Murdoch Mysteries Set to Return for 18th Season in 2024, 10 New Episodes Coming to CBC

Murdoch Mysteries has a beloved international fanbase and has continued to garner strong viewership ratings in its home country of Canada during its 16 season run. In the most recent 16th season finale, viewers were left with major cliffhangers, wondering about the fate of several main characters. This renewal comes as welcome news for loyal fans eager to see the next chapter in Detective Murdoch’s story.

Murdoch Mysteries Season 18 Release Date

Season 18 is slated to begin production in 2023 by the show’s production company Shaftesbury Films. This season will be another long 18 episode order by CBC, ensuring plenty of compelling mysteries and developments in the lives of the main ensemble cast.

Inside Job Season 3

Showrunner Peter Mitchell expressed his gratitude for CBC’s ongoing support of the series, saying “Murdoch Mysteries’ audience keeps growing and we’re eager to get going on 18 new episodes filled with intriguing mysteries for Murdoch and company to solve.”

So Murdoch fans can breathe a sigh of relief — new episodes are indeed on the way! Stay tuned for more updates regarding season 17’s production and eventual release date.

Is this the final season of Murdoch Mysteries?

While the show’s seventeenth season has been officially announced, there is no confirmation yet regarding whether it will be Murdoch Mysteries’s final installment. Given the fact that season 16 ended on major storytelling cliffhangers, it would be quite unusual for the writers to then promptly end the series with the upcoming seventeenth season.

Murdoch Mysteries remains one of CBC’s most popular and longest-running dramas. Over its decade-plus run it has built a strong viewership and fanbase not only in Canada, but globally as well thanks to international distribution deals.

The show’s production company Shaftesbury Films remains strongly committed to continuing Murdoch Mysteries, evidenced by their quick renewal of the series for season 17 after season 16. The show’s budget also suggests an expectation for multiple additional seasons.

Of course, factors like cast and crew availability could always play a role in deciding when to ultimately bring the story of Detective Murdoch to its conclusion. However, there is likely high incentive on CBC’s end to keep Murdoch Mysteries going as long as viewers remain interested.

In summary, while no Canadian series lasts forever, there is no reason to believe the upcoming seventeenth installment will be Murdoch Mysteries’ last. Expect more official details on the show’s long-term status once production gets underway on the new season. Loyal Murdoch fans can remain cautiously optimistic about the prospects for their beloved series.

Is Murdoch Mysteries coming back in 2024?

Given that the seventeenth season has just recently been announced by CBC, speculation suggests that Murdoch Mysteries will be returning with fresh episodes in 2024.

The show has followed an incredibly consistent schedule for over a decade, airing a new season of 18 episodes each autumn — usually September through December — on CBC in Canada. Global TV later airs these episodes in winter of the following year.

Assuming Murdoch Mysteries season 18 follows a similar production timeline to past seasons, principal photography would begin in Spring 2022 in the show’s production base of Toronto, Canada. Post-production on the episodes would carry through Summer 2024.

This timeframe would make an Autumn 2024 return date on CBC highly likely for the season 17 episodes. Barring any unexpected production delays or changes, loyal fans could expect to see new mysteries for Detective William Murdoch and his colleagues by late 2024.

CBC has every incentive to ensure Season 18 makes this expected premiere date, as Murdoch Mysteries remains a highly rated tentpole part of their drama lineup. With many loose story threads left at the end of season 16, fans are no doubt anxiously counting down the months until they can get answers in brand new episodes.

So although not officially confirmed, the trajectory of past seasons points toward a Fall 2023 comeback for Murdoch’s next set of historically-rooted capers. Production is underway, and viewers can pencil in dates on their calendars for a long-awaited return to early 20th century Toronto alongside their favorite sleuth

Murdoch Mysteries Season Awards

Over its impressive sixteen season run, Murdoch Mysteries has built up an esteemed reputation and won recognition from a variety of prestigious Canadian television awards:

• 2017 – Canadian Screen Award for Yannick Bisson’s performance in the lead role of William Murdoch
• 2018 – Multiple Canadian Screen Awards, including for music, sound, and Robert Carli’s acclaimed original score
• 2019 – Canadian Screen Award for Best Writing in a Drama Series
• 2020 – Most recently, a Canadian Screen Award win for the show’s period-appropriate and elegant costume design

These wins and many more nominations cement Murdoch Mysteries as a darling of the Canadian entertainment industry. It occupies a special place being both a hit with domestic audiences, while also gaining worldwide fame through international distribution to over 100 countries.

The awards validate the fantastic work done both in front of and behind the camera on Murdoch Mysteries across various creative disciplines like writing, scoring, production design and historical accuracy. With season 16 garnering another wave of Canadian Screen Award nominations, the cast and crew continue striving to uphold and build upon the show’s sterling industry reputation.

As the fan-favorite show continues into its seventeenth season, additional awards recognition seems more than likely down the road. But above all, these accolades reflect the passion and talent that the Murdoch Mysteries creative team pours into each and every episode.

Why did Julia Ogden leave Murdoch Mysteries?

Dr. Julia Ogden, portrayed by Hélène Joy, had been a fan-favorite character within Murdoch Mysteries since the early days of the series. She and Detective William Murdoch shared an on-again, off-again romance over many seasons. However, towards the end of season 10, Joyce’s character made the shocking decision to abruptly leave Toronto and end her relationship with Murdoch.

Behind the scenes, Hélène Joy had recently given birth to her second child and made the difficult decision to exit Murdoch Mysteries largely for personal reasons. Playing Dr. Ogden while balancing motherhood was proving unsustainable. However, the showrunners creatively wrote her departure into the ongoing storyline.

In the show, Julia received an opportunity to travel to Buffalo and perform groundbreaking medical research into pediatric pathology. Though she loved Murdoch deeply, she felt compelled to put her passion for medicine first by embarking on this career-defining research opportunity.

Hélène Joy’s departure after so many seasons as a Murdoch Mysteries female lead was undoubtedly a major blow to fans. But given the circumstances, most understood her deciding to step back from such an intensive, long-running production commitment while raising young kids.

Conclusion

The storyline attempt to give Dr. Ogden a dramatic, in-character farewell was appreciated by fans, even while mourning her loss on the show. However, as with many actors departing hit series, there is always possibility Hélène Joy could opt to return for cameo appearances in future Murdoch Mysteries seasons.

While the show has admirably reinvented itself since Dr. Ogden’s departure, Julia’s unforgettable role and her star-crossed history with Detective Murdoch lives on in fans’ hearts. Her legacy remains an integral cornerstone of the world of Murdoch Mysteries.

ONE WEEK. Who’s ready? pic.twitter.com/lrMGsBVlZc

— Murdoch Mysteries (@CBCMurdoch) September 6, 2021