"I Know What You Did Last Autumn" is the sixth episode of the fifteenth season of Murdoch Mysteries and the two hundred twenty-first episode of the series (not including the three stand-alone holiday specials). It first aired on October 25, 2021.
WARNING: Anyone who is disturbed by clowns is strongly advised to skip this episode.
Summary
At Halloween, old rumors of a clown terrorizing high school students become reality when young Irene Robbins is stabbed to death in front of her sweetheart Perry Balfour. Murdoch interviews the survivor, but his story does not align with Mrs. Hart's autopsy results. Then a short time later, the clown kills again.
Character Revelations
- Watts and several other lads at the Station House compete in a pumpkin carving contest revealing he is much better as a detective than a jack o’ lantern maker.
- On the other hand, Mrs. Hart is rather skillful with a knife outside the City Morgue.
- Mrs. B roasts pumpkin seeds and had accidentally dropped pumpkin pie spices on a batch which George likes better than the fibrous plain ones.
Continuity
- Assisting in the investigation is persistent Miss Cherry who had written an article on a clown stalking 'teeners' – "slang for youth in their teenage years" – the previous Halloween.
- George Crabtree creates pumpkin spice coffee.
Historical References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.
- The practice of decorating jack-o'-lanterns originated in Ireland (where large turnips and potatoes served as early canvasses), from an Irish folktale about a man named Stingy Jack. Irish immigrants brought the tradition to North America, home of the pumpkin, and it became an integral part of Halloween festivities.
- A high school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Jarvis Collegiate was founded as a private school in 1797. In 1807 the government of Ontario, then known as the British colony of Upper Canada, took over the school and incorporated it in a network of eight new, public grammar schools (secondary schools), one for each of the eight districts of Upper Canada. After various name changes from Toronto High School to Jarvis Street High School along with a new building at 361 Jarvis Street, the school was given its current name, Jarvis Collegiate Institute, in 1890.
Trivia
- There is a musical twist to Robert Carli’s Opening theme, as it was for the stand-alone Halloween treat Sir. Sir? Sir!!! in Season 12; The other Halloween timed episode was in Season 13 with Murdoch and the Cursed Caves, but none in Season 14.
- While not the first episode to have a dead body within minutes of the show's opening, this one has eight victims with 5 dead bodies by the end of the episode (also see body count at City Morgue).
- This episode takes place on the Halloween weekend and the Monday after; Halloween fell on Sunday, October 31, 1909.
- Like previous Halloween episode(s) this is an homage to classic horror movies (i.e. Scream, It, Halloween, Telefone, Psycho), either one loves it or hates it - there is no in-between for Murdochians; This one is a deep nod to the 1997 American slasher I Know What You Did Last Summer which was remade (and updated) into a TV series of the same name in 2021.
- The fifth episode in the series to mention 'coffee'
- Julia Ogden's costumes are reminiscent of the Wizard of Oz and Brigadoon.
- Prop Master Craig Grant took a paintball mask that he "covered in papier maché and mouldable plastic to get the desired features. Then, it was vacuformed to make multiple copies".
- The clown's "creepy shoes" were made by Adam Smith, costume department member, live tweeted Joanna Syrokomla, who tried "the prototype the moment they arrived. I could only side shimmy in them as walking forward, let alone chasing was difficult".
- On Halloween 2022, this murder case by a serial clown killer is revisited in Season 16.
Notable Quotes
- Crabtree to Brackenreid: "When you're done with an apple, you wouldn't roast the seeds and eat them."
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
Daniel Maslany as Detective Llewellyn Watts
Shanice Banton as Violet Hart
Lachlan Murdoch as Constable Henry Higgins
Bea Santos as Louise Cherry
Guest Cast
Lucy Ellis as Irene Robbins
Lyla Porter-Follows as Leigh Iverson
Michael Therriault as Roger Douglas
Ben Caldwell as Perry Balfour
Mika Amonsen as Donovan Kent
Ellie O'Brien as Andrea Porter
Jamie Lauren as Heather Iverson
Non-Credited Cast
Paul Irving as Constable Paul
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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