The first Murdoch ended up in this show

Which has it's final season premiere this Sunday. If you are a sci fi bio terrorist fan, you'll dig Regenesis, it is produced by the same company that produces the Murdoch series.

Wednesday Sunset on Friday

Every Wednesday night after I teach my Spinning class which is at The Mayfair Club on Lakershore Blvd in the east end of the city, I see sunset on my drive home. In fact the Film Studio is directly across the street from the club.

Yannick joins some lofty company

Major Stars Turn Out for 2008 Genie Awards

Genie Award winner, Sandra Oh Returns Home to Host Biggest Awards Show of 2008!

TORONTO, Feb. 29 /CNW/ - The 2008 Genie Awards promise to be an exciting night for the Canadian film industry as Genie nominees, presenters andindustry supporters converge at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Monday evening (March 3rd) to celebrate a spectacular and internationally celebrated year in Canadian film.

The 28th Annual Genie Awards will be broadcast on Monday, March 3rd at 10pm ET/PT on the E! Television Network and IFC.
Confirmed attendees include:

<<
- Yannick Bisson
Presenter
Actor, The Murdoch Mysteries

the rest of the list is here:
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2008/29/c7612.html

The Dogs were loosed! & CHFI

Oh we love that episode. Real motivation, touching story and Murdoch's unresolved relationship with his Dad. Great drama.
I heard today that series is being promoted on the FM radio station CHFI 98.1

What's hot on TV for Thursday

we made the Canadian Press What's Hot on TV tonight For LLTD

. . ."Montreal actor Yannick Bisson's super sleuth character on "Murdoch Mysteries" on Citytv may need to hire a lawyer after his father is found passed out drunk near the scene of a murder.
From The Canadian Press,
I'm Victoria Ahearn"

Have you had a bite of K yet by Maureen?

CITY Television's description of Let Loose the Dogs

Let Loose The Dogs - John Delaney had been on his way home from a ratting match at the local pub and somehow ended up face down in the river. When Murdoch finds the drunken body of his estranged father, Harry, passed out near the crime scene, he's quick to convict the man he's long accused of killing his mother. It turns out that the matches were fixed - just like Harry said - and the detectives seem to be closing in on the case. But when evidence turns up that suggests Delaney may have had a rendezvous after leaving the pub that fateful night, the investigation takes a whole new turn.

Catch Charlotte Sullivan (Press release from News Bureau.ca)

Interesting how they are referring to the CITY TV "hit" series The Murdoch Mysteries.

From Canada News Wire

Toronto
Canadian actress Charlotte Sullivan is hard at work! Aside from starring week after week in CBC Television’s MVP, she is set to grace the small screen as Menerva Fairchild in an upcoming episode of the hit Citytv series Murdoch Mysteries. Viewers can catch Sullivan in her guest role on the Still Waters episode of Murdoch Mysteries, airing March 13, 2008 at 10 p.m. ET/PT/MT.

Set in 1895 Toronto, Murdoch Mysteries explores the intriguing world of William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson), a handsome young detective using radical forensic techniques, like fingerprinting and trace evidence, to solve some of the city's most gruesome murders. Though his unconventional approach elicits ridicule from fellow officers and skepticism from his boss, Inspector Brackenreid (Thomas Craig), Murdoch is often the only one who can crack the case.

Lit Lunch:Bloody Books tomorrow at Northern District Library Branch

If you are in the area tomorrow, During this lunch hour, Linwood Barclay (No Time for Goodbye) and Maureen Jennings (The K Hand Shape) crank up the suspense with tales of murder and mayhem.
Toronto Public Library and our partners at International Readings at Harbourfront and The Amazing Food Service present a smorgasbord of literary delights. Bring your lunch or buy a complete meal for just $5.

