Hey everyone, PushingUpRoses here and welcome back to another bloodcurdling episode of That
Time on Murder, She Wrote.
Today I’m talking about a special episode; this series focuses on JB Fletcher, a writer
turned amatuer sleuth who helps bumbling detectives solve homicide cases, but in this one, Jessica
doesn’t feature at all.
Instead, this story takes place in London, and the protagonist is now her british Cousin
Emma MacGill, a flashy theater actress with red hair and a hammy accent.
Emma: “Poison?
Oh good lord, and he suspects me…” well, bob’s your uncle!
Jessica’s family tree has always been kind of sketchy; it seems like she has a million
family members, particularly cousins, nieces, and nephews, but Emma is at least recurring.
She was introduced in the second season, where Jess helped her evade murder, but in this
episode, we ONLY see Emma who is now the one in the gumshoe role, and appropriately titled
“It Runs in the Family.”
I can’t wait to rewatch this one because I adore Lansbury’s goofy performance as
Emma - she’s so extra.
It reminds me of when she played Mrs. Lovett in the morbid musical, Sweeny Todd: The Demon
Barber of Fleet Street.
Lansbury did a lot of theater work throughout her career, particularly musicals and that
style of acting definitely leaks into her performance as Emma.
We even get a song.
Emma: “How’d ya like to spoon with me…”
Ooohhh!
As we begin the episode we are presented with Emma and her friends, sharing a pint and reminiscing
at a pub.
Emma’s career in musical theater is immediately established by her friends, who ask her if
she’d consider getting back on the stage to sing.
Emma: “Oh, this voice isn’t what it used to be, it has more cracks than an old teapot.”
Oh?
By the way, did you see that thread on Twitter about Angela Lansbury as teapots?
Classic.
Emma is approached by a man telling her he needs to speak with her, and that it’s urgent.
Anything for you, Mr. Belvedere.
Turns out a very old friend of hers, a man she once had a romantic attraction to, wants
to see her.
He’s now the 18th Viscount Blackraven.
I’m just kind of shrugging in American right now because I have no idea what any of that
means, but it sounds BADASS.
The Viscount, who’s name is Geoffrey, also sent along a thousand pounds and Emma is insulted
he would try to bribe her to visit, but Humphry, the family solicitor, said it was in case
she didn’t remember.
He also just randomly drops THIS bomb on her.
“The viscount is dying.
He only has a short time to live.”
Oh bugger.
Humphry takes her up to the mansion the next morning, where she starts to get nervous.
“I’m not exactly 19 anymore now am I?
“And the viscount isn’t exactly 22..” but I would tap both of you.
Time to meet the family!
First we have Geoffrey’s sister Sybil, who seems reserved and not thrilled to see Emma,
followed by meeting his grandnephew.
Is that Sting?
Neither him or his mother, Pauline, give any fucks about meeting Emma.
Derek runs off in a huff.
Derek: “I don’t want to be reached.”
Don’t stand so close to meeeee!
Emma goes up to see her old friend, and they are over the moon to see each other again.
It’s actually a really sweet scene, with two old friends rekindling their spark and
reflecting on the past.
Geoffrey tells her he just wanted to see her one last time before he passes in a few months,
and that he also wants to give her a house with some income after he dies.
My my, they must have had QUITE the fling for him to want to give her an entire house.
This is so wholesome.
Meanwhile, Geoffrey’s nephew, Arthur, and his wife Pauline chit chat before dinner;
Pauline seems to hate the fact that Arthur isn’t taking becoming the 19th viscount
more seriously because it would give them a lot of notoriety, but he’s really not
into it.
She’s also not jazzed that Geoffrey is gifting a house to Emma.
Pauline: “Oh good lord!”
Nice pun.
Geoffrey’s other nephew, Johnny, also returns home, bringing his lady-friend with him.
Jane Leeves!
You probably recognize her from her role as Daphne from Fraiser - this is one of her first
television appearances.
The family decides they don’t like her, labeling her cheap and obvious.
They also dislike Emma, referring to her in the same way.
