Why the Friends plot?
Imagine you're the Murder, She Wrote writing staff. For years your show has become a weekly staple in the homes of millions, you're praised and lauded, you've turned Angela Lansbury from a golden age bit player and Broadway star into one of television's most beloved and popular icons. Jessica Fletcher goes on to start filling up bookshelves and cheap tie-in CD-ROMs, there's no way that Murder, She Wrote could end anytime soon, you've dodged Angela leaving your series all together back at the end of the 80s. You're one of CBS' most beloved series in the lineup for thirteen long years running. How could anyone be able to take kindly old Jessica Fletcher off the air?
Then that show about young Gen Xers drinking coffee and complaining about their sex lives comes on the moment you're entering your 11th season, and by that summer, becomes a rising phenomenon. Within the years end, this show would go onto become one of TV's biggest hits, and now, the networks want in. But there's a problem - no youngins are going want to tune into a network whose most popular series include ones that revolve around the murderous light hearted exploits of former golden age actors playing senior citizen sleuths with successful careers who tie into their detective work.
Then the network throws your show the biggest blow ever - you're moved from your appointed timeslot on Sundays that for millions became a mainstay to Thursday nights, right in the crossfire of Friends-mania. Following a shift back, this season outside of a slew of TV movies, a novel series, and a point and click adventure game, would mark the last we'd ever see of Jessica Fletcher weekly.
It's okay for MSW standards, loved bits like how the implication that the studio created an entire production studio just for the sole existence of producing Buds (that not so subtle "We're Here For You" in case you didn't know who the writer' ire was up against this week adds to it) & and how no expense was made to distance the standins for the Friends cast to who they're actually supposed to be.