Murdoch Mysteries accomplishes a uncommon TV feat on Monday, April 14. Season 18 Episode 10 of the beloved detective collection is the three hundredth episode of the present general. The present has been operating because it debuted in Canada in January 2008 with Yannick Bisson on the helm because the titular Detective William Murdoch. Additionally there since day one has been Arwen Humphreys, whose character, Margaret Brackenreid (affectionately known as Mrs. B), grew to become a fan favourite early on. She was so beloved that followers urged the collection to make her a extra constant presence. Flash-forward to 2025, and the three hundredth episode is all about celebrating Mrs. B.
Murdoch Mysteries is predicated on Maureen Jennings’s well-liked Detective Murdoch novels. Set in Toronto within the early 1900s through the age of invention, Detective William Murdoch makes use of radical forensic methods to unravel a few of the metropolis’s most grotesque murders. Season 18 has had a bevy of notable visitor stars akin to Countess Luann de Lesseps, an authentic solid member of The Actual Housewives of New York Metropolis, and Siobhan Murphy. Award-winning actor Paul Solar-Hyung Lee additionally joined the solid as Inspector Albert Choi, who has introduced a complete new perspective to Station Home #4.
Since Season 1, Margaret has often taken care of all people else, however the April 14 episode reveals her receiving love within the type of a shock party. Her husband, Chief Constable Thomas Brackenreid (Thomas Craig), is arranging the particular occasion in Season 18 Episode 10, out there now on Acorn TV (Acorn TV can be out there to AMC+ subscribers). Right here, Humphreys previews the three hundredth episode and displays on the present’s lengthy historical past with TV Insider, along with sharing her hopes for the longer term.
Congratulations on reaching this milestone three hundredth episode. What was the vibe like on set if you had been filming it?
Arwen Humphreys: Very playful. It was simply enjoyable. The superb factor about having been on a present for this lengthy is, quite a lot of the time it’s simply enjoyable as a result of we’re all very relaxed. We all know our characters, so we will play with the script. We’re allowed a specific amount of freedoms that perhaps you don’t have if you’ve been taking part in a personality for so long as we’ve been taking part in our characters. I like, love days the place we’re all in scenes collectively as a result of there’s a lot goofing round and laughing, however all people’s knowledgeable and everyone knows the way to get it collectively and get it carried out, and it’s superior. So lighthearted, very lighthearted.
What can viewers anticipate from Margaret’s birthday celebrations?
Properly, Brackenreid is organizing it. He does find yourself doing fairly a very good job, however there’s quite a lot of controversy getting her there as a result of she thinks he’s forgotten. And so there was a very cool scene with a carriage. I obtained to experience in a carriage by way of our again lot, and it was enjoyable. It’s one of many cool issues about being a part of a interval present. You get to journey in a carriage by way of Scarborough, Ontario. We had fun. [Viewers can expect] a wonderful occasion, a very good time, particularly for her. A really surprising good time.
Why do you suppose a party for her is an ideal plot for this three hundredth episode?
I feel it is advisable to have a celebration. Since you’ve obtained the Murdoch and [Dr. Julia Ogden, played by Hélène Joy] storyline, which has them in England, and I really feel like it is advisable to have the half the place the viewers and the actors get to rejoice. What higher strategy to do it than to rejoice the birthday of one of many characters? And fairly frankly, given the truth that Margaret is often the one who’s internet hosting issues and she or he’s placing collectively the events, I like the concept that it’s a celebration for her as a substitute and that it’s Brackenreid who’s doing it, and he’s getting all people else concerned, which can be actually enjoyable as a result of it’s all exterior these characters consolation zones as effectively.
Stephen Scott / AcornTV
Would you name this a little bit of a wish-fulfillment storyline on your character?