Date: Wed., Feb. 27, 2008
Time: 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Location: Northern District Branch
40 Orchard View Blvd.
Toronto, ON, M4R 1B9
416-393-7610

This is what The New York Times had to say about Let Loose the Dogs

Marilyn Stasio wrote this review back in 2003
"Ah, the romance of historical fiction! Gas lamps spill their soft light on cobblestone streets as jolly coachmen deposit travelers at snow-covered inns where suckling pigs roast above blazing hearths. Oops -- wrong book. You'll never find a scene like that in Maureen Jennings's late-Victorian mysteries featuring William Murdoch, a good-hearted but perpetually mournful detective with the Toronto police force. Life is harsh, men are brutal, and everyone dies young in this unsentimental series, which thrives on its realistic treatment of subjects like the bloody rat-killing match that opens LET LOOSE THE DOGS.
''Nature can teach us our lessons if only we want to learn them,'' says the landlord of the tavern where one of these dog-versus-rat encounters ends in a murder for which Murdoch's father will soon hang. Although no naturalist, Murdoch pays heed to this advice when he visits households in which mental illness, child abuse, rape and cruelty to wives and animals are commonplace. And the lesson he takes away with him -- the helpless ones are destroyed'' -- is no more comforting than the recognition of his own raging anger against his violent father. Murdoch will do his duty by this old degenerate, but it will cost him. Jennings is too tough and honest a writer to let anyone off her moral hook, even her hero."

Will the tv episode live up to the promise of the book?? How close do we get to her description in the Times of the novel??
Tune in Thursday night to find out, it is a not to be missed episode of The Murdoch Mysteries!

And by the way, in this episode, Yannick Bisson as William Murdoch gives us Murdoch's tale in a way that we could have only imagined. And he does!!! Thank you Yannick for such an outstanding performance in Let Loose the Dogs. We will always remember your heartfelt performance as long was we live, thank you, we are your biggest fans.
Iden and Maureen

I watched The Border - so what do I think about it?

This is CBC's big Drama show right now and as I mentioned in a previous post, it has been renewed.
At first I thought the whole thing was a weak sister to shows like 24 and MI5. But as the episode progressed I became more and more engaged in the storyline and found it engrossing to a degree. This week was about Afghani terrorists and a potential Anthrax attack on the Toronto Subway system.
The director did a marvelous job and I hope we can have Michael back on the Murdoch Mysteries again, he has a deft hand when it comes to directing.
But . . .
I found the lead actor, James MacGowan, plays his character very wooden and he hits one note throughout the whole show. His supporting cast is a little better, but Graham Abbey is superb. He auditioned for Murdoch and is a Stratford veteran.
The show is filmed in dull colour tones which I presume is to give it that docudrama feel. I don't think that works. More contrasting colour with lights and darkness affect a viewing experience for me and tend to heighten my sense of suspense.
The set looks like it is part of an airport as the walls are floor to ceiling glass resulting in scenes lit with sunlight pouring in.
What I love about MI5 and 24 is the dark tones of the main set contrasted by stark lighting. This adds to the suspense for me.
So I think the DOP is weak on this show.
I also did not buy the relationship the female Muslim officer had with her psychiatrist. Not real, sorry.
I also think the story was bigger than one episode. To build great suspense you need to be taken into the lives of both the villians and the good guys and not have it all wrapped up in a neat little bow. This is not a mystery story which you can do in one episode, this is supposedly a bigger picture show with terrorism as a very large thread.
I realize 24 is an ongoing story, but they often take 3-6 episodes to build the characters and the story before there is a little mini resolution or another twist. This particular episode of The Border would have worked better done over two weeks where we get to know the reasons behind the actions of these people and more about the lives of the terrorists.
And finally I watch TV to escape, this complaint is subjective of course.
This show is reminding me all the time of what a terrorist plot would do to our subway system. Too real for me, too close to home.
I wanna be transported somewhere, that is why I love historical drama, it takes me to a land and time and place that is not reality but was once.
That's why I love Murdoch, Foyle, Up/Down, Dickens, etc
Hey, one man's opinion. I do think Michael did a great job.

Congrats to Janet Maclean on the renewal of her series

The writer of last week's episode, Til Death Do Us Part, is involved in another show for CBC called "The Border". I just heard today that the show has been renewed and they will be doing 18 more episodes next season.
The Border is on CBC Monday nights at 9:00. Tonight's episode is also directed by Michael De Carlo, who if you recall was the director on the first two Murdoch MOW's.
We are looking forward to seeing this installment.
Hopefully we will get the same kind of news for Murdoch soon.

