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I happened to catch an episode tonight of Murdoch Mysteries, a production by the Canadian house Shaftesbury, on CITY TV at 10 p.m. this evening, 22 December 2012. As you may know, Murdoch is an intrepid detective in late 19th century Toronto who applies deductive reasoning and science to close his cases. It is one of my wife's favourite shows and I have enjoyed watching episodes---until tonight. The central character in the story is a young woman considered an "idiot savant" who possesses, among other attributes, an incredibly precise memory. This talent is underscored when, in Detective Murdoch's office, she knocks over a chessboard on which, presumably, our brilliant sleuth has been playing a game. To our boy wonder's amazement, she then replaces the pieces in, he proclaims, exactly the original position. This realization of her photographic memory leads him ultimately to the solution of the mystery.
The only problem is this: first, when she replaces the pieces on the board they are clearly not in the original position (pawn on f4 instead of g4, rooks and bishops misplaced, etc.); second, neither the original position nor the position she recreates is possible as both White bishops are, in both cases, on dark squares.
I suppose I should simply laugh this off as yet another example of the film and television industry's well-established proclivity to screw up anything to do with chess. But I find it truly unbelievable that a reputable production house like Shaftesbury could so totally mishandle the central element in a show that purports to be built around the precise scientific approach of the hero. Perhaps it is too much to ask that the producers take the trouble to consult one of the hundreds of expert chess players in Toronto to set up a position that is at least possible. But it would have taken no special effort on the part of continuity to ensure that the pieces get put back on the right squares. Indeed, you would think it would take a special effort to get it wrong and then miss it in editing.
Needless to say, that is the last episode of Murdoch Mysteries that I will bother to watch.
The only problem is this: first, when she replaces the pieces on the board they are clearly not in the original position (pawn on f4 instead of g4, rooks and bishops misplaced, etc.); second, neither the original position nor the position she recreates is possible as both White bishops are, in both cases, on dark squares.
I suppose I should simply laugh this off as yet another example of the film and television industry's well-established proclivity to screw up anything to do with chess. But I find it truly unbelievable that a reputable production house like Shaftesbury could so totally mishandle the central element in a show that purports to be built around the precise scientific approach of the hero. Perhaps it is too much to ask that the producers take the trouble to consult one of the hundreds of expert chess players in Toronto to set up a position that is at least possible. But it would have taken no special effort on the part of continuity to ensure that the pieces get put back on the right squares. Indeed, you would think it would take a special effort to get it wrong and then miss it in editing.
Needless to say, that is the last episode of Murdoch Mysteries that I will bother to watch.
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