Emma picks at her pickled herring, saying she would like to eat it but had a terrible
case of food poisoning caused by it many years ago.
Geoffrey understands and eats her portion.
Geoffrey: “More for me then.”
Food poisoning sounds lovely, YOLO!
After dinner, Pauline beguiles everyone with her… questionable piano skills.
This reaction is PERFECT to meme.
Love it.
The Count is like, yes but maybe someone with TALENT can entertain us now, and suggests
Emma sing a song she used to perform while she was acting.
I am SO EXCITED.
I love it when Lansbury sings.
ANGELA LANSBURY FACT: Did you know she recorded “Beauty and the Beast” from the Disney
film of the same name in ONE take after being up all night traveling?
Nailed it.
Em starts playing a very beautiful song, but Geoffrey is like “No no, play that other
one.”
She hesitates briefly, then goes into this little diddy.
“How’d ya like to spoon with me?”
Wow, I really thought Sybil was about to literally clutch her pearls.
Geoffrey is all about it though.
Emma: “How’d ya like to spoon with me?
Geoffrey: “I would.”
Geoffrey, you hound!
This is really such a treat, because Lansbury originally sung this song in the 1946 film
“Till the Clouds Roll By.”
Lansbury: “How’d ya like to spoon with me?
(I’d like to) How’d you like to spoon with me?
(well rather)” Emma: “Sit beneath an oak tree large and shady” Lansbury: “How’d
ya like to spoon with me?
(what a daisy.)”
Pauline: “UGH that woman.”
Shut up Karen, go back to cowering into your shoulder pads.
Arthur really liked the performance, but Pauline blows a gasket, telling him that Emma won’t
be getting ANYTHING from their family.
Pauline: “Over my dead body does she get anything from this family.
Not now, EVER.”
Is that Rod Stewart?
The family doctor does a routine checkup on Geoffrey, and he is pleasantly surprised to
find that he’s doing much better.
Much to the annoyance of his greedy family, it seems that Geoffrey has another 20 years
ahead of him.
Of course, it’s Emma who has revived him, and he plans to celebrate this new feeling
by taking her on a picnic.
On their way there, he tells her his father, the 17th viscount Blackraven, had died just
a couple months ago.
Huh, weird coincidence.
Geoffrey’s selfish family is fuming that Emma has basically extended his life; they
want him dead sooner than later so someone can be the next viscount, even though the
person next in line doesn’t really care.
Humphry feels good about bringing the two together because he feels like he thwarted
their relationship many years ago when he insisted Geoffrey to leave London, so he refuses
to break it apart.
Geoffrey’s sister threatens to expose him, saying she knew he was feeding the 17th viscount
whiskey and chocolate, potentially leading to his death.
If you want to compare this to something more modern, it’s VERY similar to Knives Out
- there’s a will or inheritance on the line, and the characters make up this selfish, cutthroat
family who care more about social status than someone’s well-being.
Makes sense that modern mysteries still use these themes; they’ve been used in mystery
stories since...forever.
It’s a Tale as Old as Time! (badum ching!)
Soooooo… this guy is dead.
NOOOOOOOO nooooo, ugh NOOOO I wanted this love story to work out!!!
While he was on the picnic with Emma, he just kind of keeled over.
Emma drives off to get help, but it’s too late.
The doctor thinks it was a heart attack, but the detective suspects foul play and demands
an autopsy.
The doctor is insulted, exclaiming “this was the viscount Blackraven!”
Detective: “I don’t care if he was the bleedin’ Duke of York.”
GASP
Poor Emma, I feel so terrible for her.
She is the only one genuinely sad about Geoffrey’s death, everyone else is pretty chill about
it, as you can expect.
Pauline is suspiciously already referring to herself as the viscountess.
Pauline: “I think it’s time the ladies of the shire get acquainted with the NEW viscountess.
(to the detective) “I’m Pauline Constable, wife of the new viscount.”
Humphrey sits next to Emma while she’s interrogated.
Humphrey: “What is the point of all these questions?”
Dude there’s been like two questions, calm down.
Emma has to stay on the premises until she’s given the okay to leave, and aaaaaaaaaaaawwwwww.
