While we enjoyed Murder in a Small Town Season 1, the series improved significantly in its second season.
Murder in a Small Town Season 2 upped the stakes with emotional cases, bigger guest stars, and several longer arcs to keep viewers invested.
While we still think the series would have benefited from more episodes, the two additional ones helped to explore character development.
Let’s take the time to evaluate what improved in Gibsons and what still needs to be tweaked before a potential third season.
Best Episode: The Masterpiece
There were many emotional and thrilling cases, but Murder in a Small Town Season 2 Episode 8 brought the type of cat-and-mouse games we love in murder mysteries.
Tommy Cummins will always be one of my favorite serial killers, if one can have a favorite. He’s delightfully charming and menacing and enjoyed toying with Karl.
While the DA believed he wanted to make amends, Karl quickly realized that Tommy wanted to put his kills on display because he was an artist at heart.
This was some of Rossif Sutherland’s best work, and Noah Reid and Jamie Chung were exceptional, too.
The rest of “Masterpiece” included lots of family drama as we finally met Cassandra’s mother, who was hiding a possible life-changing diagnosis from her daughter and putting Christie Holman in a tight spot.
It was apparent how many people cared about Sid from the visitors in the hospital lobby and from the fact that the Mayor wanted to redo the budget as soon as she learned about his accident.
People take care of each other in Gibsons, and that’s important.
Worst Episode: Trust, but Verify
Most of the cases in Murder in a Small Town Season 2 were fantastic, but Murder in a Small Town Season 2 Episode 6 failed to connect.
While I understood that Mackenzie (Sara Canning) wanted to avenge her sister’s death, this murder was brutal to swallow when we learned she hit the victim over the head with a rock.
I had wished the series had gone a more unpredictable route, with another suspect, or even a monster like Bigfoot.
The revenge plot and the blame-it-on-the-bear line fell flat.
None of the women on this hiking trip seemed very likable, and I only felt sorry for Megan.
Best Overall Storyline: A Realistic Interpretation of a Troubled Teen
We’ve complained frequently about inaccurate portrayals of bullying, and Murder in a Small Town proved us wrong.
Murder in a Small Town Season 2 Episode 5 was one of my favorite episodes because it showed what happens when a bullied victim is pushed too far.
It was so realistic that Elliot Gifford (Jaden Rain) hid a gun in his bag, and then his younger foster brother stole it after Brett Holman (Jacob Shoemay) harassed him again.
My heart broke for those foster brothers, but part of it broke for Brett, too, as the season progressed, because he had so much pain and rage, and no one ever asked why.
Mayor Holman loved her son and would have done anything for him, but she worked two jobs, so he often felt neglected and like a burden.
It wasn’t until Murder in a Small Town Season 2 Episode 9 that the audience learned that Brett’s dad died when he was young, and he harbored resentment towards his mother for being the surviving parent.
While he was an angry teenager, he was also a scared kid who needed attention and help.
If the series is renewed, I hope the Holmans at least pop in, so we can see how they’re coping.
Storyline That Needed More Airtime: Sid’s Family Drama
I loved that Murder in a Small Town explored more of Sid’s family history. I had hoped it would tie Liza’s partying issues to her aunt’s alcohol addiction, but they didn’t.
The series never thoroughly explored why she rebelled, or if it was part of typical teenage angst. We saw her soften towards Sid when she helped him solve the murder of Gracie Westing, her favorite pop singer.
Sid finally saw some of that adoration he missed from his daughter, but things weren’t better yet.
I’m annoyed that after Sid landed in the hospital and Liza felt guilty, this storyline abruptly ended.
I wanted to see more scenes with Sid and his family as he recovered, especially as Liza grew from this experience.
We’re all thrilled Sid survived, but they should give us more of the emotional moments he had with his daughters earlier in Season 2.
Supporting Character We Want More Of: Isabella
Initially, EP Jeff Wachtel teased that we would see more about Isabella’s law school arc.
I feel like we were ripped off. She found out she had been accepted into law school on Murder in a Small Town, Episode 3, but Isabella still acted like an office assistant.
Part of her seemed scared to take the next step, while it also seemed like she was needed as a “gopher” because the Gibsons police department was understaffed.
I love how helpful Isabella was, but I want to see her with her own arc, especially since she’s so patient with teenagers.
Maybe she could specialize as a public defender for the juvenile justice system.
Best Guest Star: Tyler Posey
Murder in a Small Town Season 2 featured many brilliant guest stars, but Tyler Posey thrilled us with his portrayal of Ryan Coogan on Murder in a Small Town Season 2 Episode 5.
He appeared as Jack, the victim’s best friend, and seemed like a good guy, but he was running from his past.
Posey played the character beautifully, so you thought he was a concerned friend until near the end, when you questioned if he killed Jack’s daughter in a jet ski accident.
He’d been hiding the truth ever since and seemed determined to keep it that way, even if it meant killing his friend.
But Ryan wasn’t a cold-blooded killer, and you could see the mixed emotions as he tried to smother Jack. It was such a layered performance that thrilled and chilled us.
Best Karl & Cassandra Moment: A Near-Death Experience Makes Them Realize How Precious Their Relationship Was
There is nothing like a near-death experience to make you reevaluate your life.
While a night apart had already done wonders to help the iciness between Karl and Cassandra, things were still tense when he left to interrogate Tommy Cummins again.
We’ve watched so many phone calls in these near-death scenarios, but Karl and Cassandra were a newer couple and only recently revealed their feelings.
He didn’t want any negativity between them if he died, and he needed her to know what a fierce, positive influence she had been in his life.
I think that’s when the tide turned for Karl, since, when he returned, he vowed they would never end the day angry.
You could almost tell he was mapping out their lives together.
Ways Murder in a Small Town Could Improve:
I’m thrilled that we learned more about the main characters in Season 2, but the series still primarily focuses on Karl and Cassandra, and even their development needs work.
We learned why Cassandra left Sacramento in Murder in a Small Town Season 2 Episode 9 when Warren arrived to stalk her and harass her.
That could have been an emotional and riveting arc, but the series dropped it after only one episode. While I appreciated that it focused on Cassandra taking back her life, we needed more information.
The series has barely explored Karl’s family history with his father, and hopefully, if we get another season, it will examine how both Karl’s father and Cassandra’s mother shaped them.
All of the supporting characters need more airtime. I’d love to check in and learn if Phyllis ever got more renters, and how she’s coping with the added stress.
Most of the characters dealt with extra stress, including Laila, and we’ve barely scratched the surface of her backstory.
Why is she so cautious around people? Will she and Vanessa reunite?
We want another season of Murder in a Small Town since we’re invested in this team, and it would be intriguing to watch Karl and Cassandra run Gibsons as the Police Chief and the Mayor.
Over to you, Fanatics. What were your favorite moments this season? Do you hope Murder in a Small Town gets another season?
Let us know in the comments.
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