‘Murder, She Wrote’ Reboot Axed By NBC, Angela Lansbury ‘Relieved’
The Angela Lansbury miniseries Murder, She Wrote will not be getting the reboot treatment after all, NBC, announced.
Last year everyone seemed to be excited about the mystery series returning to the small screen, even without Ms. Lansbury, now fans are left disappointed.
When the announcement was made in October of 2013, that Murder, She Wrote would be re-made, none was more disappointed than Angela Lansbury herself.
Lansbury said about the plans to bring the beloved show to life during an interview with the Associated Press last year, ”
“I think it’s a mistake to call it Murder, She Wrote because Murder, She Wrote will always be about Cabot Cove and this wonderful group of people who told those lovely stories and enjoyed a piece of that place, and also enjoyed Jessica Fletcher, who is a rare and very individual kind of person.”
The legendary actress had a point, even though it’s not clear whether her opinion was considered as part of the decision to ax the show, a new show with the same name didn’t seem like a great idea.
Murder, She Wrote had predictable plots and expected twists that would not do well in today’s world, where the quality of television programs is meeting and sometimes exceeding that of big screen movies.
It was improbable that a “reboot” called Murder, She Wrote would have had the support it needed to survive, as Angela Lansbury fans would have been constantly comparing to the original.
Octavia Spencer had been cast as Cabot Cave in the “reboot”.
News Briefs: NBC's Murder, She Wrote Reboot Is Dead http://t.co/UizO7UQvgS pic.twitter.com/dMlEfig4WM
— tv.com (@tvdotcom) January 23, 2014
Even though Angela Lansbury stated a clear stance against going forward with a reboot of Murder, She Wrote, she did not have unkind words about Spencer.
“I saw her in The Help and thought she was absolutely wonderful, a lovely actress. So I wish her well, but I wish it wasn’t in Murder, She Wrote.”
Speaking to the BBC following the cancellation of the reboot Dame Angela Lansbury expressed she is “terribly pleased and relieved” by the news.
“I knew it was a terrible mistake,” she said. “I didn’t want to sully the memory.”
And added: “Octavia Spencer is a superb actress. She had no business being put into a situation that she couldn’t win.”
Murder, She Wrote was one of the most successful TV shows in history, attracting 23 million viewers at the height of its popularity in the US.
