Yannick Bisson Talks the Future of ‘Murdoch Mysteries’ Ahead of the Season 14 Finale
Preview
A woman from William Murdoch’s past plays a crucial role in the final episodes of Murdoch Mysteries’ 14th season. The early-20th-century Toronto police detective (Yannick Bisson) first encountered British barkeep Anna Fulford (Lisa Faulkner) way back in Season 3 when he was suffering from amnesia. Now, he must find those responsible for her death.
Both installments of the two-part season finale (airing Saturday, April 24 and May 1 on Ovation, and streaming the following Mondays on Acorn TV) are packed with flashbacks to that and several other earlier episodes.
“My initial thought was, ‘Uh-oh, people are really going to see the aging,’” says Bisson, who has played the usually unflappable Murdoch since 2008. “But I started to see how much more comfortable with the character I am in the later years — physically, emotionally. It was reassuring.”
The flashbacks, he adds, not only helped tell the current story, but they also aided the production of the coronavirus-delayed season. “We were able to immediately revisit the past in order to serve the storyline,” explains Bisson, who’s also an executive producer and occasional director on the popular Canadian series. “But it also helped us, in a very challenging year, to stretch our resources, because minutes on the screen add up to hours on the set, and resources were limited in terms of time and scheduling.”
In these episodes, Murdoch isn’t the only one at Station House No. 4 in crisis. Lovestruck constable George Crabtree (Jonny Harris) and gay detective Llewellyn Watts (Daniel Maslany) contend with their own urgent matters of the heart, while Inspector Brackenreid (Thomas Craig) faces pressure to resign.
Ovation
And Murdoch’s investigation isn’t something he can leave behind at work. His wife, Julia (Hélène Joy), also feels its ramifications. “It’s going to create some tension,” Bisson hints. “We’re still not entirely sure what the outcome is going to be.”
With only 11 episodes instead of the past year’s 18, Season 14 is the shortest to date. And although the series hasn’t officially been renewed, the creative team “had a pretty strong feeling about Season 15,” Bisson says, “so we were able to leave some cliffhangers that we might not have in the past.”
In the meantime, he’s directing a Christmas movie for Lifetime. But Bisson has no plans to turn in Murdoch’s badge anytime soon. “You’ll have to drag me out kicking and screaming,” he quips, noting that the show, which is the second-longest-running one-hour drama series in Canada, is “part of our culture and such a valuable export worldwide. It’s not lost on me what an incredible opportunity this has been in so many ways.”
Murdoch Mysteries, Season Finale, Saturdays, April 24 and May 1, 7/6c, Ovation. Also streaming Mondays, April 26 and May 3, Acorn TV
Conversation33 Comments
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Keep Murdoch Mysteries on TV Best show. We love watching for hours. Better than anything else on currently. Keep filming
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I love Murdoch Mysteries I watched it from season one and will keep on watching it forever one of the best shows ever made keep on producing it
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Please don't cancel Murdock mystery series I love the show!! The actors are great and I find the mysteries and humor wonderful. Thank's for creating a wonderful show!!!
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I love the show, I even watch all the "reruns". The story lines touch on a lot of things I remember as I am a 73 year old black woman. I like the way the story lines are approached and the actors who play them! SO,keep up the good work!
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I began watching during the pandemic. One day their was a change in the afternoon reruns. I watch in the Detroit area. I felt truly sad! Like I lost a group of friends! Same with Call the Midwife & Kim"s Coveinince!
I had a very harsh year in 2020. Almost died from Covid, my guy partner left with nary a warning after 13+ years ,& I take care of my aged sister at home as she's in hospice care. My escape is the shows. Thanks for great programs CBC!
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I discovered Murdoch Mysteries approx two years ago. It came on NBC at 4 a.m. Sunday mornings. I eventually found it on ION, which had entire marathons on weekends and I was in Murdoch Heaven. Unfortunately, ION dropped the channel Murdoch was shown on. They still have another channel that televises Canadian shows so I'm hoping that Murdoch Mysteries will be added. As you can probably tell, I've become addicted to this show 😍. I am also a Black woman and love the inclusiveness of the characters. There's only one show in the US that I feel this way about right now and that's Big Sky.
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I accidentally found Murdoch about a year ago on the ION+ network. About a month ago ION+ went off the air. I couldn't stand the thought of not seeimg any more Murdoch mysteries. I found I could subscribe to ACORN TV and continue wstching. I'm happy I can now continue watching my favorite show on TV.
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Murdoch will be back. Bank on it.
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I have been watching Murdoch since it was Artful Detective. Love the show and characters. We look forward to watching the show every week and also watch marathons when they are on tv. Here's hoping for many many more seasons.
