Colour Blinded

"Colour Blinded"
Season	9
Episode	13
Airdate	February 8, 2016
Writer	Mary Pedersen
Director	Leslie Hope
Previous	Unlucky In Love
Next	Wild Child

"Colour Blinded" is the thirteenth episode of ninth season of the Murdoch Mysteries and the one hundredth twenty-seventh episode of the series. It first aired on February 8, 2016.

Summary

A prominent abolitionist is murdered minutes after giving an impassioned speech at Rebecca's church. Parishioners describe a mysterious veiled woman who left before the service ended. Racial tensions and threats from the newly promoted Chief Constable Davis pressure Brackenreid ans Murdoch to resolve the case quickly.

"Miss James, what have you?" asks Murdoch. Murder. Mr. Parker was stabbed in the fourth intercostal space. He died between forty and sixty minutes after speaking at the church.

Canada may have been the end of the line for the Underground Railroad and a haven for slaves escaping from the United States, but African Americans suffered from racism in Canada too. Chief Constable Jeffrey Davis is the summation of that, eager to make an arrest in the murder of Frank Parker, fingering a parishioner, Isaac Lowry, based upon a cut on his hand, ignoring the real evidence and the missing mysterious veiled lady. His directive that every church member have their fingermarks taken because it’ll save time when they commit crimes in the future echoes back to Terrence Meyers and the anarchists.

The not-so-wonderful truth about Toronto the Good is experienced, in part, through the eyes of Rebecca James. By the end of the episode, she shares a meaningful exchange about prejudice with Catholic Murdoch that prompts her to have a quiet "sit in" on her second date with Nate Desmond.

Character Revelations

• Rebecca James has a church-going young man, Nate Desmond, sweet on her.
• George does not like raccoons, "I don't trust anything that has hands for feet."
• Dr. Ogden, on a campaign to harden Miss James' weak stomach (910), had brought Rebecca to Leroux's for lunch and insisted that she try the escargot. 

Continuity

• Rebecca James' first crime scene is in her own church.
• Inspector Davis of Station House No. 5 is now the Chief Constable replacing former Chief Constable Giles who is doing time (Nolo Contendere). Brackenreid mentioned Chief Constable Davis in Raised On Robbery.
• Well established in previous episodes that baby Roland is either in the Gleeful Bouncer or in his pram, he is not seen or heard (on camera) in this episode.
• Leroux's is the restaurant William and Julia dined (but didn't eat) at in Unfinished Business.

Historical References

• He was born and died amid racism, but William Hubbard helped change the face of Toronto. As Toronto's first black elected official, his accomplishments included help for the most vulnerable, better transit and fire protection and strong, publicly owned hydroelectric and municipal water systems. He even saved George Brown —newspaper editor and father of Confederation—from drowning in the Don River. Brown hired Hubbard as his driver and the two became friends. In 1903, he’s on the verge of becoming Toronto’s first controller. 
• The Underground Railroad was a network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century enslaved people of African descent in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and those who were sympathetic to their cause. 

Trivia

• The church scenes were filmed at the Ball's Falls Historical Church in Lincoln, Ontario.
• In the previous episode Unlucky In Love, director Leslie Hope plays Mrs. Elizabeth Pym. She also directed Dial M for Murdoch back in Season 4.

Cast

Main Cast

Yannick Bisson as Detective William Murdoch
Hélène Joy as Dr. Julia Ogden
Thomas Craig as Inspector Thomas Brackenreid
Jonny Harris as Constable George Crabtree

Recurring Cast

Mouna Traoré as Rebecca James
Richard Clarkin as Chief Constable Davis (formerly Inspector)

Guest Cast

Leah Doz as Gloria Thomson
Jordan Johnson-Hinds as Nate Desmond
Sandra Caldwell as Geraldine Desmond
Romaine Waite as Pastor Solomon Earle
Rothaford Gray as Alderman William Peyton Hubbard
Lamont James as Isaac Lowry
Cody Ray Thompson as Andrew Thomson
Mark Walker as Frank Parker
Chris Handfield as Maitre D'
Nicolas Rhino as Leader

Gallery

Sunday service

Rebecca and Nate after service

Rebecca's first crime scene

Back in the morgue...

Dr. Ogden examines Isaac's hand

Murdoch and Ogden discuss the evidence

Chief Constable's press release

Rebecca and Nate on their first date