Glass Ceiling - Episode #2 on deck on UKTV - Tuesday night @ 9:00

Need I say it again? This is one of my favourite episodes and the original pilot for the series. Cal Coons and Jean Grieg wrote it (they also adapted Let Loose the Dogs which we get to see this week in Canada) and it has all the elements of a great Murdoch mystery. We also get a peek into Murdoch's background as well as Inspector Brackenreid's.
I look forward to hearing from the UK gang about how they feel about the show after viewing this episode.
Now, why did we not start with . . . . . okay, okay, I won't go there again, I think I made my point.
Cheers

This week coming will be the broadcast of Let Loose the Dogs

I am so looking forward to everyone being able to see this coming week's episode as has been 3 years since a broadcast of an adaptation of Maureen's novels. This one was originally slated to be a movie of the week, but got absorbed into the series instead. Although it is a short version of a long story, they have done a wonderful job with the episode and remains our favourite. Here are some shots I did last Wednesday on the way to school

Will the Murdoch Mysteries be renewed for another season?

Cath aksed this question in a previous post. I don't know the answer yet. I know the show is building its fan base.
Here's a suggestion:
Go to http://www.citytv.com/toronto/
Go down to the bottom of the page and hit the "contact us" link
there is a pull down menu, go to "shows".
Write to them and give them some feedback on the show, then ask them the question.
I am sure someone will respond.
Other than that it is a waiting game, but the writers need to know within a couple of weeks as they need to start working on outlines for season #2.
fingers crossed

Discussion of the series on IMDB

There have been quite a few posts and commentary about the tv series over on IMDB. I think many of you would find the comments and responses very interesting. Especially the writers!!! Here's the link, just copy and paste.

http://imdb.com/title/tt1091909/board

K Handshape @ 32% discount

If you want an unsigned copy of K, you can order it at a 32% discount at Amazon.com

Did anybody see the Lunar Eclipse last night??

This was my shot done with the ISO @ 1600 at F4, 1/20 Shutter speed using a telephoto lens 70-200mm fully extended and hand held with my Canon 40D which meant it was more like 320mm as the 40D has a 1.6 crop factor due to the sensor size.
I should have used my monopod but I forgot I had it as I just bought the damn thing. I think I could have got the shot more tack sharp.

Tonight on CITY TV - Episode #5

'Til Death Do Us Part - Wendell Merrick is killed in the church on the day he was to marry Eunice McGinty. At first glance, the murder appears to be a robbery gone wrong. But Father Franks recalls hearing Wendell arguing with his best man, Lawrence Braxton, before the wedding. As suspicion turns to Braxton, the investigation takes an unexpected twist when the pathology report turns up evidence that Wendell was homosexual – which leads Brackenreid to conclude that it was Wendell’s lover who wielded the weapon that killed him. But while fingers are being pointed at possible candidates, including Braxton, Murdoch starts to believe that the issue of Wendell’s sexuality has thrown this investigation way off track.

10 Thursday ET|PT|MT
8 Sunday CT

From one of our visitors to the blog - A "knight" in the modern sense

I got a response to the post I did about Fire Station 14 in Manhattan. I put that up back in January if you want to revisit it. Here's what our friend said.

"Hey. I'm Steve, one of the guys Iden took pictures of at our firehouse. He is a really great guy. My father was actually looking at the site and told me about the blog comments. Our calandars are available for purchase online, and the money goes to support the burn center. I am not a calendar guy, lol. However, if "girlygirl" is interested, I am the guy in the suspenders and I am single!

Okay Skitch, so how do we find the site that sells the calendars??

Harbourfront Reading series on Wednesday March 5th @ 7:30 pm

Come out and hear Maureen read from the K Handshape down at Harbourfront in the Brigantine Room.
Maureen has just been invited to read from her latest book, and to sign copies after the event. She will be the headliner that night. If you don't want to wait for the launch this will be a great opportunity to meet and discuss both series that Maureen has written, the television show, and her new project. I hope to see some of you there and below is how you can get tickets to the event.


