Hey everyone, PushingUpRoses here and today I am talking about one of the wildest episodes
of Murder, She Wrote.
And I when I say wild, I mean that in a good way, not like when the show goes completely
off the rails in later seasons.
It’s called Murder Takes the Bus, season one, episode 20, and I think it’s one of
the best episodes in the series.
Murder, She Wrote has always had this cheesy nature to it and that’s what I like about
it; in most cosy murder mysteries, there’s always some element of humor and goofiness
because the murders themselves take a backseat to the characters and settings.
This show has always fallen somewhere in between the cosy genre, which was made popular by
Agatha Christie, and a television sitcom.
For example, when I reviewed Something Borrowed, Someone Blue from season five, that came across
as a slapstick comedy, whereas the episode I am reviewing today hits every trope you
read in a Christie novel.
In fact, her influence can be found all over this show, but this particular episode is
a little more on point than most.
It also has an impressive guest star list, including but not limited to Rue McClanahan
of Golden Girls fame, and Linda Blair who we of course ALL know from her most acclaimed
film….
Roller Boogie.
If I may digress slightly, whose idea was it to put an ugly white vignette around the
intro in these early seasons?
Are they trying to make it look like a dream or what?
It’s more like a nightmare.
Awful.
As we begin we join Jessica and Sheriff Tupper, who are on their way to Portland Maine for
the Sheriff’s Association Dinner.
As usual, Tupper is more interested in the food than anything else.
Tupper: “Probably miss the hors d’oeuvres.”
There’s also a drawing for a big screen TV, which by 80s standards means 30 inches
and built into a heavy wooden frame.
Hope you like where you put it because you won’t be moving it ever again
Sadly, Tupper’s car broke down so they will be taking the bus.
While Jess is waiting for him to come back with the tickets, a man who is clearly copying
her beige trench coat ensemble approaches her to ask where she’s going, then discuss
the weather.
Cyrus: “Smell that air.
Be rain in 20 minutes, you watch.”
Oh really, was it the thunder that tipped you off?
They take their seats among the small group of people, one who expresses great interest
in Jessica as she recognizes her as a writer.
Miriam: “Her Kent, she writes WONDERFUL whodunnits.”
I don’t know how nobody heard her because she’s whispering at 90 decibels.
“OMG DO YOU SEE HER SHE IS THE GREATEST.
Ahhh, an hours long bus ride with Amos Tupper…can you imagine what that would be like?
What are they gonna talk about, PIE?
As the storm starts to rage they pick up someone in front of a state prison, a man who seems
to see someone on the bus that frightens him.
While the bus is stopped briefly, Miriam hops over to express her admiration.
Miriam: “I think you are a wonderful writer.”
Oh god, I am getting Misery vibes.
Annie Wilkes: “I’m your number one fan.”
Miriam: “In fact, you’re in the top 10 of my “most stolen list.”
I’m writing a YouTube listicle about it!
Jess: “I’m very flattered…
I think.”
It should be noted that this is one of the best build ups in any of the Murder, She Wrote
episodes, it’s very cinematic and it sets a creepy, foreboding tone.
The dangerous weather adds to the suspense, as does this new guy they picked up from the
road.
He’s packing heat AND a very loud tie!
Unrelated, but I love how Sheriff Tupper is just dead asleep while Jessica is observing
everything and everyone around her.
Classic Amos.
The bus comes to a quick stop, conveniently in front of an all night diner, and the driver
makes an announcement.
Ben: “Uh, sorry folks, we seem to be having a bit of engine trouble.”
Everyone unloads and heads into the cafe, which looks like it was designed by David
Lynch.
Lynch: “No no no no it’s not that!”
Tupper decides that the best thing to do in this situation is get some food.Jess: “I
couldn’t help but notice that apple pie over there, it looks homemade.
Chef: “My own recipe!”
Tupper: “Would you make that two with a slice of cheddar...”
Eeewwwwww.
Tupper: “Sure had my heart set on that TV set.”
But I’ll take the pie.
Jess goes to retrieve something from the bus, and finds that THIS guy is DEAD.
This is the man they picked up from the state prison.
Death by screwdriver.
Even though Tupper can’t do much in this situation because it’s not in his jurisdiction,
he and Jess take a moment to examine the body and come up with a plan.
