While the city celebrates the Queen's birthday with a display of fireworks, Murdoch investigates a messy case of fixed fights and shady backroom dealings in the dirty world of boxing. After his victory against Sully Sullivan, boxing underdog Amos Robinson is found dead in his hotel room. Amos' wife, Fannie ? found standing over her husband's bloody body with aballoon in her hand ? stands out as the most viable suspect. But Murdoch's strong intuition tells him otherwise, and he must act fast or Fannie will hang for a crime she didn't commit.
s01e01 - Power
s01e02 - Glass Ceiling
s01e03 - The Knockdown
s01e04 - Elementary, My Dear Murdoch
s01e05 - Til Death Us Do Part
s01e06 - Let Loose the Dogs
s01e07 - Body Double
s01e08 - Still Waters
s01e09 - Belly Speaker
s01e10 - Child's Play
s01e11 - Bad Medicine
s01e12 - The Rebel and the Prince
s01e13 - Annoying Red Planet
The series takes place in Toronto in the 1890s and follows Detective William Murdoch of the Toronto Constabulary, who solves many of his cases using methods of detection that were unusual at the time. These methods include fingerprinting, blood testing, surveillance, and trace evidence.
Detective Murdoch is assisted by the three other main characters: Inspector Brackenreid, Doctor Julia Ogden, and the inexperienced but eager Constable George Crabtree, who aspires to be a mystery-novel writer. Brackenreid, Murdoch's immediate superior, is a blunt and sceptical Yorkshireman with a fondness for whiskey, and prefers conventional methods of detection over Murdoch's eccentric methods, though he is typically pleased and proud when Murdoch is successful despite the odds. Crabtree is often unable to grasp the more advanced methods, but his enthusiasm and loyalty make him a good assistant. Like Crabtree, Dr. Ogden is a great supporter of Murdoch's methods. Her skill in pathology usually helps by revealing a great deal of useful evidence to aid Murdoch in solving cases.
Throughout the series Murdoch's growing infatuation with her, and his inability to express his feelings, provide a light subplot. In the fifth season, after Dr. Ogden is married to Dr. Darcy Garland (a colleague she met in Buffalo), a new doctor is introduced, Dr. Emily Grace. She and George Crabtree show some romantic interest in each other.