Tickets
Box Office & Information: 416.973.4000
Tuesday - Saturday, 1:00 pm til 6:00 pm (8 pm on evenings with performances)
Fax: 416.954.0366.
Admin Office
tel: 416.973.4760
fax: 416.954.4323
email: readings@harbourfrontcentre.com
Mail
International Readings at Harbourfront
235 Queens Quay West
Toronto, ON
M5J 2G8 Canada

It's here - The K Handshape website

Copy this and check it out. My shots of course but the publisher commissioned a web page for the new book.

http://www.dundurn.com/khandshape

From the UK "TImes"

From The Times
February 19, 2008
The Murdoch Mysteries; Moonlight; Derek Jarman; Storyville
Digital Choice

The Murdoch Mysteries

UKTV Drama, 9pm

It was only back in 2004 that Maureen Jennings's popular period crime novels had their last incarnation, starring Peter Outerbridge as the titular Victorian detective, and co-starring Keeley Hawes and Colm Meaney. For many of Jennings's fans this was the perfect cast, so a new adaptation, while always welcome, has a lot to live up to. However, with the same production team behind it, this new series should keep everyone happy. Yannick Bisson is perfectly charming as Murdoch, tonight unravelling a case of murder by new-fangled electrocution, with the former Coronation Street favourite Thomas Craig as his salt-of-the-earth British Inspector Brackenreid.

UKTV Website up for Murdoch and it is amazing

Maureen says in the interview on the site from UKTV . . . . . ."It's all worked amazingly well as far as I'm concerned. And Yannick Bisson is exactly as I imagined Murdoch, apart from one small detail – he doesn't have a moustache. One of these days he should fix one to his upper lip and see how it looks."

copy and paste this link
http://uktv.co.uk/drama/homepage/sid/6612

Okay UK get ready - Murdoch ep 1 Tuesday Night 9:00

"I'm sorry Detective . . . Liza gave you her message already . . "

So said the medium to Detective Murdoch. And I am sorry you fans in the UK have to wait four weeks to see Elementary My Dear Murdoch, episode 104. It is at the top of my faves at the moment and you know what??
It absolutely blows my mind to see that they made a tv series from my wife's wonderful Detective Murdoch Mysteries.
I still pinch myself.
Yannick took Detective Murdoch in that episode. It is his character now.

A review seen by Marie - Thanks for this

Many people say that they prefer the Peter Outerbridge version and while I respect that I must personally admit that I simply adore the new Murdoch, but granted not as much as the book series. Bisson I feel plays a slightly more sympathetic and withdrawn Murdoch than his precursors both in text and on screen yet I find myself drawn to the light and often witty Toronto in comparison to the darker Toronto that Outerbridge's Murdoch resides in. I do agree with Diane Kristine on the fact that this is almost one of the most family friendly crime shows on television and would not suffer from being on at an earlier time.

While the first episode, as mentioned by Ms. Kristine, was slightly disappointing it was still relatively entertaining and was particularly refreshing after the, in my opinion, the less than desirable C.S.I. episodes that have comprised most of my weekly fix of detective work. The few episodes that I have seen in the weeks that followed the premiere were all quite good each touching on a gamut of issues each of which I as a student could understand and get into. The exchanges between the characters are humourous and make me laugh more often than any crime show, which is quite a few. This leads me to hope that even after all the American shows come back after the writers strike that this little breath of Canadian fresh air will survive television's cruel chopping block.

The K Handshape Ranked # 3 on new mystery releases bestseller list

Chapters/Indigo is the largest big box bookstore in Canada, similar to Barnes and Nobles in the US.
In the new online releases this morning under the category of " sort by bestsellers", Maureen's new novel The K handshape is ranked #3. behind Sue Grafton and Harlan Coben in the category of Mystery/suspense.
The official release date is March 15th. Way to go "K"

A UK TV Guide - Good reviews

Thanks to Cath

The tv magazine which comes with my saturday paper has Murdoch listed as one of the 6 best programmes on satellite on Tuesday, giving it a rating of three out of 4. write up is as follows 'Yannick Bisson who some readers may know from Sue Thomas FB Eye is Detective Murdoch, solving crimes in Toronto in 1895 in this new mystery series based on the books by Mauren Jennings. Murdoch is a man of science, and 'forsees'the invention of television in this opener - in which he looks for a killer with an axe to grind against old fangled DC elecricity. the plot is more complex than it appears - and look out for Corrie's Thomas Craig as Murdoch's sweary colleague'

it also has a very nice pic of Murdoch with a test-tube

The UKTV broadcast schedule - SKY channel 133 Virgin TV 129

Murdoch Mysteries

Power
Gripping historical murder mystery set in 19th century Canada. The fatal electrocution of a woman appears to be linked to rivalry between electricity suppliers in the city.
UKTV website broadcast schedule SKY channel 133 Virgin TV 129

