Enter David Tolliver, a potentially stalker AND murderer. Consider Supporting me on Patreon: / pushinguproses Social Media: Twitter: / pushinuproses Facebook: / pushinguproses Instagram: / pushinguprosesart
On a side note: I absolutely love whenever someone expresses attraction to Jess they didn't write her demure or self-deprecating or anything. She never dismisses the idea of anyone of any age being attracted to her. And its so refreshing tbh.
Oh my god, when my mom and I watched this episode we were absolutely convinced that this weird guy would come back as a Moriarty-esque foil for Jessica. We "wrote" a whole movie where he comes back and unleashed an elaborate plot where he tries to destroy her, but her relatives and family friends from all the past episodes form a heist/protection squad to ensure their beloved Jessica's safety lol
David is absolutely guilty. If MSW was a modern show, he would have been the recurring villain, killed off at the end of the fourth season with a copycat for a short arc in season seven. But TV was different in the 80s. Another amazing episode, Roses! Love how you threw your adorable self into the montage!
It does seem like it, huh? You wanna give people the benefit of the doubt, but his multiple lies, combined with some of his actions - yeah, it doesn't look great, haha. And agreed!
And then turns out he wasn't dead after all and comes back for the finale out of nowhere as the true mastermind of the final season's arc despite zero foreshadowing.
In a way, I like it better than they didn’t go down that road. That David is still at large at the end, and that he will be conning women again- if not worse- adds an element of uncertainty that is much more disturbing than all the many gruesome killings we had already seen and would see in the series.
Now I want him to have his own spin off series. He’s grown older, and is now a crime solving author himself, all the while leaving the audience wondering if he’s so good at solving/writing crimes because he’s just creative… or because he’s really a killer? Dun dun duuuuuuun!
Just remembered something funny about the series. I'm German and in German the series is called "Mord ist ihr Hobby" so "Murder is her hobby". When I was little, I wasn't allowed to watch TV when the show was on. But one time I saw the opening credits and the title - so then I thought for a long time, that Jess is some fiction writer who kills people to write stories about that 😁 Just wanted to share that story with you 😜 you and your videos are awesome 👍
In Denmark the show was called: "Hun Så Et Mord" (She Saw a Murder). It's hilarious how the translations vary so much; giving completely different impressions of what the show is about 😄
In Finland it was called "Murhasta tuli totta" that means The murder became reality. That name also hints that Jessica wrote the murders and then executed them. 😮
If you thought Andrew Stevens was creepy in this episode, you need to see him in full on insane stalker mode in the movie The Seduction, another piece of 80's goodness. Also, there's an ongoing series of Murder She Wrote novels, so David could always make a return there!
I almost thought David was a young Rob Lowe. Got a jawline for days. Also, I was sitting here wracking my brain to figure out where I knew Amelia from. She played Dorothy’s friend, Jean, who falls in love with Rose after visiting the girls. And that was all without googles help, you can tell I’ve seen every episode of the Golden girls far too many times.
As someone who binges reruns of MSW at work, to me it feels that way. The show did touch on some darker themes such as suicide, mental health, child abductions, racism, and obviously murder, yet the tone of the show still feels playful and campy. A stalker/serial killer type over-arching plotline would have probably would feel out of place. That said, if there was just one or two more episodes with this character, it probably would have been fine given there'd still be a ton of other episodes of cozy mystery stories.
I notice as the seasons go on, even the ending freeze frames are almost exclusively chipper and silly by the end of the series. Like no matter how much of a downer the endings are, the last scene will always be a humorous or heartwarming last minute conversation between Jessica and another character. The early seasons are jarringly serious and dark sometimes in comparison.
I always thought that, since this was only episode 7, the writers were still figuring out what they wanted out of the secondary guest stars. Jerry Orbach’s Harry McGraw wasn’t introduced until the next season, for instance.
@@shelbyherring92 It reminds me of when I watched one of the MSW TV movies and was initially thrown off the by the civil war south setting. Like, there's a character that literally drops the n-word like nothing. This is Murder She Wrote and it wasn't shy about either the racism of the period or it's opinion on civil war revisionists.
I have noticed that seasons 1-3 tend to be a little on the darker and more serious side, then when you get to season 5 it’s a little more corny. I am wondering if the creators just wanted it to go the more light hearted route over time.
Fun Fact: There is actually a Mission Impossible (TV series) reunion in this episode. Peter Graves (professor) and Greg Morris (cop) both make an appearance here.
