The WORST episodes of Murder, She Wrote

Every episode of Murder, She Wrote ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Murder, She Wrote!

Murder seems to follow Jessica Fletcher, a former English teacher and a mystery writer full of charm, zest-for-life, and personality; who happens to become "the investigator" when traveling around the country to promote a series of novels. Murder always occurs when she is present. Even in Cabot Cove!

Last Updated: 9/6/2024Network: CBSStatus: Ended
Proof in the Pudding
star
6.34
146 votes

#1 - Proof in the Pudding

Season 10 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/9/1994

When the chef of a restaurant who recently had over half his stock bought up by a well-known mobster dies, suspicion turns to Jessica's young friend Lorna Thompson, but when the mobster himself dies, Jessica realises there is more than meets the eye to this case.

Directors: Jerry Jameson
Writer: Lisa Seidman
Seal of the Confessional
star
6.36
150 votes

#2 - Seal of the Confessional

Season 6 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/1/1989

A parishioner's confession to a priest is confidential and nothing will make him break his oath.

Directors: Vincent McEveety
Writer: Lynne Kelsey
Just Another Fish Story
star
6.49
170 votes

#3 - Just Another Fish Story

Season 4 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/27/1988

Somebody put the maitre d' on ice. Jessica wonders if she has made a bad investment. When Jessica's nephew recommends that she invest in a trendy New York City restaurant, she makes the change from author to tycoon. But when the eatery becomes a crime scene, she finds herself in hell's kitchen.

Directors: Walter Grauman
Murder to a Jazz Beat
star
6.62
217 votes

#4 - Murder to a Jazz Beat

Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/3/1985

While in New Orleans, Jessica must solve the mysterious murder of a famous musician who died while performing onstage.

Directors: Walter Grauman
Murder of the Month Club
star
6.70
82 votes

#5 - Murder of the Month Club

Season 11 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/4/1994

Murder, plagiarisim, and blackmail stalk those around Jessica on her promotional book tour.

Directors: Walter Grauman
Writer: Donald Ross
The Trouble with Seth
star
6.77
136 votes

#6 - The Trouble with Seth

Season 10 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/27/1994

Seth vanishes and every one is sure there was foul play.

Writer: Tom Sawyer
Indian Giver
star
6.77
150 votes

#7 - Indian Giver

Season 4 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/29/1987

A resident of Cabot Cove threatens the Native American who claims to own the land, and later is found dead.

Directors: Walter Grauman
Murder in Milan
star
6.78
159 votes

#8 - Murder in Milan

Season 9 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/20/1992

During the Milan Film Festival, famous film producer Catherine Wayne is murdered.

Three Strikes, You're Out
star
6.79
140 votes

#9 - Three Strikes, You're Out

Season 5 - Episode 20 - Aired 5/7/1989

A surprised burglar is blamed for the death of the team's pre-game TV Host.

Directors: Seymour Robbie
Writer: Donald Ross
Deadline for Murder
star
6.81
174 votes

#10 - Deadline for Murder

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/16/1986

A veteran reporter, who suffered a heart attack, says his best medicine would be the removal of his publisher who has turned a good paper into a yellow rag.

Directors: Seymour Robbie
Dead Heat
star
6.91
188 votes

#11 - Dead Heat

Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/24/1985

Jessica goes to the races to watch her niece ride the winning horse. Then the horse's owner is murdered after a dispute.

Directors: Peter Crane
The Grand Old Lady
star
6.91
110 votes

#12 - The Grand Old Lady

Season 6 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/8/1989

When a famous mystery writer dies, Jessica recalls a 1947 case that the writer was personally involved in.

Directors: Vincent McEveety
School for Scandal
star
6.94
224 votes

#13 - School for Scandal

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/20/1985

When Jessica is offered an honorary degree from Crenshaw University, she has no idea she's about to become embroiled in a murder. After the boyfriend of (in)famous writer Daphne Clover is found murdered, Jessica agrees to assist the chief of police, who has never had a murder case before, find out who the killer is. She soon has more on her plate than she bargained for when first Daphne's mother confesses, then Daphne herself confesses. Jessica realises the two women are simply trying to protect each other, and begins to look at the faculty at the university.

Murder -- According to Maggie
star
6.94
114 votes

#14 - Murder -- According to Maggie

Season 6 - Episode 17 - Aired 3/4/1990

The producer of a police drama investigates the murder of a programmer who differed with her.

Suspicion of Murder
star
6.94
83 votes

#15 - Suspicion of Murder

Season 7 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/20/1991

Dennis is suspected in the murder of the husband of an old flame with whom he has been spending some time.

Directors: Vincent McEveety
See You in Court, Baby
star
6.95
91 votes

#16 - See You in Court, Baby

Season 7 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/30/1990

Jessica introduces this story of a lawyer with many enemies who is the victim and Dennis who must investigate.

Directors: Vincent McEveety
Always a Thief
star
6.96
106 votes

#17 - Always a Thief

Season 6 - Episode 19 - Aired 4/8/1990

Insurance investigator Dennis Stanton, who uses his skills as an ex-thief to solve crimes, returns to investigate a theft and two murders.

Directors: Walter Grauman
Ship of Thieves
star
6.97
141 votes

#18 - Ship of Thieves

Season 9 - Episode 20 - Aired 5/2/1993

A pleasant cruise is marred by the discovery that there are thieves on board and possibly a murderer.

One White Rose for Death
star
6.97
191 votes

#19 - One White Rose for Death

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/19/1986

Attending a concert in Washington, D.C., Jessica gets involved with two East German defectors and a murder.

Directors: Peter Crane
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The Bottom Line Is Murder
star
6.99
159 votes

#20 - The Bottom Line Is Murder

Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/15/1987

A lying TV Consumer advocate is killed. Was it done by one of the clients whose products he maligned?

O'Malley's Luck
star
7.00
104 votes

#21 - O'Malley's Luck

Season 6 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/25/1990

An Irish detective does not believe the death of a real estate mogul was suicide.

Directors: Michael J. Lynch
When the Fat Lady Sings
star
7.00
114 votes

#22 - When the Fat Lady Sings

Season 6 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/19/1989

The backstage activities are more exciting than the opera as a famous tenor suffers a heart attack after a shooting.

Directors: Walter Grauman
The Sicilian Encounter
star
7.01
138 votes

#23 - The Sicilian Encounter

Season 6 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/20/1990

Michael Hagarty is involved in a case in Sicily which has many twists and turns including the Mafia.

Directors: Kevin G. Cremin
Jack and Bill
star
7.01
112 votes

#24 - Jack and Bill

Season 6 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/29/1989

A former athlete cares for a friend's dog and, after his friend is murdered, finds the dog is a target.

Directors: Chuck Bowman
Murder at the Oasis
star
7.02
181 votes

#25 - Murder at the Oasis

Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 4/7/1985

An unpopular show-business personality discovers that elaborate security systems are no guarantee of safety.