For starters, Dr. Emily Grace (Georgina Reilly) has plans to leave Toronto for London to aid in the suffragette movement, with her dear friend Lillian Moss (Sara Mitich), but when tragedy strikes, Dr. Grace realizes not everything is as it seems. Murdoch Mysteries: Season 9 sees the return of a character previously introduced (well, several, actually), but specifically, James Pendrick (Peter Stebbings), as he introduces the invention of not only the rocket, but also the personal flying machine. All the while, the fate of the world rests in the hands of Pendrick and Murdoch. We also see such inventions as night vision glasses, a Johnny Jump-Up for babies, and an EEG machine to measure brain activity, but Murdoch Mysteries: Season 9 also gives rise to color commentary during a sports event and even hot wings, created in a fit if hunger by Inspector Thomas Brackenreid (Thomas Craig) during an investigation in Buffalo. (We see what you did there showrunners. Nice.)
As is standard, the group will meet lots of colorful characters along the way, such as Mark Twain (William Shatner, Star Trek), Lucy Maud Montgomery, the authoress of Anne of Green Gables, and Carrie Nation, a foremost leader in the Prohibition - unfortunately for Brackenreid, since his wife is playing hostess to the hatchet-wielding battle axe of a woman.
We'll see the loss of two regular characters from the show, but the keen addition of Rebecca James (Mouna Traoré), a bright young black woman who starts off as a late night cleaner at the morgue, yet upon showing her myriad skills, quickly rises to coroner's assistant, despite prejudices in the department. She rapidly becomes a lovable and valued member of Murdoch's core investigative team. Additionally, there's an episode where a white man who was heavily involved in the Underground Railroad is found murdered at a black church and those in high places immediately start accusing members of the congregation. Yes, even Murdoch is tackling Black Lives Matter. The episode is a good way to show that sense and racial equality should always rule the day over ignorance and anger.
Murdoch and Brackenreid also tackle police corruption that extends far and wide, placing themselves squarely in the crosshairs of a superior, and Murdoch receives a visit from a childhood friend, Freddie Pink (Alex Paxton-Beasley), due to a series of murders in which Murdoch could be a target, and she stays on in Toronto to form a detective agency, one which Dr. Ogden will use to discover some heartbreaking news.
Murdoch Mysteries: Season 9 brings lots of changes for everyone; a good bit of romance for Crabtree, a promotion for Higgins (Lachlan Murdoch), changes in positions for Drs. Grace and Ogden, a bit of jail time for Brackenreid, big decisions for Murdoch and Ogden in their home life, and a mind-blowing season finale that certainly starts off with a bang. I loved seeing Dr. Ogden as a total bad-ass and she most certainly is in the final episode. There are no cliffhangers this season, but the show has been renewed for Season 10 and I can't wait to see what they have planned for this group.
Special features include a photo gallery and a making-of featurette for almost every episode. These are short and sweet, but give some fun insight into the process. Overall, if you've enjoyed the show in the past, or even if you have never seen it, Murdoch Mysteries: Season 9 is something almost everyone can enjoy. It has crime, mystery, romance, clever use of inventions and best of all, stellar writing and acting. It's the perfect show! Highly recommended.
