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Nina Bloom is the most popular burlesque dancer at the infamous Star Room introduced in Season 9 of Murdoch Mysteries, portrayed by Erin Agostino.

While from a different class than Emily Grace, Nina Bloom is perhaps even more modern. She's not interested in marriage, she's not "the marrying kind" to George's surprise and eventual disappointment.

Nina doesn't much care what people think of her because her reputation is not who she is. She doesn't dance at the burlesque to snag a husband. She enjoys it and won't deny herself the things that bring her pleasure, and that includes George. Telling him, "If you think less of me because of it, then so be it." He reassures her, " I don't."

"Then should you want to continue enjoying my company, I will welcome you. If not, I am happy to part now." George doesn't want that. "Then stop questioning the right or wrong of it.

Even after an awkward talk with Murdoch and a scolding from the Inspector, George introduces Nina to Murdoch, Dr. Ogden, Brackenreid and Mrs. B. as his "new sweetheart".

George and Nina's relationship continues to be both challenging and challenged in Season 10 and by the end of Season 11, Nina leaves Toronto for her dream job in Paris.

Appearances and Mentions

From Buffalo With Love

  • While visiting the Star Room regularly, George catches Nina's eye, prompting her to call him her favorite "Mr. Wednesday." Despite Murdoch and Brackenreid's objections, they fall for each other, and the two end up spending the night together in her dressing room.
  • Nina makes it very clear to George that she doesn't want to marry him.
  • At the end of the episode, after being invited to a dinner by the Murdochs, George decides to bring along his new sweetheart; Nina Bloom.

Great Balls of Fire, Part 1

  • George tells Nina, "A brilliant white gown... Blood pouring down and then a big crash... And her body was falling from the ceiling." Nina asks if she "hit anyone?" Almost. Nina confesses that it "sounds a lot more exciting than my coming out party." George is surprised that she was a debutante. "There is a lot about me you don't know, George Crabtree." He looks forward to finding out more.
  • She has a brother, Samuel, who George first mistakes for another beau.

Great Balls of Fire, Part 2

  • After Samuel's auto shop burns down, George offers to help him get back on his feet, believing he deserved a second chance. Once the new auto shop opens, Nina tells George that he's inserted himself directly into their family. "I wonder how that will work out for you." George asks what she means, and she says, "Well, he hasn't really been successful at much. I do hope you have deep pockets."

Painted Ladies

  • While Murdoch is investigating the murder of a man with lipstick stains on his face, Nina comes under suspicion as she is in possession of the same shade of lipstick. George is sure of her innocence and attempts to convince Murdoch of the same conclusion. Fortunately, she is finally cleared of any suspicion.
  • Men have been giving all the burlesque dancers flirtation cards, but Nina is far in the lead. George becomes jealous and requests Nina to throw the cards away, to which she refuses.

Excitable Chap

  • When Lydia arrives at The Star Room, she tells Nina and Crabtree that she was attacked by The Lurker. She saved herself by stabbing him in the hand with her hat pin but then he got away. Later, when on stage performing a 'Lurker skit', the real Lurker appears. This time, Nina smashes him over the head with a bottle, to reveal The Lurker's real identity– James Pendrick.
  • Nina watches George talking with Louise Cherry – again. In short order, George receives a 'Dear John' note. With little explanation or reason, she ends their relationship.

Hot Wheels of Thunder

  • While rollerskating with Lydia Hall on the boardwalk, Nina re-introduces herself to Dr. Ogden who introduces the two women to Miss Rebecca James. The four women create a roller-racing team to compete against The Buffalo Queens.
  • Nina sees George Crabtree for the first time since their break-up. At first, he doesn't recognize her to which Lydia quips,"...she does look different with clothes on."

