Jack Gilford, of course, is well known by face to anyone who has watched any sitcom, ever. He is a well-known oft-seen character actor. In general, I'm not crazy about the overused "Wizard of Oz" ending, but it worked well here. The husband brutally dominated physically and psychologically by a brute of a wife is a very old comedy trope, Fibber McGee and Molly on the radio, Jiggs and Maggie in the newspapers, and so on. It has always made me wonder how the couple came to be married in the first place. Crime thriller; fantasy.

They dont get any better than this. Jack Gilford gives a great performance as well as carrying an ending that tends toward clche. This is one to listen to again and again.

A meek bank supervisor named Henry Green (think Henry Bemis from Twilight Zone's Time Enough at Last) is at wits end with his overbearing and abusive wife Sherry and dreams about her "not existing" anymore. He's also mega-attracted to his boss's secretary/love interest Florence, although he knows something like that could never happen. Or could it? One day he finds himself propositioned by Florence to kill his wife, rob his bank and run off with her forever. How he handles it is hilarious. OK, at least humorous.

very enjoyable episode.... the main character is reminded me of Sol Rosenberg from the Jerky Boys... I know it was a dream, but killing his wife seemed superfluous considering they were running away with the stolen money anyway...

Funniest phrase from this story: "foundation garments" !!

A Walter Middy style of play where the stakes are high and the acting is great.

A worm decides to kill his wife and the results are fun.

A mousy man dreams of getting away from his domineering wife. He concocts a uncharacteristic scheme of robbery and murder -- with the help of an "admirer". Sometimes darkly humorous. Well acted.

An extremely reserved and henpecked man is consumed with thoughts of getting away from his wife however he can. He dreams often of her just not being around any more. With the help of a co-worker/love interest at work, he plans grand larceny to rob his bank of a fortune, murder his wife, and run away with the girl of his dreams. This is a fun little episode with amusing characters.

Sol Rosenberg from the Jerky Boys! That is exactly right! Too funny!

"It's Simply Murder" was not one of Mystery Theater's best stories. It was, however, one of the best acted. I couldn't help but feel sorry for miserable Henry, be fascinated with Sherry, and hate the "wenchy" wife Florence. It made the less than stellar story palatable. 3 stars.

Jack Gilford gives a great performance

If they are running away...why kill the wife?

Bryan - the killing of the wife was so that Sherry could take her place on the cruise and they would leave the cruise before it returned. It was overly complicated in that respect as they could've done something different. Oh well, it's just a story after all.

Well, he still has a chance to get rid of her by pushing her overboard.

Henry is a weak willed person who needs others to tell him what to do. So, he chose a seemingly assertive women to bolster his weakness of character. His wife Florence and the mistress Sheryl are One and the Same. If he can blame others for HIS DECISIONS, then he can feel innocent. They look like villains when it's actually that he is equally responsible for allowing THEM to Run the show!

This is another favorite episode of mine and it's a total classic! I love the comedy in this episode and Bryna Raeburn is brilliant as the nagging wife. My favorite scene in the episode is when Henry is planning to murder her (the day before their planned trip) and everything goes wrong and there is one delay after another. The wife's mom calls up on the phone and they start in talking. The wife is explaining to her mom about how to take care of her cat while they are away and what to feed it, etc. The scene is so realistic, ha, ha!

What is it when you mix Walter Mitty with a motive to kill? It's simply murder.

Enjoyable episode with good acting, although the ending was on the mild side. Still, any program without demonic or supernatural activity makes a comfortable listening experience.

Jack Gilford really was great in this story. A humorous take on it was only a dream. Yes his sentence of being with his overbearing wife is punishment enough for the dream. Perhaps to harsh a punishment? Pleasant dreams!

Ive listened to almost EVERY one of the 1399 CBSRMT stories. And the reason that its not been all? In a word: Bryna Raeburn. The single most reason. I just CANNOT-- CAN NOT tolerate her gut wrenching, condescending, debasing voice. I have nothing against the woman. But lawd knows when i even attempt a listen, I breakdown and squall out!!!

The great Jack Gilford’s repertoire included “Once Upon a Mattress” & “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” with Zero Mostel, which still holds up with its absurd, outrageous humor. While this episode is his only CBSMT performance, it stands out as one of the most entertaining and memorable productions. Ian Martin’s skill for dark comedy has never been better, giving both actresses comically manipulative dialogue to control the spineless Henry. Bryna Raeburn’s versatility highlights the story as two hilarious characters, with the unforgettable Florence making her mark as Henry’s foil. One could imagine further stories with this pair, à la “The Bickersons”!