‘My Life Is Murder’ Recap: ‘All That Glitters’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 203 of ‘My Life Is Murder’.
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One particularly tender behavior that each and every one of us take part in, is protecting our loved ones and closest friends from harm, in any capacity. Because we genuinely care about them through and through and that is why we do our best to shield them from pain, so that they can go about their day in a safe and secure and happy manner. But while that is a wonderful and noble act to take part in, it does come with some drawbacks. In that, we cannot be there 24/7 to protect those we love from harm, and it is important for all of us to go through strife so that we grow and learn as individuals. Which means that while it pains us so to see them suffer when life throws a curveball their way, they need go through it and learn the lesson the universe is attempting to teach them and to do anything outside of offer support, could stunt their emotional growth… or worse.

If anything, that particular concept and the trouble that can potentially come about from protecting those we love is top of mind today, largely because it served as the focal theme of the next episode of My Life Is Murder on Acorn TV. For ‘All That Glitters’ explored those dangers in great detail, after outright fooling the audience into thinking they were about to enjoy an investigation grounded in a crime of passion. For Alexa was assigned to a case involving drag performers, wherein the world-famous duo of Ginger Snaps and Needa found themselves rattled by the death of Needa, whose real name was David, and it was up to Alexa to figure out if David’s untimely passing was indeed a sorrowful accident or outright murder and at first all signs pointed to that crime of passion. 

One where a potentially heated argument between David and his manager, Kathleen, boiled over and ended in death. Since Kathleen was preparing to dump David from the act and go with a younger performer. But the more that Alexa and Madison dug into the matter, the more they realized that foul play wasn’t what brought about David’s end. And once Alexa noticed that Felix (aka Ginger Snaps) was in possession of David’s glasses and was supremely distraught and despondent over David’s passing, she began to put together in the pieces. In that, Felix went to outright extremes to protect David from the reality that Needa’s time on stage was coming to an end and set up an accident to keep David out of the show. A decision that ended in fatal disaster of course and well, therein lie that all-important lesson.

For if Felix had taken the time to be honest and open with David about the future, instead of going to the extreme to protect… David would still be alive and likely processing a new chapter in life, and that really was quite the powerful and unique lesson to find within a crime drama, one that also took the time to grow Alexa as well. For this episode also revealed another big reason that she is home. In that, her brother Will is in prison and in need of some familial support and surprisingly, Alexa is willing to offer that. An act that makes it clear that she is home to resolve her past and move forward with it as an ally instead of as a hindrance and spending time with her convicted brother is indeed a bold way to do that, and this show deserves a serious round of applause for going this route with Alexa's development, since it really does put Alexa’s strength and resolve on display. 

After all, so many crime dramas treat the past as an obstacle or something to fear for the investigator in question. So, to see her face it head on is both inspiring and bold and well, in the end, this was just another quality chapter in Alexa’s far reaching story. Because it really did feature another intimate and powerful case for her to work on, one that was supremely tragic in nature and served as a fine reminder that good intentions can only take us so far. Plus, it was great to see a story in this manner offer proper respect to the drag scene, since it truly is art through and through and deserves to be treated and seen as such and well, in the end, this particular episode just goes to show that My Life Is Murder is one of the most unique crime dramas out there, and it will be quite interesting to see what kind of dynamic and intimate case awaits Alexa and Madison, come next week.  

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