Jess: “But, I mean, the situation’s obvious.”
This man has a screw loose.
They find his prison release papers on the floor and identify him as Gilbert Stoner.
Miriam gets a bit restless and also returns to the bus.
She sees the corpse and moans, and for once, it’s not a pleasuresome one.
This situation is called closed circle, where something happens in a specific location because
circumstances have prohibited them from leaving.
In this case, it’s the rain and addition of the murder.
This is a VERY common murder mystery trope that is still being used today, though to
a lesser extent due to our ever advancing technology.
Speaking of: Tupper: “What about you?”
Steve: “Steve Pascal, computer engineer, this is my wife Jane, we were on our way to
Portland.”
Really.
Your name’s Pascal, and you’re a computer engineer.
Clever.
Through conversation they figure out that Stoner was involved in a bank robbery with
two other men - one was killed, one got away, and an innocent bystander was killed during
the chaos, a young woman.
Stoner obviously went to prison.
Everyone then starts introducing themselves, while telling Sheriff Tupper where they were
during the murder.
Jess confronts Steve, saying she him talking to Stoner in private, and it looked like a
heated conversation.
“We just exchanged a few words, that’s all.”
Were those words, “I will kill you?”
Not everybody has something valuable to contribute to the conversation.
Cyrus: “This is a fearsome storm.”
Dude, there’s a murderer on the loose.
Nobody cares about the weather.
Actually, that is ALL this man has talked about so far.
Cyrus: “Many a night I’ve been trapped in a storm ridden airport.
Never bothered me.”
“Last year I took my vacation in Hawaii.
It rained.”
“Never had much use for camels” ...What??
Jessica notices the resemblance between Steve and one of the men in the photo she collected
from Stoner’s wallet.
He refuses to answer any questions, but his wife admits that the man is his father, who
was also killed during the robbery.
Aha, a motive!
This guy said he was playing the arcade game in the back while the murder was happening,
so Jess goes to check the machine and play a quick round of…
Road Hog.
Jess: “Road Hog?”
Kent: “Road Hog?”
Not a real game, by the way.
I had to know what this cabinet was so I did some research, and a quick search claims the
machine itself was Spy Hunter, but the cabinet art you see here is from Omega Race.
Awesome, now that we know that… wait, rewind.
Druze???
Jess and Tupper also decide it might be a good idea to check out the bus, as the driver
said he was working on it during the murder.
Jess: “Excuse me Amos.”
I’ve always wanted to do this.
Tupper notices the damper switch is on, and because he has bus driving experience, which
was only mentioned RIGHT now, he runs off to check on something.
Jess starts investigating around the restaurant and finds a scattered suitcase, and an ominous
looking Steve.
Don’t worry, he just has resting ominous face.
He helps Jess bring the suitcase inside.
Steve admits he was following Stoner here with intent to confront him about the death
of his father, and Tupper is like “How did you know he was getting out?”
Turns out it was in the papers, so a lot of people knew about it.
Tupper reads the article and discovers the woman killed during the robbery was named
Julie Gibbons… hmmm… sounds familiar.
*pop* Ah yes, the bus driver!
Aha!
ANOTHER motive!
With that, Tupper makes a most shocking statement: “I knew who our killer was a half hour ago.”
Oh Amos, you try… but yeah.
This look on Jessica’s face is not one of confidence.
Tupper accuses Ben, the bus driver, of killing Stoner, claiming that the damper switch was
thrown on purpose so he would have to stop the bus.
While he was pretending to fix the engine, that’s when snuck back to stab him.
Bizarrely and without much resistance, he then ADMITS to stabbing him, saying he found
him sleeping and wanted revenge for his daughter’s death.
Jessica is of course like NOPE!
Oh yes, he stabbed him, but he was already dead.
She noticed earlier that the murder weapon had virtually no blood on it, caused by postmortem
lividity.
That’s the fourth stage of death, you know.
There were also bruises around Stoner’s neck, so she believes somebody strangled him.
Jess is so smart, I love hearing her talk about hypostasis.
Jess: “Well thank you!”
The guy with the loud tie tries the CB radio with no success.
Jessica takes this opportunity to call him out as well, as he was hiding his identity.
