Murdoch Mysteries Season 1

Right now you can watch Murdoch Mysteries Season 1 on and — and it earns its twists rather than manufacturing them. Across 1 season, the show has had time to find its rhythm and keep it. With 291 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Watch Yannick Bisson work — the performance is a masterclass in restraint. Put it on tonight and see for yourself.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Murdoch Mysteries Season 1 earns its spot. The plotting in Murdoch Mysteries Season 1 is tight enough that the twists feel earned rather than assembled. The Catholic detective William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) solves his cases in Protestant Toronto at the turn of the century in a highly unconventional way for his time: with the help of fingerprints, blood samples, precise analysis and searches for clues at the crime scene, he always succeeds in convicting the guilty party or parties, sometimes much to the astonishment of his superiors. With the help of his subordinate Constable George Crabtree (Jonny Harris) and the forensic pathologist Julia Ogden (Hélène Joy), Murdoch achieves successes that ultimately even convince Inspector Brackenreid (Thomas Craig) of his abilities. Yannick Bisson and Helene Joy lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was aired in 2008. What distinguishes the best crime dramas from the rest is whether the character work can carry scenes where the mystery takes a breath — Murdoch Mysteries Season 1 passes that test consistently. The hit rate here is high enough that skipping ahead never feels like an option.

Crime and mystery fans will find exactly what they are after in Murdoch Mysteries Season 1. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single week. Yannick Bisson carries scenes that would sink a lesser production. The resolution feels inevitable rather than arbitrary, which is rarer than it sounds.