'Murder, She Wrote' Star Dame Angela Lansbury's Complaint Almost Changed the Show | Television & Radio | Showbiz and television

Popular series Murder, She Wrote was almost in danger of taking a completely different turn as Dame Angela Lansbury worried about her workload.

The popular crime drama captivated audiences for an impressive twelve seasons and aired on CBS from 1984 to 1996.

The show featured popular character Jessica Fletcher, played by late actress Angela Lansbury, solving crimes while navigating the complexities of small-town life.

In 1989, at age 64, Lansbury began seriously considering the ending of “Murder, She Wrote.” Overwhelmed by the demanding filming schedule, she began to feel the strain of maintaining her role as the iconic Jessica Fletcher.

However, in subsequent seasons, the focus shifted to other characters in Cabot Cove to address Angela's concerns about her heavy workload. This allowed her to take a step back, reduce her screen time and simplify her filming schedule.

In the final season of Murder, She Wrote, a major schedule change contributed to her downfall. CBS moved the show from its longtime Sunday night slot to Thursday nights, where it competed directly with NBC's hit show Friends.

Despite protests from the late TV star, cast, crew and fans, CBS did not reverse the decision. As predicted, the show's ratings plummeted, falling to 67th place in the final season of Nielsen's top 20.

Lansbury previously told The Washington Post: “Perhaps there is no one in this country who doesn’t know that it really was a serious mistake. They said our demographics were unsatisfactory in terms of ad spend, but that simply wasn’t true.”

Surprisingly, Angela wasn't the first choice for the role of Jessica Fletcher. Producers initially offered the role to All in the Family star Jean Stapleton. However, when she declined, they reluctantly turned to Lansbury.

Angela was an acclaimed American actress whose career spanned 80 years in film, stage and television – but she tragically passed away in October 2022 at the age of 96.

In addition to her iconic role in Murder She Wrote, the late actress is also recognized for her voice as Mrs. Potts in Disney's Beauty and the Beast (1991) and her chilling portrayal of Mrs. Eleanor Iselin in The Manchurian Candidate” (1962) and her Tony Award-winning performances as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd (1979) and Mame Dennis in Mame (1966).