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Murdoch Mysteries: Mary Pedersen breaks down “Operation: Murder”

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Murdoch Mysteries showrunner Peter Mitchell promised several Season 12 episodes would focus on other members of the series. He wasn’t kidding. Monday’s latest, “Operation: Murder,” saw Julia step into the spotlight as she investigated a series of deaths at the University of Toronto’s School of Medicine.

Meanwhile, George was smitten by a young Florence Nightingale Graham (Kathryn Alexandre) before she left town in favour of a career in New York City. As for William? Well, his latest creation seemed intent on gobbling him up. We spoke to the writer of “Operation: Murder,” Mary Pedersen, all about what went on inside and outside Station No. 4.

I had no idea Florence Nightingale Graham was Canadian. How did she come up in the Murdoch Mysteries research?
Mary Pedersen: Every season we like to feature real historical figures, so we’re always keeping an eye on what important Canadians were doing around our time, and what famous international people might have been in Toronto then. Elizabeth Arden was on that list, and since she had actually attended nursing school in Toronto, it happened to dovetail nicely with the idea of a mystery set at the hospital where Ogden is completing her training to be a surgeon.

Were there other facts about Florence/Elizabeth that didn’t make it into the episode?
MP: What I find really fascinating about her is that she was the daughter of immigrants in small-town Ontario, her mother died when she was in her teens, and she went to nursing school to help support her family. So for her to go to New York City and go on to build her own cosmetics empire—really one of the first such businesses, with her name on the products—strikes me as a story of such bravery and determination. I would love to have been able to get into more of that, but of course we’re dealing with just a small moment in her life, really before she knew what she would become. I hope we were able to depict a little bit of what was to come through George’s enthusiasm for her dreams. He has a special skill for giving talented women a nudge in the right direction and I love that about him.

Peter told me that other characters would get more screen time this season. That started tonight with Julia doing the investigating. How refreshing was it for you to write a mystery where William took more of a back seat?
MP: I’ll tell you, I loved it. I got a little cocky writing the first draft; I was telling everyone I could totally write a medical drama if I had to! That’s from years of being a devoted fan of ER and Grey’s Anatomy. Of course, you wouldn’t actually want me doing a tracheotomy! Luckily, I have friends and family in health care who coached me through the medical stuff, and we have a terrific consultant to make the medical stuff look and sound good. So that was fun, to bring us into a different world, get to know Julia’s new workplace and the people there, and make her the primary detective on the case. I’ve always appreciated that Murdoch Mysteries has that latitude to make room for the actors to do what they do best, to explore different worlds and tones, and we hope that quality will help keep things fresh in Season 12 and beyond!

Yet another woman enters George’s life ever so briefly. Will he ever find love?
MP: He really comes up against his essential problem in this episode, doesn’t he? He loves ambitious, complicated women. He’s such a special character and I think he deserves someone who’s one in a million like him. But if he finds his true match, will she accept that he’s ‘just’ a constable, and will she want the same life that he does?

I was so glad to see the incredible set for William and Julia’s house has stuck around for another episode. Is it as impressive in person as it is on-screen?
MP: It is. Bob Sher and the art department did such an amazing job on it, really making it feel like a home that expresses who Murdoch and Ogden are. It’s become my favourite set to visit, and it’s much cozier than the morgue, so there have been a few times this season when I’ve snuck down and put my feet up on one of those built-in sofas to read a script. And there have been a few more great scenes shot in the house already this year.

Next week Higgins and Ruth are scheduled to marry. [Preview picture above.] What can fans expect from the episode?
MP: The Newsome family episode has become really one of the highlights of every season for the writers, and you can imagine that with a wedding, the extended Newsome family coming to stay, Ruth determined to find George a girlfriend, and of course a murderer on the loose, that Murdoch, Brackenreid, Crabtree and Higgins will really have their hands full next week.

Murdoch Mysteries airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on CBC.

Images courtesy of CBC.

 

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Preview: Murdoch Mysteries goes in for surgery in “Operation: Murder”

And just like that, we’re off and running with a new season of Murdoch Mysteries. In last week’s return, we met architect Frank Lloyd Wright and saw the deadly consequences of being inside William’s potato cooking room when you’re not a potato. If you haven’t done so already, read my interview with showrunner Peter Mitchell, who gives some background on how the house came together.

Now, on to Episode 2. Here’s what the CBC has released as the official storyline for “Operation: Murder,” written by Mary Pedersen and directed by Harvey Crossland:

Ogden enlists Murdoch to investigate possible sabotage in the operating room after a patient dies during a routine medical procedure.

And, as always, some non-spoilery details after watching the screener.

