This 330-Episode Series Is A Masterclass In Historical Storytelling & It's Officially Coming Back

Published Sep 24, 2026, 9:00 PM EDT El is a Junior TV Features Editor for ScreenRant, with previous experience as The Mary Sue's UK and Weekend Editor. She holds a Bachelor's in International Media and Entertainment Management, as well as an MA and Ph.D. in Creative Writing. There is little she loves more than discussing her favorite TV shows with fellow fans. One day, she hopes to publish an original fantasy novel. This iconic 330-episode series is a masterclass in fictional historical storytelling, and it's officially returning with another season. The longest-running shows on network TV are often crime procedurals; there's something comforting about coming back week after week, season after season, knowing what to expect but letting the characters and cases continue to surprise us. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is one of the biggest and oldest shows on TV for a reason. Hit franchises like Law & Order, NCIS, and newer shows like High Potential and The Lincoln Lawyer are all modern-day procedurals, however. While each has a specialized theme — Special Victims Unit deals with a very different kind of crime than High Potential — they're all rooted in our current world, grappling with recognizable social issues, political debates, and modern technology. What if all of that is taken away, though? How did the earliest police officers solve the most frightening, heinous crimes? One of the most innovative TV procedurals is CBC's long-running Murdoch Mysteries, based on Maureen Jennings' Detective Murdoch novels. Originally known in the US as The Artful Detective, Murdoch Mysteries is a late 19th- to early 20th-century murder mystery procedural set in the up-and-coming city of Toronto, as Detective William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) and the rest of Station House No. 4 use the most cutting-edge technology available to them (along with some good old-fashioned sleuthing work) to solve a slew of murders in the heart of a growing metropolis. Bisson's William Murdoch is essentially a cross between Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes and Angus MacGyver, an eagle-eyed investigator with a knack for inventing some of the most useful and recognizable detection methods still in use today. It also often experiments with different genres, from straight-up horror to thrillers, comedies, and even musicals. The most fascinating thing about the show, however, is that Murdoch Mysteries is as much a historical drama as it is a police procedural. Murdoch Mysteries Cleverly Combines Procedural Tropes With Real-World History Credit: Christos Kalohoridis ©Ovation Network/courtesy Everett Collection Murdoch Mysteries' balance between TV's trusted procedural crime format and its admittedly anachronistic historical setting is second to none. Rather than making vague references to the period with era-accurate costumes, sets, and social manners, Murdoch Mysteries features real-world historical events, politics, and figures, weaving them effortlessly into its episodic murder cases and occasional overarching conspiracies. This makes it feel different from other 21st-century procedurals. It's one of the most atmospheric, fun, and insightful murder mystery series currently on the air, a real treat for lovers of creative "what if?" historical fiction. For instance, in Murdoch season 10's two-part opener, "Great Balls of Fire," Murdoch investigates the murders of wealthy debutantes. Unfortunately, his investigation is complicated by the Great Fire of Toronto, a genuine calamity that occurred in April 1904; it was the biggest fire ever to ravage the city. Episodes also frequently acknowledge and critique the country's past (and present) political and social landscape, especially regarding the women's suffrage movement, Black and Indigenous Canadian history, immigration, and, in later seasons, the queer community. Murdoch and his colleagues have also met, befriended, and even questioned many historical figures, including but certainly not limited to Winston Churchill, Annie Oakley, Theodore Roosevelt, Arthur Conan Doyle, Nikola Tesla, Alexander Graham Bell, Harry Houdini, H.G. Wells, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Helen Keller, and Lucy Maud Montgomery. Star Trek icon William Shatner even appeared in season 9 as author Mark Twain. These "cameos" rarely feel out of place. They always have a purpose in the story; it's a great way to learn more about these people and their legacies, both good and bad. Murdoch Mysteries Returns With New Episodes Next Month Christos Kalohoridis / ©CBC/Acorn TV / Courtesy Everett Collection Luckily, Murdoch Mysteries will return for a landmark 20th season next month, starting Monday, October 5, on CBC in Canada and Ovation TV in the US. The new season will consist of 21 episodes, bringing Murdoch's regular episode count up to 351. Another two-part special will also be broadcast after the season finale in April. The new season will include Murdoch traveling to Malta, where he must prevent the execution of mystery novelist Nigella Fletcher (yes, her character is meant to be a homage to cozy crime sleuth Jessica Fletcher), a returning character from season 19, episode 7, aptly titled "Murder, She Wrote." Season 20 will also likely see Murdoch Mysteries enter an extraordinary time of global upheaval, as World War I breaks out in 1914 (season 19 ended in 1913). Canada officially joined the conflict that same year, when Britain declared war on Germany. What kind of cases this will bring up for Murdoch, and how it affects the constabulary, remains to be seen. It'll certainly impact Murdoch's professional and even his private life, changing the city and Canada as a nation forever. Whatever happens next, may the series continue for many, many more seasons. Murdoch Mysteries season 20 premieres on October 5 on CBC and Ovation TV. All other episodes are available to stream on Acorn TV in the US. Release Date January 24, 2008 Network CBC Television