The Incurables

"The Incurables"
Season	8
Episode	13
Airdate	February 9, 2015
Writer	Peter Mitchell
Director	Eleanore Lindo
Guests	Tara Nicodemo as Hannah
Recurring	Janet-Laine Green as Mrs. Lynd Anastasia Phillips as Charlotte Taylor Daiva Johnston as Eva Pearce Emma Campbell as Rose Maxwell
Previous	The Devil Wears Whalebone
Next	Toronto's Girl Problem

"The Incurables" is the thirteenth episode of the eighth season of the Murdoch Mysteries and the one hundred-ninth episode of the series. It first aired on February 9, 2015.

Summary

Detective Murdoch investigates the death of Nurse Collins who has been killed at the asylum where Dr. Ogden works.

Somehow, the extremely violent patient Rose Maxwell managed to get out of her room and knock out the guard, Samuel Drainie. It appears she then used his knife to stab Nurse Collins – 11 times and there are also bite marks on the victims body. The possible motive: convicted murderer Rose blames Dr. Ogden and Dr. Grace for her current incarceration and has vowed revenge.

Ogden explains Rose has a severe psychiatric condition and isn't responsible for her actions, which Murdoch points out doesn't make her any less dangerous. Murdoch thinks one of the inmates may have taken a key. Crabtree finds all of the women's fingermarks on the murder weapon.

Mrs. Lynd explains she picked up the knife because it was handy. She also claimed Nurse Collins got what she deserved, as she was wicked. She also refused to explain what she did, but told the Doctor and Detective to talk to Charlotte, as she was Nurse Collins' "favourite." Dr. Ogden tells Murdoch she has all the files related to Nurse Collins to look for proof of her mistreatment of the patients.

Checking the guest log, William and Julia discover Cedric Maxwell visited his sister every single day. Julia finds his address on file, and Crabtree and Murdoch bike to his cheap apartment. They discover the key mold, the tickets, and suspiciously passionate letters. Cedric admits that Rose is his adopted sister, and that they love one another. Cedric also confesses to taking the key and making a copy after the guard left it on his desk. They had planned to flee the city together and start a new life, and Rose wouldn't have killed Nurse Collins to lose that chance. All they wanted was to be with each other.

Rose tearfully confesses that Cedric never succeeds and begs the Detective to let her out to protect him. When asked about the door, Rose admits that the door was unlocked. She only wanted to make sure the "witch" wouldn't hurt anyone else. Murdoch and Ogden are convinced the person who opened the door killed Nurse Collins and is blaming it on Rose. Julia decides to stay and review the files, while William returns to the Station House.

While she is reviewing the files, Samuel brings Julia tea and tells her they were all locked up. Questioned about Eva Pearce, he says that Eva Pearce was never out of her cell, and she was the least trouble. Soon Julia falls asleep and wakes in Ward C, surrounded by the women. Eva tauntingly tells her that no one can hear her screams, as no one hears one of them. Hannah keeps asking Dr. Ogden to look at her "baby," while Rose demands to be freed from her straitjacket. Eva reveals that the women plan to escape, but only after taking their revenge of Dr. Ogden.

Back at the Station House, Murdoch finds an arrest report for Samuel Drainie, aka Jamison Wilkes. He was tried and found guilty as a minor for an assault on his own father. William attempts to call Julia, but still receives no answer. He rushes to the asylum.

Samuel Drainie peers in and refuses to let Dr. Ogden out. Eva reveals that Mr. Drainie was the true molester, and that she persuaded him to help them after telling Nurse Collins about Mr. Drainie's behaviour. The guard then killed Nurse Collins in front of her eyes to protect his secret, and she manipulated him to get Dr. Ogden into Ward C. Julia then fights with Eva for the key, but is knocked out with a bedpan by Charlotte. The other women release Rose and gives her a pipe.

Murdoch catches Eva Pearce escaping, but is forced to let her go to rescue Dr. Ogden.

Julia knocks out Rose with her cast-bound broken wrist, but then Maddie picks up the pipe. Forced to think on her feet, Julia warns Maddie that Girlie, Charlotte, and she will be punished if she hurts her. Reaching out to the Charlotte persona, she pleads with her to stop, promising Drainie would pay for what he's done. At that moment, Charlotte regains control and lowers the pipe, as Murdoch enters with a security guard. Mrs. Lynd then tells Murdoch off for taking his time.

