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"Murdoch Without Borders" is the fourth episode of the twelfth season of the Murdoch Mysteries and the one hundred seventy-second of the series. It first aired on October 15, 2018.

Summary

After anti-immigrant laws lead to a mass arrest of Greek men, a cruel immigration officer is found murdered. Inspector Brackenreid regrets releasing his Greek carpenter when he's suspected of the murder.

The immediate implementation of the new Immigration Law leads to Station House No. 4 being used to process Greek men who have criminal records for deportation, all Toronto hospitals and staff being prohibited from treating sick emigrants which qualifies them for deportation, and the murder of the Immigration officer James McBride whose body is found wrapped in a rug just outside Copley Construction. Murdoch questions owner Harold Copley, his Union leader Paul Scotch, and his competitor, contractor Andrew Palmer. The premise that killing McBride would stop the deportations, which is impacting Toronto’s workforce, makes no sense to Murdoch for the law remains the law, if he’s alive or dead.

Along with criminal migrants, the passing of Canada's 1906 Immigration Act leads to the mass deportation of the sick and unemployed. Brackenreid turns a blind eye to help a Greek carpenter, Athos Rella, avoid expulsion, a decision which backfires when reporter Cherry gets wind of the act – subsequent headline story in the Toronto Telegraph puts his career at risk; then, Athos becomes the prime suspect in the murder of the Toronto immigration officer McBride. As feared by Murdoch and the Inspector the xenophobic articles by Louise Cherry incite violence against the local Greek community, leading Murdoch to suspect that Greek immigrants are being deliberately targeted as part of a larger conspiracy.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ogden wrestles with the ethical dilemma the government’s Immigration Act presents the Toronto Mercy Hospital – once again ruffling feathers and challenging Dr. Forbes and Dr. Dixon.

Character Revelations

  • Given Watts' facility with languages, it is no surprise when George discovers that the detective speaks Greek.
  • Brackenreid doesn’t like oily fish (from the “land of fish and phyllo”), but “the strained yogurt is excellent”.
  • To Julia's delight, she discovers "a rebellious spirit" buried inside William.

Continuity

  • Reporter Louise Cherry of the Toronto Telegraph stirs up more than the headlines – again (ep.1105).
  • In Greektown, not only does Watts' facility with languages (ep.1116) come in handy again, but his taste for "nostimo" street food (souvlaki, baklava) garners information from the vendor, as George discovers. Ironically, George has been the first in line to try new foods in the past (eps.603, 711, 915).
  • Another of the Murdoch Home surprises is revealed, as Frank Lloyd Wright had promised Julia (ep.1201); this one is the master bedroom's lighting feature.

Historical References

  • This episode takes place in Toronto 1906 – 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 Immigration Act of 1906 was the first legal mechanism for enforcing a policy of selective categories of prohibited immigrants; it put into law the right of the government to deport undesirables. In 1906, Frank Oliver, who replaced Clifford Sifton as Minister of the Interior, also cancelled the North Atlantic Trading Company contract which had given bonuses to selected agricultural immigrants from designated European countries.
  • Before the 1940s, Toronto's nascent Greek population (approx. 3,000) was concentrated in the area bounded by Yonge Street, Carlton Street, Church Street and what is now Dundas Street East. It is this area that will be the site of the 1918 Toronto anti-Greek riot. In 1976, The Toronto Star's Warren Gerard claimed the Danforth was now known as “Little Athens,” and had a population of 30,000 Greek immigrants. [*]
  • Malvern Collegiate Institute was founded in 1903 as "East Toronto High School", in what was then the village of East Toronto. A site on Malvern Avenue was acquired and its new building was ready for occupancy in 1906.
  • Middleton Goldsmith was a surgeon in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He recommended the placement of volatile bromine in all gangrene patients. Goldsmith thoroughly documented his investigations in his report to the Surgeon General entitled A Report on Hospital Gangrene, Erysipelas and Pyaemia, as observed in the departments of the Ohio and the Cumberland, with cases appended. This 1863 report included colorfully detailed case reports and a foldout table containing all his research data, as well as his correspondence with other surgeons.

Trivia

Errors

  • Malvern Collegiate Institute was founded as "East Toronto High School" in 1903, it did not become known as Malvern Collegiate until shortly after the village of East Toronto was annexed by Toronto proper in 1908 – two years after the time of this episode.
  • It was during the second migratory wave in the 1950s and 1960s, the Greeks established themselves on Danforth Avenue. Today it is called Greektown, also known as The Danforth, after Asa Danforth Jr., an American contractor who designed Queen Street and Kingston Road, the area is known for its architecture dating back to as early as 1910.

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
Bea Santos as Louise Cherry
Sebastian Pigott as Dr. Dixon
James McGowan as Dr. Forbes
Stephanie Belding as Nurse Sullivan

Guest Cast

Jimmy Makris as Athos Rella
Jonathan Whittaker as Harold Copley
Darrin Baker as Andrew Palmer
Vieslav Krystyan as Jakub Czarnecki
Kevin Dennis as James McBride
Brian Scott Carleton as Paul Scotch
Debora Demestre as Eliza
Kristina Agosti as Anne McKinnon
Thomas Rickert as Frank Oliver
Nicholas Brown as Burly Guy

Non-Credited Cast

Nathan Hoppe as Constable McNabb

Gallery


Murdoch Mysteries Season 12
Murdoch Mystery MansionOperation: MurderMy Big Fat Mimico WeddingMurdoch Without Borders
The Spy Who Loved MurdochSir. Sir? Sir!!!Brother's KeeperDrowning in MoneySecrets and Lies
Pirates of the Great LakesAnnabella CinderellaSix of the BestMurdoch and the Undetectable Man
Sins of the FatherOne Minute to MurderManual for MurderDarkness Before the Dawn Part 1
Darkness Before the Dawn Part 2
Season 1Season 2Season 3Season 4Season 5Season 6Season 7Season 8Season 9Season 10Season 11Season 12Season 13Season 15
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