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Frankie Drake Mysteries

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Frankie Drake Mysteries
Genre
Created byCarol Hay
Michelle Ricci
Starring
Country of originCanada
No. of seasons4
No. of episodes41
Production
Production locations
Running time43 minutes
Production companiesShaftesbury Films
UKTV
Original release
NetworkCBC Television
ReleaseNovember 6, 2017 (2017-11-06) –
March 8, 2021 (2021-03-08)
Related
Mary and Flo On the Go!

Frankie Drake Mysteries is a Canadian drama that ran on CBC Television from November 6, 2017 to March 8, 2021. The series stars Lauren Lee Smith and Chantel Riley as Frankie Drake and her partner Trudy Clarke who run an all-female private detective service in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in the 1920s.

Overview

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Lauren Lee Smith portrays the fictional Frankie Drake, the first female private detective in 1920s Toronto, with Chantel Riley as her crime solving partner Trudy Clarke.[1][2] Frankie and Trudy are often assisted on their cases by Mary Shaw (Rebecca Liddiard), a morality officer in Toronto's police force, and Flo Chakowitz (Sharron Matthews), a morgue attendant at the Toronto City Morgue.[3]

Cast and characters

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Main

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  • Lauren Lee Smith as Frankie Drake, Toronto's first female private detective and the owner of Drake Private Detectives
  • Chantel Riley as Trudy Clarke, Frankie's partner and friend
  • Rebecca Liddiard as Mary Shaw, a morality officer in Toronto's police force who often helps Frankie with her cases
  • Sharron Matthews as Flo Chakowitz, a morgue attendant at the Toronto City Morgue who provides information to Frankie

Recurring

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  • Wendy Crewson as Nora Amory, Frankie's mother, a con artist
  • Karen Robinson (seasons 1–3; guest season 4) as Mildred Clarke, Trudy's mother, a good Christian woman who is not afraid to speak her mind when needed
  • Grace Lynn Kung (seasons 1–3) as Wendy Quon, the owner of Quon's Cafe, a speakeasy in the Ward that is frequented by the main cast
  • Romaine Waite as Bill Peters, a friend of Trudy's who works at city hall and helps the women out with information at times. At the beginning of season four, was engaged to Trudy. He had a job offer in Ottawa, which caused Trudy to break off the engagement
  • Emmanuel Kabongo as Moses Page (seasons 1 & 3), Frankie's boxing instructor with whom she has a casual romantic relationship
  • Steve Lund as Ernest Hemingway (season 1), a writer and reporter for the Toronto Star
  • Richard Walters (seasons 1–3) as Tickles Malone, a musician who Frankie bumps into at different clubs around Toronto
  • Anthony Lemke as Detective Grayson (season 2), recently transferred to the Toronto police and a thorn in Frankie's investigations
  • Johnathan Sousa as Alessandro Contento (season 4), a European race car driver who is Frankie's boyfriend
  • Ben Sanders as Steven Reid (season 4), a journalist for the Worker's Gazette and Mary's boyfriend
  • Patrick Garrow as Harvey Lyle (season 4), a detective in Mary's precinct, who suspects Mary is smarter than she lets on and tries to catch her snooping
  • Mac Fyfe as Sebastian West (season 4), Frankie's neighbour, a carpenter, who has a passing interest in Frankie

Guest

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Episodes

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Series overview

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SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
111November 6, 2017 (2017-11-06)February 5, 2018 (2018-02-05)
210September 24, 2018 (2018-09-24)November 26, 2018 (2018-11-26)
310September 16, 2019 (2019-09-16)December 2, 2019 (2019-12-02)
410January 4, 2021 (2021-01-04)March 8, 2021 (2021-03-08)

