Murder 101
Dick Van Dyke's criminology professor joins a private investigator to test his theories outside the classroom.
4 films · 2006–2008 · Mystery
Start with the first filmMovies in viewing order
Start with Murder 101 from 2006 and continue in release order. The cases change each time, so you can sample a sequel, but the first film introduces Jonathan and Mike. Finish with The Locked Room Mystery, the official title of the fourth film.
Your viewing checklist
Saved films and watched progress stay separate in this browser.- 01
Film 1 · 2006
Murder 101
Film sourceA reporter faces suspicion after a corporate executive dies in an explosion. Jonathan and Mike investigate the evidence against her, making this the introduction to their complementary ways of working.
- 02
Film 2 · 2007
Murder 101: College Can Be Murder
Film sourceJonathan doubts that a fellow professor died of natural causes. A campus setting gives his professional knowledge a personal application, as he and Mike examine the people around the dead academic.
- 03
Film 3 · 2007
Murder 101: If Wishes Were Horses
Film sourceA missing champion racehorse takes Jonathan into the racing world. This is the setting change between the college investigation and the more confined puzzle of the final film.
- 04
Film 4 · 2008
Murder 101: The Locked Room Mystery
Film sourceA spiritual healer dies inside a locked meditation room while his followers are in a trance. Jonathan and Mike must work out how the crime was possible before they can explain who committed it.
About the series
Jonathan Maxwell knows how to teach a criminal investigation. Private investigator Mike Bryant knows how to conduct one. Dick Van Dyke and Barry Van Dyke play the pair across four Hallmark films, with cases involving a reporter, a college death, horse racing and an apparently impossible shooting. Choose this series for the professor-and-investigator partnership. The similar title Mystery 101 belongs to a different cast and a later series.
What to expect
Jonathan supplies the criminology and Mike takes part in the practical investigation. Their clients and suspects change with each setting. If you prefer a small returning detective team over a romance-led series, this is a useful place to start. The fourth case puts the physical circumstances of a death at the centre of the puzzle.
The people who bring it to life
More cast and guest appearances 18
- Shane van Dyke2 films
Ben Manners
- Oscar Best2 films
Detective (Uncredited), Detective
- Tracey Needham1 film
Cheryl Collins
- Kimberly Quinn1 film
Kelly Fogelle
- William Allen Young1 film
Lt. Dietrich
- Alex Hyde-White1 film
Archer Coe
- Stacy Edwards1 film
Diana Brawley
- Mia Cottet1 film
Arielle
- Tony Denison1 film
Nelson Raymond
- Molly Hagan1 film
Hilda Lake
- Ray Abruzzo1 film
Bernard Alger
- Carey van Dyke1 film
Solar
- Lisa Thornhill1 film
Dr. Louise Raymond
- Whip Hubley1 film
Stuart Evans
- Brad Beyer1 film
Jake Brawley
- Scoot McNairy1 film
Panache
- Bradford English1 film
Max Arnholdt
- Jonathan Banks1 film
Det. Frank Chambers
Inside the series
A different professor from Mystery 101
Jonathan Maxwell is a criminologist played by Dick Van Dyke. Amy Winslow, the lead of Mystery 101, teaches literature. The two series do not share a viewing order.
Save the impossible crime for last
The Locked Room Mystery centres on a death in a secured meditation room. It is the best match here for viewers choosing by puzzle type.
What to watch next
A few more answers
Are Dick and Barry Van Dyke playing father and son?
They play criminology professor Jonathan Maxwell and private investigator Mike Bryant. Their partnership is the centre of these films.
Does this connect to Diagnosis Murder?
Treat Murder 101 as its own series. Start with its 2006 first film; this guide does not require any episodes from another programme.
What is the fourth film called?
Hallmark uses Murder 101: The Locked Room Mystery. Some other listings use New Age; this guide keeps Hallmark's title.
Sources & guide notes
Sources checked 13 September 2026. The film count follows the sequence above. Viewing options depend on your country.
Premiere date notes
Murder 101. Pilot row exists with Murder 101 association.
Murder 101: College Can Be Murder. Producer page and IMDb identify the 2007 sequel.
Murder 101: If Wishes Were Horses. Producer page and IMDb identify the 2007 sequel.
Murder 101: The Locked Room Mystery. Producer page, Crown synopsis PDF and IMDb identify the 2008 sequel. New Age is a plot description, not a second film.