"The Witches of East York” is the fourteenth episode of the fifteenth season of Murdoch Mysteries and the two hundred twenty-ninth episode of the series (not including the three stand-alone holiday specials). It first aired on January 17, 2022.
Summary
Detective Murdoch arrests a man for trying to kill a woman he claims is a witch only to have him mysteriously die in custody.
Farmer Gunther Wenders is taken into custody for trying to drown his woodland neighbor, Minerva West, a self-confessed witch. Murdoch considers the case a disagreement between a superstitious man and a delusional woman. But when Minerva and her fellow coven members cast a spell outside the Station House, Wenders suddenly dies in the cells, and Murdoch must explain how.
Character Revelations
Continuity
- Margaret Brackenreid continues to struggle with her emotions over her son Bobby’s fate.
- Detective Watts and Murdoch discuss religion.
Historical References
- 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.
- Grimoires are magical items that greatly enhance the user's ability to use magic. They can also serve as a written record or manual for all of a user's spells.
- Hecate was the ancient Greek goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts and necromancy.
- Baphomet is term that was originally associated with an idol that the Knights Templar were said to have worshipped.
Trivia
- The title of this episode is an allusion to John Updike's 1984 novel The Witches of Eastwick which was turned into a 1987 American dark fantasy-comedy film directed by George Miller, starring Jack Nicholson, Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer and Susan Sarandon as the witches.
- Peter Mitchell's Personal Assistant Elsbeth McCall makes an appearance in this episode and will be directing a future episode.
- Recasted actor Billy MacLellan has appeared in Let Loose the Dogs and Murdoch and the Temple of Death.
Cast
Main Cast
Yannick Bisson as Detective William Murdoch
Hélène Joy as Dr. Julia Ogden
Thomas Craig as Inspector Thomas Brackenreid
Recurring Cast
Daniel Maslany as Detective Llewellyn Watts
Shanice Banton as Violet Hart
Lachlan Murdoch as Constable Henry Higgins-Newsome
Arwen Humphreys as Margaret Brackenreid
Nathan Hoppe as Constable
Guest Cast
Michaela Kurmsky as Persephone Jade
Lisa Michelle Cornelius as Minerva West
Billy MacLellan as Gunther Wenders
Severn Thompson as Katrina Wenders
Elsbeth McCall as Greta "Elsbeth Nighthawk" Wenders
Subhash Santosh as Wilbur
Bianca Olivia Nugara as Betsy
Sedina Fiati as Verona
Gallery
| Murdoch Mysteries Season 15 |
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| The Things We Do for Love Part 1 • The Things We Do for Love Part 2 • Manhunt • Blood on the Tracks • Love or Money • I Know What You Did Last Autumn • The Incorrigible Dr. Ogden• Murdoch Knows Best • The Lady Vanishes • Drawn in Blood • The Night Before Christmas •There's Something About Mary • Murdoch on the Couch • The Witches of East York • Rawhide Ralph • It's a Wonderful Game • Bloodlines • Patriot Games• Brother Can You Spare a Crime • Pendrick's Planetary Parlour • Devil Music • Sweet Amelia • Pay the Piper • Close Encounters
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