Why You Can Trust CNET Remembering Angela Lansbury: How to Stream 'Murder, She Wrote' for Free
Lansbury, who died Tuesday at 96, played sleuth Jessica Fletcher for 12 seasons. Tune in to those cozy mysteries without leaving your couch.
- Co-author of two Gen X pop-culture encyclopedia for Penguin Books. Won "Headline Writer of the Year" award for 2017, 2014 and 2013 from the American Copy Editors Society. Won first place in headline writing from the 2013 Society for Features Journalism.
The late Angela Lansbury starred as Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote, which ran from 1984-1996.
When news spread that beloved actress Angela Lansbury had died at 96, I wanted nothing more than to settle in front of the TV and watch her in one of her most iconic roles, that of charming widowed mystery author and sleuth Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote.
Fletcher, of course, wasn't Lansbury's only role. She acted in Gaslight, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Blue Hawaii, The Manchurian Candidate and innumerable Broadway shows. Lansbury even voiced the motherly teapot Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast.
But there's a reason Jessica Fletcher is so memorable. Lansbury's portrayal of Fletcher, and the show itself, is as comforting as unearthing a favorite Agatha Christie novel from your bookshelf. Sometimes, you just need an uncomplicated story in a cozy setting, with a trustworthy sleuth. (I love House of the Dragon, but am not always in the mood for all that moody, dark violence.)
Murder, She Wrote ran for 12 seasons and inspired four TV movies, a book series and even video games. So if, like me, news of Lansbury's death has you not just in mourning, but wishing for a ticket back to Cabot Cove, Maine, here you go.
How to Watch Murder, She Wrote on streaming video
Roku
You can sign up for a free Roku account and watch all the Murder, She Wrote seasons there, either on mobile, your browser or via your Roku device, if you have one. I found the browser version, at TheRokuChannel.com, the easiest way to just dive into old episodes.
Amazon Freevee
Amazon Freevee is Amazon's newish, ad-supported streaming service, and it has six seasons of Murder, She Wrote. An extra perk if you watch it here: You can click on X-ray, and while you don't seem to get the "pop-up video"-style trivia Amazon offers on more modern shows, you can get cast photos and bios, eliminating the inevitable "hey, it's that guy!" reactions.
Peacock Premium
Peacock Premium, the $5-a-month version of NBC's streaming service, has the full library of Murder, She Wrote episodes. (The free version of Peacock does not.)
