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" Smoke Gets In Your Eyes " is the twenty-third episode of the seventeenth season of Murdoch Mysteries and the two hundred eighty-sixth episode of the series (not including the three stand-alone holiday specials). It first aired on April 1, 2024.

Summary

After a man dies in a drunken brawl at the Starbright Lounge, Murdoch’s suspect is another detective.

Crabtree questions a bar patron who had witnessed a man in his forties assault the victim then went out the back door. Murdoch finds a letter on the deceased, addressed to a Mr. McCormack, the enclosed letter reads: “ Thank you for speaking with me and for all of the help you've given me. I shall never forget it. Yours truly, Danielle." Murdoch sends George to go to the address to find out what he can. With constables, Murdoch proceeds to the back-alley where Higgins finds a man passed out who is wearing a badge. At the Station House, Detective Richard Tauber admits to the fight but had no intention of killing the man. He refuses to cooperate further and states the Chief Constable is the only one he’ll talk to.

As it happens, Chief Constable Stewart is recommending Inspector Brackenreid to replace him at a luncheon the next day and Dr. Ogden is attending to solicit donations to buy an electrocardiograph machine for the new Women's College Hospital.

On that very morning, it’s payday at the Station House. After questioning his month’s wage total, Crabtree shows Murdoch a well-worn address book with Tauber’s name inside; Mr. McCormack and Det. Tauber were not strangers. To further complicate the case, they find Tauber dead in his cell with a bloody razor, "Looks as though the killer has killed himself". Soon Murdoch discovers that constables at Station House Four have been cutting corners every shift by not securing the cell keys in the lockbox.

At the City Morgue, the pinpoint hemorrhages on the lungs lead Miss Hart to believe Tauber died of asphyxiation, not a loss of blood. He was strangled and then his wrists were cut after the fact – a staged suicide. But how? Tauber was in a cell. Murdoch asks for his personal effects to search for fingermarks. Crabtree has learned that McCormack and Tauber were partners at Station House Three and is sent there with Higgins to dig further now that there is an intentional death to solve and a possible cover up.

Character Revelations

Continuity

  • Crabtree's pay for this month is $18.00.
  • Brackenreid is not pleased with a dead man..."in our cells. Hardly the news I want to bring to a luncheon with the chief constable".
  • Detective Murdoch gives the Station House Four constables a 'shape-up, no overtime pay' lecture.

Historical References

  • This episode takes place in Toronto December 1911 – George V is King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936.

Trivia

  • CEO of Gonez Media, Brandon Gonez, makes his acting debut in this episode as a journalist and a key witness to a crime.
  • Recast actor Mark Caven was first seen on Murdoch Mysteries as Eugene Andersen in Victor, Victorian.

Errors

  • The Mona Lisa was stolen August 1911 (19 episodes ago); The Christmas List was the ninth episode of this season. This episode’s year is stated through the reference: “20 years ago…almost to the day,” which the case file dates as December 1, 1891; The season timeline continuity is off once again. The release of MM episodes may not be controlled by MM executive producers and the Writers' Room, thus the chronology is not always accurate.
  • This episode's end credits for Paul Irving as Constable Paul has added the surname Harris for the first time, when in previous episodes Paul was his surname (as it is a 'wink' to the actor's first name).

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

Lachlan Murdoch as Constable Henry Higgins-Newsome
Shanice Banton as Violet Hart
Kenzie Delo as Constable Tucker
Nathan Hoppe as Constable McNabb
Paul Irving as Constable Paul Harris

Guest Cast

R.H. Thomson as Chief Constable Francis Stewart
Mark Caven as Chadwick Vaughan
Melanie Leon as Danielle Baker
Sean Sullivan as Ivan Wetzman
Aaron Walpole as Richard Tauber
Brandon Gonez as Bar Patron
Daniel Williston as Mason Jeffries

Non-Credited Cast

Gallery


Murdoch Mysteries Season 17
Do the Right Thing Part 1Do the Right Thing Part 2Murdoch and the Mona LisaBottom of the BarrelStation House of HorrorsDying to be EnlightenedCool MillionThe Cottage in the WoodsThe Christmas ListMrs. Crabtree's NeighborhoodA Heavy EventWheel of Bad FortuneTrain to NowhereThe Smell of AlarmMurdoch and the Treasure of LimaPreacher Jimmy WildeThe Fantastic Mr. FawkesSpirits in the NightA Most Surprising BondRhapsody in BloodEngaged to be MurderedWhy Is Everybody Singing?Smoke Gets In Your EyesFor the Greater Good
Season 1Season 2Season 3Season 4Season 5Season 6Season 7Season 8Season 9Season 10Season 11Season 12Season 13Season 14Season 15Season 16
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