Sometimes the days just get away from me, and I fall behind on the things I need to watch because things get so busy, so I was quite happy to settle in and catch up on the most recent episodes of the wonderfully entertaining Murdoch Mysteries!

First up is Murdoch of the Living Dead.

Yannick Bisson directs from a script by Michelle Ricci that features an enjoyable take on the zombie genre, and some wonderful comedic moments featuring Murdoch (Bisson), Crabtree (Jonny Harris) and Dr. Grace (Georgina Reilly). A woman has been murdered, and a young girl claims that her father is not her father, no matter how much he appears to be, and bodies begin to show up, that have already been declared dead, and the prime suspect seems to be wandering about in a catatonic state we, along with Crabtree begin to believe that there may be something supernatural going on… in the form of zombies!

It’s a fun episode, with some darker underlying undertones about medical procedures being conducted to control men’s temperaments.

The things I loved most about this episode are the wonderful moments that have been created between George Crabtree and Emily Grace. I love the looks Emily gets on her face when George goes off on some wild theory, or how George brushes the hair out of her eyes while she’s working. I love their relationship so much, it’s a joy to watch.

Yannick directs the episode ably, walking between what could be terribly frightening images, light comedic moments, and police procedure, all in the wonderful trappings that the show has created.

Nice work!

Peter Mitchell and Maureen Jennings wrote the next episode Murdochophobia, which was the episode we were on set for! And features David Richmond-Peck (whom we just chatted with, stay tuned for that post on Smithee.TV) and Tara Spencer-Nairn.

Dr. Ogden (Helene Joy) is working on aversion therapy for some troubled souls with irrational fears, everything from spiders to feathers, and when one of her patients ends up dead, having thrown herself out of a closed window, Murdoch and the others have to face some of their own fears as they work to resolve the mystery.

There are some great personal moments in this episode, Wilbur for instance is a lot of fun, and adds yet another charming facet to Crabtree’s character. The revelation of Murdoch’s own fear is a strong personal admission, and let’s Dr. Ogden learn a little bit more about the man she loves.

This one was a lot of fun, because we were present for a large portion of the material shot in Dr. Ogden’s office, and I can’t help but think, “we’re right outside the window in this shot!”

The beauty of this series, as illustrated by these two episodes is that it can run the gambit of storytelling, the can do funny, scary, dramatic, romantic, all of it, and because the characters are so firmly established, and the actors so brilliant at their work, that it’s easy for the viewer to simply enjoy.

This show continues to be fantastic, and brilliantly Canadian!

Murdoch Mysteries airs Mondays on CBC.