"Manhunt" is the third episode of the fifteenth season of Murdoch Mysteries and the two hundred eighteenth episode of the series (not including the three stand-alone holiday specials). It first aired on October 4, 2021.
Summary
Detective Murdoch pursues former Chief Constable Giles after he escapes from prison to vindicate a murderer.
After disgraced former police officer Percival Giles escapes from Kingston Penitentiary, Murdoch races to intercept him before a mercenary detective can arrest Giles first. At the penitentiary, Murdoch learns that another inmate Jimmy Mortimer claims the former inspector planted evidence seven years earlier that convicted Mortimer of murdering his sweetheart.
In the aftermath of her abduction, Effie is having trouble coping and turns to Dr. Ogden for help.
Character Revelations
- Miss Cherry returns but not in her usual job as a newsmonger – she plays volleyball instead.
- Giles admits to Murdoch that if Mortimer hangs for a crime he did not commit,"it would be entirely my fault". He was biased and blinded.
Continuity
- William Murdoch's sidearm is one of Bat Masterson's Colt .45 revolver, given to Murdoch by Inspector Brackenreid at his bachelor party in 1902 (ep. 803).
- Murdoch returns to Kingston Penitentiary.
- The investigation leads to a 1902 coroner's report with a sketch Dr. Grace made of what she deduced was the murder weapon.
- Wanting to close her law practice due to her current state, Effie seeks out Dr. Ogden to help with her overwhelming anxiety.
- Julia offers Effie sound advice and empathy as she herself has faced similar trauma more than once (ep.511, ep.918).
- Brackenreid coaches again – this time volleyball.
- Ironically, Murdoch will enable the former Chief Constable Giles's final escape as the detective had done with Constance Gardiner which triggered their earlier cat-and-mouse-game across four seasons over her escape.
Historical References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 game of Mintonette the original name given to the sport founded by William G. Morgan that later became volley ball and today is known as volleyball. The sport roots can be traced back to Holyoke, Massachusetts when William, the director at the local YMCA, created the sport as an alternative to the more physical basketball. The story goes that he strung a badminton net in the gym and using the bladder of an old soccer ball invented volleyball. Most origin stories of “mintonette” are rooted in the fact that the original sport being much like badminton so “minton” to “mintonette”, with a court 25 by 50 feet and the net 6 feet 6 inches high. In attempt to align with other sports, the game originally mimicked baseball with 9 innings and 3 servers per inning, but originally with unlimited number of players on each side.
Trivia
- “Seven years...” is referenced four times in this episode making the year 1909 as Giles was arrested in 1902 in Season 8.
- Giles (Nigel Bennett) is not the only former copper to make an appearance in this episode – John Hodge.
- This episode includes flashbacks to Murdoch in Wonderland and Rigid Silence, along with a reference to What Lies Buried when Giles and Hodge were arrested.
- This is the eighth time Yannick Bisson has directed an Murdoch Mysteries episode.
- Bisson's daughter Mikaela Bisson makes her third appearance.
- Neither George Crabtree nor Detective Watts appear in this episode.
Cast
Main Cast
Yannick Bisson as Detective Wiliam Murdoch
Hélène Joy as Dr. Julia Ogden
Thomas Craig as Inspector Thomas Brackenreid
Jonny Harris as Constable George Crabtree
Recurring Cast
Nigel Bennett as former Chief Constable Giles
Shanice Banton as Violet Hart
Lachlan Murdoch as Constable Henry Higgins
Clare McConnell as Effie Newsome
Bea Santos as Louise Cherry
Brian Kaulback as John Hodge
John Jarvis as Warden MacNeil
Guest Cast
Ian Matthews as Detective Gerrard Samuel
Greg Ellwand as Fenton Wallace
Mikaela Bisson as Amy Wallace
Austin Ball as Whitney Jacobson
Yess Benger as Nora
Gordon S. Miller as Jimmy Mortimer
Maiko Munroe as Mary Suddon
Desmond Campbell as Gravedigger
Phillip MacKenzie as Guard
Non-Credited Cast
Gallery
