As Luck Would Have It: Murder 101 (2023 Lifetime)
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Cast: Jackée Harry, Mea Wilkerson, Ricco Ross, and Tom Arnold
Director: David DeCoteau
Writer: Robert Dean Klein, Jeffrey Schenck, Peter Sullivan
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DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearlySynopsis (via Lifetime)
Recently retired criminology professor turned amateur sleuth Gabbi Luck (Jackée Harry) uses her classroom smarts, charm and tenacity to get to the bottom of every crime she encounters. She balances each case with daughter Lisa (Mea Wilkerson) who is a detective and partner Rick (Doug Rogers). Gabbi is sometimes assisted by police Captain Taylor (Tom Arnold), Barbara (Tracy Nelson) who works at the station, husband Michael (Rico Ross) and police psychologist, Dr. Nolan (Dorian Gregory).
Recap/Wine Thoughts.
I’m not sure that I will watch the whole series, but Jackée Harry earns at least a first episode watch of this three-part series.
Jackée Harry plays Gabbi Luck a true crime podcaster. Everyone (which means all the stock footage of people listening to things) is a fan except Gabbi’s daughter, Lisa. Lisa is a police detective and has an adorable partner named Rick. They are following a suspect.
We then get a whole title sequence!
Lisa and Rick follow the criminal, and he runs to a rooftop and threatens to jump off a stairwell that isn’t that high. Lisa and Rick argue, and it becomes too much for the criminal, who just turns himself in. Lisa is in therapy for anger management and is a meddling mother.
Jackée Harry started the podcast two months ago. She vents to her BFF Barbara about adding the recording to her teaching schedule at Whittmore College. Gabbi’s colleagues Charles and Hot Professor Brian seem shady AF. Charles is also having an affair with a student he keeps a secret and is breaking up with. Christy isn’t taking the breakup well. (She is stalking him and broke a window in his office.)
Tom Arnold shows up after Charles dies in an apparent murder, and he assigns Lisa and Rick to the case. Jackée Harry was the last person to see him alive! Charles, Emma (Played by my favorite, Diane Robin), found his body and is distraught. (Maybe too upset.)
Rick and Lisa question Jackée Harry, who tells them about his affair with Christy. (Rick is also excited to meet with Lisa’s mom because he is a podcast fan, haha.
Emma breaks into the crime scene and walks around while crying. Lisa and Rick catch her and are like, “Uhhh, GTFO!” Then, they search the crime scene for clues while talking about their relationship statuses. Later, they question Emma, who admits that she knew Charles was having affairs, but sleeping with students was a new low. Emma has an alibi and tells Lisa and Rick to find Charles Killer.
Speaking of relationships, Jackée Harry and Tom Arnold are friends and went on one date. Then Jackée Harry put him in the friend zone.
Christy speaks with the police and is VERY nervous. She is hiding something.
Lisa vents to her dad via video chat and tells him the case is stirring up old feelings. (Especially with her mother’s meddling.) Jackée Harry releases a new podcast episode and talks about how the first 48 hours are crucial to an investigation. (Inadvertently putting more pressure on Lisa and annoying her even further.)
The next person interviewed by Lisa and Rick is Charles’ mimosa-loving wife. She tells them that the marriage fell apart long ago, and over time, she has been apathetic to Charles’ philandering ways.
We get an interview montage, and Brian (the hot professor) is forced to say the line “dipped his pen in the company ink.” The line is so terrible the professor sweats heavily above his upper lip. Then he spills some tea about a rival professor with INSANE country singer hair.
Rick has a beer at a restaurant to turn off his brain and runs into Jackée Harry and shares about his mother, who passed away. They share a hamburger and connect. (Later his is super hung over and I’m like, from one beer?!?!)
Meanwhile, Lisa talks to Christy’s roommate, Sarah. Sarah is reluctant but doesn’t confirm Christy’s alibi. Then, the roommate decides to stay with her boyfriend until the investigation ends. Christy tries to explain herself to Sarah, but it doesn’t go well,
Rick and Lisa search Charles’ apartment for clues to close the case and find Christy in a sexy robber outfit. Christy shows them a letter that incriminates her and asks for a lawyer.
Lisa updates her mother about Christy. Then they go into some low blows about Gabi Luck sleeping with Charles back in the day. Gabi Luck tells Lisa that it was retaliation for her husband cheating on her habitually to even the score.
it’s getting to that time where we need to wrap things up, so Lisa wanders around while thinking about all the suspects and lands back on my girl Emma! She tells them about a clue that leads Lisa to a tape recording of the hunk professor ARGUING with Charles. He murdered Charles because he wasn’t selected for tenure. Hunk Professor was blackmailing Charles with photos of him and Christy together.
We see Hot Professor’s bad deeds through flashback. Things get physical and Hot Prof stabs Charles. CASE SOLVED!
Rick, Lisa, and Jackée Harry celebrate at “Bar” with some beers. Jackée Harry tells them that they make a great team and is excited for the next case.
We set up the next episode at the end of this “3 part movie event.” Lisa talks to her therapist about her mother and admits that she did help with the case, somehow. She actualy enjoyed having her mother around even if Jackée Harry continues to meddle in her love life.
Side Note/Stray Thoughts
Minority Report: Jackée Harry, Rick, Lisa, Landlord, Robin, Ken, Doctor,
David DeCoteau giving gay hunks a featured role in every movie is my favorite thing. I’m waiting for my call, Mr. DeCoteau!!!!!
Overall rating
Numbers of Kills: 🔪 (1 knife)
Enjoyment Level (1-5 scale)
🍷 (1 Glass of Wine)
Should you watch it?
Put a Cork in It (Skip It)
What did you think of the movie? Let me know in the comments or on social media @LifetimeUncorked & @patrickmiguel
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Problem, I have a VERY low tolerance for Jackée Harry, dating all the way back to “227”. And the title sequence looked like a parody.