He is ALSO there because of Stoner, he’s a private investigator hoping to find the
stolen bank robbery loot.
I just love how many insane coincidences there are and how many of these characters are connected.
Kind of reminds me of Clue, where the characters are also in a closed circle situation and
all have ties to the murder victims.
Jessica makes another trip to the bus and finds the book Stoner was seen carrying earlier,
hoping to find a clue.
Jess: Strange, the dust jackets is in tatters.
Rolling Stones: I’ve been SHATTERED” Then suddenly, the lights go out!
Jane: “This reminds me of camp when I was a little girl, sitting around in the dark
telling ghost stories.”
Cyrus: “Only this time the monsters are real.”
Sir… this is an Arby’s.
The killer runs into the CB room, shoots the P.I .in the arm, and smashes the radio.
Oh, now we’re going for The Shining vibes I see.
Good, can someone ask Linda Blair if she can talk to her finger?
Grayson doesn’t recall who shot him but don’t worry, he’s fine.
The sailor even ties a real pretty bow with his bandages! *ding!*
As we near the end of the episode, things get even weirder.
That old tattered book suddenly goes missing, but why would anyone want it?
Jess: “Amos, Mr. Stoner’s book has disappeared!”
People start speculating that the killer took it because it is the key to the missing money,
but actually it was Miriam who took it simply because she knew it was a very rare book and
needed the money.
It’s a good thing that Jess deduced that she took it because there was indeed something
hidden in the torn up binding.
See?
I told you it was the key to the missing money.
Badumtish.
She then turns to the captain and asked if this was what he was looking for and I am
like “What??
THIS guy?
He’s hardly spoken a word this entire time.
Though… the camera DID zoom in on him slowly earlier..hmmmm.
See, he can’t be a sailor.
Because a sailor wouldn’t tie a granny knot like this.
*ding!* No way, he would tie a square knot.
I have no idea how Jess gets to this completely obscure revelation, but it turned out to be
true.
He was the accomplice who got away; he was ALSO following Stoner, hoping to find the
loot.
But he’s not the killer either, so who is?
Who could it be…
Well… the killer is….
Shyrea, yeah right!
I’m not telling.
That’s right folks, for this video, I’m not going to reveal the conclusion because
I thought this episode was so enjoyable that I want you to watch it for yourselves.
Especially if you are a fan of cosy murder mysteries, the works of Agatha Christie, or
even the 1985 comedy movie Clue.
Even though this story is clearly inspired by other works, there’s something a lot
less contrived about it than say, these goofier episodes from some of the later seasons.
I enjoyed the homage to the murder mystery genre, I think the tropes were used well,
I think the lead up to the murder was really exciting and well done, and I loved how it
concluded.
Jess is especially stellar here as it shows off her deduction skills; there are many episodes
in Murder, She Wrote where she takes a back seat, but not here.
She’s clearly in the driver’s seat the entire time.
The only disappointment I really have is that Linda Blair hardly got any lines, kind of
a waste of a cameo.
But I do understand that there were a lot of characters involved in this mystery so
I imagine it was hard to split up the screen time, especially with so many big names involved.
The important thing is that we got to see Road Hog.
Jess: “Road Hog?”
Murder Takes the Bus - season one, episode 20.
HIGHLY recommended.
If there is an episode of Murder, She Wrote you are just DYING to see me cover, then please
leave a suggestion in the comments.
It might just turn into one of these videos.
Until then, happy Sleuthing.
Hey everyone, thanks for watching my video on Murder Takes the Bus; I really do hope
you watch this one.
If you’re interested in more murder mystery related content then you should check out
my channel, but first!
First…
Patreooooon.
Yes, Patreon, where you can donate to me in a strictly business sense.
Don’t like leaving comments?
Don’t like sharing videos?
More of a transaction type of person?
Then consider donating to me so I can keep the show going.
If you can’t or just don’t want to, no worries - likes and shares also help.
Before you subscribe, and I just KNOW you will, here’s a few other videos to consider.
On the left we have another review of Murder, She Wrote, and on the right we have a comprehensive
video on the history of Clue.
Haven’t you always wanted to know how that board game came about?
Sure you do.
Thanks again and as always, I’ll see you in the next one.