an unidentified American location, but specified in general terms, such as somewhere in New England or somewhere in the U.S. Midwest, and now we've reached the first instance of a generalized U.S. location. (Canadian episodes are pinpointed by Province, whereas foreign locations are generally specified by city, or at least country, with the exception of a couple of exotic island localities, as "somewhere in the Mediterranean," or "somewhere in the Caribbean."

This time around, however, Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) does arrive via Chicago to the residence of her niece and family, so we may safely assume that the action transpires near Chicago, likely in Illinois.

Carol Donovan (Anne Kerry) serves in the capacity of Jessica's latest niece in trouble. Carol's household consists of husband, Police Detective Lieutenant Bert Donovan (James Stephens), and children Billy Donovan (Joaquin Phoenix) and Cindy Donovan (Summer Phoenix), played by real life siblings, with Jessica as Great-Aunt.

While Bert handles his investigating responsibilities, Carol and the children welcome Jessica to visit a local amusement park, at which they enjoy a live adaptation of Victor Hugo's 1831 novel, "Le Bossu de Notre Dame" ("The Hunchback of Notre Dame"), with Horatio Baldwin (James Coco) as Quasimodo.

Proprietor Horatio Baldwin receives Jessica well, for he has designed his theme park around elements from Mystery books and seeks her approval to adapt from J.B. Fletcher, making an offer which Jessica declines.

Partner Michael Gardner (George DiCenzo) also has dealings with Jessica, with a staff including electrician Nils Highlander (Gene Evans), administrator Phillip Carlson (Kristoffer Tabori), and secretary Laurie Bascomb (Kim Darby).

Arnold Megrim (Richard Sanders) also experiences sour dealings with the park moguls, and after he withdraws his funds, he is accused of embezzling and pursued to the airport, where a Clerk (Laura Leyva) presses a button to contact armed guards after noticing a discrepancy in Arnold's identification.

During Jessica's visit, nephew-in-law Lieutenant Bert Donovan is summoned to attend to altercations at the nearby theme park, which also contains a wizardry exhibition designed after Horatio, a house of mirrors, plus secret chambers.

But when a body is discovered behind the door of a locked office, Captain Davis (John Schuck) arrives to investigate and initially considers a suicide, as no one else could have entered nor exited until two security guards (Ivan Saric and Vince Howard) dismantle the door.

As Jessica assists in investigation the office for hidden panels and the like, a second murder occurs from the balcony of a high-rise apartment unit, when the perpetrator places a tape recording of a cat's calling for attention near the railing, and then pushing the victim to land several stories below.

Ned O'Brien (Eric Server) and Skycap (Henry G. Sanders) then abduct Jessica at the airport, by request of Erica Baldwin (Christine Belford), who, while relaxing inside her private jet, presents a business proposition for Jessica to prove that the first victim has succumbed to murder rather than suicide, a matter which Jessica tends to agree because she feels certain that the two "suicides" must somehow be related by someone holding firm to the notion that "We're Off to Kill the Wizard."

Jessica then works alongside Bert Donovan and Captain Davis, by questioning Laurie Bascomb as to how the telephone system works, Phillip Carlson, as to how the office operates, and Nils Highlander as to how the wizard exhibition maneuvers, thus where to discover a concealed microfilm, in the house of mirror, before facing the killer in a showdown.

The cast is rounded out by Laura Leyva as Clerk, Ivan Saric as Security Guard, and Vince Howard as Guard #2.

This episode represents the first of two "MSW" guest roles each for Kim Darby, Gene Evans, Richard Sanders, Eric Server and John Schuck, the first of four guest performances each by Christine Belford, James Stephens and Kristoffer Tabori, the first of five series appearances for Vince Howard, and the first of six "MSW" guest roles for George DiCenzo. James Coco, acting in film and on television since 1961, has unfortunately since passed.

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.

As far as Season 1 episodes go (a decent season overall but understandably with a still settling vibe), "We're Off to Kill the Wizard" is not quite as good as "The Murder of Sherlock Holmes" (more the pilot episode), "Lovers and Other Killers" and "Hit, Run and Homicide" of the episodes before it but to me is one of the better episodes up to this point, where the weakest episodes were "Deadly Lady" and "It's a Dog's Life" and even they were still a long way from bad episodes.

"We're Off to Kill the Wizard" isn't quite perfect, with Kristoffer Tabouri being a bit of a dull presence as Carlson and there is an intentionally creepy and quite perverted line from Horatio Baldwin in his scene with Jessica that comes over as pretty cringe-worthy. Admittedly too, it was pretty obvious who the victim was going to be, one of the show's most hated and most loathsome, even Jessica most likely would have been glad to see him offed.