When is it on?
'Power' is on at
9.00pm on Tuesday 19th February on UKTV Drama
at 11.10pm on Tuesday 19th February on UKTV Drama
at 12.10am on Wednesday 20th February on UKTV Drama+1

When else is it on?

The Glass Ceiling
Historical murder mystery set in 19th century Canada. When a judge and a lawyer are both murdered, the link appears to be a deceased gangster they both convicted.

On at 9.00pm on Tuesday 26th February on UKTV Drama
at 10.00pm on Tuesday 26th February on UKTV Drama+1
at 11.00pm on Tuesday 26th February on UKTV Drama
12.00am on Wednesday 27th February on UKTV Drama+1

Note from Cath :for anyone unsure uktvdrama is on sky channel 132, drama+1 is channel 133

Trouble on the Hi Def station last night

Hopefully those of you who watched the show last night in Ontario got to see it on the "main" CITY television station. We have the high definition feed at home as well on our cable, and for some reason over on the hi -def CITY station (519 on Rogers), there was a soundtrack and background, but no dialogue. I was freaking, but we switched over to the main CITY station and all was fine. I hope they got it fixed for the rest of the country. I could not figure out why the dialogue was silent, so strange. Did anybody else have this issue?
The episode of course repeats on Saturday night in Ontario at 8:00 pm on both the main and hi def feed
Let me know, thanks.

Critics and reviewers - a rant and a thought to the blind

I rarely rant here but I want to tell you how these people do their reviews.
Television reviewers are given one episode to view and form their opinion and write their critique for a whole series based on viewing one episode. They do not look at other episodes as their job is to review television shows and review all of them as they come their way.
I wrote to one of the nay sayers about our show and asked them if they had a chance to view the second episode. The response I got was that they had taped it but had not yet seen it. I said that I looked forward to hearing their opinion after seeing it.
I have not heard back and probably I won't.
I am glad audiences make up their own mind after viewing a series of episodes of any tv show if it strikes their fancy.
There was one show on tv here last year that I started out absolutely loving and it was called Durham County. Some critics loved it as well based on viewing the first episode.
It was dark, scary, beautifully filmed and very noir. In fact Helen Joy was in it.
Bottom line, the show falls apart in the final two episodes. Too bad, it was good tv, not for mainstream. I hear they are doing a second season. The show had a David Lynch feel to it, and I liked that about it, but the writers blew the ending unfortunately. Will I watch it again, you bet.
There was a brilliant show on tv in the UK years ago which Maureen and I have had the opportunity to see on DVD. It was called "Between the Lines". The unique thing about it was that the show never resolved the murder or crime at the end of each episode, the resolution is left ambiguous, a real risk in a world where people want things tied up neatly in a bow. That was the point. The police were investigating themselves in the show, the cover ups abounded, the love lives of the characters were completely disfunctional, but there was something so human about the stories and characters. We were sad they only did three seasons. Great show, very original, and I loved the characters.
In Murdoch there is an episode called Child's Play. Perpertrators are brought to justice, but scars remain which cannot be undone.
In Let Loose the Dogs, Murdoch meets up with his Dad. Have you read the book?? Murdoch has scars left over from his childhood with his Dad. Can they be healed? Will the crime against him by his Dad be resolved? Can it be resolved? Tune in and find out eh?
Life is not perfect, do our stories need to be that way for us to feel that "catharsis" Aristotle wrote about in his Poetics?
Anyway back to my thoughts.
When Maureen was first published, she got universal praise across the board, the NY Times loved the book, Philadelphia, Denver, San Jose papers raved, then our hometown mystery reviewers leaped all over her. Strange but true, clobbered in your own hometown. Now of course she gets pretty good praise across the country.
Was that critic having a bad day? Who knows, because that enters in to the equation as well imo.
So I often think these critics get on their holier than thou, we will control the outcome of what is shown or read, blah blah.
Critics in my opinion are frustrated creators who know only how to find the little faults in somebody's work, whether it is a tv show, a novel, a movie, a piece of music.
I have given up reading what the critics say if I am interested in something. I still go for it and make up my own mind.
Just ask Led Zeppelin who avoided the rock press for years because they just got slagged. Jimmy Page said that they never wanted to repeat themselves. Their records are individually unique because when they were creating new songs, they got out of their comfort zone so they could "achieve" something new for each album. That is what makes the human condition so fascinating. It is in the imperfections that we find beauty and creativity.
So here is what I think, if there is no adversity, there is no real achievement.
If there is a brick wall blocking our way, how do we get through it,over it, around it, etc.? how do we grow, how to we accomplish something? There is a way
I say adversity is welcome because without it, we cannot create greatness and achieve something that is everlasting.
Thank goodness for critics and naysayers and dissers, they are the brick wall to achievement and success, and growth, and without them something would be very wrong.
The dissenting voices just make us want to do better and find a "path" to our ultimate goal which is to stand on that mountain top and say " We (I) did it!!"
Bring it on
God Bless