Season 1 (2017–2018)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
11"Mother of Pearl"Ruba NaddaMichelle RicciNovember 6, 2017 (2017-11-06)
Frankie partners with a surprising ally when she's named as the number one suspect in a robbery that looks like the work of her dead father.
22"Ladies in Red"Ruba NaddaCal CoonsNovember 13, 2017 (2017-11-13)
Frankie and Trudy are hired by a factory owner to root out communists working for him, but things are not as they appear.
33"Summer in the City"Norma BaileyCarol HayNovember 20, 2017 (2017-11-20)
When a dead body turns up in the luggage of a young man, the case brings Frankie and Trudy into Toronto's elite social circles.
44"Healing Hands"Sudz SutherlandAndrew Burrows-TrotmanNovember 27, 2017 (2017-11-27)
When Trudy gives shelter to a faith-healing preacher's daughter, she and Frankie find themselves investigating Toronto's Jazz scene.
55"Out of Focus"Sudz SutherlandJohn CallaghanDecember 4, 2017 (2017-12-04)
Frankie and Trudy go undercover in the glamorous world of film in order to solve a seemingly impossible murder on a silent movie set.
66"Whisper Sisters"Leslie HopeAdriana MaggsDecember 11, 2017 (2017-12-11)
After a shooting injures the young son of a friend, Frankie and Trudy's investigation leads them into the dangerous world of bootlegging.
77"Ties That Bind"Eleanor LindoCarol HayJanuary 8, 2018 (2018-01-08)
Mary recruits Frankie and Trudy to find a missing teacher, but their investigation leads them to family secrets, Chinatown and murder.
88"The Pilot"Leslie Hope (as Alanis Smithee)Carol HayJanuary 15, 2018 (2018-01-15)
A day off turns into a day at the office for Frankie and Trudy when the infant son of a charismatic aviator is kidnapped during an air show.
99"Ghosts"Peter StebbingsIan CarpenterJanuary 22, 2018 (2018-01-22)
The horrors of war haunt Frankie when an investigation into a soldier's murder reunites her with a friend left traumatised by his tour of duty.
1010"Anastasia"Cal CoonsMichelle RicciJanuary 29, 2018 (2018-01-29)
Frankie is hired to confirm the identity of a young woman claiming to be the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia and protect her from those who want her dead.
1111"Once Burnt Twice Spied"Peter StebbingsMichelle RicciFebruary 5, 2018 (2018-02-05)
When Frankie gets a mysterious call from a British spy, Mary discovers how she and Trudy met, and how Drake Private Detectives was formed.

Season 2 (2018)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
121"The Old Switcheroo"Ruba NaddaCarol HaySeptember 24, 2018 (2018-09-24)
Nora has a legitimate job at the Toronto Museum, where an old enemy of Frankie's tries to pull a con job and almost pulls a con on Nora herself. In the end, Frankie goes to the United States to meet up a famous archeologist to get some information. Meanwhile, Flo and Mary unite to find out the truth about a mysterious man involved in a seemingly straight-up death.
132"Last Dance"Ruba NaddaJames HurstOctober 1, 2018 (2018-10-01)
A case of mistaken identity has a diabetic man kidnapped during a dance marathon. Frankie meets Detective Grayson for the first time. The accidental kidnapped victim is diabetic and is on a ticking clock to get a newly invented medication called insulin.
143"Radio Daze"Cal CoonsRuba NaddaOctober 8, 2018 (2018-10-08)
A producer of a local radio station tries to use a radio play as a cover to pull a bank job, but Mary figures it out and tries to warn Frankie.
154"Emancipation Day"Ruba NaddaAndrew Burrows-TrotmanOctober 15, 2018 (2018-10-15)
Marcus Garvey is in town to lend his support to a fundraiser for a black girls' orphanage and offers a Trudy a job in Chicago. Flo and Mary take a trip to a Rochester, NY police station, where they encounter a female police officer.
165"Dressed to Kill"Sudz SutherlandJessie GabeOctober 22, 2018 (2018-10-22)
Coco Chanel hires Frankie, while visiting Toronto, when someone tries to shoot her when the police did not take it seriously. A local gossip columnist in the Toronto Star called Lipstick writes about the goings-on happening before Coco's fashion show. Lipstick is revealed to be Nora.
176"Extra Innings"Sudz SutherlandJohn CallaghanOctober 29, 2018 (2018-10-29)
A female baseball player is killed while playing, who Frankie finds out that was being paid to throw the game. Mary joins the team to help solve the murder, while Frankie meets Bessie Starkman, who is a racketeer.
187"50 Shades of Greyson"Cal CoonsJessie GabeNovember 5, 2018 (2018-11-05)
Mary suspects Detective Greyson of hiding evidence and decides to spy on him on her own, only to get caught by Greyson himself and fired instead. It is revealed that the case is familiar to Greyson because it is similar to one at his old precinct. They discover that one of the killers is someone from Mary's past.
198"Diamonds are a Gal's Best Friend"Peter StebbingsCarol HayNovember 12, 2018 (2018-11-12)
A famous diamond is stolen and Frankie and Trudy take the case with some help from Nora.
209"Dealer's Choice"Ruba NaddaJohn CallaghanNovember 19, 2018 (2018-11-19)
Frankie and Trudy agree to help a young man retrieve his pocket watch, which has sentimental value. Their search takes them to Bessie Starkman's casino, who is not happy to see Frankie, but admits her casino has been robbed at gunpoint a few times. The two women agree to help each other out.
2110"Now You See Her"Ruba NaddaJames HurstNovember 26, 2018 (2018-11-26)
Frankie goes undercover as a magician's assistant when his first assistant dies in a magic act gone wrong.

