"Winston's Lost Night" is the second episode of the sixth season of the Murdoch Mysteries and the sixty-seventh episode of the series.
Summary
The police are called to The Palace Hotel where Detective Murdoch finds the body of Reginald Mayfair who, it appears, has been run through with a sword. Also in the room is his hungover friend Winston Churchill, who is in Toronto to give a lecture. Churchill and Mayfair had been out the night before and were both quite drunk - which explains why he can't remember anything from that evening.
Murdoch and Churchill set off to trace his steps and hopefully find the murderer in the process. As it turns out, Julia Ogden met Churchill that same evening when Churchill and Mayfair had decided to switch identities at the Albany Club, after a society party hosted by Temperance advocate Mrs. Gertrude Miller.
The British Empire's recent past in the Middle East may have something to do with the motive behind the murder of Mayfair.
Meanwhile, Murdoch faces a personal dilemma when Julia confesses that she could not lie under oath at the court to obtain her annulment which means the only other option is a divorce.
Character Revelations
- Before the annulment Judge and under oath, Julia could not lie when ask if her marriage to Darcy was consummated.
- Darcy agrees to give Julia a divorce.
Continuity
- William and Julia argue over being married in eyes of God and the Law, eventually declaring their love and commitment to one another again.
- At the start of this episode, Murdoch is working on his version of the Induction Balance Machine (metal detector) powered by pedal work from a stationary bicycle. It is not used in this episode, instead it will come into play three episodes later in Season 6’s Murdoch Au Naturel.
- Inspector Brackenreid’s autograph book contains the signature of Nikola Tesla, Harry Houdini, Buffalo Bill Cody, Arthur Conan Doyle, and now Winston Churchill’s.
Historical References
- Dr. Ogden uses the medical term Traumatic Amnesia to describe Churchill's lost of memory.
- As this whole episode focuses around Winston Churchill, this episode has major historical references.
- Second Anglo-Boer War, was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the South African Republic. While a war correspondent Churchill was captured and imprisonment in a POW camp in Pretoria and his escape made him a minor national hero for a time in Britain. Inspector Brackenreid had plans to join up in the previous episode.
- Battle of Omdurman (2 September 1898) included the British light cavalry charge of 400 Lancers against 3,000 Dervishes. Winston Churchill was present at the battle and he rode with the 21st Lancers. He published his account of the battle in 1899 as "The River War: An Account of the Reconquest of the Sudan". By all accounts, Lord Kitchener was not satisfied with merely destroying Omdurman, on his orders, the tomb of Muhammad Ahmed, the Mahdi, was destroyed, including its mosque.
Trivia
- Yannick Bisson's bulldog, Duke, makes a cameo in this episode as the dog sitting on the bench when Murdoch and Churchill walk by.
- Thomas Howes (Winston Churchill) played the role of William Mason, the second footman in Downton Abbey, who married Daisy just before dying from wounds received saving Matthew Crawley's life at the Battle of Amiens, WWI.
- Actor Thomas Howes loves dessert cakes so much confessing to MM cast and crew that as a boy he was called "Tommy Two Cakes", which becomes Chief Constable Stockton's nickname for Brackenreid, revealed in What Lies Buried.
- Owen G. Bevan has soundtrack credit for singing "Go On Home British Soldiers" from the Murphy's Pub scene.
- Costume note: in the flashback when Julia meets Churchill, she is wearing the red gown worn for the Policemen’s Ball in Season 5’s finale.
- Actress Kelli Fox (Mrs. Gertrude Miller) is the sister of actor Michael J. Fox.
- This is the first episode a Downton Abbey cast member guest stars, the second is the holiday special stand-alone episode A Merry Murdoch Christmas during Season 9.
Errors
Cast
Main Cast
Yannick Bisson as William Murdoch
Hélène Joy as Julia Ogden
Thomas Craig as Thomas Brackenreid
Jonny Harris as George Crabtree
Georgina Reilly as Emily Grace
Recurring Cast
Lachlan Murdoch as Constable Henry Higgins
Kristian Bruun as Constable Slugger Jackson
Guest Cast
Thomas Howes as Winston Churchill
Kelli Fox as Mrs. Gertrude Miller
Jeff Lillico as Reginald Mayfair
Michael Ayres as Mr. Ahmadi
Ed Sahely as Mr. Purcell
Christopher Stanton as Murphy's Bartender
Ed Sahely as Mr. Purcell
Owen G. Bevan as Reagan
Emmanuel Kabongo as Al
David Schaap as Vinwosni Barkeep
Gary Krawford as Lawerence
Peter Messaline as Edward
Mark Ingram as Mr. Miller
Marcel Stewart as Jim Carver
Darcy Campbell as Female Witness
Uncredited Cast
Gallery
| Murdoch Mysteries Season 6 |
|---|
| "Murdoch Air" • "Winston's Lost Night" • "Murdoch On The Corner" • "A Study in Sherlock" • "Murdoch Au Naturel" • "Murdoch and the Cloud of Doom" • "The Ghost of Queen's Park" • "Murdoch in Ladies Wear" • "Victoria Cross" • "Twisted Sisters" • "Lovers in a Murderous Time" • "Crime and Punishment" • "The Murdoch Trap" Web Series: Nightmare on Queen Street Season 1 • Season 2 • Season 3 • Season 4 • eason 5 • Season 6 • Season 7 • Season 8 • Season 9 • Season 10 • Season 11 • Season 12 • Season 13 • Season 14 • Season 15 |