Murdoch Mysteries (TV Series) The Glass Ceiling (2008) User Reviews

Why the episode title "The Glass Ceiling?"

[woodchip2 · 8/10 · 6 October 2012]

I just found this series on our Roku, and gave it a look. I enjoy it. It reminds me of another English who-done-it "Rosemary & Thyme" (the two English ladies that solve crimes in England.) Murdoch is a nice, easy to watch character that has depth and intrigue. I love the early attempts Murdoch uses with forensic science with their current technology being applied to catch criminals. Very interesting. I like the references to their "new" technology and how it's accepted (or rejected by old school thinkers) It's very educational while being entertaining. You can learn science, biology, and history all at the same time while watching this show! My question is: why the title "The Glass Ceiling?" What did that refer to? Can anyone tell me? I haven't figured that out yet.

Spoiler be here: Is the episode title due to Murdoch getting news of not getting the job of Inspector (unbeknownst to him it was due to him being a "Catholic," from a staunch Protestant Head Constable) and his dreams came crashing down? [ Tsk, tsk, shame, shame on them!] There are "many" no-no's evident in the Police "activity" in 1889 that are definitely NOT allowed or tolerated now! (Drinking on the job, police brutality to get a confession, going to a suspects house to question them alone, etc. Please help if you have an idea why the title "Glass Ceiling". I like the series and plan to watch the rest of what Roku has to offer!

Oh, another question would be the opening "Riddle, or puzzle" question posed by the Inspector Brackenreid.

MC at Police Chiefs' Dinner: Gentlemen, it is my distinct honour to introduce our keynote speaker, Inspector Thomas Brackenreid. Inspector Brackenreid: Gentlemen, those of us at Police Station Number 4 of the Toronto Constabulary had never been confronted by such a puzzling crime. The victim was found in a windowless room that was locked from the inside. But that was not the most baffling part. The victim had been electrocuted; yet the room had no electricity. All that was out of the ordinary was a shattered jar, a chain, a wooden disc and some foil. It soon became apparent that the victim had been killed by a Leyden jar.

Okay, what's with the puzzle, & what did it mean, or imply? Did I miss the answer? Ha!

A murderer is taking out everyone associated with a particular trial; Murdoch is up for Inspector at another station.

[suemohn · 7/10 · 4 April 2016]

Murdoch Mysteries is a wonderful series - this is only the 2nd episode of the 1st series, set (at this point) in 1895. There are some light spoilers that follow this.

Murdoch is all about the science - how did things happen, when and by whom - are all discovered by science with Murdoch. He is at Station 4 in Toronto with an inspector he feels is better than most - it's still a violent time.

There's a murder - a man killed with a thin stiletto, stuffed in a trunk and delivered to Station 4. Turns out to be a Crown Prosecutor. Another is found, same method of killing, this time a Crown Judge. Turns out both were part of the trial of a man who later "died" in a fire (so disfigured the ME could easily have misjudged the body) - Brackenreid is the next (by the note they receive).

Murdoch follows the trail and eventually puts it all together (no spoilers for THAT - that's the FUN part of these episodes!) - but in the process, they find a suspect and Brackenreid "interviews" the suspect (who he thinks murdered a judge & prosecutor & is after himself) rather violently (lots of punching, a fair amount of blood). There are 2 of these short, but violent scenes about mid-way thru the episode - but to think that this is what the show is about is a VAST mistake. Brackenried becomes the Inspector Murdoch hopes he is over the next couple of years and the series develops into a rather delightful period series with wonderful characters. It's in it's 10 season now. There are very few repeats of this type of violence.

This is a very early episode - Inspector Brackenreid is still more a roust-a-bout than a proper copper and he treats prisoners with less than police propriety.

Good Basic Period Detective Piece

[Hitchcoc · 8/10 · 20 August 2022]

Breckenreid is the tough career cop and Murdoch the young, modern one. The murder involves a chest sent to the police station addressed to Breckenreid. In it is the naked body of a man. Shortly thereafter, a judge's body meets the same fate. It is thought to be a plot by a man who was sent to prison but was thought dead. Murdoch uses entomology as part of his investigation. A bit bland at times, but we are just getting to know the characters. There are some serious anachronisms but I will overlook them at this time.

Very violent some what educational about inventions

[ctyankee1 · 27 January 2015]

A man turns up dead and naked in a trunk sent to the police department. The trunk was sent to Murdoch's boss Inspector Thomas Brackenreid. The man had been to see a friend who was creating motorized bicycles. They called the invention "mechanized bikes". This was before motorized cars. The man was supposed to get on a train I believe to Montreal but never boarded. Murdoch gets around on a bike and so do most of the actors and he looks like he is athletic slim body and skinny legs.

The dead man is examined by Dr Ogden who is the coroner in the these early episodes but later series Dr Grace does the job in the morgue of examining the dead people. It is interesting in how they come up with deductions of when and how a person died without all the science we have now. They show too much of dead body wounds, not like other series with dead people in morgues.

Anyway Inspector Thomas Brackenreid also gets a similar trunk at home with a dead body. Both men were killed in a similar way and the 2 dead men and Inspector Thomas Brackenreid had something to do with a case years earlier and the man threatened to get them all.

Inspector Thomas Brackenreid has a man brought in that might have some answers. He beats up the man in the cell more than once. I could not watch the violence after that. He did this in front of other police and Brackenreid thought he was entitled to beat the guy up, scream at him and get answers about the murders.

I don't know how it ended.