However, "We're Off to Kill the Wizard" is very slickly filmed, especially at the end, and the theme park setting had a real creepiness, especially when we're introduced to Baldwin and the build up to the discovery of the body. The music has presence but also not making the mistake of over-scoring, while it is hard to forget or resist the theme tune.

The writing, apart from one line, is charmingly light-hearted, gently amiable and down to earth but provokes thought too. Really enjoyed the scenes between Jessica and the Donovans, which were both amusing and sweet, and appreciated that the final solution was talky and had lengthy explanations, which usually would bog things down elsewhere but for such a complicated and elaborate murder it was necessary here. The change of pace from Jessica's help being appreciated by the police at this point in the show was nice to see.

Story is absorbing and clever, with a clever and elaborate if more complicated than most 'Murder She Wrote' murders murder and an, for Season 1, ingenious final solution, both in explanation and how it was staged with an illusion influence and due to so many suspects the murderer was not easy to figure out, not resorting to give-away chance remarks or close-ups of something not being quite right with clothes or the appearance of characters. The scene between Jessica and Baldwin was otherwise great and one totally gets Jessica's reaction of shock and disgust, we feel it too.

Angela Lansbury is terrific in one of her best remembered roles (one of the roles that is most closely associated with me at any rate). James Coco enjoys himself wonderfully as Baldwin and the Donovans are charmingly played. Look out for a young Joaquin Phoenix before he became famous and became, from personal opinion, one of the better actors today.

In conclusion, very solid episode. 8/10 Bethany Cox

When Jessica visits her Kansas relatives, police detective Lieutenant Bert Donovan's family, she is invited by theme park magnate Horatio Baldwin and firmly turns down his project for another one based on horror elements from her mystery books. Shortly after Horatio is found dead in his self-locked office, apparently suicide, but actually got a fatal blow on the head before the shot. After Erica Baldwin becomes a rich widow for the fourth time, she hires Jessica to prove it was murder so the life-insurance can be cleared. Horatio's secretary makes a false confession.

Quite an enjoyable episode of the locked room variety- a man, who was quite murky in business in various ways, commits suicide in his office with the door locked from the inside. There's plenty of suspects as the victim knew how to make enemies and influence them to think of murder. But Jessica soon finds out how the killer got in and out while stealing Horatio's secret files and more, and then she sets a trap...

Jessica is in Kansas, visiting more of her extensive family. She's invited to the theme park of 'Horrible' Horatio Baldwin, an odious, manipulative man, who tries coercing Jessica into selling him the rights of her work, in order to open a theme Park. Baldwin is unpleasant to all those around him, so it comes as no surprise that he ends up dead, but as he's found in a locked room, it had to be suicide.

I love this episode, and it's one of my favourites in the wonderful first series, it's a great storyline, has wonderful characters, and the resulting solving of the murder is brilliant. I particularly loved James Coco (Horatio,) a wonderfully talented and unique actor. Wonderful production values, the theme park looks excellent.

Looking back now, the show had a wonderful record in hiring young talent, note a young Joaquin Phoenix.

Excellent. 9/10

I noticed that the death of Horatio Baldwin looked VERY familiar, as this method (or a variation on it) has been used in many movies, TV shows and books. Despite this, the episode is entertaining...though the murderer's actions are complicated to say the least.

While visiting family, Jessica Fletcher meets the owner and guiding force of a strange amusement park, Horatio Baldwin (James Coco). However, she soon realizes the guy is a real nasty piece of work...so you assume that HE will be the murder victim...or at least the first one. This turns out to be true but the way his body is discovered is odd. Guards hear a shot ring out and when they use an axe to enter the room from which it came, they find that their boss shot himself. But the autopsy shows he was already dead before the show rang out...which makes you wonder what the heck really happened.

Apart from an overly complicated way to hide the murder, this is a very enjoyable episode...worth seeing and clever.

Jessica Fletcher is becoming quite the globetrotter now and apparently has relatives in all kinds of places. She's in the midwest now and visiting niece Anne Kerry and her husband James Stephens who happens to be a police detective.

While there the whole group which includes two kids go to the opening of a new theme park based on horror stories. The creator of this place and other like it is James Coco whose genial public persona is a total lie. He's a ruthless businessman and when he dies no one is really mourning.

But he died in a locked room, underground and bolted from the inside. Coco's less than grieving widow Christine Belford actually hires Angela Lansbury to prove it was murder rather than suicide.

It's all in the how here, but when the crime is revealed in flashback it was really way too clever in the cover-up because we also see the murder was quite spontaneous. The perpetrator is clever, but I can't believe that clever.

Still locked room murders are always intriguing.