Trench 11’s Rossif Sutherland, who plays Chief of Police Karl Alberg. The series was adapted from a series of mystery books by L. R. Wright and has promising aspects despite not being the flashiest or most dramatic program on TV.

One of the most endearing qualities of Murder in a Small Town is that it subverts expectations of the TV police procedural without trying to be something it isn't. One of the main ways the series does this is in its focal romance between Kreuk’s Cassandra character and Sutherland’s Alberg, which completely disregards an overused romance trope. Instead, Murder in a Small Town offers a romance that is genuine and realistic.

Murder In A Small Town Breaks The Will They/Won't They Romantic Trope

The Will They/Won't They Romantic Trope Has Been Done So Many Times

The second episode of Murder in a Small Town makes it clear the series was ditching the will they/won’t they romance storyline commonly overused on network TV. Instead, Karl and Cassandra dove into their romance head-first in the pilot episode without much controversy. The characters had their first date early on in episode 1, meeting at a local diner in the small town after finding each other on a dating app. Throughout the outing's remainder, Karl and Cassandra organically developed their romance. By episode 2, the couple's relationship is still going strong.

It appears that Murder in a Small Town will let Karl and Cassandra’s relationship progress instead, with other factors driving the narrative forward.

Based on expectations set by network TV, Fox’s series could have rescinded the romance in the second episode. Karl and Cassandra could have faced complications over their disagreement in the pilot about George, and it could have spiraled into a romance where it was unclear how they felt. Employing that storyline could keep viewers hooked on the series, tuning in to figure out how the relationship plays out, but that can be a cheap tactic. It appears that Murder in a Small Town will let Karl and Cassandra’s relationship progress instead, with other factors driving the narrative forward.

How Karl & Cassandra's Established Romance Drives The Story Of Murder In A Small Town

Karl And Cassandra's Developing Romance Is Karl's Superpower

Rather than moving the series forward with the will they/won’t they trope, Murder in a Small Town has opted to drive the plot forward with the character’s healthy, established relationship. Something is endearing and fresh about their romance. Both characters it to being flawed, and watching them open up to one another feels like watching a real relationship progress. While it is not dramatic or tense, it’s relatable. The couple faced a few bumps in the second episode but makeup by the credits, not letting them complicate what they have.

Murder in a Small Town airs on Fox on Tuesdays at 8 pm Eastern.

While Karl comes from a big city, Cassandra is embedded in the community. She connects deeply to the local crowd and has insider information about its residents. Cassandra aids Karl’s investigations with her local connections and knowledge, and while she doesn’t necessarily investigate with Karl, she’s just a phone call away. This makes her equally pivotal to the procedural aspect of Murder in a Small Town beyond being just a love interest.