Review: Murdoch Mysteries ‘The Philately Fatality’

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Warning: Post contains spoilers

“Murdoch Mysteries” season 13 episode 6 “The Philately Fatality” opens with constable George Crabtree (Jonny Harris) and Special Constable Robert Parker (Marc Senior) responding to a noise complaint at a party. Confused, Parker notes “The neighbor called about a noise complaint? I can barely hear anything.” George sighs, “I think this is more of a morals call. Possible acts of gross indecency.” Understanding that they’re raiding a predominantly homosexual house party, Parker replies “Ah, we’re after offenses against nature.” George admits, “You know, there are coppers who would enjoy taking some of these chaps down to the cells.” Pausing, Parker wonders aloud, “But you’re more of a live and let live soul, aren’t you?” Parker laments, “What’s the use of judging what happens in the privacy of a man’s own home…give me a proper crime!” However, upon entering the household, George and Robert are greeted with a proper crime indeed: a dead body.
As it turns out, the host Owen Paxton (Trevor Corvelli) is found murdered. Inspector Thomas Brackenreid (Thomas Craig), Det. William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson), city coroner Miss Violet Hart (Shanice Banton), and Det. Llewyn Watts (Daniel Maslany) canvas the crime scene. The guests, upon discovering the police have arrived, flee. When it’s revealed that Paxton was an avid stamp collector, Crabtree offers to visit the Toronto Philately society. As a child, George collected stamps.

Meanwhile, Dr. Julia Ogden (Hélène Joy) gains an important new patient. Dr. Dixon (Sebastian Pigott) drops by the Murdoch household unexpectedly with notes for Julia, and it’s a meeting chock full of sexual tension. Previously, Dr. Dixon kissed Dr. Ogden. William accidentally interrupts the reunion, and it appears Det. Murdoch notices that something’s amiss.

Observations:

“Murdoch Mysteries” S3E06 “The Philately Fatality” proves tragic and touching. Once again, “Murdoch Mysteries” doesn’t sugarcoat the attitude against homosexuality during its early 20th-century setting. Notably, and surprisingly, Inspector Brackenreid doesn’t refrain from showing his disdain for homosexuality. When Det. Glenn Scott (Wade Bogert-O’Brien) is outed as a guest at Paxton’s party and former lover, Brackenreid insists on holding Scott in the cells. Even once acquitted, the Inspector staunchly refuses to keep Glenn’s homosexuality a secret from his inspector. When Murdoch points out that they’ve looked the other way plenty of times in the past, Brackenreid justifies his actions by arguing that they’d lose their jobs if it were found out they kept Glenn’s secret.

Special Constable Parker gets restless during the murder investigation. Parker successfully convinces Murdoch to let him go out into the field. As always, Watts shows ample compassion. It’s a true pleasure seeing Watts return, and “The Philately Fatality” reveals a bit more about the often cryptic detective: Watts is gay. This makes the episode all the more tragic, considering the Inspector’s attitude toward homosexuality. Unfortunately, though the episode is set in 1907 and airs in 2019, not as much has changed as would be preferable considering that in certain countries, same-sex marriage still isn’t allowed.

The sexual tension between Dr. Dixon and Julia continues. I’m actually pretty irked about that whole subplot. While I’ve got no issue with drama and romantic turmoil, at this point a tumultuous relationship between Det. Murdoch and Dr. Ogden has evolved into a trope. At the end of the episode, Julia requests that Dr. Dixon refer to her as Dr. Ogedn at the hospital under an implied subtext that she wishes to mask their mutual romantic feelings. Even the occasionally oblivious when it comes to live humans Det. Murdoch notices that something up between the two doctors. It’s a storyline already explored multiple times, and seems unrealistic. Just let William and Julia live happily wedded, and explore other avenues of drama.

As is expected, there’s a twist. And one that pits George once again with Aldous Germaine (Jeremy Legat) who earlier appeared in “Pirates of the Great Lakes.” Germaine again aids in the investigation. I love his scenes with George as he certainly takes a liking to the constable. It’s a pretty neat whodunit, with a touching narrative, and delightful return of Det. Watts.