Science vs. faith. Recurring characters. Organised crime. Murdoch geeking out. History. Murder. Anachronistic forensics and good old-fashioned police work. Murdoch’s ‘mind palace’. Comedy. This week’s episode checks off every square on the bingo card, hitting all the familiar Murdoch Mysteries tropes. Whether that’s a bad thing depends on your perspective and if you’re in the mood for a good old-fashioned Murdoch or for surprise and innovation. Regardless, any episode quoting The X-Files is okay in my book!

Written by Noelle Girard, The Murdoch Link revolves around the historical Piltdown Man hoax, cleverly transplanted to Milton, Ontario. In 1912, an amateur collector ‘discovered’ what appeared to be the long-sought ‘missing link’ between apes and humans. In 1953, advanced analytical and dating techniques proved Piltdown Man to be a fake. The mandible was artificially aged with potassium bichromate, and the teeth had been shaved down with a metal file. Fluorine testing proved that the pieces of the skull were of different ages. If any of this sounds familiar, it’s because that’s exactly how Detective Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) — as usual decades ahead of his time — proves Milton Man is a hoax and solves the murder of Doctor Bethell (Liam Seamus Murphy) in the process. As Murdoch says: The truth is out there, sir. We may just not see all of it in our lifetime.

Murdoch’s New Nerd Friend

So far this season, science and technology have been a big theme, and this episode is no different. I love, love, love the new lab! It is such a pleasure to see Murdoch at work amidst his inventions. First-time Murdoch director Winnifred Jong makes the most of the new set, elevating what might otherwise be a run-of-the-mill montage or dialogue scene into visually striking sequences. It’s also great fun to see Murdoch so happy when Inspector Choi (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) sincerely wants to hear how his inventions work —not a feeling Murdoch is used to. Murdoch has found a nerd friend in Choi, who is just as scientifically interested and forward-thinking as he is.

And speaking of science: although the tension between evolution and faith is hinted at, Murdoch maintains, I have always found that my faith and scientific curiosity can peacefully coexist. Ultimately, it’s a decisive win for science. Religious zealots are obvious suspects here, but they merely muddy the waters and, in the end, are nothing more than red herrings.

Strutting and Swaggering

That’s not to say the return of Preacher Jimmy Wilde (Ted Atherton) isn’t a nice surprise. While it was obvious that Meegwun Fairbrother might be reprising his role as Leopold Hudson after last year’s Murdoch and the Treasure of Lima, I had not thought that Preacher Wilde would be back. Here he is, though, strutting and swaggering. God, that man likes to hear himself talk. But in the funniest scene of the episode — a pantomime with the ‘missing link’ in an ape suit — he only needs two words: take five.

Adventurer and relic hunter Leopold Hudson and Murdoch have a nice dynamic. They couldn’t be more different but seem to have a friendship based on mutual respect and shared values regarding relic and fossil ownership and cultural repatriation. Hudson provides Murdoch with a first clue, as he realizes that Hudson is too talented to be a mere guard. I would argue he is also too interesting a character to spend his time in the halls of academia. Sorting artifacts may sound less dull with Daphne Fitzwilliam (Krista Jang) there, but I do hope that, should Hudson return in future episodes, he’ll go back to escaping caves, prisons, curses, and women.

Plot Solutions

While Hudson tries never to be guided by hubris, it seems Choi is slightly more publicity hungry. He seems amazed that Hudson turned down Louise Cherry’s (Bea Santos) newspaper profile and more than a little miffed that he himself got bumped. We keep learning new tidbits about Choi: he has done a lot of traveling (I’ve trotted around the globe — very funny), is up to date on paleontology, speaks German, and goes to church every Sunday. He is also pretty hands-on, so much so that he does quite a bit of police work that would usually be done by a constable. This feels more like a plot solution than a character choice. The same is true for Chief Constable Brackenreid (Thomas Craig). Much as I like Brackenreid, there’s no real reason for him to be in this episode, other than providing some comic relief as well as the anti-Darwinian argument: But everyone knows that mankind descended from Adam and Eve.

Meanwhile, Constable Higgins (Lachlan Murdoch) engages in some slightly out-of-character action himself. Suspicious of Constable Tucker (Kenzie Delo), Higgins has become a proper policeman, with morals, ethics and everything! He gives Tucker an ultimatum: tell Inspector Choi about your dealings with mobster Tony Petrucci (Luis Fernandes), or I will. Tucker chooses to tell Choi himself and is promptly fired. Or is he? I’m laying odds on him going undercover, with Petrucci saying, Who knows? Maybe I need to have a good dog around.

Familiar Tropes, Fresh Dynamics

All-in all, The Murdoch Link expertly weaves together the familiar tropes that define Murdoch Mysteries. With a clever nod to the historical Piltdown Man hoax, it not only showcases Detective Murdoch’s ingenuity but also highlights the evolving dynamics among the characters, particularly his budding friendship with Inspector Choi. While some character choices may feel more like plot devices, the overall experience is engaging, offering both a good mystery and charming character interactions.