I remember watching that ending as a kid and finding it absolutely bone chilling then and even moreso now. Talk about dodging a bullet... (that he doesn't figure into a wider arc never bothered me, considering that we as the viewer establish a protective feeling towards Jess throughout and he comes off as creepy enough for us to never want to see him darken her door again, although the idea of his being out and free to stalk, charm and potentially kill more malleable or naïve rich women doesn't feel much better).
With both Peter Graves and Greg Morris turning up in supporting roles, this is practically a "Murder, She Wrote"/"Mission Impossible" crossover. "Harmless and Horny; the title of my autobiography" 😄😄😄
Thabk you roses for introducing me back to Murder she wrote my mom and nana grew up watching this show and it had brought us together dven more ! Im hoping someday you do the pilot love the sherlock holmes evidence !
This does slightly remind me of another episode where it seems to follow the standard Murder She Wrote plot until the end where it turns out the guy who was arrested at the end of the first act, played by Robert Goulet IIRC, and who Jessica spends most of the episode trying to prove the innocence of turns out to be the killer after all. I thought it was an interesting play on the usual formula.
The actor who played David reappeared in a later episode when Jessica was in Boston. The jealous secretary, Emilia, is played by Lois Nettleton, who played the lesbian who had a crush on Rose in Golden Girls and Daggair in Babylon 5 (she also reappears in Murder She Wrote as other characters)
Lois Nettleton had an interesting career. She appeared in an episode of the Twilight zone. She also starred in a series called All that glitters about a society in which their is role reversal with the women running society and the men weak and submissive. It was produced by Norman Lear of All in the Family fame.
I don't know if this is very weird, but I never watched Murder She Wrote, and probably won't ever, but I get tons of enjoyment out of your recaps and get some appreciation for the show--both vicarious, through your audible delight, and actual appreciation for the wonderful Angela Lansbury.
When I watched this the first time, I was so ready for him to return. Either for Jess to get him out of a mess and prove him to just be a weirdo or to nail him for something, he's vehemently denying/lying about. Even so, I love how this episode establishes more of Jess as a character and for being such an early episode, agree that it's an excellent one. Also awesome job on the editing, Roses - absolutely here for the snark and enthusiasm!
They always reused the same actors. who played different characters. William Windom played a lawyer in the season one season finale "Funeral at Fifty-Mile," and then two episodes later, he played Dr. Seth Hazlitt. Grant Goodeve did two additional episodes in seasons 3 and 4, and Adrienne Barbeau (Carol from Maude and later Selina Kyle/Catwoman from Batman: The Animated Series) was in both "Jessica Behind Bars" in season 2 and "Deadline For Murder" in season 3. Judith Chapman (Gloria from The Young and the Restless) was in several episodes, and Karen Grassle (Caroline from Little House on the Prairie) was in two episodes.
Appreciate the shout out to Poker Face. That Joseph Gordon Levitt episode was phenomenal. Speaking of Columbo, I just rewatched it and would love to hear you review an absolutely bonkers episode called Ashes to Ashes. It features some notable guest stars, and an incredibly unhinged musical number (!).
I would loooove her to start a similar series for Colombo! I loved her video on the series as a whole, but the individual episodes can be just as, if not even more, wacky than Murder She Wrote. It’d be so fun to take a closer look at each of the individual murderers, since they get more screentime and development, and there’s such a wide variety of them.
@@piggylady225 One thing I appreciated about it was how they tried to make the episodes have a different feel eventually, despite Columbo himself being pretty readable after a while.
There was an episode of MSW in particular which reminds me of Columbo. It has Ricardo Montalban in it(also a Columbo villain) and doesn't seriously attempt to draw suspicion on any other character.
TV back then assumed you might miss a few episodes and, since generally your only option to catch up were the summer reruns, shows with an overarching story were a tougher sell.
It's really strange they never brought him back. They did bring back the guy from the pilot for another episode since there were still some unresolved emotions for Jess, and I wish they would've done the same with David
I love that they actually filmed parts of this in Seattle and not just a back lot dressed up to look the part. Those signs at the airport didn't change for probably decades. They were still very much like that in the 90s when I started flying through there for family stuff.
My mind went to imagining David as a vampire, did anyone else get a little of those vibes? Once Jessica invited him in, he started to haunt her more and more. But i suppose Murder She Wrote didn't usually enter into the supernatural.
Andrew Stevens (dollar store Eric Roberts) seemed to play the creepiest characters in the 80’s and 90’s. It seems only fitting that he would be cast in a episode about unrequited love with Jessica. Also, I love the name of your biography 🤣
@@MrOmnisun it’s hard to tell if he got pigeon holed into those roles or if he specifically requested those types of roles. Either way. He certainly is a strange person.
