"The Trial of Terrence Meyers" is the fifteenth episode of the thirteenth season of the Murdoch Mysteries and the two hundred first episode of the series (not including the three stand-alone holiday specials). It first aired February 10, 2020.
Summary
Detective Murdoch, Dr. Ogden and Inspector Brackenreid attend the secret tribunal trying to prosecute spy Terrence Meyers for treason.
Character Revelations
- Julia and Murdoch are back home again and Julia's cooking may be improving.
- Allen Clegg was hanged on October 7th, 1906 with postmortem photographs taken as proof of death.
Continuity
- The secret tribunal's proceeding revisits the past dozen encounters with Agent Meyers (via flashbacks) leading to the treason charge against Terrence Meyers …, ensnaring Murdoch, Ogden and Brackenreid as well.
- Where there is Meyers, there is Allen Clegg.
- Dr. Ogden references the police report on James Pendrick's death (ep.1014) : first sign of polonium poisoning is rapid hair loss.
Historical References
- This episode takes place in Toronto 1907 – 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.
- Francophone nationalism in Québec or Québec nationalism is the result of the evolution of French-Canadian nationalism. The definition of “nation” and the political context that frames it have taken different forms since the British conquest of 1760.
- Membership in the British Empire also implied active participation in imperial wars. From 1900 to 1914 a lively and often acrimonious debate was carried on over whether the imperial burden (of maintaining and expanding the British Empire around the globe) was equally Canada's burden. Opponents of this idea preferred autonomy from the empire and freedom from its military entanglements.
- Polonium is a radioactive chemical element (atomic number 84) that was discovered in 1898 by Marie Curie, who named the element after her country, Poland. (also, see ep.1014)
- Since the early 19th century, the figure of Uncle Sam represents the U.S. government, while Columbia , the historical name applied to the Americas and to the New World, represents the United States as a nation; The Statue of Liberty (erected in 1886) displaces Columbia as the female symbol of the United States by around 1920.
Trivia
- Neither George Crabtree nor Detective Watts appear in this episode.
- Agent Baker, played by Lina Roessle, was first seen in the Murdoch Mysteries webisode Beyond Time.
- The flashbacks are part of the main storyline making for a highly entertaining tale and a fond look back at some of Meyers’ more outrageous scenes: written by Adam Barken and the late Graham Clegg and directed by Jill Carter, Leslie Hope, Sudz Sutherland, John L’Ecuyer and Shawn Alex Thompson.
- Director Gary Harvey who came up with the episode idea (Morse code) and MM showrunner Peter Mitchell have worked together for nearly 25 years.
- According to Mitchell:
- "...we have no idea if Sir Wilfred Laurier liked butter tarts but it seemed such a great Canadian murder weapon".
- "...if you keep the actors in one place and rotate the walls you are down to 2 setups" which saves production time and budget, "...[with] four angles, so at least 4 lighting set ups. More like 8 because close ups are lit differently".
Notable Quotes
- Terrence Meyers to the tribunal: "It's the purpose of spy craft to deceive."
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
Peter Keleghan as Terrence Meyers
Lina Roessler as Agent Baker
Matthew Bennett as Allen Clegg
Brian Paul as Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier
Guest Cast
Stephen Park as Justice Robert Shay
Philip Van Martin as General Patrice Dionne
Ed Roy as Deputy Minister Abner Walker
Christian Martel as Henri Bourassa
Brad Austin as Clifford Sifton
Marcello Di Fruscia as Armand Lavergne
Bradley Hamilton as G-Man
Josh Graham as Clegg's Minion
Gallery
| Murdoch Mysteries Season 13 |
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| Troublemakers • Bad Pennies • Forever Young • Prodigal Father • Murdoch and the Cursed Caves • The Philately Fatality • Toronto the Bad • The Final Curtain • The Killing Dose • Parker in the Rye • Staring Blindly into the Future • Fox Hunt • Kill Thy Neighbour • Rigid Silence • The Trial of Terrence Meyers • In the Company of Women • Things Left Behind • The Future is Unwritten
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