User Reviews

When Doctor Jocelyn Laird (Polly Bergen) invites Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) to address commencement ceremonies at, along with receiving an honorary degree from, Crenshaw College, scandal and murder lurk not far behind.

Academics Henry Hayward (John Vernon) and Beryl Hayward (June Lockhart) serve on the planning committee to oversee commencement activities, as well as to assist Campus Dean Jocelyn Laird with her decision in promoting one of two qualified professors.

Jocelyn hosts a faculty reception at her residence, at which her guests include Jessica Fletcher, Henry and Berle Hayward, and candidates for the position, Doctor Alger Kenyon, PHD (Roddy McDowall) and Professor Ron Mercer (James Sutorius), who escorts wife, Trish Mercer (Darleen Carr).

Politicking for the position proceeds somewhat gentlemanly, at least until the reception is crashed by Jocelyn's irresponsible daughter, Daphne Clover (Mary Kate McGeehan), and her drunken escort, Nick Fulton (Morgan Stevens), who arrive practically bare, and embarrass Jocelyn and her guests with a shouting match, and a punching.

Daphne has relocated to New York City from this New England college community (in an unidentified state), to write a sordid novel, which hits the best-sellers' list, to humiliate her mother further, in addition to carrying on with the no-account Nick with no compunction against blatancy.

Because of her newfound fame, Daphne snubs the academic community but allows a shred of fellowship to exist between her and fellow author J.B. Fletcher, who doesn't condescend against Daphne's free-spirited lifestyle.

But the next morning, during Jessica's constitutional jogging, she stumbles across a body thrust from a campus building the night before. Kindly Police Chief E. Griffin (Jack Kehoe) is summoned to investigate, with the assistance of Mr. Packman (R.J. Adams), both of whom appreciate Jessica, but fear the worst for the feuding mother and daughter, between whom they suspect a perpetrator.

On the eve of commencement, while Jessica assists in determining how the murder has been committed, and, possibly, by whom, Jocelyn has her hands full with deciding whom to promote between faculty candidates, figuring how to operate Crenshaw College status quo murder, and dealing with her Bohemian daughter, who has now been arrested as prime suspect. And to protect her daughter, she tries, by confessing to the crime.

An antonymous typewritten note from someone attempting to clear Jocelyn, by implicating another suspect complicates matters for investigators, at least until Jessica fits together the pieces to the puzzle, to determine that the victim has been slain elsewhere, bludgeoned by a candlestick holder, across campus in this "School for Scandal."

The cast is rounded out by Gary Bisig as Will Small, John C. Becher as Station Master, Dean Dittman as Faculty Man, Grace Simmons as Faculty Wife, Ron Asher as Student #1, Kerry Noonan as Student #2 and James Greenblatt as Student #3.

John C. Becher, Dean Dittman, Roddy McDowall and John Vernon unfortunately have since passed.

Jessica receives an honorary degree, but gets caught up in a murder, where a mother and daughter are both implicated.

It's a good, solid episode. I always enjoyed the murder at a family home type episode, where someone is murdered, and every family member has a secret, this comes into that category.

I liked the characters, the show always managed to draw up these big characters, and get in some big names, look out for Roddy McDowall.

More touches of humour, and some cheeky behaviour, and some good old fashioned daft humour, the ticket master who clearly took his job role too far.

Jessica is super smart here, because of Detective Griffin, I understand that in the show, the Detectives needed to sometimes be a little lacking in observation, procedure etc, but Detective Griffin, how did he manage to dress himself and make breakfast, clearly not very bright.

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.

"School for Scandal" may not be quite among the best episodes of Season 2 or of 'Murder She Wrote' in general, but it's nonetheless a very good one that lives up to its intriguing title. There have been episodes that do a better job giving a reason for Jessica investigating and the murderer again is not that hard to figure out once the clues and explanations start adding up.

Also wouldn't have said no to much more June Lokhart and Roddy McDowell, both give their roles a lot of class but considering their calibre should have been in the episode more and their characters were not quite as interesting as they could have been.

However, "School for Scandal" is very nicely made, giving a real sense of cosiness and nostalgia. 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 tight, thought-provoking and typically amiable. The story is absorbing with a very well done central mother and daughter relationship.

Angela Lansbury is as always terrific, and Polly Bergen is particularly compelling of the impressive supporting cast.

On the whole, very good. 8/10 Bethany Cox

I remember one of the Star Trek feature films had the Star Trek going back in time to contemporary San Francisco on a mission and the authors Jacqueline Susann and Harold Robbins as the "old masters." In Cloverfield College they have just such an old master, Mary Kate McGeehan daughter of college president Polly Bergen where JB Fletcher has gone to get an honorary degreee.

McGeehan lives exactly the kind of hedonistic life that she writes about in her books. Only while she's there her latest boy toy Morgan Stevens winds up dead. Mother and daughter are among the suspects.

There's a family secret involved in the murders which I will not reveal. In the end the murderer turns out to be one who really was taken in by the image conveyed.

Quite a place Cloverfield College, a regular Peyton Place.

Jessica arrives at the campus of Crenshaw University to receive an honorary degree. Among the faculty members is Professor Joselyn Clover, whose daughter Daphne has penned a notoriously lurid best-selling novel. When the campus "stud" is murdered, both Joselyn and Daphne are suspected--whereupon both confess to the crime in hopes of protecting one another. Figuring that someone else is the guilty party, Jessica offers her services to the local police chief who unlike our heroine has never handled a homicide case in his life!

Solid episode that has a decent mystery, enough drama and red herrings to keep you watching. Plus Roddy McDowell plays an interesting character. The scene where Daphne flashes at her mother's guests is memorable.

"School for Scandal" is a decent episode. However, the character of the daughter, well, she was incredibly broadly written...too much so to be realistic.

When the episode begins, a well respected professor, Dr. Laird (Polly Bergen), receives a visit from her daughter and her boyfriend. The daughter soon behaves abominably during a fancy party her mother threw...and you just have to see it to believe it. Suffice to say, the writers were NOT trying for subtlety.

Later, the awfulness of the daughter is surpassed by the incredibly awful behavior of her boy-toy boyfriend. Not surprisingly, he's soon killed...but oddly, several people admit to the murder! Which one, if any, are telling the truth?

Apart from the daughter, I enjoyed the episode. Interestingly, having a professor writing steamy romance novels and hiding it from her peers isn't too surprising. In the 80s and 90s, there were a lot of negative stereotypes about the books and their writers. Overall, the good far outweighs the bad...and it's well worth seeing. It's also surprising to see John Vernon NOT playing a villain for once in a TV show!

Jessica Fletcher has been invited by writer and academic Doctor Jocelyn Laird (Polly Bergen) to receive a honorary degree.

Jocelyn is a serious writer and the campus dean where two professors are vying for promotion. Doctor Alger Kenyon (Roddy McDowall) is hopelessly in love with Jocelyn. Professor Ron Mercer is not a fan of the publish or perish principle. He has no interest in writing dry articles for the sake of it.

Problems arise when Jocelyn's daughter Daphne Clover turns up with her grasping boyfriend Nick. Daphne has done well writing some trashy novels. They waltz in a reception and behave badly in front of the guests.

When Nick is found dead both Daphne and Jocelyn become suspects to Police Chief Griffin (Jack Kehoe) who is investigating his first murder. So he is grateful for Jessica's help.

Well it is good that Griffin likes to have Jessica hanging about rather then be an irritant. I did think the story was absurd.

It was clear early on that Daphne was so dim she could not had written the books. So the story rested on Jocelyn being embarrassed to be exposed as the real author of the trashy but well remunerated books.