Actually YES, that was Angela Lansbury. This is the only episode in the entire series where she did her own stunts. She retched her back while filming this scene and from then on used a stunt double.
I'm so happy I discovered your channel. Watching Murder, She Wrote when it aired was one of the few things I enjoyed doing with my mother (then-alcoholic, now-deceased, yes it's complicated, but don't worry, I'm fine) and your riffing on the show is just such a joy. Your sense of humor is superb, too
Andrew Stevens is the young man in question who is courting Jessica. He was a star in The Fury, which is a movie you must see if you haven't, and he currently runs his own entertainment group.
Yes!! Thank you so much for covering this episode! The first time i watched MSW i was convinced David would come back and he didnt! This is also one of the few epsiodes where Jess doesn't solve the original murder. Usually i find if there's a murduer that takes place before the episode (sometimes years) she solves that one in addition to the one in the episode. I guess the idea here is that the random guy confessed to killing Alyson but it was probably David?
Love this ep. I'm surprised you didn't bring it up, or perhaps i've seen Columbo a ton more but my head canon for this character is that he's the same guy as he plays in the later season Columbo ep where he's also a gigolo to an older woman and also super suspect.
I woke up at 7AM, and this was right at the top of my feed. Naturally, i clicked on it with all possible dispatch, and i was astounded that i *REMEMBERED THE EPISODE* before I'd even put my contacts in. I knew it just from the description, lol. "I still don't think he's a killer". I remember that line! Omg the Leisure Suit Larry music! "Jess LOOMS"! "Can I interest you in a slightly overstuffed bear?" *glour* This is a side of me few people understand.😅
OMG YES! I was hoping you'd cover this episode!!! This one REALLY creeped me out. Maybe it's because I had a stalker in my past, but just David was too creepy. But it was so well-written. Definitely a memorable one from the show.
I'm still making my way through the series. Is this the only episode where a murder isn't solved/the killer gets away? I think you're right, Roses, that the tone of this particular episode didn't fit what they were going for overall for the series. But, man, is this episode memorable because of it. David is so creepy and would have made an excellent stalker/serial killer.
That character actor was always a bad guy. Old GenXer here. I was in labor with my son while watching a Murder She Wrote, flipping to a 60 Minutes about the little girls switched at birth, all the while the news was interrupting with the story of a lady, dressed as a nurse, stealing a baby in a Rhode Island maternity ward. 😂 Completely true story. I actually loved Murder She Wrote. There used to be murder mysteries including McCloud, McMillian and Wife, a few others, and my very personal favorite,Colombo. Murder She Wrote was on Sunday night. I believe CBS. The murder mysteries were on Friday night in my area, I believe. Enjoyed your work! Thank you. New Subscriber
I never thought about David being the actual killer, but that makes sense with how brushed off the "robber-killer" ends up being. I agree it is a creepy episode! Love you analysis as always.
Are we sure David is not being hunted by the original Mission Impossible team in this episode. I’m pretty sure Martin Landau & Barbara Bain were stuck on the moon at this time, but isn’t that Greg Morris as well as Peter Graves?
I love “cozy” shows that have an unexplained or unexpected “creepy” episode. I’m not sure if you’re a fan but cozy family drama The Waltons had a full on poltergeist episode, like an in cannon haunting that’s never referenced again if I recall correctly lol.
I get irrationally excited when you upload these videos. I watched this show with my grandmother when I was a kid. It's probably what let to my lifetime love of murder mysteries.
Damn, I was holding out hope for a Peter Graves ‘Biography’ joke, a la MST3K. I was going to try to make one myself, but it’s 5:30 in the morning and I’m way too tired. Great video, as always!
When I watched this episode, I kept thinking David had the hots for Jessica, so I kept calling her a cougar. Then, at the end, my suspicions were confirmed. I loved the scene where she was teaching and said something like, "Am I right? Of course I'm right!"
Im glad you talked about this episode because I was rewatching the series and was like: “where the heck did this amazing tone come from?” So sad he never came back at least once!
It is somewhat baffling how many male suitors there were vying for Jessica's hand over the course of the show. Having one of being a potential stalker/murderer just seems par for the course for this series. Oh, and please review "The Szechuan Dragon" next. That episode is just bonkers.
@@bib4eto656 It's the one starring Grady Fletcher, his very pregnant wife, a Porcelain dragon statue, a very kick happy Cambodian, Ra's al Ghul and a hell of a lot of wackiness. Jessica even solves the murder mystery while on holiday in England.
