38 Years Later, Murder, She Wrote’s Most Rewatchable Episode Remains Perfect in Every Way

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Even today, Murder, She Wrote remains a top-tier murder mystery series. The show featured Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher, a novelist who had a knack for solving actual crimes. She used her understanding of people and her research for her books to help police crack tough cases. While many episodes took place in her hometown of Cabot Cove, Jessica Fletcher’s investigations later expanded across the United States and internationally, as seen in the episode “The Corpse Flew First Class.”

“The Corpse Flew First Class” is the twelfth episode of Murder, She Wrote’s third season and features a murder that takes place on an airplane. Like Agatha Christie’s Death in the Clouds, which stars Hercule Poirot, it’s a classic “whodunit” mystery where a small group of people are trapped together and become suspects in a murder investigation. Many episodes of Murder, She Wrote remain enjoyable and fascinating even today, over thirty years later. “The Corpse Flew First Class,” originally broadcast thirty-eight years ago, perfectly illustrates why the series is still considered one of the best whodunit shows ever made.

“The Corpse Flew First Class” Follows a Classic Murder Mystery Formula

Murder mysteries and whodunits often present intriguing puzzles, like seemingly impossible crimes or a cast of unusual suspects. This week’s episode, “The Corpse Flew First Class,” uses a classic mystery setup known as the “closed circle” – where the killer must be among a limited group of people.

A ‘closed circle’ mystery involves a limited number of suspects – people who all had the ability, reason, and chance to commit a crime. These mysteries typically take place in isolated settings, like a small room or a remote location, where only one person could be the culprit. In this case, the murder occurs on an airplane, immediately narrowing down the list of potential killers.

In “The Corpse Flew First Class,” a woman travels from the United States to London in luxurious first-class accommodations. Before the flight, she encounters Sonny Greer, a famous personality who is also on board, and strikes up a conversation with a detective from Scotland Yard. The journey begins without incident, but is soon disrupted when one of the passengers unexpectedly dies.

With mystery writer Jessica Fletcher and a Scotland Yard detective both on the flight, the investigation into the passenger’s death started immediately. They quickly discovered the victim was Leon, Sonny’s chauffeur and boyfriend, and that he had been carrying a valuable diamond necklace. However, when Sonny searched his pockets, she found the necklace was gone.

Jessica believes the disappearance of the necklace suggests this wasn’t an accident, but a murder. She partners with a detective from Scotland Yard to investigate, and together they start questioning and searching the passengers on the flight. Because the crime happened on a plane and the victim was in first class, they focus their investigation on the other first-class passengers.

The Murder, She Wrote Episode Changes the Formula

While “The Corpse Flew First Class” uses a familiar mystery setup, like those in Murder, She Wrote, it’s still an engaging and fresh story. This episode is particularly surprising because Jessica Fletcher uncovers a unique situation: she ends up catching two criminals, but they didn’t commit the crime as a team.

As a big fan of Murder, She Wrote, I’ve seen a lot of episodes follow a pretty classic formula: a puzzling crime, a handful of suspects, and Jessica Fletcher expertly uncovering clues through interviews. But “The Corpse Flew First Class” really stood out to me. It didn’t stick to that simple pattern! It started with what looked like two separate mysteries – a murder and a stolen necklace – and initially, they seemed linked. It was a clever twist on the usual formula.

It’s understandable why Jessica and the audience believed the murder and the missing necklace were linked. Typically, a story like this would reveal the killer murdered Sonny’s lover in order to steal the necklace. However, Murder, She Wrote cleverly surprises us by showing that these two events are actually unrelated.

After careful investigation and a lot of thought, Jessica discovered the truth: the man claiming to be a Scotland Yard detective was actually a thief. He was working with a partner to steal Sonny’s diamond necklace, but he didn’t kill Leon. In fact, the murder complicated things, bringing unwanted attention to the stolen necklace sooner than they expected.

Jessica Fletcher is a skilled investigator, and she ultimately figures out what happened. Sonny poisoned his mistress, disguising the poison as medication. He discovered she was planning to meet another man in London and was going to leave him.

The Double Twist Was a First for the Murder Mystery Series

Jessica Fletcher has solved cases with multiple culprits before, but “The Corpse Flew First Class” is different. This episode marks the first time she investigates two completely separate crimes committed by people who didn’t work together – in fact, one criminal actually interfered with the other’s plan.

There’s a good reason why Murder, She Wrote is still so popular. This episode from Season 3 is particularly enjoyable to watch again and again, especially once you learn its surprising double twist. Knowing how it all ends makes it fun to go back and spot the clues you might have missed the first time.

“The Corpse Flew First Class” is packed with funny scenes. One particularly amusing bit involves a couple traveling first class who appear nervous and secretive – it turns out they’re smuggling their dog to London in their carry-on bag, which is against the rules! These little comedic moments really elevate the episode and make it a standout.

This Episode Shares Similarities With an Agatha Christie Classic

The episode “The Corpse Flew First Class” shares similarities with Agatha Christie’s novel Death in the Clouds, which features detective Hercule Poirot. Both stories involve a murder that takes place on an airplane, although the episode isn’t a direct adaptation and has its own unique details.

This episode shares similarities with Agatha Christie’s work, particularly Murder, She Wrote, featuring a classic ‘closed circle’ mystery where the suspects are limited to those on board the plane. Both stories involve poisonings, but the methods differ. The episode balances enough familiar elements with its own unique twists to satisfy fans of Christie’s novels.

Agatha Christie often set her murder mysteries in isolated places with a limited number of suspects. Many of her most famous books, like Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, and And Then There Were None, use this ‘closed-circle’ approach, where the murder occurs in a confined location and everyone present is a potential killer.

Murder, She Wrote Stands the Test of Time Among the Best of Its Genre

Originally airing in 1984, Murder, She Wrote is still popular today – over forty years later! Unlike some older shows that have faded from memory or been heavily analyzed, this series continues to resonate with audiences. Many people are either discovering it for the first time or enjoying it all over again, finding fresh reasons to appreciate its charm.

Jessica Fletcher is a brilliant fictional detective, as iconic as Sherlock Holmes. She solved mysteries through her intelligence, quick wit, and ability to read people – and she did it all without any official detective training, relying instead on her natural instincts and sharp mind to catch criminals.

A new movie featuring Jamie Lee Curtis as Jessica Fletcher is in development. While there’s no confirmed release date yet, it’s exciting news for fans of the original show. In the meantime, you can rewatch all episodes of Murder, She Wrote on Prime Video.

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2025-11-20 03:08