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Murdoch Mysteries: Season 8
Score: 95%
Rating: Not Rated
Publisher: Acorn Media
Region: 1
Media: Blu-ray/4
Running Time: 792 Mins.
Genre: Mystery/Crime/TV Series
Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD MA (Bonus
           Features: English Stereo 2.0)

Subtitles: English SDH

Features:
  • Making Murdoch Featurettes (118 Min.)
  • 100th Episode Featurette
  • Behind-the-Scenes Photo Gallery

Maureen Jennings' novels are once again portrayed in ITV Studios' and Acorn's Murdoch Mysteries: Season 8 with its masterful blend of crime, intrigue and invention. The historical and beautiful Canadian landscape sets the background for solving crimes involving notorious and notable turn-of-the-century figures, such as U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Edison (and his son), inventive Mark Twain, world vaudevillian W.C. Fields, and the outrageous Bat Masterson, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

In Murdoch Mysteries: Season 8, our central characters share personal moments including our pacific sleuth Detective William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson, Sue Thomas: F.B. Eye), who can't help but smile at the thought of his upcoming marriage to Dr. Julia Ogden, (Gemini winner Hélène Joy, Durham County). Drs. Ogden and Emily Grace (Georgina Reilly, The L.A. Complex) are outspoken forerunners in the Women's Suffrage Movement, and unfortunately suffer some hard times for their public efforts. Inspector Brackenreid (Thomas Craig, Where the Heart Is) is recuperating off-duty after a brutal assault on the waterfront by organized crime thugs in the cliffhanger of Murdoch Mysteries: Season 7 and our adorable and comical Constable Crabtree (Jonny Harris, Hatching, Matching & Dispatching) finds another romantic interest that does create a bit of a stir and some serious decisions.

New ideas involving women's civil rights paint the evolving social mood of change in this 20th century moment, bringing new attire that both restricts and abandons antique traditions. Julia embraces marriage and Grace considers newer moral thoughts that raise eyebrows and could threaten her position. Crabtree is groomed for promotion, but also tackles more mature situations. Our stable Detective Murdoch remains cool and calm as he tackles new cases and continues to invent investigative devices to keep the law efficient and in hand.

New thoughts and ideas break through the horizon. Dr. Ogden uses hypnosis in her psychological practice; the Bertillon system of facial identification is introduced with an interchangeable face feature chart; the beginnings of the "taser" are considered by the police force; the awkward Apache Weapon is invented and used for multiple killings; crimes by women and gangs increase; flushing toilets makes life easier, as well as fountain pens using ink tablets; motorized wheel chairs assist the handicapped; "fake" wrestling as a major form of mass entertainment is exposed; the discovery of silver in Northern Ontario emerges; and, with the increase of motorized cars, it is found that carbon monoxide is a lethal killer in certain instances.

In this season, Bisson wears many hats: actor, producer and director. His talented and beautiful daughter, Mikaela, appears with returning guest stars in Murdoch Mysteries: Season 8 as the admiring Murdoch fan Miss Annie Cranston in the "Murdoch Appreciation Society." Incurables Anastasia Philips (Charlotte; Maddie; Girly), Janet-Laine Green (Mrs. Lynd), Emma Campbell (Rose Maxwell), and Dalva Zalnieriunas (Eva Pearce) create havoc causing asylums to rethink the arrangement of their inmates' quarters. Also, harassing spy master Terrence Meyers (Peter Keleghan) once again intrudes on investigations. Peter Outerbridge (the original Detective Murdoch in the Murdoch Mysteries Movies) appears as Murdoch's childhood mentor. And, the familiar Inspector Hamish Slorach (Patrick McKenna) oversees a cold case involving one of their own in Station 4. There is even a tribute to Indiana Jones in "Searching for the Holy Grail." Special to this season is the 100th Episode involving the delightful marriage of our star Murdoch and his lovely wife Julia. It is wonderful watching these shows and knowing that all the familiar major characters have remained in their roles since the beginning of the series.

Progressive social and political advances for women appear on stage. Actress Hélène Joy was influential in having the Women's Suffrage Movement brought to life in Murdoch Mysteries: Season 8. Forerunners of women's law were people like Margaret Haile, who was the first women to run for the assembly in Canada, and Clara Brett Martin who was the first female lawyer in the British Empire to create acts that allowed women to study law and be called to the bar. These innovative women circumvented the harsh male-only voting restrictions that barred women from their right to vote.

Murdoch Mysteries: Season 8 abounds with bonus features. Each of the 18 episodes has an accompanying "Making Murdoch" feature on the Blu-Ray/DVD releases. They give informative facts by related historians, cast, crew, and tourism officials about the scenery, background, and history. Historian Al Stencell offers interesting facts about vaudeville entertainment, and Props Master Craig Grant explains the use of 3D printing. In the Behind the Scenes Photo Gallery, you'll find rehearsal shots of cast and crew, and the "Celebrating 100 Episodes" featurette reveals favorite moments.

It seems this Murdoch Mysteries: Season 8 is evolving and taking on new directions and dimensions. I'm excited even more than ever about the new seasons to come. The characters are becoming more revealing and endearing, and the criminals are recurring more often and are embedded in the family of characters -- even the scary ones! There are more social mores to be considered and an even more exaggerated caution to parents. Murdoch remains still as historical as ever, but with more mature content and perhaps some disturbing scenes. The show ends with another cliffhanger, but that just makes you ready and waiting for the next season to appear on the shelves.



-Kambur O. Blythe, GameVortex Communications
AKA Jan Daniel
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