Back at home, William and Julia talk about Drainie's modus operandi: he would don a nurse's uniform and touch women, most under the influence of drugs. After serving time, Drainie was in and out of institutions his whole life. Julia is incredulous that no one checked his credentials, and resolves to make changes.

Meanwhile, Eva Pearce tricks a man into giving her a cab ride by telling him she's been robbed. She turns with a look on her face promising revenge.

Character Revelations

• It had been previously believed that three of the four antagonists had been sent to prison; it is now revealed they were sent to the asylum.
• Eva Pearce blames Dr. Ogden for putting her in the ward and "destroying" her life, revealing that she believes Julia fears she will steal William away from her.
• Murdoch admits to Eva that he believes she's as sane as him.
• Hannah confesses to murdering children because she couldn't stand their suffering.
• Rose killed her family to protect her brother Cedric.
• Charlotte admits she has two more personalities, but she believes she has them under control, but she isn't sure who to believe.
• Eva had always been poor, but suddenly a new life seemed within her grasp upon being engaged to a rich man, but he discarded her. Eva completely snapped and enraged.
• At home, Julia wakes from a nightmare where the patients try to kill her. Murdoch awakens as well, she tells him to go back to sleep all is well.
• Eva Pearce escapes in this episode and will have her revenge.

Continuity

• Third time the Provincial Lunatic Asylum is scene of a crime.
• Julia's broken wrist is still healing in its cast from The Devil Wears Whalebone.
• Previous antagonists are revealed to have been sent to the insane asylum, such as:
  • Eva Pearce in Murdoch in Ladies Wear & The Murdoch Sting
  • Rose Maxwell in Friday the 13th, 1901
  • Mrs. Lynd in Murdoch On The Corner
  • Charlotte in Me, Myself and Murdoch
• Julia realizes William is trying to protect her; he admits he isn't comfortable with Rose Maxwell since she attempted to murder the doctor, but Julia reassures him she can take care of herself.
• Rose tells her to give her regards to Emily Grace, unnerving Dr. Ogden. (ep.714) As the doctor turns away, Rose leaps from her bed and tackles Julia, punching her in the back. As the other man hesitates, Murdoch bodily removes her, and the security guards lock her in once more.
• Mrs. Lynd greets Crabtree with happiness and tells him that she's sorry for trying to kill him the last time he saw her.
• Inmate Hannah asks Crabtree to take her doll's (who she believes is her child) fingermarks as well.

Historical References

• This episode takes place in Toronto 1902 -  Edwardian Era (1901-1910) when King Edward VII rules of the British Empire.
• Provincial Lunatic Asylum, also known as Toronto Lunatic Asylum, on Queen Street has been dedicated as space for treating mental illness for over 150 years. The asylum was state of the art: central heating, mechanical ventilation and indoor plumbing. The architect, John George Howard, was inspired by the National Gallery in London. Dr. Joseph Workman was the asylum’s medical superintendent from 1853 to 1875 and Dr. Daniel Clark from 1875 to 1905.
• The term "asylum" is now associated in popular culture with Victorian Gothic Revival architecture and imaginary ghostly appearances, but at the time, these institutions were founded as benevolent places of refuge. Over time, however, many of these institutions succumbed to chronic overcrowding and shortage of staff. Subsequently, most of them offered no remedy, rehabilitation nor compassion because of their violent behaviour.

Trivia

• Dr. Ogden works at the historical Provincial Lunatic Asylum which also houses the "incurables", first mentioned in Season 2 by Dr. Roberts at the Toronto Hospital for the Incurables.

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

Janet-Laine Green as Mrs. Lynd
Anastasia Phillips as Charlotte
Daiva Zalnieriunas as Eva Pearce
Emma Campbell as Rose Maxwell

Guest Cast

Tara Nicodemo as Hannah
Bob Bainborough as Samuel Drainie
Brandon Crone as Cedric Maxwell
Chris Whitby as Attendant
Lauren Spring as Nurse
Paul Nadeau as Man

Gallery

Provincial Lunatic Asylum