NBC is looking to revive its Angela Lansbury detective drama series “Murder She Wrote,” naming Octavia Spencer as the lead.
Spencer will be taking over in the new hour-long show, which has received a pilot commitment from the network.
Deadline describes the show as: “a light contemporary prodedural in the vein of Bones or Fargo, it follows a hospital administrator and amateur sleuth (Spencer) who self-publishes her first mystery novel. Set in a day where sensational headlines inundate the news, this woman’s avid fascination with true crime leads her to become an active participant in the investigations.”
Its reported that former “Desperate Housewives” executive producer, Alexandra Cunningham, is writing the show and will executive produce with David Janollari.
The original starring Lansbury aired for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996, making it one of the longest running shows in TV history. The show was such a hit that it inspired four TV movies and the spin-off series, “The Law & Harry McGraw.”
Spencer, who won an Oscar for her role in “The Help,” is making her first appearance on TV as a series regular.
