Spoiler alert: This is not a bad review.
The first time I sat down to Murdoch Mysteries: Season 2, I selected three episodes to view. The first one, which is also the first episode in the set, left me cold—a murder in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show with a cast of stereotypical characters. “Mild Mild West” seemed obvious and a little foolish.
William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) is a genius detective with a keen mind for forensic techniques. He is engaged in an on-and-off romance with Julia Ogden (Helene Joy), a pathologist. The action takes place in Victorian-era Toronto, and the concept seemed a bit too precious.
Murdoch’s mannerisms and expressions hearken back to Twin Peaks’ Dale Cooper, and Cooper’s spirit haunts the dialogue. The situations dramatized foreshadow future events, and “new” inventions (e.g., movie projectors and x-rays) feature heavily. Storylines include nods to current films and news; Murdoch also engages in a little bit of invention with such futuristic items as night-vision goggles.
The second episode I chose, “Dinosaur Fever,” was the story of a murdered paleontology field worker. Again I was disappointed. These episodes were not bad; they were clever (although predictable), but I favor grittier imports. While I did not enjoy them as much as I expected, husband Chip enjoyed them quite a bit. I was more impressed with period details and costumes.
“Shades of Gray” was my third choice. With little humor, it tells a tale of abortionists and moral dilemmas. Well written and complex, “Shades of Gray” drew me into the world of Murdoch Mysteries. Not a fan of romantic entanglements and personal details, I prefer shows that focus on the professional lives of their detectives; however this episode got me hooked on Murdoch and Ogden’s relationship.
“I, Murdoch” introduces the viewer to Mrs. Enid Jones (Sarah Allen), a new romantic interest for Murdoch (boo! hiss!). The audience is surely hoping for an Ogden-Murdoch reunion, and this development makes it hard to care about giant, rampaging robots and prissy Prussians.
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