As Murder, She Wrote saunters through its sixth (of an eventual 12) season, star Angela Lansbury maintains her eternally buoyant and inquisitive air as Jessica Fletcher, professional writer and amateur sleuth. Though Jessica continued to investigate murders in her home town of Cabot Cove and elsewhere (in the worlds of high finance, opera, and voodoo, among other settings), this season began the practice of guest detective episodes, introduced by Jessica as either a story she wrote or a tale told by a friend, but starring a variety of quirky investigators: An ex-football player (Ken Howard, The White Shadow) paired with a clever poodle; a television crime-show producer who solved crime in real life (Diana Canova, Soap); a stout Irish detective (longtime character actor Pat Hingle); an abrasive homicide cop (Barry Newman, Vanishing Point); as well as recurring Murder, She Wrote characters like former jewel thief Dennis Stanton (Keith Michell) and British secret agent Michael Haggerty (Len Cariou). The producers were obviously hoping to use Murder, She Wrote's popularity to spin-off new series, but nothing from this season took off and viewer resistance soon brought the practice to an end. Executives must have been surprised to discover that, though murder mysteries are plot-driven, this show's success depends heavily on the undeniable charm of star Lansbury. Still, these one-off episodes are of a consistent quality with Lansbury's, and viewers open to variety will enjoy them just as much. The rest of the season features the usual astonishing array of guests, including movie stars old (Donald O'Connor, Singin' in the Rain) and recent (Elliott Gould, The Long Goodbye), television stalwarts (Shirley Jones, The Partridge Family; Jerry Stiller, The King of Queens; Doris Roberts, Everyone Loves Raymond; Kevin Tighe, Battlestar Galactica; and Gavin McLeod, The Love Boat), and D-list celebrities to die for (Dack Rambo, Morgan Brittany, Susan Anton, and more).
少年得意，颇具学识的状元书生高升（郑少秋 饰）得到了雍正皇帝的赏识，最后被任命为弘历，也就是后来的乾隆皇帝的陪读。在紫禁城，高升一待就是二十多年。他不仅是皇帝的伴读，还为乾隆皇帝解决了大大小小的事情，但乾隆妒高升才学突出，因此高升没有一官一职，倒也活的自在。新入宫的小宫女如意（杨怡 饰）颇得皇帝喜欢，但碍于如意卑微的身份和皇后的威严，一直未能得手。而这时，如意却惹上了莫须有的罪名，最后遗失在了宫外，不知去向。 乾隆命高升追逐如意的下来，高升借机感受外面的大千世界，来到了扬州城。在这里找到了如意的下落，结识了侠妓，万花楼的老板苏三（邓萃雯 饰）。二人从互看对方不顺眼到后来心心相惜，可事情不可能一帆风顺……
半年间，SNK剧变，总监余英飞离职、门外汉古肇华空降。张家妍虽掌权却难服众。刘艳的公开平台崛起，动摇传统媒体地位，连已入官场的许诗晴亦被卷入新旧媒体的角力。文慧心于此时复出，昭告世人：新闻女王的地位永远不可撼动！
消防站长宋焰（杨洋饰）和急诊科医生许沁（王楚然饰）分别十年之后重逢，青春时代的两人因家庭反对被迫分开，再相见时，两人都有了许多成长和改变。由于工作性质的原因，宋焰和许沁渐渐有了交集。宋焰带领十里台的消防员们为维护人民群众生命财产安全而英勇奋斗，经历了无数次血与火的生死考验后仍不改初心。他的坚持感染着许沁，困扰他们多年的心结也渐渐被解开。两人克服家庭阻力，最终重新走到一起，互相鼓励，共同进步，用各自的专长守护着这座美丽的城市。
