Family Concerns – As the episode opens, a vehicle stops on an isolated road, the passenger’s door opens, and a frightened woman falls on the ground. Someone emerges from the driver’s side door. The woman screams and flees into the woods. The individual retrieves a knife from the boot. The woman falls to the ground and turns to see her assailant armed with a knife. A short time later, the girl is being dragged through the woods. At Cooper Boxing Gym, Kat Cooper (Natalie Malaika) gives Isabella Harbud (Savonna Spracklin) a few pointers on how to properly hit the heavy bag. Edwina Yen (Mya Lowe) says Kat will be leaving for college. Kat tells them about Gus Cooper (Ryan Allen) being forced out of the business because the building was sold. At Molly’s Reach, Devon Travis (Alisha Newton) tells Holly Alberg (Dakota Guppy) that she confided in Tommy Cummins (Noah Reid) about the way Jesse (Quinten James) feels about her. Holly describes Jesse as “toxic.” Cassandra Lee (Kristin Kreuk) greets Holly and asks how Gibsons Chief of Police Karl Alberg (Rossif Sutherland) is doing. Holly claims he misses her. Cassandra says to tell him hi for her and turns to leave when she encounters Roger Galbraith (Lucas Bryant) who is concerned about his mother.

A frantic Callum Hingle (Gardiner Millar) steps out in front of Yen’s cruiser. She veers to miss him and emerges from the vehicle. He demands to speak with Karl and denies any connection to what his dog discovered in the woods. Later, Holly arrives home to find Karl preparing dinner. She says Cassandra was at Molly’s with Roger. He is called out to the Wilson Creek where Yen fills him in on the case. The female victim is posed with bouquets in her hands and her throat is slashed. He has seen something similar before. At the police station, Callum denies killing the girl. He and his dog, Clyde, left his house to go for a walk in the woods at around 6:00. Karl asks if Mary Hingle (Liza Huget) can vouch for him. Callum says she was at work and explains how Clyde acted when he found the victim. He feared the police would pin the murder on him. Later, Yen drops Callum at home where Clyde is waiting for him. Mary arrives and demands to know what is going on. Yen asks her to watch after Callum.

At Molly’s, Phyllis Diaz (Fiona Vroom) pries Isabella for answers but she refuses to talk about the murder case. At the police station, Isabella, Side Sokolowski (Aaron Douglas), Karl, and Yen discuss the rumors circulating on social media. Dr. Olive Duvall (Crystal Balint) believes the victim has been dead for least 18 hours. The murder weapon is a long-blade hunting knife. The victim had hepatitis related to IV drug use. Sid points out there are no needle marks on the victim’s body. A short time later, Karl, Sid, and Yen are at the crime scene of a female victim. Sid recognizes the victim as Realtor Janice Doncaster (Lisa Chandler). Olive says the victim has bone fractures to the back of the skull. Karl notices a shred of canvas stuck in the victim’s belt buckle. He insists on investigating the murders separately until evidence proves otherwise. Later, Karl and Sid are at Janice’s house when Ethan Doncaster (James Paladino) arrives and asks if their visit has something to do with him and Janice arguing last night. Karl informs him of her death. Shocked, Ethan drops his bag and breaks down weeping.

At Gibsons High School, Cummins teaches an art class. Devon is impressed with Cummins. Jesse pries Holly for answers regarding the murder. She says he would never talk to her about it. Devon breaks up with him. He asks if it has to do with Cummins. She assures him that she admires him as an artist. Holly watches Jesse confront Cummins in the hallway. At the police station, Ethan claims Janice was upset with him about selling the gym building without talking to her first. A developer wants the property for condos, a $2m profit. Ethan admits to having an affair with Donna McIntyre who he stayed with last night. He says Janice has been having an affair with Gus, owner of the Cooper Boxing Gym. He professes to have loved her. Sid points out that Ethan never asked how Janice died. Karl assures him that Ethan is in shock. Olive explains her theory on how Janice was killed. Sid suggests the murder weapon was a ball pen hammer. She agrees with him.

Cassandra and Sadie Whitaker (Vic Michaelis) discuss their impending meeting with the council to request Phase 1 funding for their project. Devon arrives to assist with Cummins’ art exhibit. At the boxing gym, Karl informs Gus of Janice’s death. Gus claims Janice was upset when she learned Ethan sold the building. He doesn’t remember when he last saw her. Holding up the canvas shred found in Janice’s belt buckle, Yen says it is a match to the canvas on Gus’ boxing ring. Gus recently replaced the canvas because it was stained. Karl asks why Janice called him last night. He denies any knowledge of the call. Sid asks him to come into the police station. Gus tries to flee but Sid and Yen apprehend him. Kat arrives as Gus is being placed into a cruiser. He assures her that it is all a big mistake and he will be back soon. At the police station, Karl clears Ethan as a suspect in Janice and the female victim’s murders. Gus tells Karl that Janice called to apologize about the building being sold. He admits to having a brief affair with her but denies killing her.

Cassandra, Sadie, and Phyllis discuss the council rejecting their request for Phase 1 funding. Cassandra expresses her love for Gibsons and insists they go for it. The restaurant fills with applause. Roger arrives to take Cassandra home. A news report about Janice’s murder blares across the TV. He makes a sarcastic comment about Gibsons’ police force. She rebukes him. At the police station, Karl tells Gus that blood was found at the gym, near the rear door. Angry, Gus denies killing her. Karl shows him a photo of the female victim found at Wilson Creek. Elsewhere, Roger comes on to Cassandra. She says they are friends, nothing more. After refusing a lift to his sister’s, Roger spots a woman walking alone. Looking around, he slowly approaches her. At the police station, Karl tells Gus that there is evidence to support that Janice was murdered at his gym. Gus confesses to hitting her during a heated argument, rolled her up in the boxing ring canvas, and dumped her in the woods. Karl doesn’t believe him.

Karl speaks to the media about a suspect in Janice’s murder. He pleads for information in the Jane Doe case. A short time later, Karl asks Cassandra if she knows a local artist who does portraits. She suggests he speak with Cummins. He asks Olive for more information about the angle of the blow to Janice’s face. At the high school, Cummins guides Devon through a sketch of Jesse. Karl knocks on the door. Devon introduces them and leaves. Karl asks Cummins for his help in bringing the female victim back to life. Later at the gym, Karl confronts Kat about the punch that fractured Janice’s cheekbone. He tosses something and she catches it with her left hand. He says Gus being left-handed doesn’t support the evidence. In a flashback, Janice falls into a wall and cracks her skull. Kat notifies Gus of what happened. He promises to take care of it and orders her to leave. She repeatedly looks back while heading toward the exit. He rolls Janice’s body up in a ring canvas. In the present, Gus tries to convince Karl to take his confession to save Kat. Karl assures him that she will serve her time. A distraught Kat falls into Gus’s arms.

Cummins enters the morgue where Jane Doe is laid out on a gurney. He listens to classical music while sketching the victim’s face. At the police station, Sid has his doubts about Cummins. Karl and Yen study the crime scene photos. He says they are looking for a serial killer. The episode ends.

 

Murder In A Small Town Review

The episode was bogged down with fragmentary side stories to create the series’ first murder investigation continuance. The weekly release already drags the story along at a snail’s pace. Now, viewers must wait another week for the resolution of the Jane Doe murder case.

The outcomes aren’t always predictable but there is always a first time for everything. It may be that the serial killer was revealed leading up to the finale. The episode deserves a 5.5 out of 10.

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