Tonight at 10:00 pm - Elementary My Dear Murdoch on CITY television

Not much new to report, I have posted everything here that I can find from trolling the web about the series. I am still waiting for UKTV to put some stuff up on their website and as far as I can see they seem to be waiting til they get closer to the broadcast date. I asked the publicist if she knew anything so I am waiting to hear from her on that. UKTV did conduct and interview with Maureen which I imagine will be posted on their site for Murdoch once it is launched.
From this end Rogers is running a really great piece on the show including interviews with Yannick and Helene. Look for it when you turn on your tv and it goes to the main Rogers station which is 01 on my tv.
There seems to be an interesting combination of people who are tuning in to the show. Fans of Coronation Street are interested because of Tom Craig (Brackenried) who had a rather important part for three years in that series. Then there are Yannick's fans from Sue Thomas, and then there are the fans from the three MOW's, plus fans of Maureen's books, and then there are fans of mysteries on television who just plain love mystery on tv, then there are new fans like Stephanie Smyth, and Paul Cook who is the morning anchor of the highest rated radio news program in all of Canada. Here is what Paul had to say about the show:

"The whole family watched The Murdoch Mysteries this weekend. I have recorded them and we watched the first two. Fabulous. Being on CityTV in HD is brilliant!"

In the meantime I finished reading the published and final edition of K Hanshape. You are in for quite a ride if you are fans of the first novel in that series, Does Your Mother Know. This book a much more of a crime novel with a host of suspects and a huge twist at the end of the story. Maureen did tons of research into serial rapists/killers, not to worry as the book is not grizzly, so she could learn how profilers looked at the behavioural patterns of these psychopaths.
The city of Orillia is character within the story as well in the same way Toronto of 1895 is in the Murdoch stories.
I think Orillians are going to see their city in a very atmospheric way that it has not been portrayed in the past. Mysterious, dark, and full of secrets.
She also did a lot of research into the Casino which plays a very important part in the novel.
I look forward to hearing your feedback and questions about the novel which I will happily pass on to Maureen.
Oh yes, there is going to be a dedicated website for The k Handshape, which will be similar to the one they did for DYMK.
I features lots of my photos as well. So I will let you know once it is up.
If you have not seen the site they did for DYMK paste this link http://www.dundurn.com/dymk/

Hellooooo Det. Murdoch!

The Hollywood writer's strike has given me a revelation of sorts. A new look on all things Canadian.
There's not much time in my life for TV. "News and Comment" (as we call it) is our priority. That's when we zip through (ok critique) the dinner-time newscasts each evening via PVR and make sure we haven't missed anything. Other than that, we PVR LOST and catch Leaf games. But, with the writer's strike we thought we'd sample something different this year. Something that seems to be catching on stateside.

Despite my distaste for most Canadian productions, we decided to do a family viewing of the Murdoch Mysteries TV Series last weekend. It's a Canadian television drama series that evolved out of a series of TV movies, based on novels by Torontonian Maureen Jennings.

