“Totally debated that”: Murder in a Small Town showrunner talks about his decision to deliver an intense penultimate episode

What an incredible week for the series Murder in a Small Town. The viewers, who were expecting a normal buildup to the finale, got instead a penultimate episode that was like a direct punch: It was sharp, tense, and unexpectedly moving. And yes, the reason why episode 9 was so powerful is that the creators suddenly moved one major incident forward.

Showrunner Ian Weir stated that the writers “totally debated that” decision but finally agreed to put the crucial plotline before the finale to keep the narrative structure clear. As per Cinemablend, when the showrunner was asked why the writers delivered a finale-worthy episode as the penultimate, he said:

"That's a really great question, and we totally debated that with the writers and with producers as well. Ultimately, we just thought that having had the wonderful chance to work with Marcia over the course of the season, we wanted absolutely to do a story built around her character, but didn't want to get locked into something that had to be the high octane, escalating murder mystery plot line, [but] something that could lock in more on the relationships of the characters. That's why the decision was to go with that storyline in Episode 9, and then in Episode 10, shoot off all of the fireworks."

Right from the start of his interviews, he made it apparent that it was a deliberate pacing decision, not a narrative accident.

There have been a lot of people talking about the choice made by the Murder in a Small Town creators, particularly because Episode 9, 'The Fall of Holman,' actually places Mayor Christy Holman in the very middle of the action during the hour and then quickly leaves her plotline hanging at a crucial point.

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The reason for moving Mayor Holman's Plotline to Episode 9 in Murder in a Small Town

Throughout the interviews, Weir repeatedly states that the team made a deliberate choice to place Mayor Holman's dramatic change in Episode 9 instead of the finale. As per CinemaBlend, the decision indicates that the writers spent some time weighing whether it should take place even later.

In the end, they picked the second-to-last episode to keep the finale from becoming too crowded. Episode 9 follows her leaked emails, the scandal, and her trying to tell the public, all leading up to the attack that is the climax of the episode.

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The role of Holman's storyline in the season's architecture

Murder in a Small Town deploys the narrative of Episode 9 to close the political subplot of Mayor Holman while at the same time preparing the ground for the slowly building Cassandra narrative. Episode 9 also deals with the public coming to terms with Holman through the email leak and the pressure rising around her office. The assault on Holman that concludes the episode is seen as a dramatic "turning point," but it is not the end of the story.

Weir points out that putting this in the closing act would spoil the tempo. If Holman’s scenario and the Cassandra plot were made to occupy the same episode, both would have lowered their emotional impact. Thus, isolating Holman’s dilemma in the second-to-last chapter allows Murder in a Small Town to keep a clear division between the political scandal and the deeper psychological arc related to Cassandra.

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The placement of Cassandra in Episode 9 and the reason why her narrative needed to be separate in the finale

According to the interview by TV Insider, Episode 9 is also a major point concerning Cassandra, especially how her relationship with Warren is changing. CinemaBlend points out that the unsettling nature of Warren’s reappearance was intentional and that it helped to set a darker tone, which was even beyond the writers’ initial expectations.

Weir comments that Warren was “creepier than I had hoped for,” thus producing the tonal shift that sets up the conclusion of the series. Since Murder in a Small Town is largely focused on Cassandra’s personal history, more precisely the plot revolving around a murder from the past that comes to light, Weir argues that this needed the space of the finale.

To merge that storyline with Holman’s would have resulted in a very limited and confined final episode.

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The human aspect of Karl's decision and Episode 9

Karl decides to return the engagement ring and the emotional strife that comes along with it. Weir analyzes Karl’s view in terms of how the personal relationships develop in parallel to the bigger inquiry.

Murder in a Small Town adds Karl’s inner struggle to Episode 9, thereby integrating the personal costs into the building tension. The showrunner does not see it as an artistic license; he places it as part of the human aftermath that lies hidden under the police story.

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The reasoning behind the intensity of Episode 9 is explained

Weir makes it clear that Episode 9 is the emotional discharge of the season. He does not refer to it as a twist episode or a ratings tactic; rather, he claims it is a structural necessity. The cast wanted the finale to “let off all the fireworks” of the central mystery without weakening it by throwing in another big event.

Therefore, the intensity of the second-to-last episode in Murder in a Small Town is a conscious choice. It is not shown, as a surprising exception, but as an ingeniously timed storytelling tool that places each plot at just the right spot.

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The intensity of Episode 9 of Murder in a Small Town is due to the creators’ deliberate positioning of Mayor Holman’s dramatic moment just before the finale. They “totally debated” the decision, but in the end, the director’s positioning was chosen to preserve the narrative flow of Cassandra’s season-long arc.

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For any more information related to Murder in a Small Town, refer to Soap Central.

Also Read: Murder in a Small Town Season 2 Episode 9 recap: Why was Mayor Holman attacked?

Murder in a Small Town Season 2 cast and guest stars: Here’s who brought the Fox crime drama to life