‘Ms. Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries’ Recap: ‘Reel Murder’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 207 of ‘Ms. Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries’.
​
While our modern justice system has a lot of upside, since it does indeed do a fine job of putting the right people behind bars, it is not without its flaws. Because sometimes… something goes awry and a horrific criminal is able to walk free because of a technicality or an incredible defensive strategy that fools and confuses a jury and well, that’s unfortunate to say the least. Because it leaves those that were eager and hungry to see justice served and to find closure in their lives, with a hollow and devastating feeling. One where their biggest wish has been robbed from them and once, they emerge from what they correctly see to be an injustice, they work to recover and move on.

Because alas, there is little they can do when the system has failed them. But for some folks, that is simply not good enough in the slightest and they demand and crave justice… to the point where they take it into their own hands and make the offender pay. A move that is often met with outcry from both sides since some see this as a need for reforms while others believe the vigilante should have let sleeping dogs lie. But regardless of which side you agree with, this can and will happen from time to time and perhaps the best way to make both sides happy… is to better understand why someone would cross that line and that is why the next episode of Ms. Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries is of note. Because ‘Reel Murder’ is a story that takes the time to explore the genesis and reasoning behind a vigilante murder.

But as is often the case with this dynamic series it sure didn’t seem as though that was going to be the case early on. For when Peregrine and Samuel discover the body of man named Morris Dunnet floating down the river, it appears at first glance to be nothing more than a run of the mill murder. One where perhaps Mister Dunnet ran afoul of some unsavory folks and met his end because of it. But once Peregrine and James start digging deeper in regard to his death, some strange facts begin to emerge. Such as the fact that Dunnet was in fact, a criminal that walked away scot free after being charged with the murder of his wife, only because her body never showed up and to complicate matters further… everyone that was at the river that day… has odd alibis, and some kind of tie to Morris. 

---

But even then, the evidence simply didn’t tie one individual to this untimely death and that’s when it hit Peregrine. In that, perhaps the reason that there was no one suspect, was because they were all suspects and with a little digging, she was able to prove that everyone on the shores that day… was indeed involved in putting down Dunnet, not out of revenge… but out of that need for justice. For they were horrified over the fact that the system failed a person they all cared for, Morris’ late wife, Irene. And they were so broken and distraught over the fact that Morris walked when the evidence against him was so strong, that they felt no other recourse than to come together in this manner and serve up justice as they saw fit and that was quite the powerful surprise twist in the end.
​
In part because death by committee isn’t a common theme in crime shows, but more so because… it really did help the viewer to understand why vigilante justice is a thing and how the system has to be better. Because it really is the last hope for so many and to see it fail can clearly alter one’s perception of what’s right and what’s wrong and while the housekeeper took the fall for this one since she knew her time on earth was limited, adding a sense of finality to this ending… the act of murder is something that her accomplices will have to carry with them always. Which is something that no one should ever have to carry with them and well, in the end, all of these elements made this nothing short of a fascinating episode to say the least.

Because it doesn’t speak to whether these actions are right or wrong, it merely presents them in the raw and asks the viewer to make their own call. However, while that is indeed some heavy material to ponder upon, there were still some lighthearted moments to be found in this story. After all, Peregrine and James are starting to feel their magnetic attraction taking hold once again, and it is most certainly impacting James more than any of us expected. As evidenced by the fact that he left Sally’s new gift for him at Peregrine’s, and well… it should be interesting to see what will come out of the subtle fact that these two are still madly in love with one another, when the season two finale of this magnificent and intelligent and downright amazing series arrives on Acorn TV, next Monday. Until then.

---