The series stars Yannick Bisson as Detective Murdoch, who's an investigator in Toronto in 1895.

What a pleasant surprise! The production is great, the characters likeable, writing fun and the show is fast-paced enough to keep the kids interested. "It's like CSI but in the olden days" as one of the kids put it!

I’ve interviewed Maureen Jennings. She's not only an accomplished writer but also a psychotherapist and avid historian. Her other books include Poor Tom Is Cold, Under the Dragon’s Tail, and Except the Dying. Jennings did endless hours of research on the Victorian Period in Toronto. I'm so happy to see her work made into TV movies!

There was drama in her personal life just late last year. Jennings made headlines in Florida, and here in Toronto, while on holiday at Cocoa Beach. She was swept underwater by a rip tide while swimming in the ocean. Two gentlemen went in to save her, sadly one drowned.

The year before, Jennings was struck by a car - a hit and run - while riding her bicycle in downtown Toronto. She was seriously injured.

Surely things are looking up for Jennings now with the airing the Murdoch Mysteries TV Series. It does her proud. It does the Canadian film industry proud!

The whole family looks forward to watching the next Murdoch Mystery. Even with the writer's strike ending and the big slick American productions coming back, they'll have to fight (for once) for our tv time with a Canadian production!

Oh....and it doesn’t hurt that Yannick Bisson is probably the hottest actor I've seen on television in YEARS!

Congratulations Maureen!

(BTW Murdoch Mysteries can be seen on CITY TV Thursdays at 10pm)

Stephanie Smyth

News Director

AM640 Toronto Radio

Murdoch's broken heart - Meet Liza this Thursday as well as Arthur Conan Doyle in the Murdoch Mysteries

Those of you who want to know more about Murdoch and Liza, his lost love (so sad), will get to see her in this coming week's episode. Maureen has Murdoch dancing and longing for his lost love in the first few books. It was just amazing to see her come to life and to see Murdoch thinking about Liza. This episode, which also features Geraint Wyn Davies as Conan Doyle, is one of our favourite episodes of the whole show. We hope you enjoy it, I would watch this one over and over.

From CITY television, the description of the Episode:

Elementary, My Dear Murdoch - Murdoch teams with his hero, Arthur Conan Doyle, to solve a murder that was revealed during a séance led by medium Sarah Pensall. It seems the victim, Ida Winston – a member of a paranormal watchdog group – had not been convinced of Sarah’s abilities, which makes Murdoch wonder if Sarah killed Ida because she was about to be revealed as a fraud. Despite mounting evidence of the spirit world, Murdoch remains determined to use scientific means to solve the case. Sure enough, evidence starts to stack up against Sarah’s little toady, Lisgar Gall. But when Murdoch accuses Gall of killing Ida in order to protect Sarah, he winds up in the middle of an unexpected lovers’ triangle that further complicates the case.
10 Thursday ET|PT|MT
8 Sunday CT

PS This is a must see episode to understand the character of Murdoch and his romantic history.





The bottom photo is courtesy CITY Television and Shaftesbury Films

Look at this!! Murdoch x2

Yannick Bisson and Peter Outerbridge (both have starred as Detective Willaim Murdoch) were together last week in Quebec during the CRTC hearings that looked into how the government has been funding television through the Canadian Television Fund.
Thanks to Cathleen for sending this along

Your books are signed

We had an outing in terrible conditions (icy roads and minus 20 C wind chill), to get over to Sleuth of Baker Street. So if you are keen for a signed book, there are lots as Sleuth put in a very large order. The deal is that when whatever signed they have now go, you then have to wait for the launch on March 20th. Those of you who ordered books to be shipped internationally, they will be sent next week. Enjoy!

