The series takes place in Toronto starting in 1895 and follows
Detective William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) of the
Toronto Constabulary, who solves many of his cases using methods of detection that were unusual at the time. These methods include
fingerprinting (referred to as "finger marks" in the series),
blood testing,
surveillance, and
trace evidence. Some episodes feature
anachronistic technology whereby Murdoch sometimes uses the existing
technology of his time to improvise a crude
prototype of a technology that would be more readily recognizable to the show's 21st century audience. In one episode, for instance, he creates a primitive version of
sonar to locate a sunken ship in
Lake Ontario. In another, a foreign police officer has a photograph that Murdoch needs as evidence, so Murdoch has him send an early example of a
fax via
telegraph. This aspect of the show has been described as introducing elements of the
steampunk genre of
science fiction, although it is not a standard theme of all episodes. Detective Murdoch is assisted by the three other main characters: Inspector Thomas Brackenreid (
Thomas Craig), Doctor Julia Ogden (
Hélène Joy), and the inexperienced but eager Constable George Crabtree (
Jonny Harris), who aspires to be a mystery novel writer. Brackenreid, Murdoch's immediate superior, is a blunt and sceptical Yorkshireman with a fondness for whisky who prefers conventional methods of detection over Murdoch's eccentric methods, though he is typically pleased and proud when Murdoch is successful despite the odds. Crabtree is often unable to grasp the more advanced methods, but his enthusiasm and loyalty make him a good assistant. Like Crabtree, Dr. Ogden is a great supporter of Murdoch's methods. Her skill in
pathology usually helps by revealing a great deal of useful evidence to aid Murdoch in solving cases. Throughout the series, Murdoch's growing infatuation with her and his inability to express his feelings provide a light subplot. Dr. Ogden says she is reluctant to marry Murdoch because she knows he wants children and was told that her earlier abortion makes her unable to conceive. In the fifth season, after Dr. Ogden is married to Dr. Darcy Garland (a colleague she met in Buffalo), a new doctor is introduced, Doctor Emily Grace (
Georgina Reilly). She and George Crabtree show some romantic interest in each other. Dr. Grace dates the brother of Darcy Garland for a while. Later, Dr. Grace moves to England after a few seasons to pursue the dreams of her deceased female lover. Dr. Ogden becomes a surgeon and a psychiatrist. She starts and runs a hospital for women. The two coroners who follow her in succession are black women, Dr. Rebecca James and Dr. Violet Hart. This is inconsistent with the Canadian society of the time portrayed. Earlier in the series, a black private detective was denied a position in the Toronto constabulary because of his race and moved to the United States. Other societal messaging includes an additional detective being placed in the office at the time when it was illegal to be homosexual. Station House 4 is tolerant of Detective Watts, and Inspector Brackenreid risks his own reputation by helping him return from New York City. Detective Watts takes an even greater role in scenes with Murdoch in season 18. In past seasons, he worked with the Constables Crabtree and Higgins. Crabtree was acting inspector a few times. As a guest character in the series
Frankie Drake Mysteries George Crabtree appears as a retired constable who has become wealthy. "Why is everybody singing?" is the title of season 17 episode 22, a musical episode. All of the actors sang and danced. The premise is that Murdoch hears voices as if they are singing while he is in a coma after being shot. Murdoch sings too. It is a possible condition in real life. Crabtree dances around the light pole in a nod to Gene Kelly's dance in
Singing in the Rain. Crabtree's is the last face filling the screen at the end of the episode. In season 18, three main characters that are the crucial of the story line are absent for much of the season. Dr. Ogden only appears in one two-part episode. Crabtree is absent for most of the season. Brackenreid is promoted to Chief Constable of Toronto, more absent, but returns to act as if he is in his old inspector role. Murdoch has been acting inspector in past episodes when Inspector Brackenreid had issues, but does not take the position when it is offered to him after years of being denied because of systemic prejudice against his being Catholic. Albert Choi (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) replaces him as Inspector at Station House No 4, thereby becoming Murdoch's boss. Dr. Ogden takes her daughter and moves to England to work in a hospital there where she would have more autonomy. This is uncharacteristic because she and Murdoch struggled so long to bear children. She says she knows William would not want to leave his career, even though transferring to England might have been possible at that time. In the 300th episode in two parts, William Murdoch visits England to celebrate their wedding anniversary with their daughter. Murdoch's illegitimate son from season 11 has been raised by his own mother, but has visited with the Murdoch family. Real history is an important element in most episodes, and the plots, though fictitious, sometimes involve real people, such as
Buffalo Bill Cody,
Annie Oakley,
H. G. Wells,
Nikola Tesla,
Wilfrid Laurier,
Jack London,
Arthur Conan Doyle,
Queen Victoria,
Theodore Roosevelt,
Oliver Mowat,
Orville and Wilbur Wright,
Henry Ford, Sir
Winston Churchill,
Bat Masterson,
Alexander Graham Bell,
Emma Goldman,
H. P. Lovecraft,
Harry Houdini,
Thomas Edison,
Lucy Maud Montgomery and
Helen Keller. In Season 12,
Frank Lloyd Wright appears as the architect that Murdoch and Ogden hire to design their customized home, dubbed the
Murdoch Mystery Mansion which incorporates many of the stylistic touches such as an
open concept layout without doors or walls separating rooms, a low flat roof and stained glass windows with geometric designs evoking nature that Wright was known for. Future events are often foreshadowed. For example, it is implied that secret British American government co-operation has produced a highly advanced aircraft similar to an airship, and Crabtree and Murdoch allude to the building of a secret government facility in
Nevada and
New Mexico "at Concession 51" (an allusion to
Area 51). Characters also refer to actual inventions of the 19th century and extrapolate from them to future inventions such as microwave ovens,
night-vision goggles, computers, the games
Cluedo (marketed as
Clue in the US) and "
hangman", the toy
Silly Putty, and a silencer for small arms. Another underlying theme of the series involves the fact that Murdoch is a
Catholic in what was at the time a predominantly
Protestant city and the prejudices that he occasionally encounters as a result. Other subplots that overarch multiple episodes include the
women's suffrage movement in Canada, a movement that was taking place during the time the series is set in, and the discrimination towards
racial minorities in Toronto and same-sex relationships during that time period. == History ==