Murder, She Wrote (TV Series) Murder, Plain and Simple (1991) User Reviews

Well-written and moving

[coltras35 · 9/10 · 5 June 2022]

In search of a quilt, Jessica takes a trip into Amish country, where her companion is accused of murder. Jacob Meiler, a prominent member of the Amish community, is a tyrant, and had shunned Jessica's companion as he does others. He is clearly not a popular person, which gets him killed by a pitchfork and made out like a scarecrow.

This is a well-written and moving MSW episode that has enough drama and mystery to keep one watching. Also the characterisation is superb - the dialogue on point. MSW is always seen as a light mystery programme, but various episodes can be a mix - here's, a somber-toned and thought-provoking addition to season 7.

An emotionally charged episode.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 2 November 2022]

Jessica and her Publisher's Assistant Reuben Stoltz are run of the road, and taken in to recuperate by members of The Amish Community, it isn't long before Reuben is caught up in murder.

Series seven is proving to be one of the most consistent, strongest runs of the show, every episode is offering up something very different. Murder, Plain and Simple, is yet another excellent episode.

It's very serious in tone, there is no nonsense, no silliness, this is a straight up whodunnit. The Amish Community provide something a little different, they're well realised and interesting. I like the mystery itself, and the character play, it packs an emotional punch, several scenes are so good.

There was definitely an upgrade in terms of production values, in not sure how or why, but visually this looks so good. The colour are so bright and vivid, you could swear it was in HD.

Lansbury once again delivers a first class performance, what a fantastic talent she was, much missed.

9/10.

That man needed killin'!

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 30 January 2023]

Like so many episodes, the murder victim in this episode of "Murder, She Wrote" is a most unpleasant person...and viewers will anticipate his demise. However, what isn't typical is that he and the suspects are all Amish! Now this is not a huge twist...but it is unusual and offers an episode with a difference.

Jessica is being driven by a nice guy whose car is cut off by an Amish buggy and the car goes off the road. He is injured and the car is undrivable and so Jessica walks into town to seek help. There, she discovers an Amish community...which is no surprise since they are in Lancaster, Pennsylvania...one of the most Amishy places on Earth! Soon, there's an apparent murder and, naturally, Jessica is out to solve it.

While this isn't a great episode, it's a very good one and offers plenty of excitement. Worth seeing.

Human Scarecrow and Mrs. Fletcher

[WeatherViolet · 10/10 · 26 August 2009]

As we continue our tour of States with J.B. Fletcher, we now enter the "Plain and Simple" rural Amish region near Lancaster in Pennsylvania Dutch Country.

After a publisher's meeting in Philadelphia, Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) decides upon an excursion across the counties to purchase a hand-made Amish quilt to present to nephew Grady on the occasion of his anniversary.

On Sunday morning, Publisher's Assistant Reuben Stoltz (Hunt Block) volunteers to chauffeur Jessica on her errand; and while they approach their destination, young Amish rebel Ethan Kaufmann (Todd Eric Andrews) flees from a fellowship meeting, nearly to collide with Reuben's automobile (which bears Pennsylvania license plate upon its front bumper, displaying a minor blooper in this otherwise carefully-researched episode).

Reuben lies injured after Ethan flees the scene, causing Jessica to seek assistance at the fellowship meeting held at the residence of Rebecca Beiler (Jennifer Runyon) and the stern deacon Jacob Beiler (Michael Sarrazin). Sarah Lapp (Martha Byrne), in attendance, has been shunned by Jacob, causing her to remain isolated and forsaken.

Bishop Burkhardt (Jay Robinson) tells Jacob and Franz Kaufmann (Arlen Dean Snyder), Ethan's father, that charity is the Lord's mission, which means that they ought to break from Sabbath worship to assist a stranger in need.

But upon their arrival at the accident scene, the fellowship discovers Reuben as no stranger, for he had also been shunned and exiled to Philadelphia.

To Jacob's dismay, Rebecca invites Reuben and Jessica into their residence for Reuben to recuperate from his back injury overnight, for "Charity comes before all else."

During the course of the evening, Franz Kaufmann ushers the prodigal Ethan unto Jacob, who punishes him with a two-month curfew even after he agrees to pay for the damages to Reuben's automobile. Ethan thus vows to leave the area, as Reuben had before him, causing Franz to tell Bishop Burkhardt that Jacob speaks not for God, but for himself, as Rebecca repeats to Reuben upon their secret tryst in the barn that night, explaining an incident in their past which caused Reuben's shunning.