Season 3 (2019)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
221"No Friends Like Old Friends"Ruba NaddaCarol HaySeptember 16, 2019 (2019-09-16)
Agatha Christie helps Frankie solve the disappearance and poisoning of an old friend of hers from the war, while Frankie is visiting in England. Trudy and the gang help Frankie out at home, while dealing with leaky plumbing.
232"CounterPunch"Mina ShumJohn Callaghan and Keri FerenczSeptember 23, 2019 (2019-09-23)
Frankie steps into the boxing ring to stop illegal boxing and meets up with her old friend Moses Page.
243"School Ties, School Lies"Ruba NaddaJennifer KassabianSeptember 30, 2019 (2019-09-30)
A favourite teacher at a private school is killed and Frankie is hired to find the killer.
254"A Brother in Arms"Mina ShumKaren Hill and Ley LukinsOctober 7, 2019 (2019-10-07)
Frankie discovers her long lost half brother, who asks her help in exonerating a condemned friend.
265"Things Better Left Dead"Ruba NaddaCal CoonsOctober 14, 2019 (2019-10-14)
Frankie investigates a murder involving a medium she suspects to be a con artist.
276"Life on the Line"Stephen ReizesKeri FerenczOctober 28, 2019 (2019-10-28)
Finding a man ready to throw himself off a bridge, Frankie investigates who is trying to ruin his life.
287"Out on a Limb"Ruba NaddaCarol HayNovember 4, 2019 (2019-11-04)
Frankie investigates the murder of a flapper club dancer.
298"Ward of the Roses"Stephen ReizesAndrew Burrows-TrotmanNovember 11, 2019 (2019-11-11)
When a friend of Trudy's is running for office, she and Frankie try to figure out who's attempting to wreck her campaign.
309"A History of Violins"Cal CoonsJohn CallaghanNovember 25, 2019 (2019-11-25)
When a famous violinist has her instrument stolen in the middle of a concert, Frankie is called in to look for it.
3110"A Sunshine State of Mind"Ruba NaddaJennifer Kassabian & Keri FerenczDecember 2, 2019 (2019-12-02)
As a heatwave washes over the city, the ladies help track a con man who bilked Nora and Mildred.

