User Reviews

I really enjoyed this episode, and no, I don't think the "female team trope" is dated. Why would "male team tropes" be timeless but a focus on women a one off? How sexist. Sort of goes against the spirit of the show actually.

Along that line, I loved seeing Julia and Effie Newsome spending time as friends. Even more fun was Louise Cherry tagging along. She even called Julia "boss" once and it gives me hope for detente. This episode also gave us a chance to see a slightly different side of old Toronto - a feminine side, including hair salons, tea shops, backyards of fine houses. I'm sure the production team was also happy to do something a little different after so many years. Murdoch has always focused on social issues and does so here, including the result of unwanted pregnancies, how a poor, single woman would have great trouble raising a child and so have to give the child to friends for adoption. I study genealogy and I'm sure history is filled with such under the table adoptions.

I also had not heard of Mrs Harper and was pleased to learn her character was based on a real woman. I love whenever Murdoch includes factual references. The female team also gave us further clues to the character of Miss Hart, hints of trouble to come and lines being drawn. Dreading the inevitable crisis.

The side plot about the pig was also good fun, especially when it came down to Brakenreid fighting to get the pig for Margaret's party. Tom was wrong again about the future by saying a Royal Winter Fair would never happen. Running gags like that are what make this show so good. The short but exciting car/bicycle chase at the end running into the inevitable pig was like the cherry on top of the episode.

Louise's line at the end that they all deserve to be with men who deserve them was perfect.