Blood and Circuses

"Blood and Circuses"
Season	3
Episode	7
Airdate	May 2, 2010 (Canada)
Writer	Paul Aitken Alexandra Zarowny
Director	Sudz Sutherland aka David Sutherland
Guests	Lally Cadeau as Lady Minerva Ashley Leggat as Ivy
Recurring	Lachlan Murdoch as Henry Higgins Sean Harraher as Constable Worseley
Previous	This One Goes to Eleven
Next	Future Imperfect

"Blood and Circuses" is the seventh episode of the third season of the Murdoch Mysteries and the thirty-third episode of the series. It first aired on March 30, 2010 (UK).

Summary

Detective Murdoch deals with an interesting assortment of suspects when a circus animal trainer Kitty Walker is found dead, apparently attacked by the tiger in her charge. When the circus tries to leave town hurriedly, Murdoch has them all arrested and the station house is soon filled a variety of exotic characters. The manager, Pierre Barnett, had found her half-eaten inside the tiger's cage and it all seems to be nothing more than an accident until Dr. Ogden's autopsy reveals the animal had likely been starved for several days before the attack. Her autopsy of Kitty also shows that she was murdered - and not by the tiger, but stabbed in the throat. Kitty's best friend Ivy points the finger at the hirsute Count Leoline who in turn points to the magician. When one of the circus performers is killed in a jail cell, Murdoch has a second murder to solve.

Character Revelations

• The Lady Minerva gives Detective Murdoch a Tarot reading, he asks, "If the woman I love will be in my future?" Minerva prognosticates, "Yes, the woman you love will be in your future but you will have to make a very big sacrifice."
• George took his Aunt to the Ringling Brothers Circus a couple of years back.
• Inspector Brackenreid shows a fondness for the circus monkey, Athena, and tells Pierre Barnett to contact him if the circus shuts down and Athena has nowhere to go.
• Constable Henry Higgins states that he is left-handed.

Continuity

• Sean Harraher, who has been in the background previously, receives his first credit as Constable Worseley.

Historical References

• This episode takes place in Toronto 1897 – Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria 1819 - 1901) is Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, and Empress of India.
• The Franco-Prussian War, from which Count Leoline's family lost its holdings, occurred in 1870.

Errors

• In one scene, one can clearly tell that the head of the victim is a mannequin.

Cast

Main Cast

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

Recurring Cast

Lachlan Murdoch as Constable Henry Higgins
Sean Harraher as Constable Worseley

Guest Cast

Ashley Leggat as Ivy
Lally Cadeau as Lady Minerva
Bruce Dow as Pierre Barnett
Evan Williams as Jake the Magician
Michael Boisvert as Count Leoline
Wayne Robson as Bob Selby
Karissa Strain as Maisy
Katie Strain as Daisy

Non-Credited Cast

Sean Harraher as Constable Worseley

Gallery

Blackboard:crime scene layout

Suspect Fingermarks

Murdoch's Tarot reading

"She is your match in every way."

Victim #2

Poison Ivy