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'Murder, She Wrote' Spoofed Show That Canceled It
17 Aug
Summary
- Show moved to Thursday night opposite 'Friends' in its final season.
- Ratings plummeted from Top 20 to 67th place after the move.
- An episode, 'Murder Among Friends,' spoofed the sitcom.
The beloved mystery series "Murder, She Wrote" faced its demise partly due to a strategic scheduling conflict with the hit sitcom "Friends." For its initial eleven seasons, "Murder, She Wrote" thrived on CBS, airing Sundays after "60 Minutes" with record-breaking ratings. However, for its twelfth and final season, CBS relocated the show to Thursdays.
This move placed "Murder, She Wrote" directly opposite the highly popular "Friends." The network's gamble to attract a younger audience failed, as the coveted demographic was already tuning into "Friends." Consequently, the show's ratings dramatically fell from its consistent Top 20 status to 67th place.
Angela Lansbury, the star of "Murder, She Wrote," expressed dismay over the decision, questioning the network's move to a "non-win situation." Despite being moved back to Sundays for its last four episodes, the damage was irreversible. The show's twelfth season, which included an episode titled "Murder Among Friends" that satirized a "Friends"-like sitcom, concluded its celebrated run.
