Les enquêtes de Murdoch

Series 1 - 11 were absolutely wonderful. William was inventing. Crabtree was hilariously naming stuff! Julia was moving with the times, as you would expect of a worldly woman. Everything was working, staying within the boundaries of the time they were living in. Series 12 comes along and things changed quite dramatically. William wasn't inventing very much. There started to be more attention to the main characters personal lives than murder or mystery. Now on series 13 and it just seems to be worsening. William hasn't invented anything, and, dare I say it? Yes, woke! Why are we suddenly putting today's social values in an early 1900s setting? I just don't get it at all. They'll all be using mobile phones and the internet next.

'Murdoch Mysteries' stars Yannick Bisson as Inspector William Murdoch who solves crimes in 1890's Toronto, is an exceptionally well made and acted series, which makes a nice change from CSI/NCIS etc. staple of whiz-bang, FX laden crime shows

Bisson is likable as the handsome Inspector, with English Actor Thomas Craig suitably sceptical and at times dopey as his by-the-book boss and Johnny Craig is good as his rather naive partner and at times hindrance Constable Crabtree.

Helene Joy is suitably understated as the resident Doctor/Pathologist.

Now in its Third series, currently being shown on UK Cable channel ALIBI, (It surely deserves a wider audience on a Major British Channel)

The writing, set design and Photography is exquisite and convincing

Fans of well made and intelligent Mystery Series will find much enjoyment in Inspector Murdoch's cases.

I caught 'The Murdoch Mysteries' by accident while drifting around the satellite channels and was instantly hooked. A well performed, touching and interesting show caught my eye. The characters are involving, are worth caring about and have a strong sense of purpose. Each one brings something to the mix and adds their own skills to the events of each episode. Each episode has a strong mystery to be solved, sometimes offering an intriguing moral dilemma to both Murdoch and the viewer. It is also very reassuring to not have modern day morality thrust into the past as happens so frequently with other shows (yes 'Dr Quinn Medicine Woman', I mean you), dealing with the nineteenth century. Instead we are allowed to explore the world as they see it, enjoying the discoveries and trying to find a way forward into a new century. Well done to all concerned and long may it continue.

The Murdoch Mysteries is like; The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, with Jeremy Brett meets CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

Yannic Bisson had made a master piece in establishing 'Murdoch's" character, which in my opinion, takes the best of William Peterson's role as "Gil Grissom" and Jeremy Brett's as "Sherlock Holmes". The feel of this show gives me the impression that these characters are believable, I actually care about how their relationships' enfold and in the exploration of the early sciences of crime scene investigation, it shows an appreciation for the intelligence of it's viewers.

For example, the episode: "Still Waters", where Murdock uses his "new fangled lie detector", show us a level of sophistication in helping the viewer, me, see how through science and experimentation these early "machines", might have actually looked like.

The production company, SHAFTSBURY FILMS, has created a "Canadian" show that doesn't look like any other "Canadian" show I've ever seen, way to go everyone!

S. Lucy Rehlau

Murdoch was a superb blend of concept, plot, wardrobe and character. I enjoyed the first thirteen seasons. The cast is strong throughout and the stories interesting and believable in the context of the show. Some of the historical figures inserted into the story have added flavour. The relationship between Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) and Ogden (Helene Joy) works remarkably well with both of them contributing to cases and providing a spine from which to hang various plots.

Last season (14) the writers began to run out of steam and this year many of the episodes are poor and pander too deeply to modern-day sensibilities. Sad to say, it is time to be put out to pasture.