Season 4 (2021)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
321"Scavenger Hunt"Eleanore LindoMary PedersenJanuary 4, 2021 (2021-01-04)
The gals attend an outdoor scavenger hunt to celebrate Trudy's engagement, but find themselves investigating a murder when one player is killed.
332"Prince in Exile"Eleanore LindoPeter MitchellJanuary 11, 2021 (2021-01-11)
When a prince is kidnapped in Toronto, Frankie and the team are hired to discreetly find to him to avoid an international incident.
343"The Girls Can't Help It"Gary HarveyMary PedersonJanuary 18, 2021 (2021-01-18)
A priceless bottle of wine is stolen, leading Frankie and Trudy to investigate a trio of flappers, infamous for their wild lifestyles.
354"A Most Foiled Assault"Gary HarveyJennifer KassabianJanuary 25, 2021 (2021-01-25)
The gals are hired to discover who is responsible for the murders at a female fencing trial of Olympic hopefuls.
365"Ghost in the Machine"R.T. ThorneKeri FerenczFebruary 1, 2021 (2021-02-01)
While staying at Frankie's office, Nora is convinced she was visited by the ghost of a murdered woman. Persuaded to search the building, Frankie and Trudy are led to a shocking discovery.
376"The Guilty Party"R.T. ThorneCarol HayFebruary 8, 2021 (2021-02-08)
The team investigates whether a man acquitted of a grisly murder is indeed innocent or guilty.
387"Life is a Cabaret"Bosede WilliamsKeri Ferencz & Sharron MatthewsFebruary 15, 2021 (2021-02-15)
After witnessing a man's murder, Frankie's search for his lady-friend suspect leads her to an underground cabaret and surprising results.
398"Sweet Justice"Bosede WilliamsJennifer Kassabian & Robina Lord-StaffordFebruary 22, 2021 (2021-02-22)
When Trudy discovers that her new dream home has contaminated water, the gals investigate the source with help from nighttime vigilante, Lady Justice.
409"Showstoppers"Peter StebbingsPeter Mitchell & Rebecca LiddiardMarch 1, 2021 (2021-03-01)
Mary looks into a morality violation by Rita Hart's modern dance troupe, but as a sudden illness begins striking down the members of the troupe, Frankie questions if they've brought the Spanish Flu to Toronto.
4110"A Family Affair"Harvey CrosslandJennifer Kassabian & Keri FerenczMarch 8, 2021 (2021-03-08)
Frankie's father reappears in her life, alive but in danger, with both Nora and Jack determined to be involved in Ned Drake's scheme. Mary risks her chances at becoming an official police officer by going on record to speak up against corruption in the police force, while Flo confronts her sister to protect her niece. Meanwhile, Trudy accepts a job at an insurance company only to discover her new employers are far more unscrupulous and dangerous than she realizes.

Production

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The series was created by Carol Hay and Michelle Ricci; both women also served as writers and producers on Murdoch Mysteries.[4][5] It is produced by Shaftesbury Films.[6]

On April 5, 2018, the show was renewed for a second season.[7] On March 25, 2019, the show was renewed for a third season.[8] The third-season premiere was filmed in England, with Honeysuckle Weeks playing the role of British author Agatha Christie.[9] On May 27, 2020, Frankie Drake Mysteries was renewed by CBC for a fourth season. On February 28, 2021, CBC announced the show would not be renewed for a fifth season.[10]

In May 2020, an animated spinoff for kids called Mary and Flo On the Go! was reported as being in production;[11] the web series was released in March 2022.[12]

Broadcast

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Alibi in the United Kingdom aired the second season starting January 21, 2019, with the third season aired in 2020.[13] Ovation in the United States aired seasons one and two back to back, beginning on June 15, 2019,[14][15] and started airing season three on April 4, 2020.[16] The fourth and final season premiered on October 2, 2021, following the broadcast of the new special titled Frankie Drake Mysteries: Music at Midnight, and the series concluded on December 4, 2021. Co-produced by Ovation in conjunction with the Toronto Sympathy Orchestra and Shaftesbury Films, this special features interviews and performances from series stars Chantel Riley, Sharron Matthews, and more. The special wasn't aired in Canada, instead released onto YouTube by Shaftsbury on their channel earlier in February 2021, and premiered on Ovation on September 25, 2021 at 7PM ET/4PM PT. Additionally, PBS has started broadcasting the show and offering it on-demand through its membership program, Passport.[17] The show was further picked up in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.[18] In Greece the show airs in ERT3 under the title "Frankie Drake" (Φράνκι Ντρέικ) on Saturdays and Sundays at 20:00pm. The show was not so successful like Murdoch Mysteries (Ντετέκτιβ Μέρντοχ) in the past.

