50 Fun Facts About Murdoch Mysteries

Who plays Detective William Murdoch in the series?

He took over the role in 2007 after Peter Outerbridge played Murdoch in the three earlier TV movies.

In which city is Murdoch Mysteries set?

Murdoch works for the Toronto Constabulary in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Which author's Detective Murdoch novels inspired the series?

The three 2004 TV movies were adapted directly from her books.

Which network first aired the series, on January 20, 2008?

Rogers Media dropped it after five seasons and CBC picked it up for season six in 2013.

Under what title did the show air on the US Ovation network until season twelve?

Season 12 aired on Ovation in 2019 under the original Murdoch Mysteries name.

What does Murdoch call fingerprints in the series?

Fingerprinting, blood testing and trace evidence were all unusual methods for the 1890s.

Which body of water does Murdoch search with a primitive sonar in one episode?

Such improvised gadgets have led critics to describe the show as having steampunk elements.

Who plays Inspector Brackenreid in the series?

Colm Meaney played the inspector in the 2004 TV movies before the role was recast.

From which English county does the whisky-loving Inspector Brackenreid hail?

He prefers conventional policing but is usually proud when Murdoch's odd methods pay off.

Who plays Dr. Julia Ogden?

Keeley Hawes had the role in the 2004 movies; Joy took it over for the series.

What career does Constable George Crabtree aspire to?

One season saw him writing The Curse of the Lost Pharaohs as a fantasy manuscript, tied to a web series.

Which doctor is introduced in the fifth season after Dr. Ogden marries?

Played by Georgina Reilly, she shows romantic interest in Crabtree and later moves to England.

Whom does Dr. Ogden marry in season five?

She met him in Buffalo; Dr. Grace later dates his brother for a while.

Which Station House 4 colleague does Brackenreid risk his reputation to bring back from New York?

The storyline reflects the show's recurring treatment of discrimination in period Toronto.

What is the title of the season 17 musical episode?

Murdoch hears voices as song while in a coma after being shot; Crabtree dances round a lamppost in a nod to Gene Kelly.

Who directed the season 17 musical episode?

Every cast member sang and danced in the episode.

Which actor plays Albert Choi, who becomes Murdoch's boss in season 18?

Murdoch declines the inspector's job after years of being passed over for being Catholic.

To which post is Brackenreid promoted in season 18?

He is largely absent that season but keeps acting as if he still held his old inspector role.

Where does Dr. Ogden move with her daughter in season 18?

Murdoch visits for their wedding anniversary in the two-part 300th episode.

Which architect appears in season 12 to design the Murdochs' home?

The 'Murdoch Mystery Mansion' has the open layout, low flat roof and geometric stained glass he was known for.

What secret facility name do Crabtree and Murdoch use as a nod to Area 51?

Characters also extrapolate period inventions into microwave ovens, night-vision goggles and Silly Putty.

Which religion does the detective follow, setting him apart in a largely Protestant city?

The prejudice he meets because of it is one of the series' underlying themes.

Who played the lead in the three 2004 TV movies?

His commitment to ReGenesis raised doubts about his availability when a series was ordered in 2006.

What was the original title of the 2004 TV movies?

The films aired on Bravo Canada and were titled Except the Dying, Poor Tom Is Cold and Under the Dragon's Tail.

Which British actress played Dr. Ogden in the 2004 TV movies?

Colm Meaney was Brackenreid and Matthew MacFadzean played Crabtree in the same films.

How many Gemini Award nominations did the show receive in summer 2008?

Critics were surprised Bisson was left out, and that it won only two Geminis in November.

In which English city was a 2010 episode filmed, the first shot outside Canada?

Parts of the season three opener were shot there, the first filming outside Canada.

Which Canadian prime minister played a clueless cop in a 2011 episode?

His character fails to recognise then-prime minister Wilfrid Laurier; he filmed the cameo while visiting the set with his daughter.

Which company decided not to continue the series beyond season five?

CBC picked it up, and executive Kirstine Stewart said a home at CBC 'made absolute sense'.

Roughly how many viewers regularly watched the show on CBC as of January 2014?

It became one of the CBC's most highly rated programs.

On which US streaming service did season 13 begin in December 2019?

New episodes now stream there on Mondays, several months behind Canada, with reruns on Ion Plus.

How many episodes were ordered when the show was renewed for season 19 in May 2025?

Season 16, renewed in June 2022, had 24 episodes.

Which writer did William Shatner portray in a guest role?

Stunt casting of famous faces is a show trademark.

Which Ontario lieutenant governor appeared as his own forerunner Oliver Mowat?

Mowat was premier of Ontario in the era the show depicts.

Which two Dragons' Den investors guest-starred in separate episodes?

Chilton played a character nicknamed the 'Wealthy Barber', after his famous book.

Which novelist cameoed as amateur birder Loren Quinnell in season 17?

Birding was an interest she shared with her late husband Graeme Gibson.

Which astronaut appears as an amateur 'rocketman' in an episode about Halley's Comet?

He reassures listeners that the comet is harmless and a once-in-a-lifetime sight.

With which CBC crime drama did the show stage a 2013 crossover?

Allan Hawco appeared as a 19th-century Doyle ancestor, and Bisson played a modern-day Murdoch descendant.

Which comedian joked on Twitter he was the last Canadian actor not on the show, then guested in 2017?

He made the joke on Twitter, and the producers took him up on it.

Which production company makes Murdoch Mysteries?

Its CEO Christina Jennings is the executive producer.

Who composed the show's distinctive theme music?

The theme has played over every season since 2008.

Which Cambridge, Ontario district served as a filming location in the first three seasons?

Sidewalks and driveways were covered in earth, and the Dobbie Mansion hosted a week of indoor filming.

Which Yukon town did the production visit for season five?

Filming of that season began in July 2011.

What do the heroes battle in the 2011 web series The Curse of the Lost Pharaohs?

The creatures were trying to kill Queen Victoria; the web series blended live action and animation.

Which 2012 web series sends the detective to the 21st century?

He has to solve a case with eerie parallels to one from his own timeline.

Who stars as the time-travelling descendant in the 2023 web series Macy Murdoch?

Macy is transported back to 1910.

On which UK channel does the series air?

The channel was formerly known as UKTV Drama, and UKTV is a partner in the production.

What is the show called on France 3?

The title translates as 'Murdoch Investigations'.

In which spin-off series does a retired, wealthy George Crabtree appear?

That series is set in 1920s Toronto.

Which Eastern Avenue studio hosted filming for seasons one and two before closing in 2008?

Season three had to move to a site near Kipling Subway in the west of the city.