Murder in a Small Town - The Suspect

Sometimes you get more than you expect, and that was the case for me in sitting down to watch the opening episode of Murder in a Small Town which comes off a bit more like a TV-movie than the first episode of a series. Into the sleepy coastal town of Gibsons, British Columbia, we get a couple of newcomers in Chief of Police Karl Alberg (Rossif Sutherland) and the even more recently arrived Corporal Edwina Yen (Mya Lowe). The notable members of the police force are rounded out by the notably less-talented Sergeant Sid Sokolowski (Aaron Douglas). And, as the title of the show suggests, into the sleepy town comes murder.

The other aspect of the show, giving it a bit of Hallmark Mystery feel, is the sheriff starting to date the town librarian Cassandra Lee (Kristin Kreuk) who, it will turn out, is also the closest thing to a friend the prime suspect George Wilcox (James Cromwell) to the murder has. The show balances both aspects of the story pretty well, eventually coming to a conclusion that bruises some feelings but still allows for further development in upcoming episodes which apparently will feature some other recognizable guest-stars as murders, suspects, or victims.

While not over complicating it with special effects, the episode points out how Alberg's mind works and how he often sees more when reading a crime scene than others. There's also an example of  his single-mindedness when he gets on the scent. We get references to both his mother and daughters (one of whom we see in a cameo) suggesting his family may play a larger role in a future episode either in conflict with his new relationship with Cassandra or possibly in another small town murder.

• Title: Murder in a Small Town - The Suspect
• IMDb: link