Hell to Pay

  • Dr. Ogden visits Nina at The Star Room Theatre for the first time because her husband is in danger. She asks Nina about Lydia and William. Nina saw them together – they were just talking. She heard that Lydia was a witness to something at a private party, “Sometimes we're called to attend them. Some of the girls go. All she would tell me is that she heard something that she never should have heard.”  But it must have been something because a couple of days later, two men came here looking for her, but she was gone. Nina never saw her again. Dr. Ogden acknowledges her loss. Nina hopes she finds her husband because he's a good and decent man. Then, she breaks down in tears, “She was my friend. She was so funny.” Julia holds her as she cries; two women grieving.
  • When George returns for the first time since their break-up, Nina tells him “I can't help you. I would if I could.” George confesses to just wanting to see her and to apologize, “I never should have let you go.” Nina tells him that he deserves better. “I’m only realizing now that there is no better than you.” But George doesn't know what to do now with the Detective and Dr. Ogden missing... Nina reassures him.
  • Their reunion is interrupted by the ruthless Robert Graham who would have thought the constable would be out looking for Murdoch. “Or is it that you'd rather spend time with painted ladies than look for your Detective or his missing wife?” About to strike him, Crabtree is warned that he would be jailed again and be even more useless than he currently is. Graham reminds him that he is at a crossroads in his life, help Graham and he will have an unimpeded rise to the top: the Inspector is gone and his immediate superior is a murderer– things are looking up for Constable George Crabtree. All he has to do is look away. George Crabtree won't be doing that. “…you wish to add another item to your long list of mistakes. Enjoy your time with your whore.” Nina stops George from hitting Graham, telling him “Don't worry, George, nothing he says will bother me” and the way George just stood up to the odious bigwig makes Nina so proud of him.

Up From Ashes

  • At the Star Room, Nina is seducing Graham. He tells her, "I may call upon you, Miss Bloom." She responds, "I'll be sure to answer," before walking away with a sly smile on her face. Later, she's seen with Graham again, this time with a knife hidden in her costume.
  • She and Graham are walking to his office, where he tells her how great the city would be if he were in charge. She agrees, and they enter the office, only to find Ms. Marsh there, rifling through some files. She pulls a gun, but Graham puts a stop to it, instructing Nina to pick up the files. They leave, but Nina stays behind to put the files back on the desk, along with her glove and a card from the burlesque; an indication she'd been there.
  • With Miss Marsh gagged and tied to a chair on the Star Room stage, Nina lures Graham into the dressing room, then pulls the knife to his throat, telling him that he was going to pay for the deaths of Lydia Hall and George. This is when George, very much alive, appears and instructs Nina not to do it. Nina is shocked at his appearance, and Graham uses that to his advantage, grabbing the knife and holding it to her throat. George tries to get him to leave her alone but it doesn't work, as Graham nicks Nina's neck with the tip of the knife. George retreats, and Graham enters the main Star Room, only to be stopped by Detective Murdoch and Penelope Marsh. "There are four of us and only one of you Graham," Murdoch tells him, also adding that he will be charged with murder if Graham were to kill her. Graham releases Nina, who immediately runs into George's arms.

21 Murdoch Street

  • Nina shows up at the boy's school where George is undercover. The two talk: George goes on about a student he believes has more potential if he just tried, while Nina relates how she once had a Star Room customer who would pay her no attention. George insists it's not the same thing, but Nina doesn't agree; "sure it is." She tells him that she did everything to gain his attention, even changing her costume, inspired by his profession. George isn't sure he wants to hear this until Nina finally tells him that the customer is actually him.

The Accident (Mention)

  • "I wonder you don't ask Miss Bloom..." Louise Cherry tells Constable Crabtree when he questions her about doing her job as a reporter at the scene of the accident.

Brackenreid Boudoir

  • Nina sits (in the nude) for artist Inspector Brackenreid and reassures him that George is a modern man. 

The Talking Dead

  • Nina, along with some other girls from The Star Room, has been asked to perform at the Moulin Rouge in Paris. She asks George to come with her, and though hesitant, he later accepts.

Home for the Holidays

  • As it turns out, Nina is an expert at snow skiing.

Mary Wept

  • Nina drops by the station house to visit George, and finds herself talking with Constable Higgins about honeymoons and marriage. When George mentions how Paris would be an excellent place for a honeymoon, Henry retaliates with, "there's nothing wrong with Niagra Falls."
  • Nina claims she will never get married. "I would just die. Wouldn't you just die, George?" George quickly tells Nina that Henry is actually planning to propose to RuthNina clearly doesn't know how to respond to this.

