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shes_awesome2010-05-17 03:49 pm
groovekittie) wrote in shes_awesome2010-05-17 03:49 pm
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Murdoch Mysteries: Dr. Julia Ogden
So "what is Murdoch Mysteries?", you may ask. It's a wee Canadian series that airs on City TV in Canada and on UKTV's Alibi in England. I hear it's way more popular overseas than it is here, which is a shame. Not that it does so well over there, that's great! But that it isn't appreciated at home as well as it should be. It's a great show.
The show is centered around Det. William Murdoch, a Catholic detective in the Toronto constabulary in the late 19th Century. The show is part forensics and part historical drama. It's so great and fun to watch!
But one of the reasons I love this show so much is the character of Dr. Julia Ogden. Julia is the pathologist and mortician who works closely with Murdoch. While she is often considered the love interest for Murdoch, she is also so much more. The reason she intrigues Murdoch so much is that she is so wildly intelligent, independent, strong, and nobody's damsel in distress. I mean, she's a doctor in 19th Century Toronto! And she's single! AND she cuts up dead people and solves crime for a living! She has a CAREER! She's not afraid to speak her mind!
My favourite episodes are when she speaks for herself. I'm debating whether or not to keep this spoiler-free or what ... lol But there are so many wonderful specific moments where Julia just proves that she's plain ol' AWESOME2.
In this episode, Murdoch is on the case of an apparent serial killer who has the pattern of killing 8 working women before moving on. An inspector from England is helping with the case, as he has been tracking the killer since Europe into Toronto.
At the end, the killer comes after Julia, just when Murdoch figures out who the killer is and he and Brackenried (his boss) rush off to rescue Julia. By the time they get to her, she's collapsed against a wall covered in blood. When Murdoch rushes to her side you find that it's the killer's blood as she's stabbed him.
Like I said, Julia is no damsel in distress requiring some prince to save her. She does it all on her own. To top it off ... she shows up at her dance lesson the next day to learn how to dance with Murdoch despite his expectation that she would want to stay home to recover. THAT'S HOW AWESOME SHE IS! She's no delicate flower! NO SIR!
And there are TONS more examples like that. That one just comes to mind because it's early in the show, smack dab in the two seasons that have aired already, and I saw it yesterday on a rerun. :P
But really, is there any better of an example of just how awesome a character can get? I don't think so.
So again, Julia is an highly educated woman in the late 1890s Toronto, who isn't afraid to speak for herself, stand up for herself, has a career - oh yeah and is gorgeous. That's pretty much an afterthought in light of all the other awesome things she is. Because she's AWESOME!
The show has wrapped the 3rd season in the UK, and is halfway through the 3rd in Canada.
Some LINKS:
Interview with Helene Joy on Alibi
Murdoch Mysteries Official site (S3)
My Untitled fic - I wrote this formedie's Because We're Awesome Drabble-a-thon quite some time ago. Unfortunately, I wrote in between the first and second season hiatus and then information surfaced in S2 that rendered it non-canon. :P Ah well. C'est la vie, as they say.
Also, there needs to be more fic about her that isn't all about her and Murdoch because that's all there is at the moment. I tried to find just Julia fic but couldn't find anything. :( If anyone knows of any, let me know! I'd love to read it! :D
The show is centered around Det. William Murdoch, a Catholic detective in the Toronto constabulary in the late 19th Century. The show is part forensics and part historical drama. It's so great and fun to watch!
But one of the reasons I love this show so much is the character of Dr. Julia Ogden. Julia is the pathologist and mortician who works closely with Murdoch. While she is often considered the love interest for Murdoch, she is also so much more. The reason she intrigues Murdoch so much is that she is so wildly intelligent, independent, strong, and nobody's damsel in distress. I mean, she's a doctor in 19th Century Toronto! And she's single! AND she cuts up dead people and solves crime for a living! She has a CAREER! She's not afraid to speak her mind!