Orphan Black‘s Kathryn Alexandre appears in an important role
After playing Tatiana Maslany’s body double for five seasons, Kathryn Alexandre steps into the spotlight in a fun role: Florence Nightingale Graham, the businesswoman who founded Elizabeth Arden, Inc. Florence and George enjoy quite the romp on Monday night and it leads to a very, very funny scene.

Julia’s storyline is anything but funny
While George is getting goop on his face, Julia is dealing with tragedy at the University of Toronto School of Medicine. Veteran actor James McGowan is Doctor Forbes, who encourages Julia to perform surgery on a patient. Stephanie Belding returns to Murdoch Mysteries for a third stint, this time as Nurse Sullivan, a key witness in a patient’s death. Sebastian Pigott, most recently seen on Wynonna Earp this year and Frankie Drake Mysteries last year, is Dr. Dixon, a fellow student of Julia’s and none too happy she’s smarter than him.

Oh, that house
I’m glad all the work the crew did on the Frank Lloyd Wright home set is being used in more than one episode. It serves as the backdrop for William’s latest scientific gadget.

Murdoch Mysteries airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on CBC.

Images courtesy of CBC.

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Murdoch Mysteries: Showrunner Peter Mitchell talks “Murdoch Mystery Mansion”

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Spoiler alert! Do not continue reading until you have watched Episode 1 of Season 12, “Murdoch Mystery Mansion.”

It’s been a long, hot summer here in Southern Ontario. Thankfully, the cooler air has arrived and with it the super-cool season première of Murdoch Mysteries. There was a lot to like about “Murdoch Mystery Mansion.” In particular, I enjoyed little things like William not being sure where to hang his hat upon coming home to a jam-packed house, Miss Hart’s unhappiness at Julia still being in charge of the morgue and Sophie McShera’s guest-starring role. I also liked the bigger story steps, including Higgins and Ruth’s upcoming nuptials.

Thanks to showrunner Peter Mitchell for taking time out of his busy day to discuss Monday’s episode as well as a look forward to future weeks. And, he gave me an answer to the question, “Is there a holiday movie this year?” This season, in addition to speaking with members of the Murdoch writing team, I’ll be chatting with members of the cast and crew too. I’m looking forward to bringing you exciting behind-the-scenes insight into our favourite show.

Congratulations on Season 12. You joined during Season 5 of Murdoch Mysteries; has the ride been a fun one?
Peter Mitchell: I think that would be an understatement. It’s been a pretty fun ride.

Not only did you have Frank Lloyd Wright in the first episode but also quite the gory death with a room dripping with body parts. Great job!
PM: Thanks! We also threw in a bit of the Me Too Movement in there and a little bit of Tinder. It’s got a couple of historical characters in there, allusions to the future and a nice, fun little mystery. I liked having the actress from Downton Abbey on, and I thought the actor who played Frank Lloyd Wright was true to what I could learn of him.

Aaron Poole was very good as Frank Lloyd Wright.
PM: It was surprising. I had to keep going back to Frank Lloyd Wright houses circa 1905 because they are so modern. The Murdoch’s house would fit into today’s world. [The set] is based on existing Frank Lloyd Wright houses of the period. It was [almost] completely accurate.

The set design was beautiful.
PM: The exterior was a house that was built along the same lines as a Frank Lloyd Wright house even though Mr. Wright never actually built a house in Canada. He certainly built a bunch in upstate New York and places like that. The exterior was a pretty good match to a lot of Frank Lloyd Wright houses that I researched. And Bob Sher and the art department did a great job with the interior. We added a few Murdoch gizmos, like the potato cooking room and the retractable bed just for fun.

How did the casting of Sophie McShera from Downton Abbey happen? Is that a deal with the UK?
PM: It’s not so much a deal as much as we try to endeavour for the last few years to open up the season with somebody recognizable to our UK audience. They submit a list of people they would like to see on the show and we pursue them. Anybody from Downton Abbey is on the list. The UK broadcaster knows their market and if they’re not from Downton Abbey they’ll probably be from EastEnders.

Gary Harvey directed this episode. Not only has he directed a lot of episodes of Murdoch Mysteries, but you’ve been friends with him for years. What does he bring to the table as a director?
PM: I’ve known Gary for most of my professional life. He has a fairly comprehensive understanding of what I like to see in a show. He’s very good with story and usually captures all of the moments. We can communicate with very few words. He generally knows what I’m hoping to get, even if it’s a sly allusion to Tinder, he knows what matters in the scene and hopefully what matters in the story. He has the experience to get eight out of 10 things with the amount of time we have to shoot.

You already have that shorthand.
PM: Of course. He’s a very efficient director and the actors like him and trust him. The crew likes him and he gets the job done in the time we give him to do it. I don’t have to spend much time on set when Gary is shooting unless I want to go down and make fun of him. [Laughs.] So I’m down there quite a lot. [Laughs.]

