User Reviews

This episode marks the second and final "MSW" appearance by Doug McClure, who has since unfortunately passed.

NTN Studio, in Hollywood, California, produces the prime-time medical detective program "Danger Doctor," starring Actor Gary Patterson (Doug McClure) as the countrified Doctor Balliard, and Actress Brenda Blake (Lenore Kasdorf) as his right-hand citified Nurse. Together, Doctor Balliard and Nurse prove major draws to the program, as the characters solve mysteries each week, centering around crimes brought before them along with hospital patients.

"Danger Doctor" is produced by Avery Stone (Bradford Dillman), directed by Bert Puzo (Vincent Baggetta), and overseen by Executive Producer Sid Sharkey (Ken Swofford) and his Executive Secretary Freida Schmidt (Fionnula Flanagan), Producer Kate Hollander (Gail Strickland), and Diane Crane (Gail Youngs), who socializes closely with Gary Patterson.

But when Producer Avery Stone asks Script writer Gayle Yamada (Kim Miyori) to borrow the plot from the latest mystery by J.B. Fletcher, Gayle approaches Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) at a local book-signing, to disclose the order to "Steal Me a Story."

Jessica's telling Gayle that she admires her sense of conscience and fair dealings, with her volunteering to co-author an original script, leads to an upset at NTN Studio, and because producers had been negotiating with her publisher for film rights to her mystery "Murder at the Asylum" to create a potential mini-series.

Back on the set many arguments ensue among those who request time off from the program to appear on the new Buddy Pearlman new series, but are held under contract, some who wanted to remain with the program but are discharged, and those who are otherwise threatened and seek revenge, all to the effects which, subsequently lead to murder by a explosive device.

Because of the intended breach of her source material to plot an episode of "Danger Doctor," Jessica is considered an unwelcome "Persona non grata" on the set--or at least until Gary Patterson, with Diane Crane's help, enlist Jessica to write for his benefit.

Lieutenant Bradshaw (Yaphet Kotto), with Sergeant Gates (Joe Horváth) on hand, arrive to question Jessica and all of the other females on the set because the taps of high heels were heard in the nearby office corridor shortly before the explosion, and Jessica in particular because a remnant of an appointment notice with her was discovered in the aftermath.

But Jessica take a different approach from the officers, by searching the studio for motives, to devise a plan of her own to expose the killer of one to "Steal Me a Story."

The cast is rounded out by P.R. Staffer (Barry Pearl), Attorney (Jeff Abbott), Lady Customer (Kate Williamson), Assistant Director (Scott Lawrence), Second Assistant Director (Jay Roberts Jr.), Heavy (Bill Dunnam), Policeman (Chris Hubbell) and Male Secretary (Matt Stetson).

Struggling television scriptwriter Gayle Yamada comes to Jessica after her producer tries to push her to plagiarize Jessica's latest novel. Immediately, Jessica talks with an executive to protect her work...and shortly thereafter, the main force behind the show, Mr. Sid Sharkey, receives a gift that absolutely blows him away. Taking a position as a scriptwriter to stay on set, Jessica sleuths through the seedy backstage scenes of the show to find the real killer.

Personally I love mysteries based on studio sets, so I enjoyed this for its hammy acting, humorous lines, and diva actors. Its also an amusing and interest inside look of TV film world.

Very cute ending.

In "Steal Me a Story", Jessica Fletcher learns that a sleazy producer of a soap opera is planning on stealing one of her stories and using it on the TV show. Not surprisingly, she is upset...though oddly she never talks to a lawyer about this. But before she can even consider this, the producer gets blowed up real good. Not surprisingly, she is a suspect but fortunately the cop investigating (Yaphet Kotto) is no dummy and quickly assumes she's a help in his case, not a serious suspect. So who did the bombing and why? Well, see the show to find out for yourself.

I think whoever wrote this episode had fun, as the show often makes fun of directors, producers and actors. There's also a wonderfully funny dig at the very end which makes me believe that the writers really were not far from the truth! Clever and well worth seeing.

Jessica receives word from an honest, inexperienced writer that her newest book is about to be plagiarised.

