We've loved this series from the beginning, and promoted it eagerly among our friends. However we've been very disappointed with the writers' trends on several points, and this episode broke the camel's back. Unless you are very comfortable with open homosexual behavior, you will find the ending disturbing, not only for the lesbian kissing displayed by a main character, but for the absolute ludicrous pretext and absence of any necessity for the same.
It seems they have abandoned championing Murdoch with his deep convictions of right and wrong, and his special gifts and fascinating insight, (we see that less it seems now) all of which were the qualities that attracted people to the series. In a ridiculous imposition of modern day "values" into an early 1900's period mystery series, Murdoch now takes a back seat to the awkwardly imposed, and historically inaccurate occurrences of homosexual activity. This episode does not leave you in awe of the hero; it leaves you with two women kissing each other passionately. So much for staying on track. The writers just flipped the bird to every traditional valued viewer. It's equal to closing an episode with an extreme commentary about gun control or abortion. Get back where you belong - in crime, deduction, evasion and capture.
Remember how the writers wrote the gloriously inspiring episode where Murdoch chose true right over the law and helped a woman escape from an unjust sentence, even at a huge sacrifice to his own love interest? Where did those writers go?
To be honestly accurate, rather than transparently agenda-ized, the occurrences of what was called "deviant" behavior in those days, in such a close circle of people, would be so rare as to make it disproportionate to even mention it in a series like this.
In this episode the champions are now women, not just in their worthy pursuit of equal rights, equal pay etc., where they deserve praise, but in the pursuit of homosexual passions. "Yay them for throwing off the mean moral restraints of the day". Don't the writers know those restraints are the underpinnings of the personal character of the show's hero? When they sensationalize homosexual actions of one key and well-like character, Dr Grace, that violate the deepest values of the show's Catholic hero and protagonist, they create an unnecessary conflict that can have no winner - the show can only lose by offending half of its audience.
It's all nonsense of course because the rate of occurrence of homosexual activity at the turn of the last century was so low, and so hidden from society, and so disdained by the general populace, religious or not, as to make the inclusion of it at all in such a series ridiculous. Too bad because in other areas (wardrobe, scenery, historical characters, language usage) the series has excelled in accurate historicity. The 2000 U.S. Census Bureau found that homosexual couples constitute less than 1% of American households. It is estimated that 100 years prior in 1900 the incidence rate would have been at most 1/4th of 1%. At that rate an honest representation would be 1 appearance in 400 episodes.
Murdoch was unflinching in his beliefs and thus was an admirable anchor around which the follies of others were exposed. More and more they have made him question and yield his convictions, not in deference or grace to other characters which he always did before, never forcing his convictions on others, but now the writers have launched Murdoch on a learning curve of 21st century mores. As if this will make him a better hero. No, this will kill the series.
Bring back the old Murdoch. Give him the guts to stand against the things an early 1900's Murdoch would stand against, regardless of modern day political correctness, and let's watch how that unfolds. Put the show back into the correct context of its time, amidst the mores of THAT day, not ours.
It seems they have abandoned championing Murdoch with his deep convictions of right and wrong, and his special gifts and fascinating insight, (we see that less it seems now) all of which were the qualities that attracted people to the series. In a ridiculous imposition of modern day "values" into an early 1900's period mystery series, Murdoch now takes a back seat to the awkwardly imposed, and historically inaccurate occurrences of homosexual activity. This episode does not leave you in awe of the hero; it leaves you with two women kissing each other passionately. So much for staying on track. The writers just flipped the bird to every traditional valued viewer. It's equal to closing an episode with an extreme commentary about gun control or abortion. Get back where you belong - in crime, deduction, evasion and capture.
Remember how the writers wrote the gloriously inspiring episode where Murdoch chose true right over the law and helped a woman escape from an unjust sentence, even at a huge sacrifice to his own love interest? Where did those writers go?
To be honestly accurate, rather than transparently agenda-ized, the occurrences of what was called "deviant" behavior in those days, in such a close circle of people, would be so rare as to make it disproportionate to even mention it in a series like this.
In this episode the champions are now women, not just in their worthy pursuit of equal rights, equal pay etc., where they deserve praise, but in the pursuit of homosexual passions. "Yay them for throwing off the mean moral restraints of the day". Don't the writers know those restraints are the underpinnings of the personal character of the show's hero? When they sensationalize homosexual actions of one key and well-like character, Dr Grace, that violate the deepest values of the show's Catholic hero and protagonist, they create an unnecessary conflict that can have no winner - the show can only lose by offending half of its audience.
It's all nonsense of course because the rate of occurrence of homosexual activity at the turn of the last century was so low, and so hidden from society, and so disdained by the general populace, religious or not, as to make the inclusion of it at all in such a series ridiculous. Too bad because in other areas (wardrobe, scenery, historical characters, language usage) the series has excelled in accurate historicity. The 2000 U.S. Census Bureau found that homosexual couples constitute less than 1% of American households. It is estimated that 100 years prior in 1900 the incidence rate would have been at most 1/4th of 1%. At that rate an honest representation would be 1 appearance in 400 episodes.
Murdoch was unflinching in his beliefs and thus was an admirable anchor around which the follies of others were exposed. More and more they have made him question and yield his convictions, not in deference or grace to other characters which he always did before, never forcing his convictions on others, but now the writers have launched Murdoch on a learning curve of 21st century mores. As if this will make him a better hero. No, this will kill the series.
Bring back the old Murdoch. Give him the guts to stand against the things an early 1900's Murdoch would stand against, regardless of modern day political correctness, and let's watch how that unfolds. Put the show back into the correct context of its time, amidst the mores of THAT day, not ours.