"Blood on the Tracks" is the fourth episode of the fifteenth season of Murdoch Mysteries and the two hundred nineteenth episode of the series (not including the three stand-alone holiday specials). It first aired on October 11, 2021.
Summary
When their train derails, Ogden and Brackenreid suspect it was sabotage to hide a murder.
As they are returning from a volleyball tournament, Effie and Brackenreid are injured when brake failure causes a train derailment. While Mrs. Hart assists Dr. Ogden to the passengers, Julia and Brackenreid soon discover a dead police officer who had been transporting a now-missing prisoner.
Back in Toronto, Murdoch is unexpectedly left caring for Higgins's daughter and the crawling infant eventually escapes the safe confines of Station House No. 4.
Character Revelations
- An offhand remark from Watts reveals a nugget of backstory: "I haven't placed a bet since 1902 when I lost every penny I had."
- Competitive Miss Cherry is obsessed with winning at volley ball.
Continuity
- Julia, Effie, Louise Cherry, Mrs. Hart and their coach are on their way back from a volley ball week-end match they lost.
- Henry Higgins has brought his daughter Jordan to the Station House, proving that "Watching a crawling baby is tricky, even for a great detective."
- Murdoch's latest invention, the aerial surveillance camera (with helium balloons), is a precursor to a 21st century creation as usual: the Drone.
- Murdoch offers his book Solving Murder to Jordan who is in the make-shift playpen in his office.
- The Nipkow Disk is used again (ep.1213), a.k.a. Tele-Vision.
Historical References
- This episode takes place in Toronto 1909 – Edward VII (Albert Edward;1841-1910) is King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas.
- Laudanum (tincture of opium) is an alcoholic solution containing morphine and used as a narcotic painkiller. Opium was used from the Renaissance for a variety of ailments. Morphine was isolated from opium at the start of the nineteenth century.
- The American incarnation of Mother’s Day was created by Anna Jarvis; In 1907, a Mother’s Day service was arranged on the second Sunday in May at the Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia, and became an official U.S. holiday in 1914, though the celebration of mothers and motherhood can be traced back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. The earliest modern precedent for Mother’s Day is the early Christian festival known as “Mothering Sunday” – originally seen as a time when the faithful would return to their “mother church” before becoming a more secular holiday.
- The Nipkow Scanning Disk prototype was patented by the German technician and inventor Paul Nipkow in 1884.
- The English chess composer Murray Marble (1885-1919) produced some 300 problems. In 1909, he won the first prize in the prestigious French magazine La Strategie for both the two-move and the three-move sections.
- The semi-autobiographical Martin Eden, considered the most vital and original character Jack London ever created, was published by Macmillan in September 1909.
Trivia
- Exteriors filmed in Tottenham, Ont. MM Production team, Bob Sher and the construction department, "...had to literally create a train," according to Bisson'
- And showrunner Peter Mitchell live tweeted, "Getting a real baby anywhere near set during COVID is a big deal. Hats off to production for doing it safely."
- This is the ninth time Yannick Bisson has directed an Murdoch Mysteries episode.
- A notable sight gag behind Brackenreid while he and Julia inspect the crime scene: "Live Snakes".
- According to Prop Monkey's live tweet: Baby Jordan’s buggy is the Prince of Wales model, circa 1900.
- Recasted actor Conrad Coates first appeared as the Mission Man in Murdoch On The Corner.
Notable Quotes
- Higgins to Murdoch: "You put my baby daughter in jail? What did she do?"
- Dr. Ogden to Mrs. Hart: "You've stitched a corpse. Same principles except these ones move."
Error
- There is a historical timeline discrepancy: Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in May and London's book was published in September 1909. Unless, Ruth Higgins-Newsome has declared it conveniently for herself after the fact, which is not made entirely clear in the script – so it cannot be ruled out.
Cast
Main Cast
Yannick Bisson as Detective William Murdoch
Hélène Joy as Dr. Julia Ogden
Thomas Craig as Inspector Thomas Brackenreid
Recurring Cast
Daniel Maslany as Detective Llewellyn Watts
Shanice Banton as Violet Hart
Lachlan Murdoch as Constable Henry Higgins
Clare McConnell as Effie Newsome
Bea Santos as Louise Cherry
Jesse Lavercombe as Jack Walker
Paul Irving as Constable Paul
Eva Link as Clara Walker
Guest Cast
Joseph Ziegler as Rod Sitwell
Conrad Coates as Cliff Adams
Richard Chevolleau as Charlie Pinsky
Christina Collings as Mrs. Dooley
Christopher MacCabe as Ben Miller
Non-Credited Cast
Gallery
| Murdoch Mysteries Season 15 |
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| The Things We Do for Love Part 1 • The Things We Do for Love Part 2 • Manhunt • Blood on the Tracks • Love or Money • I Know What You Did Last Autumn • The Incorrigible Dr. Ogden• Murdoch Knows Best • The Lady Vanishes • Drawn in Blood • The Night Before Christmas •There's Something About Mary • Murdoch on the Couch • The Witches of East York • Rawhide Ralph • It's a Wonderful Game • Bloodlines • Patriot Games• Brother Can You Spare a Crime • Pendrick's Planetary Parlour • Devil Music • Sweet Amelia • Pay the Piper • Close Encounters
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