She’s reading her cousin’s book - looks like we get to see a tiny bit of Jess after
all.
Derek rides in enthusiastically on a horse.
Sybil: “Derek, don’t you think this is inappropriate?
Derek: “Sorry, it can’t be helped…”
Much like my hair.
Emma is called in to be questioned further, where she explains she used the pickled herring
they had last night in her picnic basket.
She left it unattended while she got dressed, and they speculate that someone could have
dumped poison on it.
The family knew Emma wouldn’t eat it since she explained her food poisoning incident.
While Emma is talking to the detective, she realizes that Geoffrey’s father died in
a similar manner, and that someone in the family planned both of these deaths.
She also says her cousin, Jess, inspired her to come to this conclusion.
The detective is impressed.
Detective: “There is nothing amateurish about your supporsition.
Nothing whatsoever…”
Do I suck at my job…?
Due to this new evidence, the body of Geoffrey’s father is exhumed.
During this, Humphrey learns that Johnny, this guy, was involved with some shady people
and may need money.
Emma questions Gwen, his girlfriend, but is interrupted by more strange news.
Humphrey: There’s been a hunting accident!
Young Derek Constable has just been shot!”
Haha!
What?!
During this scene you can see Lansbury knocking over some beer, clearly an accident but left
in.
Meanwhile, nobody knows who shot Derek or why, it seems like a diversion.
Emma has an idea of who is behind all of it, and pretends to leave, which the family is
VERY eager about.
She and Humphrey hop in the car to get to the train station, but it won’t start.
Emma: “What a pity, it won’t start!”
Humphrey: “It seldom will when you remove the distributor cap.”
Humphrey asks if he could use Pauline’s car, which she is VERY anxious about.
The detective hops onto the site and asks her why her car is suddenly filthy after a
car wash, something Emma noticed after Derek was shot, and why she was late for a previous
appointment with some members of the shire.
Heh, the Shire.
Sybil is put off by Pauline’s hestience to open the trunk and tells the detective
the car is registered in her name, giving him permission to do it himself.
Sybil: “Open the boot!”
Aha!
There’s boots in her boot! ….oh and a gun.
That’s probably the more important thing.
Yes, it was Pauline.
She murdered The 17th Viscount, the 18th Viscount, and she shot her son, Derek.
You may be wondering, why?
She wasn’t even in line to be the next lord.
Well, it turns out that she grew up the daughter of a lowly baker and wanted to be someone
more important, so she was determined to be the WIFE of the next Viscount Blackraven;
social status meant so much to her that she was willing to shoot her own son in the arm
and blame it on Johnny as a diversion.
She’s taken away, and we’re bestowed with this amazing freeze frame ending.
Detective: “Have you ever considered becoming a detective?
You have a knack for it.”
“Emma: “Well let’s just say it runs in the family.”
Oh Murder, She Wrote.
I love you.
Final thoughts!
I adore this episode, even if Jess wasn’t in it at all.
Lansbury does such a good job portraying the campy, garishly dressed Emma MacGill that
it didn’t feel like a 2nd rate JB fletcher, it really did feel like a different character
altogether.
The singing scene is a delight, the actors and actresses were professional and intense,
and I never met murder mystery about a terrible rich family getting their comuppence that
I didn’t like.
There are 12 seasons of Murder, She Wrote, so you can imagine the same characters and
format getting tiresome, but the show always found ways to introduce new characters, new
settings, and different plots.
I also like the idea of sleuthing skills being prominent in Jess’s family.
Though they didn’t seem to pass on to her nephew, Grady, who is continually bumbling
and in need of help.
I wish they had brought Emma back for future episodes because she’s really charming and
fun to watch, but this one, and Sing a Song of Murder from Season 2, were her only occurances.
If there is an episode of Murder, She Wrote you are just dying to see me talk about, leave
a suggestion in the comments, and until then… happy sleuthing.
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If you want to see some other Murder, She Wrote breakdowns, here are my suggestions;
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Thank you so much for watching, stay safe and comfortable, and as always, I’ll see
you in the next one.