Surrounding them is a supporting cast that has evolved from caricatures to beloved family. There is the gruff but fatherly Inspector Brackenreid (Thomas Craig), whose love of whiskey and football hides a deep loyalty to his men, and the hapless but lovable Constable Crabtree (Jonny Harris), whose enthusiasm for the macabre and the supernatural provides much of the show’s comedic relief.

While many period dramas look backward with rose-tinted nostalgia, Murdoch Mysteries is defined by its forward momentum. The show takes place during a massive shift in human history: the cusp of the modern age. It captures the excitement (and danger) of industrialization.

A young, modern, and openly feminist pathologist who works alongside Dr. Ogden, adding further dimensions to the show’s exploration of gender roles.