Well, I wanted to love this episode of Murder in a Small Town, but it was just okay to me. I was more invested in the subplot than the main plot and that almost never happens for me. I wish they would’ve expanded more on that, but with the way things ended, I think we’ll see more of that in the next episode.
Nonetheless, this episode was still a solid one. Karl and the team had to pull all their resources to find two missing people, one of them being a child. Both Benji and Paulina, Benji’s babysitter, were out grabbing lunch when two masked men grabbed them in broad daylight. Before this abduction, the area had a few people around, so it was odd to me that not a single person stepped in. Isabella’s uncle was there, but he wasn’t close enough in his car; just glad he was able to give the police some information.
“This, That, and the Other Thing” – MURDER IN A SMALL TOWN, Pictured: Ian Tracey as Donavan Hurst and Adam Klassen as Wayne Foulkes . Photo: Kailey Schwerman/ FOX © 2025 Fox Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Benji’s parents and Paulina’s mom stop by the station to help the police gather any information that could be helpful. Benji’s parents mention an employee they recently let go, but they don’t suspect him. Paulina’s dad builds custom speedboats; they assume Paulina was the target and Benji was just collateral damage. Paulina manages to escape, which is great, but then that leaves Benji. A proof of life photo of Benji is sent and Laila notices that Benji doesn’t seem scared as if he knows who took him. Turns out it was the man who worked at the pizza spot Paulina and Benji went to often. What I don’t understand is the purpose of taking the kids. They were never needed to do what they actually sought out to do; rob a silent auction.
“This, That, and the Other Thing” – MURDER IN A SMALL TOWN, Pictured: Kristin Kreuk as Cassandra Lee. Photo: Kailey Schwerman/ FOX © 2025 Fox Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
It was never about the kids – it was a diversion to divert resources. Their plan almost worked because as of right now, the police department is severely understaffed, so any kind of diversion of resources leaves room for error. This is why the subplot was more interesting to me. Cassandra confirmed with Karl that he would be getting more officers once the town’s budget was all figured out. However, when things don’t go exactly the way she wanted, Cassandra votes against approving the budget putting the town funds on hold. Yep – this means no funding for additional officers.
Now, back to the scene that’s unfolding – Karl and the team manage to get to the Gibson Club where the heist is going down, stopping them from getting away with stolen jewels. Sid is nearly taken out, but Laila has his back and takes the assailant out. When I tell you Sid has been working overtime due to the lack of coverage, it’s no wonder his reaction was delayed and his ability to be alert to his surroundings was off balanced. As he’s leaving work for the day, Sid gets a call from his daughter and she wants him to go pick her up. On his way there, Sid falls asleep at the wheel and crashes.
“This, That, and the Other Thing” – MURDER IN A SMALL TOWN, Pictured: Rossif Sutherland as Karl Alberg. Photo: Kailey Schwerman/ FOX © 2025 Fox Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Karl hears about the counsel’s decision and he’s so upset with Cassandra. I’m not sure how they’re going to work through this. I get where Cassandra is coming from; what she wants is just as important as everything else, but when Karl paints the picture of what he’s been dealing with, it’s like she didn’t care. Karl told her his officers were running on fumes and she was only concerned with Karl seeing her side. To me, it felt like Cassandra was more concerned with beating Christie than with doing what was best for the town.
I can’t wait to see how this fallout plays out in the next episode. I’d love to hear your thoughts – share them below or connect with me on X/Twitter @chenfordhugs