Cooking Up Crimes

Most people these days probably associated actress Jane Seymour with the 1990s TV series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. Or their memories might be long enough to remember her as the seductive psychic Solitaire in the 1973 James Bond flick Live and Let Die. If they’re really lucky, their minds will turn immediately to Seymour’s semi-nude Playboy pictorial from 1987. But for some reason, I remember her best from the 1984 film Lassiter. Playing thief Tom Selleck’s winsome dancer girlfriend, Sara Wells, in that feature, she embedded herself deep in my dreams, and hasn’t left yet.

Now, TV Squad reports that Ms. Seymour is returning to television as a “crime-solving Martha Stewart-type celebrity” turned sleuth.

Dear Prudence will be co-authored by Les Alexander, who will also executive produce the picture. The story revolves around Prudence, star of a house and garden TV show, who has an eagle eye for detail. While vacationing in Santa Fe, she “stumbles on a murder mystery”--just like Jessica Fletcher did on Murder, She Wrote. Using her skills at observation, she sees things that even forensic experts miss and helps catch the killer. It’s Martha Stewart meets Monk without the neuroses!

If the first film scores, Hallmark would be likely to put the group into production for a few more after that. This is especially true because Hallmark’s executive vice president is behind the project and is talking about a major marketing push for an August premiere. The late summer date is intentional; to take advantage of the plethora of reruns the networks will be broadcasting then.

Dear Prudence could be slotted in the Hallmark mystery movie wheel which now includes Dick Van Dyke in Murder 101, John Larroquette in McBride, Kellie Martin in Mystery Woman and Lea Thompson in Jane Doe.

Hmm. I’d forgotten that Hallmark even had those other revolving mystery movies, so underwhelming have been the promotional campaigns for all four. Maybe Seymour’s show can give a boost to the whole set. That would be a good thing, no?

Watch a preview of Dear Prudence here.