Murdoch Mysteries: The Murdoch EffectEpisodes Guide

Murdoch and George Crabtree are making a drop for a kidnapped girl in a greenhouse, when everything goes wrong and Crabtree accidentally knocks him out. Suddenly, Murdoch is catapulted to the future, where he's bemused by an angry Detective Crabtree, a woman sergeant, Narcotics Officer Julia, automobiles, skyscrapers, slang and a strange case that parallels his own back in the past.

Murdoch and Crabtree (who keeps losing his temper at Murdoch for calling him George) visit an evil mobster, Brackenreid, and his bodyguard, Higgins. The two take Brackenreid into custody, but he lawyers up. Meanwhile William and Julia grow closer together, and William is fascinated by the inventions of this modern age. In the end, Grace Crandell reappears and faints (and looks exactly like Dr. Grace).

Murdoch and Crabtree question Grace, who gives frustratingly vague answers. Murdoch, Crabtree, and Julia make a plan to watch both Grace and Brackenreid, so they split up, Julia following Crandell and the unlikely duo following Brackenreid. Murdoch marvels at the technology of this age, a coffeemaker, a camera, doughnuts and cell phones. However, the case takes a disturbing turn when Julia loses Grace and is abruptly cut off from her call to George. The pair realize it was a trap, and Julia is captured.

Murdoch and Crabtree frantically try to call Julia, but there's no answer. Brackenreid, exiting the building he was in, gives them a mocking wave, and they go after him. He cockily asserts that they're his alibi, and then leaves. Murdoch and Crabtree get into a heated argument because of Crabtree's rash decisions, and Murdoch learns he's on suspension. Trying to stop him from making a stupid choice, Crabtree punches Murdoch, sending him back to the past.

Murdoch wakes up and bemusedly tries to make sense of his two colliding worlds. He tells Brackenreid of Grace Crandell's gambling problem and the Inspector promises to look into it, advising Murdoch to get some sleep. George of the past tells Murdoch that Julia is at a fundraiser at the Flatiron Building, and Murdoch realizes that's where Brackenreid of the future has her. Murdoch gets George to hit him again, and he's back in the future. He's able to find future Crabtree and tells him about the 19th century coal room which opened to the sewer, explaining how they didn't see Brackenreid leaving the building or Julia entering it. They go in (despite having no firearms) and kick down the door.

George knocks out Higgins and takes his gun, and Murdoch leads them to the coal room. They find Brackenreid and Grace packing, while Julia is tied up. Murdoch deduces Grace and Brackenreid were in love, so they planned the kidnapping to get money to leave Canada. Grace pulls out a gun and threatens Julia, but Julia kicks her and Grace goes down. Brackenreid dives for the gun, but Murdoch gets it first.Julia recounts the conspirators plan to go down to Buffalo and fly to Fiji, and then invites Murdoch to a production of West Side Story, which he understands as Romeo and Juliet. They're interrupted by Crabtree, who tells them he's off suspension and gets his gun back (affectionately named "Aunt Daisy"). Julia gets another officer to take a picture of the three of them, while Murdoch reluctantly gets George to hit him again.Back in 1899, George and Brackenreid tell him they found Grace Crandell's gambling problem but not her bookie. Murdoch quickly sends them to Union Station to find the pair, where they're waiting to go to Buffalo. Murdoch then goes out with Julia, who invites him to a production of Romeo and Juliet. In a twist ending, Murdoch discovers he still has the cell phone with the picture of modern day Crabtree, Julia, and him.