Deaf Culture and The K Handshape

One of the things I found a strange coincidence is that Yannick Bisson, who starred in a tv series (Sue Thomas FBI) , and which embraced the "deaf culture" as explored in a crime show that featured Sue Thomas in the actress of Deanne Bray, crossed paths with Maureen.
Maureen was in the midst of writing The K Handshape while the casting for our lead was happening.
So I mentioned this to Yannick when I first met him, he told me how much he enjoyed working on the show (Sue Thomas) and how he had had to learn sign language. He was sorry the show had finished but also delighted to be cast as the star of his own show, so we got him, very happily I might add.
Now that K Handshape has just been released and many of you will be reading it, I will be eager to hear your opinion of Maureen's take on the deaf culture and how she immersed herself in the community to get it right.
The story is somewhat politically charged, you can read the description below. But an author who is writing crime fiction, and especially crime fiction, needs to create conflict and controversy in their story telling.
You fans of Sue Thomas, and anyone who is hearing impaired, let us know what you think, I am sure you will enjoy the story.
Oh wouldn't it be great if we could get Deanne Bray for a part in the tv version of The K Handshape? I vote for that idea.

From the publisher:
Christine Morris is awakened early on a chill November morning by a phone call from one of her colleagues, forensic psychiatrist Dr. Leo Forgach. His daughter, Deirdre, is missing. Despite the fact that she and the doctor have never seen eye to eye, Christine agrees to help int he search for Deirdre -- only to discover her brutally strangled body in the lake.
Heartbroken, Leo tells Christine that his daughter was deaf and had recently given birth to a child she had deliberately ensured would be deaf. As a militant suporter of the Deaf Culture, Deirdre wanted a deaf child to make a political statement. Although some people supported her stand, many did not -- including Deirdre‘s own father. Christine must use her new kills as a forensic profiler to discover the killer.

UKTV is running teasers

Thanks to Cath who saw the first teaser for Murdoch over on the UK side, fans across the pond are getting their first glimpse of Yannick as Murdoch. Keep me posted on any or all reviews or clips that you may read or see about the series. I want to forward them to Maureen's agent over in the UK.
Thanks

A Channel tonight at 9:00 - Except The Dying

If you have not seen the film that launched this whole thing, and you can get ' the A channel' in Canada, check out the first movie of the week that was based on the first novel Maureen wrote in the Murdoch series.
After viewing Knockout at 8:00, switch over to A channel and enjoy another two hours of Murdoch.
Copy this link.
http://www.achannel.ca/home/

Obsession or passion??

I think that anyone who watches a show more than once, understands and enjoys the art and difficulty that goes into making a show, especially a mystery show. In a mystery there are clues that are laid down as the story progresses. We often miss those clues as a good writer has you looking elsewhere while he/she slips in a clue.
It's like a slight of hand that a magician uses to fool you and distract you.
We are watching a show called Upstairs Downstairs which was made in the 1970's and was a huge hit. I own every season of that show and I watched the second episode of season one twice yesterday, once while I was on the treadmill, and once again at night because I wanted Maureen to see it.
I think it is the best period tv show ever made.
So if you are a fan of The Murdoch Mysteries, I understand why you would want to see an episode more than once, I have seen every episode, with the exception of three episodes, at least three times and some four.
Enjoy them and don't be judgemental at all, this is the kind of response we want, and I think the show warrants multiple viewings.

Fantastic News!!!

Murdoch Mysteries is building an audience. The ratings came in for week 3 and they are outstanding. All you Canadians, keep telling your friends to tune in. We are very competitive!! I am relieved and happy.
Amazing but true, let's keep it going!!!

More on K - order soon for signed copies

I heard from Sleuth and the initial batch of books to be signed this Sunday is moving very fast. I hope you can get your order in before the weekend, his initial supply may be fully reserved before Sunday. That just means you have to wait a bit longer as he will get more books but I would not want anyone to miss out and have to wait.
There will be another signing on the 20th of March.

Sleuth of Baker Street has copies of K Handshape

Maureen got a call from JD Singh of Sleuth of Baker Street this afternoon and the new book, The K Handshape is in their store.
He asked Maureen to come by on Sunday to sign some copies in advance of the launch party. The book has been released much earlier than anticipated. So if you do not want to wait until March, Maureen will sign copies for you this Sunday afternoon.
Call Sleuth up and reserve one.
1600 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4G 3B7
tel: 416-483-3111 fax 416-483-3141, e-mail sleuthbooks@sympatico.ca

It's a "Knockout"!! Murdoch Mysteries ep. 3

Watch episode three tonight at 10:00 on CITY TV. "Knockout" features a turn of the century boxing match and a murder that results. Murdoch has to use some unusual methods to determine how and why the victim was killed. Let me know what you think