'Murdoch Mysteries' Officially Heads Into Season 18

PBS may crow over Endeavour running ten years or Grantchester rounding to Season 9, but real ones know that the true long-running cozy crime series isn't official until it's gone well into the double digits, like Death in Paradise, Father Brown, or Vera. Even so, those shows cannot hold a candle to the true grandaddies of the genre: Silent Witness (27 seasons and counting), Midsomer Murders (rounding on Season 25), and the Canadian Murdoch Mysteries, the 17th season of which is still airing on Acorn TV through July, and the 18th season of which has officially been greenlit as of May 23, 2024.

To be fair, most fans were under the impression Murdoch Mysteries was most likely going to return, much like fans of Midsomer Murders and Silent Witness functionally assume their series are coming back unless there's a long lead announcement of a series finale, so the official announcement wasn't exactly news. The Murdoch Mysteries Wiki has claimed Season 18 was a go for weeks, as have a few sites (which shall remain nameless) that aren't exactly into citing sources. 

But for those who want actual official proof before they plan their TV-watching schedule, that is now here, in the form of lead actor Yannick Bisson, who plays the titular William Murdoch. He posted both on Instagram and Facebook that Season 18 was in pre-production, and filming was close to getting off the ground. 

How can we be sure? His haircut, obviously. Also, a glimpse of the first page of Season 18's premiere episode script.

As Season 18 has only just started filming, there's no official synopsis as yet, just the usual logline:

Set in Toronto at the dawn of the 20th century, Murdoch Mysteries is a one-hour drama series that explores the intriguing world of William Murdoch, a methodical and dashing detective who pioneers innovative forensic techniques to solve some of the city's most gruesome murders.

As always, the main cast of Murdoch Mysteries features Bisson, Hélène Joy as Dr. Julia Ogden, Thomas Craig as Inspector Thomas Brackenreid, and Jonny Harris as Constable George Crabtree. Other recurring cast includes Lachlan Murdoch as Constable Henry Higgins, Arwen Humphreys as Margaret Brackenreid, Daniel Maslany as Det. Llewellyn Watts, Shanice Banton as Violet Hart, Clare McConnell as Effie Newsome, Bea Santos as Louise Cherry, Samantha Walkes as Cassiopeia Bright, Mark Taylor as Isaiah Buchanan, and Kenzie Delo as Constable Tucker.

Writers this season, as always, are expected to include author Maureen Jennings, upon whose Detective Murdoch novels the series is based, along with regular returning writers Peter Mitchell, Noelle Girard, Simon McNabb, Caleigh Bacchus, Jenny Lee, and Andrea Scott. Bisson is expected to direct an episode as he has the last few seasons, with regular helmers Laurie Lynd, Gloria Ui Young Kim, Yuri Yakubiw, Sharon Lewis, and Katie Boland, taking a swing at an episode at least once this season. As always, the series is executive-produced by Bisson, Joy, Mitchell, Christina Jennings, Scott Garvie, Noel Hedges, and the CBC.

Murdoch Mysteries Season 17 continues on Acorn TV through the end of July 2024. Season 18 is expected to start airing in the fall of 2024 on the CBC and come to Acorn TV and Ovation in 2025.