Game of Kings

  • Nina's father taught her chess.
  • Detective Murdoch observes, "There's more to your Miss Bloom than meets the eye", to which George states, "There is indeed, sir. As if what meets the eye wasn't enough already". Indeed.

Shadows Are Falling

Free Falling

  • Nina is offered a job at the Moulin Rouge in Paris, and asks George to join her in starting a new life.
  • Nina stays true to her self after George proposes to her, turning him down rather regretfully. She tells "Because I know what you want. You want a wedding, a wife and a family. And I think it's lovely but i'm not gonna be able to give you that." When George questions her,"...how do you know I still want all that?", she gives a straight and honest reply,"Because if you wanted just me, you would have said yes to Paris." The two tearfully embrace, before Nina walks away. 

In the Company of Women (mention)

Everything is Broken Part 2

  • Appears in flashback only.

Pay the Piper (mention)

Promising Young Ladies

  • Nina returns to Toronto, performing at the Star Bright Club, and again gets involved in a murder case.
  • George introduces her to his wife, Effie Crabtree.
  • Nina says "I have to admit, seeing you so happy, it's hard not to think the path not taken." to George and then says goodbye to him accompanied by a kiss.

Trivia

  • Show-runner Peter Mitchell explains, "Nina is the kind of character we always want on the show because she’s very polarizing. Half the fans love her and half the fans hate her, which means we want her!"
  • When MM Writer Mary Pedersen was asked about Crabtree and Nina: "I think that was really natural. We love Erin Agostino. She has been wonderful and has really won over the fans which is really something because the character, on paper, doesn’t look like someone Crabtree should end up with. That’s really a credit to Erin’s work. That was the truth of their situation. Nina doesn’t want the things that he wants. They tried to fit that square peg into the round hole and it’s not going to work. He really would have had to sacrifice so much not only by leaving Toronto, but then what does his life look like in Paris? It was definitely a sad thing because we’ve all grown to love that character and Erin, but there wasn’t really a way to turn that ship around and have her be the person that Crabtree is ultimately the person he’s meant to be with." (March 2018)

Gallery


Murdoch Mysteries Recurring Actors and Characters
Daniel Maslany as Detective WattsShanice Banton as Violet HartLachlan Murdoch as Henry HigginsArwen Humphreys as Margaret BrackenreidPaul Sun-Hyung Lee as Albert ChoiClare McConnell as Effie NewsomeBea Santos as Louise CherryCharles Vandervaart as John BrackenreidPeter Keleghan as Terrence MeyersPeter Stebbings as James PendrickMatthew Bennett as Allen CleggNigel Bennett as former Chief Constable Giles • Siobhan Murphy as Ruth NewsomeShailene Garnett as Nomi JohnstonStephanie Belding as Nurse SullivanSebastian Pigott as Dr. DixonColin Mochrie as Ralph FellowsJames McGowan as Dr. ForbesPatrick McKenna as Hamish SlorachDmitry Chepovetsky as Nikola TeslaJohn Tench as Alexander Graham BellMartin Moreau as Theodore RooseveltCyrus Lane as Rupert NewsomeCraig Brown as Eddie CrawfordDavid Reale as Mr. ClementsErin Agostino as Nina BloomMouna Traoré as Rebecca JamesJordan Johnson-Hinds as Nate DesmondDylan Neal as Jasper LinneyKristian Bruun as Constable JacksonRichard Clarkin as Chief Constable DavisMichael Seater as James GilliesRothaford Gray as Alderman William Peyton HubbardCyrus Lane as Roger NewsomeGeorgina Reilly as Emily GraceCharlotte Sullivan as Charlotte (formerly Minerva Fairchild)Sean Harraher as Constable WorseleyTamara Hope as Edna Brooks (née Garrison)Giacomo Gianniotti as Leslie GarlandNicole Underhay as Margaret HaileSarah Gadon as Ruby OgdenKate Greenhouse as Sally PendrickStephen McHattie as Harry MurdochGeraint Wyn Davies as Arthur Conan Doyle
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