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I love MM. Hope they NEVER cancel it. I can watch it the rest of my life!!!!
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I watched the show from day one I love the cast ,every one of them and how they are used in the season. I am in my late eighty's the show is great hope to watch many more.
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One of the best shows ever... if you’re not watching , what are you doing‼️
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I've been watching since Acorn sold Season 1 to local public television stations a dozen years ago. They ran all the episodes, then ran them again. I expected Season 2 to follow as happens with other shows sold to public TV by Acorn like Vera and Doc Martin but they never showed them. Then a few years later, it showed up in syndication on a local commercial station, Season 1 again. By the time they got around to season 2, Ovation was showing it as The Artful Detective and had reached Season 3. The syndicated showings were always a season behind Ovation so I've watched on Ovation ever since. Looking forward to Season 15 assuming CBC sees fit to renew it.
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Love love love the show. Best thing on tv
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As a big fan of the show since it First aired on Hallmark channel i Think it was here, from Norway, i have had to buy the DVDs to see it after they stopped airing on tv Years ago. I Even Got the Box set with the first 11 seasons, that was a fun reWatch! 🙂 I hope there Will be many more seasons to Come yet, and i am happy to fork over the money to own on DVDs! <3
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If Gunsmoke and ER can go 20 years, so can Murdock Mysteries. Please renew for 6 more years. My friends and family love this show. I have most of the Cds and also hav e
the series on my Kendal reader. Please, Please, Please.
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As always I'm impatient, I want season 15 to air sooner than later. Love every character. Fine acting, great scripts, terrific directing. Watching in Missouri, USA.
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The best show on tv please renew for many more seasons
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Please don’t cancel Murdoch - we love it. Good, honest entertainment
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My friend and I love the show . we live in Australia
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I love Murdoch Mysteries! I found them on Hulu and the last 2 seasons on Acorn! I hope there is a Season 15!
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When did Murdoch and Anna Fulford "get together" the one night referred to when he tells Julia about Harry? I thought I'd seen every minute (plus reruns) of this show.
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I love watching Murdoch Mysteries and Yannick is sooooooooo good looking 🥰 x
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Love the show, I discovered it on Hulu, love detective shows, so started watching and now hooked on it.
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I truly love Murdoch Mysteries and have since i first watched it over a decade ago. However i thought this latest season had declined in imaginative stories. I like the miss hart story bubbling away as you know she's got something sinister going on (i hope they don't nobble her like previous coroner as i truly find her fascinating) I wish Julia would do a more side-line stories with say miss Hart or even bring in Dr Grace and have all three of them. I did enjoy Dr Grace (a left footer as brackenread would say) as i loved the chemistry between them. George and his best chum Henry are always fun to watch, i love their friendship. George is one of my favourite characters. Brackenread is just bloody brilliant and i love his wife Margaret, she's a feisty one. Watts i find dull/ awkward, it was interesting him being "the only gay in the village" or so he thought until the butcher gave him a pound of his best pork chipolatas but i wish for better stories concerning him. Murdoch of course is magnificent, quirky (slightly arrogant) - With all this fantastic talented cast i do hope they will sway more to the older episode style of mystery and intrigue and not this new Scooby Doo style of writing where in the last 5 minutes everything's wrapped up and its the Janitor who had some elaborate plan to avenge some family feuds etc. i loved the stories with the inventors and the evil James Gillies / Eva Pearce etc they were truly magnificent stories. Anyway that's my two pennies worth
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We’ve been watching Murdoch Mysteries on ION and live the series! So glad to hear they are continuing! Our favorite character is George played by Jonny Harris.
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I love the show of Murdoch mysteries and just finish watching season 14 but i think they should are more to this season because it leaves you wanting to know what happens next. So please add more episodes to season 14.
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I have watched every episode of all 14 seasons. What a fabulous, inventive show. I love the way they start and finish some things that were inventions from the time period. "The Tramp" slayed me with Jonny Harris doing the Chaplain walk and Yannick doing the famous Chaplain wall fall.
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We love Murdoch Mysteries! The productions reflect a very competent and talented Canadian film industry. We look forward to Season 15 (and subsequent seasons). Please keep them coming!
Jim & Noel from Texas
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Watched MM since season one (UK), love every character wish, I didn't live so far away and the virus stalking us 🤣
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I have watched all series as off work and just finished 14 so hope we don’t have to wait to long so hope George finds Effie
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This season has had some really stupid episodes. It’s not as good when all the cast isn’t together. I see Helena Joy is exec producer this year. Only a few episodes have been up to usual Murdoch standards.
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I agree! Besides Mid Summer Murder, I love this show!