Yeah! Margaret needs to be seen on the finish of the day, and I feel that’s what drives quite a lot of her decisions. She needs to be acknowledged. And I don’t imply that in that she’s self-centered, it’s not about that. It’s extra about the truth that she’s a lady who has devoted her life to operating the house and the kids and elevating the kids, however there’s a way of self that she feels needs to be acknowledged. She’s not a lady who needs to fade into the background. So I feel it’s truly form of lovely that it’s a celebration for Margaret as a result of she doesn’t get that so much. She’s obtained a fairly arduous husband to take care of. He’s a loudmouth [laughs].
Are there any surprises for followers on this milestone episode?
Properly, now we have a particular visitor that Brackenreid lined up for Margaret. They had been in a position to get a performer to come back to Margaret’s occasion, and in order that was actually cool. However I feel actually what it’s, is that we get a second in time the place all people’s all collectively. And I really feel like that’s the perfect half about it, particularly in that scene. It’s all people.
What was necessary to ship on this three hundredth episode, each for the solid and crew and for the followers?
It’s at all times about inclusion. We needed everybody to really feel included within the occasion. One factor that’s nice about this solid is that everyone is as dedicated to bringing a very good present to the followers the identical method now as they had been after they began on the present. So every time we’re taking pictures something, all people is arising with little concepts, and due to the truth that we’re allowed to run as much as the director and go, “Hey, we had been considering, might we do that little interplay? That’d be actually humorous with these two characters.” Typically they are saying sure, and typically they are saying no. However I feel it’s the enjoyment. There’s an actual pleasure for me engaged on this present.
There’s simply quite a lot of laughter whereas we’re doing stuff. I imply, all people will get all the way down to work. I truly traveled with everybody to Kingston, Ontario to shoot the scenes with Murdoch and Ogden. I used to be shadowing our director. I beloved being a part of the caravan. I beloved being with the crew from the start of the day to the tip of the day. And I can say that even behind the scenes, our crew has the identical quantity of pleasure. All people will get annoyed, it’s not like we’re all dancing on rainbows and using unicorns to work, however there’s quite a lot of laughing and silliness across the professionalism. Hopefully, that’s what we’re bringing to the followers in order that after they’re part of it, it’s like we’re all in it collectively.
Stephen Scott / AcornTV
How does it really feel to be a part of a collection that has reached such an enormous milestone?
It’s bizarre. That is my life’s work. I’ve spent the vast majority of my grownup life on this present, and I’m not even fully certain I’ll totally perceive the affect of that till lengthy after or ever. I don’t know. I really feel like hashtags have ruined actually nice phrases as a result of I really feel very blessed and honored that I’ve been in a position to work with such superb folks and that over the past 18 years, they’ve put a lot belief and religion in me. I imply, Margaret’s half was so small they usually simply began giving me a bit bit extra and a bit bit extra and a bit bit extra. That’s an unimaginable expertise. I’m simply actually grateful and humbled and honored. It’s superb. I truly was doing ADR a number of weeks in the past for one of many episodes, and I needed to do some improvising as Margaret, and so I simply form of dropped into her and began improvising. And once we completed, I used to be like, ah, I actually like taking part in her. She’s enjoyable. I like her mind. It’s foolish. I’m simply extremely honored.
And the way good that should really feel to nonetheless be feeling that method about your character so a few years into taking part in her. With 300 episodes down, is there something you haven’t gotten to do with Margaret but? What do you wish to discover along with her subsequent?
In Season 18, you’re seeing glimpses of her life as a society lady. Season 17 was extra her entering into the clinic with Ogden and kind of fixing mysteries. I’d love to mix the 2. I feel Margaret’s at all times needed to be a society lady, however what’s it like as soon as she will get there? As a result of on the finish of the day, she’s a small-town gal from Grimsby, so I’d like to discover that factor the place Margaret’s at all times been a little bit of an outsider and her navigating that. And likewise — and I’m certain quite a lot of ladies perceive this, middle-aged ladies perceive this — being an empty nester. What do you do when the children aren’t there anymore? What do you do when your husband is perhaps round a bit extra usually or is kind of off doing his personal factor? How do you retain your self busy? I’d love to try this. That may be actually cool.
Murdoch Mysteries, Mondays, Acorn TV