Funny Mystery-Themed Episodes of Non-Mystery Shows You Love
In The Mood For Something A Little Different?
Welcome to a brand new edition of Only Murders In The Inbox. Every week, OMITI covers murder mysteries in literature and entertainment. We delve into the ways the Mystery genre is significant in pop culture. You’ll also find curated suggestions and lists here so if you’re in the mood for a particular type of book, movie or series, I’ve got you! To support my writing, sign up for a paid monthly subscription which includes almost a hundred archived editions of Only Murders In The Inbox! I would love to have your support. Click this button to upgrade to a paid subscription:
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Thank you to all of my readers who’ve checked on me during the L.A. fires, which are still ongoing. On Wednesday, our family left our home in northeast Los Angeles. We woke up at six in the morning, choking from the smoke; when our air quality number is over 50 I’m reluctant to go outside because I have Long Covid (think severe asthma but inhalers don’t help). By the time we left, it was 384. As we were leaving, we saw charred pages of books in our front yard, which is insane. That tells you how far the Santa Ana winds are carrying embers and ash from the Eaton Canyon fire into other parts of L.A. county.
We drove forty miles outside the city to safety where the air quality is significantly better (but not great). We’re watching plumes of smoke over L.A. from our hotel window, wondering if our home will still be standing once we’re finally able to return. Our hotel is full of evacuees from the city. So many people have lost their homes. Not everyone left, and we’re worried about them. We feel fortunate that we got out when we did, because who knows how difficult it will be to get out of L.A. if the Palisades and Eaton Canyon fires continue to spread into even more densely populated areas. We love our city. We’ve called it home for more than two decades, and our children were born and raised here. It’s agonizing to watch it all burn.
Please keep us and everyone in L.A. in your thoughts. Now is the time to check on the people you love, that college friend, that elderly relative you haven’t seen in forever. They might need encouragement — or in some cases, assistance — and I’m betting hearing from you would help.
Angelenos, here are some resources:
California State Resources and Contact Lists
If you are evacuating and seeking shelter, text “SHELTER” and your zip code to 43362 to locate the nearest one to you.
If you’re in L.A. and reading this, I’m with you. We’re in this together. If you need a good distraction, I’m going to do my best to give you one.
This Only Murders edition has been updated from November 2023. OMITI will never contain spoilers, so read on and enjoy.
How happy do you find yourself when your favorite sitcom, drama or animated series suddenly has a mystery-themed episode? In my experience, it makes the show even better!
My kids presented the idea for this list when we were discussing the best episodes of The Golden Girls and I mentioned my favorite was the mystery dinner episode. My kids love Adventure Time and there’s a two-part mystery they love. So we put together a list of our favorite episodes from various shows that happen to throw a murder mystery or clue-chasing adventure into the mix. Here’s a list when you’re in the mood for a mystery but you’re hankering for something a little different.
Image Courtesy of the Cartoon Network
Adventure Time — Season 3, Episode 12 “The Creeps” Jake and Finn are invited to a mysterious masquerade dinner party in a spooky mansion. There’s murder, comedy, intrigue and…ghosts!
Adventure Time — Season 3, Episode 24 “Ghost Princess” Finn plays detective and tries to solve the case of the murder of the Ghost Princess. Worth watching just to hear the words sweetles and murder-urdled.
Adventure Time — Season 7, Episode 6 & 7 “Stakes, Part 1: Marceline the Vampire Queen” and “Stakes Part 2: Everything Stays” Finn and Jake have to solve the mystery of the animals in the village. Everyone suspects Marceline, but Finn decides to have a proper investigation to find out who did it.
Images Courtesy of Paramount+
The Andy Griffith Show — Season 4, Episode 2 “The Haunted House” My husband’s grandmother grew up in West Virginia and went to high school with Don Knotts. She attested Knotts was the class clown who always loved to ham it up in school theater productions (as Gomer would say, “surprise surprise!”). He steals every scene in this mystery-themed episode. Barney, Andy and Gomer assist Opie when he inadvertently loses his baseball in the spooky Rimshaw house.
Bob’s Burgers — Season 7, Episode 11 “A Few ‘Gurt Men” Louise, through a dreaded school assignment, has to solve a mystery to help her sworn enemy, school counselor Mr. Frond.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine — Season 7, Episode 9 “Dillman” A prank goes wrong at the station and a detective is called in to help crack the case.
Community — Season 5, Episode 3 “Basic Intergluteal Numistatics” Lots of fans consider this to be the best episode of Community. Jeff and Annie investigate a bandit causing mischief in Greendale. Pretty crass but funny, and worth watching just for the opening song and my favorite man, Donald Glover.
Frasier — Season 9, Episode 19 “Deathrap” Niles and Frasier visit their childhood home. When they find a clue to an unsolved murder, they decide to investigate.
Futurama — Season 10, Episode 11 “Murder on the Planet Express” The gang becomes paranoid when their items go missing and they start accusing each other of theft, so the Professor makes them go on a team building retreat that goes horribly wrong.
Image Courtesy of NBC
Golden Girls — Season 7, Episode 2 “The Case of the Libertine Belle” Blanche takes the girls to a murder mystery dinner and the evening takes an exciting turn.
The Goldbergs — Season 8, Episode 8 “Bevy's Big Murder Mystery Party" Adam and Beverly watch the movie Clue and then decide they should throw a murder mystery party.
King of the Hill — Season 12, Episode 19 “Strangeness On A Train” Peggy has had a lot of disappointing birthdays, so this year the gang decides to take her on a disco-themed murder mystery train to celebrate.
Schitt’s Creek — Season 3, Episode 6, “Murder Mystery” Twyla throws her annual potluck murder mystery party that the Jazzagals dread, so Moira decides to help out.
Image Courtesy of Netflix
She-Ra — Season 4, Episode 7 “Mer-Mysteries” There’s a traitor in our mist! The Best Friends Squad and gang, lead by Mermista, have to solve the mystery of who sabotaged the group’s plans to defeat the Horde. Do I wish I were Mermista? Yeah, definitely.
The Simpsons — Season 6, Episode 25 & Season 7, Episode 1 “Who Shot Mr. Burns?” This is one of those memorable two-parters of a show you love that becomes unforgettable. Mr. Burns angers the entire town when he gets power hungry. Everyone becomes a suspect!
The X-Files, from “Bad Blood,” Image Courtesy of FOX
The X-Files — Season Five, Episode 12 “Bad Blood” You know what’s better than this show? Absolutely nothing. Anyone who knows me knows my love for The X-Files knows no bounds. Can you say that three times fast? Agents Mulder and Scully have a harrowing experience with a vampire and are called in to explain the series of events to Assistant Director Skinner, each from their own perspective. This episode is in my top ten favorite X-Files for lots of reasons, and not just because of Luke Wilson’s guest appearance. I promise you’ll love it.
Did I miss any mystery episodes of your favorite show? Leave a comment below or email your reply and I can include it in our followup list!
Song of the Day — “Play This Only At Night” by Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew
This is a great list and much ❤️ to you and your family and all of LA
There is some great writing here, plus a nice nod to animation. :) That is such a great episode of She-Ra. Sea Hawk is an absolute hero. This is another top-drawer piece.