Home media

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DVDs
Title Region 1 Region 2 Region 4
Season One May 8, 2018 May 9, 2018 (also Blu-ray, Region B locked) June 27, 2018
Season Two June 25, 2019 April 8, 2019 (also Blu-ray, Region B locked) June 26, 2019
Season Three September 8, 2020 April 6, 2020 N/A
Season Four September 7, 2021 May 31, 2021 (also Blu-ray, Region B locked) N/A

Reception

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The series has received generally positive reviews from critics since its release.[19] John Doyle of The Globe and Mail remarked "it's a hoot and as silly as all get-out," and concluded that "thanks to its charm and the frocks, skirts, suits and, well, the gorgeous furniture, it's frightfully good entertainment."[20] Johanna Schneller of the Toronto Star wrote that "the messaging in CBC series sometimes hits you over the head, but it's fun to watch women run their own show."[5]

Notes

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References

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  1. ^ "The TV home of Murdoch Mysteries is getting a new detective drama". Toronto Star, April 4, 2017.
  2. ^ "Frankie Drake". Shaftesbury. Archived from the original on September 1, 2017. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
  3. ^ "Flo Chakowitz - Characters - Frankie Drake Mysteries". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  4. ^ "Female-detective drama 'Frankie Drake Mysteries' set to debut on CBC". National Post. November 3, 2017. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
  5. ^ a b Schneller, Johanna (November 12, 2017). "In Frankie Drake Mysteries, some characters get a chance to sashay". Toronto Star. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
  6. ^ "CBC greenlights Shaftesbury’s Frankie Drake". Playback, April 4, 2017.
  7. ^ "UKTV Co-Production 'Frankie Drake Mysteries' Renewed For Season 2". Tvwise.co.uk. April 5, 2018. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  8. ^ "CBC announces first round of renewals for the 2019–20 season". tv-eh.com. March 25, 2019.
  9. ^ "'Frankie Drake Mysteries' Heads To London For Season 3, Honeysuckle Weeks To Guest Star". Tvwise.co.uk. May 16, 2019. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  10. ^ "CBC'S FRANKIE DRAKE MYSTERIES ENDS AFTER FOUR SEASONS". tv-eh.com. February 28, 2021. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
  11. ^ "Mary and Flo from 'Frankie Drake Mysteries' get their own animated TV series". Thespec.com. May 12, 2020. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  12. ^ @CBCFrankieDrake (March 7, 2022). "Inspired by #FrankieDrake Mysteries, Mary & Flo On The Go is an animated series following #MaryAndFlo as they travel the world meeting inspirational women of the 1920s Watch now on http://youtube.com/shaftesburykids" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  13. ^ "Alibi Sets UK Premiere Date For 'Frankie Drake Mysteries' Season 3". TVWise.co.uk. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  14. ^ "Ovation Sets Premiere Dates for 'Murdoch Mysteries' and "Frankie Drake Mysteries"". TheFutonCritic.com. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  15. ^ "OVATION CELEBRATES THE ART OF MYSTERY WITH THE RETURN OF MURDOCH MYSTERIES". Ovationtv.com.
  16. ^ "FRANKIE AND TRUDY ARE BACK! OVATION ANNOUNCES PREMIERE DATE FOR SEASON THREE OF FRANKIE DRAKE MYSTERIES". Ovation TV. February 4, 2020. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  17. ^ "Frankie Drake Mysteries – Summer in the City". Twin Cities PBS. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  18. ^ "U.S. Deal for Frankie Drake Mysteries". Worldscreen.com. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  19. ^ "Frankie Drake | TV, eh?". www.tv-eh.com. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
  20. ^ "CBC's Frankie Drake Mysteries is fabulously fun Canadian content". Retrieved December 16, 2017.
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