At sunrise on Monday, Jessica strolls across the farm during her morning constitutional, during which time she observes birds above behaving erratically, leading her glance to espy a scarecrow across the filed created from a victim's body.

Sheriff Hainer (John Ireland), a thorough investigator familiar with the ways of the Amish, decides that the murder must be caused by an outsider even though it is "Murder, Plain and Simple."

Murder in the Amish County

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 18 October 2017]

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.

Of the Season 7 episodes, "Murder Plain and Simple" is in the top 3. The others being "Who Killed J.B. Fletcher?" and "The Return of Preston Giles". Even though the mystery was basic, "Thursday's Child" really resonated with me on an emotional level in a way that no other previous 'Murder She Wrote' episode did (apart from the ending of "The Return of Preston Giles"), so that also holds a soft spot. My only very minor, and pretty insignificant, nit-pick with "Murder Plain and Simple" is some of the hair/beards looking on the cheap side. Otherwise, it is one of few episodes of Season 7 with little to fault.

The acting is a high point here. Angela Lansbury can't be faulted and all the cast are more than up to their level with three standouts. Hunt Block and Jennifer Runyon are excellent playing characters that one can identify with, Reuben for having a proving-innocence situation that's predictable in outcome but rootable and Rebecca for how she puts up with such a bully of a husband. The chemistry between them simmers. Michael Sarrazin superbly dominates his tension-filled scenes as a domineering bully that the viewer hates just as much as the characters on screen do, of his two 'Murder She Wrote' appearances this is the better one with the meatier character.

"Murder Plain and Simple's" mystery is a strong one, it's easy to follow without being too simple and has some brain-teasing without confusing the viewer. The ending is surprising, not what it first appears to be, and one actually hates the victim more than we already do.

Production values as always are slick and stylish with some nostalgia induced. The music has energy and has presence but also not making the mistake of over-scoring, while it is hard to forget or resist the theme tune. The writing is thoughtful, cosy and light-hearted while taking itself seriously as well.

In summary, one of the standout episodes of Season 7. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Only Jessica tries to shop in Amish country on a Sunday

[FlushingCaps · 6/10 · 14 March 2023]

We open with Jessica being driven by an assistant to her publisher into Lancaster, Pennsylvania on a Sunday morning because Jessica has decided to buy an authentic Amish quilt for her nephew Grady's first anniversary.

As shown, the driver, Reuben, talks while looking at Jessica much too long and thus he doesn't see an Amish buggy until the last second forcing him to swerve off the road. The car has some damage, but after the young man driving the buggy hastens away, Reuben suffers a back spasm while bending to look for damage to his car.

Jessica runs to the nearby town and interrupts their Sunday worship. The people, on learning about the accident are willing to help. Politely, nobody snickers when Jessica asks if they can phone for help. I thought it amazing that Jessica thought Amish folks would have phones handy.

Reuben is taken to a home and he and Jessica are invited to stay overnight and they can get help to fix their car tomorrow-on Monday. This leads to a more traditional MSW set of scenes to introduce the characters in the story and see who is going to be the most likely murder victim and who will likely be blamed.

I'm going to skip a more detailed description of the plot-other reviewers have done it well.

My complaints have to do with certain things. One is the pronunciation of this group of people. I have always heard AH-mish, with the first syllable being much like what the doctor tells you to say when he examines your throat-you know-say "Ahhhh." Several on this episode said it the way I would. The local sheriff who seems quite knowledgeable of these people calls them AY-mish. Jessica pronounced it AR-mish for reasons I do not understand.

Now Reuben and Jessica were not expecting to stay anywhere overnight, but to return to Philadelphia before their problems. So I ask, where did Jessica intend to buy an Amish quilt ON A SUNDAY, when they are famous for not doing any sort of unnecessary work on the Lord's Day?

EXTRA SPOILER ALERT: Sometimes a person is killed on this series when it wasn't murder, but there is normally another killing on that episode that was. In this episode, as depicted, the only person who died did so from a total accident. You wouldn't even have a manslaughter charge here. There is also an unanswered question concerning what happened with the body after the person died that would seem to not have possibly been done by the person present at the time of the death.

I wouldn't say this was a bad episode, but it sure wasn't one of the best to me-a score of 6.

An Amish Tartuffe

[mazzella-62377 · 5/10 · 3 April 2021]

I can't help but wonder no one's having noted that the murder victim. Jacob Beiler (Michael Sarrazin) turns out in the end to have been an Amish Tartuffe--that is to say, someone who seemed to be the most pious man in the group, but was actually concealing a slew of character flaws.

Robert Mazzella.