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.
"Frozen Stiff" is not one of the best 'Murder She Wrote' episodes, not by a long shot. It is a long way from one of the show's worst however, although a few of the worst came in this final season. For me actually "Frozen Stiff" is among the better episodes of Season 12, one of the most inconsistent and weaker seasons.
It suffers somewhat from being over-stuffed. Having as much going on, with a lot of subplots and twists, as "Frozen Stiff" didn't always make the story easy to completely follow and parts admittedly did confuse me on first watch.
There is a lot to like. Angela Lansbury is terrific as always and her supporting actors are well-cast, not always the case for Season 12. The mystery is compelling, suitably twisty and fun, though it would have been even better if the writers tried to do less.
When it comes to the denouement, it is not a shocker, but it is well done and the reveal is one of the season's (and of the latter seasons in general) better acted ones.
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. The writing is fun and thought-provoking, not taking itself seriously.
Altogether, pretty good. 7/10 Bethany Cox