It's a cracking episode, I enjoyed this one every much. It's always entertaining to see Jessica caught up in events, and actually accused of the murder, as opposed to just being an incidental bystander.

He upset everyone in his path, you knew he wasn't going to last a long time.

The production values, as always are terrific, for a TV shows this was really nicely made, no wonder this was attracting the enormous viewing figures at the time.

One thing I've realised, getting back into this show again, the size of the offices, every single office that features is a grand, palatial space, you never see anyone working in a small Office.

Nine years of Danger Doctor, can you imagine!!

It's a very good episode. 9/10.

Everyone in the very distinguished cast is having a lot of fun in this story, which makes fun of Hollywood and its dog eat dog ways. What a cast! They would make a fine repertory company, all by themselves! In addition to the always excellent Angela Lansbury, we have such big talents as: Yaphet Kotto, Doug McClure, Bradford Dillman, Fionnula Flanagan, Ken Swofford, Gail Strickland, Vincent Baggeta and more! This has to be one of the best all-around guest casts ever assembled for a MSW episode, which is saying a lot. And Kim Miyori plays a very likeable young aspiring screenwriter.

Sometimes on this series, they will mix some old pros with some young actors who are good-looking, but a little under-powered in terms of acting ability. No such issue here! All of the cast are very accomplished.

The story has a strong sense of fun, which has always been one of the best aspects of the series. This is an episode that will have you smiling. As for the plot: the deceased had many potential enemies, a plus. The unmasking of the killer wasn't the most exciting or startling ever, but in one episode, you can't have everything. This is a thoroughly enjoyable outing,

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.

"Steal Me a Story" may not quite be one of my favourite episodes of Season 4 (with gems like "Witness for the Defense" as far as previous episodes go, "Old Habits Die Hard" likewise and also remember thinking highly of "Trouble in Eden" and "Mourning Among the Wisterias"). Nor of 'Murder She Wrote'. It is however a great episode still, and of the many episodes dealing with one of Jessica's book being adapted, or plagiarised, for stage, screen, television or what not, as well as being one of the earliest examples "Steal Me a Story" is also one of the best.

This is saying a lot seeing as this was a theme that happened quite a lot on 'Murder She Wrote' with very mixed success. As is often the case, figuring out who the victim would be was very obvious from the get go, being often the most unpleasant and widely disliked character (apart from the solutions involving mistaken identities). Not that that stopped me from loving the episode, being something expected. In fact, "Steal Me a Story" doesn't do anything wrong as such, just that some Season 4 episodes have a special quality, like particularly special performances, particularly well done mysteries and particularly memorable lines ("Witness for the Defense" is a strong examples of the first and third), and "Steal Me a Story" doesn't quite reach it.

It does have a very engaging mystery, with lots of suspects, a clever final solution with a surprising culprit identity (though a not too tough to figure out motive) and a violent murder method (being blown up is a brutal way of being killed, doesn't anybody think?). It has an excellent supporting cast, particularly Bradford Dillman, Ken Swofford and the standout Fionnula Flanagan as a tricky character to pull off (something she does superbly). Kim Myori is not quite as good, but does just fine.

Production values are slick and stylish as ever with 'Murder She Wrote'. 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.

Writing is thought-provoking, light-hearted and amiable and the story doesn't have a dull moment and engages throughout.

Angela Lansbury doesn't disappoint either.

In summation, great and one of the best episodes based on a often visited theme on the show. 9/10 Bethany Cox

On a book tour in Los Angeles Jessica Fletcher is informed that producers Bradford Dillman and Ken Swofford have ordered aspiring writer Kim Miyori to steal on of the Fletcher plots for their medical TV series.

Miyori has aspirations of doing her own original work does not want to start as a hack TV writer who steals to make a career. What she's so concerned about is beyond me since that is what television is all about is beyond me. Still Angela Lansbury gets involved.

Even more after a package is opened by Ken Swofford and he's killed with a bomb explosion. As Swofford was a thoroughly unpleasant person there's no shortage of suspects. But it's Miyori the LAPD settles on.

Of course they're wrong and JB Fletcher and Detective Yaphet Kotto with some tricks of their own bring down the culprit, literally.

Couldn't see what everyone was so upset over with this story.