You should honestly use that 'Written by PushingUpRoses' freeze frame at the end of every TTOMSW video. It's interesting that David never came back. It's not like MSW didn't have recurring characters outside Cabot Cove. My favourite has got to be Michael Hagarty, the Irish MI6 agent who's desperate to make Jess his Bond girl.
Oh man, after a long month of bullsh*t this video is really brightening up my day. You are amazing Roses. I really like this episode in the series and you kill it with the commentary!
I just thought of "Hey everyone, PushingUpRoses here with another episode of Murder, She Wrote" literally as I was opening the subscriptions page. Bam, new episode. Most enjoyable.
1) They really should have had creepy David as a recurring creep. 2) I love these commentaries and summaries. This channel is the reason why I fell in love with the show and got the DVD series. Up to Season 7 now. I hope you cover Season 6's fillers-- aka That time when Jessica was hardly in most of the episodes of Murder She Wrote. xD
Roses, that's not Peter Graves from Airplane; that's Peter Graves from Golden Girls. The first thing I think of when I see him, though, is as the host of America's Most Disgusting Crimes in Addams Family Values.
I hadn't even put my contacts in or brushed my teeth--had been awake for less than two minutes. RU-vid played it automagically. Yeah, so I *still* recalled the episode even though I was virtually blind.
holy shit. I wasn't expecting a whole lot, racking my brain trying to figure out which episode to warrant such a video title. I can't believe I've never seen this but this was genuinely unsettling to me. The tonal shift, especially in the music, right before the freeze frame had me. I've got to watch it now.
Whenever i go to my grandmothers she watches this show alot and because of this series on ur channel i get to give her fun facts and we get to appreciate this show together for very different reasons
Please tell me you were serious about your autobiography being called Harmless and Horny. I'd buy it both because I think you are great, and for the title
I always wondered why this was the last scene and what was up with him. Was he a killer who got away with it? Cause that looked like somebody who realized that somebody's on to them. At least to me it looked like that. But this ending really stuck out to me. Thanks for covering this episode~
The Mentalist (2008-2015) starring Simon Baker was another great WhoDunnit series that had self-contained stories as well as a one bigger story that spanned the series (Red John Killer). Regardless, another great video!!!
I absolutely LOVE this episode. I'm so glad you did a video about it! He was so so creepy, I was shocked that he wasn't the killer the first time I watched it. You're totally right though, that storyline really could have been an exciting thing to carry through to other episodes, even if it was just one or two. It could have been so psychologically unbalancing for Jess's character, trying to balance between suspicion and a lack of solid evidence and deal with the idea of someone being so... obsessed with her. Does she even want him to get caught if he's guilty? Does she enjoy the attention? She certainly wouldn't want to, but I could see it getting to her, he is a charming bastard. I think it really would have changed the tone of the show whenever it recurred though, the chintzy, cozy aspect gets kinda turned down and it becomes way more psycho-thriller. It's kind of an interesting thought. It's too bad it's so hard to recreate something like this show now. Maybe it could translate into a novel, I'd read that.
Lois Nettleton (who plays killer Amelia) had quite the career as well. She mostly did stage and TV work. One of her more famous TV appearances was the main character Norma in The Twilight Zone episode "Midnight Sun."
I have two episodes to suggest! One is called “Test of Wills” from season 6. It starts out similar to “Clue,” but takes some interesting and unexpected twists and ends up being a uniquely satisfying episode. It doesn’t really change the formula, but it comes at it from a different angle, and Jessica is a total BOSS in it! Another fun episode is “Jessica Behind Bars” from season 2. The supporting cast of women in that one is absolutely FULL of cult icons!
I don’t remember many Murder She Wrote episodes but this one is an exception. Andrew Stevens plays a great creepy guy (as usual). He played a similar character on a Columbo. I also waited for him to make a return but he never did. Too bad, it could’ve been great.
5:12 No matter how you grow, where your art takes you, or how long you choose to share the journey with us, I will always smile when you make a Sierra Online reference. It's how we "met" (how I found the channel years ago). Happy you're still letting us enjoy your perspective.
I was so happy to see an video this morning. Hope you're feeling better. Murder She Wrote is such a wild show. I forgot how strange some of the episodes were.
Someone will mention that Peter Graves and Greg Morris (the detective) were both regulars on Mission: Impossible. I didn't recognize from the initially from the clips but I spent most of the video on IMDb trying to figure out where I knew David's actor from (I think 'Munchie').
Were/are you a Dallas fan? I knew immediately that I recognised him from Dallas. He played a recurring character for a couple of seasons - Casey Denault.
Love your analysis of this episode, but it was the like 2 second insert of music from Kings Quest 7 that really impressed me. You are a creator with excellent taste.