We saw William and Julia in a very good place in Episode 1. Lots of loving looks and humour. Will that last for a while?
PM: Oh yeah, I think so. We’ve dialled down on the soap elements a little bit this year. We do a little more work with cases. Julia has yet another new job. We have a few episodes that highlight our secondary characters a little bit more strongly maybe, than in the past. A couple of episodes in a row feature Brackenreid in a very big way. An episode that features Watts in a big way.

Watts is great and has been getting a lot of screen time. Should I be reading into that?
PM: I don’t think so. He’s got a considerable amount of talent so it’s a shame not to use him when we can. Higgins has got more airtime this year too.

I just got ‘My Big Fat Mimico Wedding’ in my Inbox. Episode 3 for the wedding. You’re not stretching it out all season?
PM: That’s right. The Newsomes are in full bloom. The wedding: will they or won’t they? And who dies? [Laughs.] It’s a nice, fun comedy.

What can you say about Miss Hart and her plans for taking over the morgue?
PM: She may get what she wants. And I think it’s nice to have a character who is not a true villain, but a bit flinty. It keeps our other characters on their toes and she has ambitions of her own. She’s maybe not as much of a team player as the rest of them.

Is there going to be a holiday movie?
PM: There isn’t going to be a holiday movie this year but there is going to be an out-of-the-box Halloween episode. It’s certainly a standalone episode. And it is probably unlike any Murdoch you’ve seen.

What did you think of Monday’s season return? Have you got questions for Peter Mitchell or anyone else on the cast and crew? Let me know in the comments below and I will ask them in the coming weeks.

Murdoch Mysteries airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on CBC.

Images courtesy of CBC.

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Murdoch Mysteries

Link: Downton Abbey’s Daisy guest stars on Murdoch Mysteries

From Debra Yeo of the Toronto Star:

Link: Downton Abbey’s Daisy guest stars on Murdoch Mysteries
There’s not much at first glance that connects Downton Abbey and Murdoch Mysteries, aside from both being period dramas.

One is a beloved British-made TV series about an aristocratic family and their servants; the other is a beloved Canadian-made TV series about a Toronto detective, his pathologist wife and the crimes they solve. Continue reading.

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Preview: Murdoch Mysteries takes a Wright turn into Season 12

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It’s been a long summer, hasn’t it Murdoch Mysteries fans? Those months between new seasons of the show seem to get more drawn-out with every passing year. But let’s forget about the days gone by and focus on the journey ahead: 18 shiny new episodes to enjoy.

When we last left Julia and William, they’d reconciled after Julia miscarried and the pair briefly separated. Meanwhile, Crabtree and Nina are kaput, perhaps forever, after she left for Paris and he stayed behind.

Season 12 kicks off with “Murdoch Mystery Mansion,” written by showrunner Peter Mitchell and directed by Gary Harvey. Here’s what the CBC has revealed as the official synopsis for the episode.

Det. Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) and Dr. Ogden (Hélène Joy) have rebuilt their life after Ogden’s recent miscarriage by building a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright (Aaron Poole), a Chicago architect with a burgeoning reputation. However, the house is rocked by an explosion in Murdoch’s specially designed potato-cooking room that claims a man’s life.

And here are a few more tidbits I gleaned after watching a screener.

What? New show credits and theme music?!
After 12 seasons, there’s a major shakeup with the opening credits and … KIDDING. It wouldn’t be Murdoch Mysteries without Robert Carli’s iconic theme and those oh-so-steampunk credits.

Downton Abbey’s Sophie McShera checks in…
I must admit, it’s a bit strange to see the actress I’ll always think of as Daisy from Downton Abbey walking around William Murdoch’s world. Here she plays Ann Ryand, which several eagle-eyed fans have suggested might be a nod to author Ayn Rand via wordplay.

…And so does Aaron Poole
No stranger to the CBC—Poole played Captain John Slotter in the cancelled-too-soon Strange Empire—he’s most recently appeared in the horror flick The Void, drama feature The Definites and sci-fi series Salvation. He’s great as the brilliant architect who has built William and Julia’s first home. And there is a very funny catch to owning Wright’s first-ever house in the Toronto area. (A hearty “Hurrah” to the set designers, props department, builders and other crew who made the interior of the home look so realistic.)

Julia and William are in a wonderful place
Those hoping our favourite couple are happy will be thrilled to find that’s certainly the case as “Murdoch Murder Mansion” begins. But then, well, murder.

Higgins and Ruth are still going strong
One of the most entertaining couples in primetime television is hurtling towards their wedding day. That means major events as precursors … and the opportunity to learn more about these two characters.

Miss Hart is perturbed
She may have big plans when it comes to running the morgue, but Inspector Brackenreid has other ideas.

Murdoch Mysteries airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on CBC.

Images courtesy of CBC.

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