Crabtree Mania

"Crabtree Mania"
Season	8
Episode	16
Airdate	March 16, 2015
Writer	Simon McNabb Jordan Christianson
Director	Peter Mitchell
Guests	David Chilton
Previous	Shipwreck
Next	Election Day

"Crabtree Mania" is the sixteenth episode of the eighth season of the Murdoch Mysteries and the one hundred-twelfth episode of the series. It first aired March 16, 2015.

Summary

Detective Murdoch and Constable Crabtree investigate the death of Handsome Randolph Henderson, a professional wrestler. Initially, Crabtree was convinced that Henderson died from a head slam inflicted on him by his ring opponent, the Masked Mauler but Dr. Grace finds no head injury. He died from a large dose of morphine.

As he investigates further, a disbelieving Crabtree learns that many of the ring moves are fake and that the outcomes of the matches are predetermined, uncovering deception and fraud. The wrestling promoter, Victor McAllister, is careful to protect the myth of being a professional sport and forbids any of his employees to speak to the police. The police have a witness but the killer was wearing a mask. 

Meanwhile, Julia and the other suffragettes receive an offer of support from the Temperance Movement - provided of course they support that movements views about liquor and other issues. Not everyone is comfortable with the offer, especially Dr. Grace.

Inspector Brackenreid gets financial advise from his barber who tells him to invest Margaret's cookie jar savings.

Character Revelations

• Crabtree is offered a job as detective for Station House No. 3.
• There are some mysteries of the morgue Dr. Grace has yet to discover, like the bottle of whiskey Julia reveals to her: "Prohibition, my eye! To the Furious Four"

Continuity

• Jean Hamilton of the Temperance Movement returns, she was last seen in Murdoch In Ragtime.
• Emily's toast "To the Furious Four" refers back to On the Waterfront Part 2.

Historical References

• Margaret Haile became the first woman to run for legislative office in Canada when she was nominated on the platform of the Canadian Socialist League as a candidate for Toronto North in the 1902 Ontario provincial election.

Trivia

• Filmed at 65 Hatt St. in Dundas, the proposed site for a new craft beer operation.
• The one other episode with Crabtree in the title is Crabtree à la Carte.

Cast

Main Cast

Yannick Bisson as William Murdoch
Hélène Joy as Julia Ogden
Thomas Craig as Thomas Brackenreid
Jonny Harris as George Crabtree
Georgina Reilly as Emily Grace

Recurring Cast
Tamara Hope as Edna Brooks (née Garrison)
Percy Hynes White as Simon Brooks
Nicole Underhay as Margaret Haile
Helen Johns as Jean Hamilton
Sara Mitich as Lillian Moss

Guest Cast

Ari Cohen as Victor McAllister
David Chilton as Mr. Chilton
Todd Campbell as Shane Tindall
Gavin Fox as The Masked Marauder
Jeff Black as The Solid Man
Ted Ludzik as The Cossack
RJ Skinner as The Gladiator
Reuben Jarvis as Handsome Randolph Henderson
Josh Barilko as Vurugu

Gallery

Crabtree on the ropes to solve the case

Getting investment advise and a shave