My favourite episodes are when she speaks for herself. I'm debating whether or not to keep this spoiler-free or what ... lol But there are so many wonderful specific moments where Julia just proves that she's plain ol' AWESOME2.
In this episode, Murdoch is on the case of an apparent serial killer who has the pattern of killing 8 working women before moving on. An inspector from England is helping with the case, as he has been tracking the killer since Europe into Toronto.
At the end, the killer comes after Julia, just when Murdoch figures out who the killer is and he and Brackenried (his boss) rush off to rescue Julia. By the time they get to her, she's collapsed against a wall covered in blood. When Murdoch rushes to her side you find that it's the killer's blood as she's stabbed him.
Like I said, Julia is no damsel in distress requiring some prince to save her. She does it all on her own. To top it off ... she shows up at her dance lesson the next day to learn how to dance with Murdoch despite his expectation that she would want to stay home to recover. THAT'S HOW AWESOME SHE IS! She's no delicate flower! NO SIR!
And there are TONS more examples like that. That one just comes to mind because it's early in the show, smack dab in the two seasons that have aired already, and I saw it yesterday on a rerun. :P
But really, is there any better of an example of just how awesome a character can get? I don't think so.
So again, Julia is an highly educated woman in the late 1890s Toronto, who isn't afraid to speak for herself, stand up for herself, has a career - oh yeah and is gorgeous. That's pretty much an afterthought in light of all the other awesome things she is. Because she's AWESOME!
The show has wrapped the 3rd season in the UK, and is halfway through the 3rd in Canada.
Some LINKS:
Interview with Helene Joy on Alibi
Murdoch Mysteries Official site (S3)
My Untitled fic - I wrote this for
medie's Because We're Awesome Drabble-a-thon quite some time ago. Unfortunately, I wrote in between the first and second season hiatus and then information surfaced in S2 that rendered it non-canon. :P Ah well. C'est la vie, as they say.Also, there needs to be more fic about her that isn't all about her and Murdoch because that's all there is at the moment. I tried to find just Julia fic but couldn't find anything. :( If anyone knows of any, let me know! I'd love to read it! :D
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In addition to all the other reasons you listed above, I think Julia is awesome because:
- she is always up for an adventure
- she has a silly streak, which occasionally surfaces in the form of hilariously terrible morgue jokes
- she is open-minded and forward-thinking (especially for a woman of her time), and makes her opinions clear in ways that often make other characters think twice about their pre-conceived ideas (especially Murdoch)
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makes her opinions clear in ways that often make other characters think twice about their pre-conceived ideas (especially Murdoch)
I think this becomes especially evident when it comes to Murdoch's spiritual beliefs. I don't think he questions his belief in God so much as the Church's way of doing things. Which is, I think the more important thing. While Ogden is an atheist (or at the very least, an agnostic), she doesn't fault Murdoch for his beliefs, just his inability to see others' points of view at times. When they don't see eye to eye, that's when she really makes him think. And it's never the other way around. Which I love.
It's not a question of making him believe her, it's just a matter of making him see her point of view is all, and that's all she asks. And as a scientist, Murdoch appreciates that. She is a brilliant and understanding woman.
Man, I love Ogden! lol
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I love Julia's character. She's strong and independent in a time when women were seen as that. She's not afraid to call Murdoch on his prejudices/blind spots. Hell, she's not afraid to tell the man she is very interested in that she !!!!!!!!!!!!SPOILER!!!!!!!! had an abortion in the 1800's! How brave is that?!
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http://video.citytv.com/video/show/murdochmysteries/allmedia/4294966581/
The first two seasons are also available on DVD on Amazon as well! :D
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And Julia! How not to love her? She's a formidable woman, she owns herself, and damn! I hate where we were left at end of Season three! Noooo!
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I not so secretly want to push for a MM/Doctor Who crossover.
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Love this first piece of fanart on this page. Murdoch/Ogden.
http://community.livejournal.com/glockart/75079.html
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