Murdoch Mysteries, 8.30pm, Tuesdays, 13th Street Paytv
NOW in it’s eighth series (and maybe it’s last?) Canadian murder mystery program Murdoch Mysteries seems to have developed that cult following that programs of this ilk, if they’re well-made, seem to do.
Like Midsummer Murders and now, to a lesser extent, Death in Paradise, Murdoch Mysteries has found that key ingredient – it doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Set in turn of the century Toronto and based on books by Maureen Jennings, the demise of this program has been predicted since series five.
It wasn’t going to be renewed then but somehow it is now at series eight.
Will it go further? Time and fan reaction will tell.
It seems to have a cult following – to the point that Fox is bringing us this series pretty quickly – within a week of it airing in Canada.
Mind you, it is a long-awaited series with Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) finally marrying Dr Odgen (Australian actress Hélène Joy).
But did such a marriage between two main characters make this beloved show “jump the shark”?
Hardly, in fact I think the show verged into the silly (at times) years ago and yet its loyal viewers keep watching.
And the writers were clever enough to break up the other will-they-won’t they couple in the cast to give the romantics something to pine for.
There is something heartwarming and fun about this show even when Thomas Edison and a myriad of other famous “personalities” turn up and you want to groan and say “Really? Again?”. But you keep watching anyway.
This year so far we’ve had an American president and Edison to name a few.
I’ll be honest, it was a show I never wanted to watch by my young teen found it and got hooked and now the whole family sits down and watch it each week, even my crime show adverse husband – and that’s a rare thing in this day and age.
This is pure escapism at its best, sometimes slightly gory and sometimes slightly over cartoonish.
But maybe that’s the appeal. Whatever it is, someone should bottle it because this little Canadian show seems to be a crowd pleaser.
– Tania Phillips
