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.
"The Survivor" is not one of Season 9's best episodes like "A Christmas Secret", "The Petrified Florist", "Threshold of Fear", "Ship of Thieves" and "Final Curtain". It also just about survives being one of the season's (one of the show's most inconsistent and weakest) worst, being better than "Dead Eye", "Double Jeopardy", "The Dead File", "Murder in Milan" and "The Mole". It is still though an underwhelming episode and in the lower half.
Don't have any problem with Angela Lansbury, great as always. Kassi Lemmons, Monte Markham (the most familiar name of the guest cast) and Ned Bellamy also do capably all things considered, and some of the chemistry is nice.
Production values are slick and stylish. 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. A few thought-provoking moments.
Conversely, the script lacks vigour, with a lot of it taking itself too seriously for a show known for its cosy amiability, and the rest of the acting never rises above the forgettable. The mystery never really comes to life in the pace and the telling of it is strictly routine when it's not perplexing the viewer.
The killer's identity was not a surprising or clever one, and there isn't enough in the story to warrant the viewer to care about any of the characters (other than Paula) let alone who was responsible.
Overall, average mixed-feelings episode. 5/10 Bethany Cox