Rights holder / Distributor: PBS / MASTERPIECE
Miss Scarlett and the Duke is a 2020 British-American crime drama series created by Rachel New. It premieres in the UK on March 31, 2020, and in the US on January 17, 2021.
After her father's death, Eliza Scarlett is left penniless, but decides to continue his detective agency at a time when the profession was almost exclusively reserved for men. To cope with the restrictions of Victorian society, she uses her intelligence, observation and knowledge, and often receives help from her childhood friend William "The Duke" Wellington, a Detective Inspector at Scotland Yard. Gradually, the investigations make Eliza a serious competitor to the men around her, while her relationship with William remains one of the most interesting cores of the story.
The series begins as a relatively traditional 19th century crime story, but gradually finds its own rhythm. The cases are important, but they are not the only thing that drives the plot. More interesting is the observation of the place of an independent woman in a society that constantly reminds her of what she „should“ be. Eliza is not idealized and often acts impulsively, but this is precisely what makes her a more natural character. A stable circle of secondary characters also forms around her, who over time gain an increasingly significant place.
Kate Phillips is the show's great asset. She makes Eliza both sharp, stubborn, and vulnerable enough to not seem like a character who always knows the right answer. Stuart Martin creates a strong dynamic with her as William Wellington, and the relationship between the two is built slowly, without becoming the only reason to follow the story. Among the regulars are also Kathy Belton, Simon Ludders, Ansu Kabila and Paul Basely.
Leaving the Stuart Martin after the fourth season is a major change. William "The Duke" is written out of the story, and the series officially shortens its title from Miss Scarlet and The Duke on Miss Scarlet. In his place, Inspector Alexander Blake, played by Tom Durant-Pritchard. Rather than trying to replicate the old dynamic, the series uses the change to show Eliza in a new stage of her professional and personal development.
Season six continues in this vein, with Eliza and Blake now having to juggle their professional relationships with the changes in their personal lives as they investigate cases involving murder, fraud, political intrigue and crime in various parts of London. The return of Moses Valentine, played by Ansu Kabila, also brings a familiar energy, with the character now having his own private detective business in Paris.
What distinguishes Miss Scarlett and the Duke, is the balance between crime stories and character development. The series doesn't rely on an overly dark atmosphere or constant violence, preferring a lighter tone that allows the mysteries to run alongside the personal relationships. Victorian London is used well enough as a setting, without every investigation becoming a show of sets and costumes.
After six seasons, the story has now reached a natural point of conclusion. PBS has officially confirmed a seventh season as final, and its premiere is scheduled for January 17, 2027. It features the return of Tom Durant-Pritchard, Paul Basely, Tim Chipping, Evan McCabe, Felix Scott, Cordelia Bugeja and Ansu Kabila, while Kathy Belton and Simon Ludders will not be participating. The return of Patrick Nash and Oliver Fitzroy also gives the final season the opportunity to bring back some familiar faces from earlier episodes.
Miss Scarlett and the Duke becomes a nice example of a series that doesn't need to constantly raise the stakes to keep the interest. Its strength lies in the characters, their gradual development and the atmosphere of the era. Even after the big change in the cast, the series manages to maintain its identity, and the fact that it will get another, final season allows the story of Eliza Scarlett to be concluded without unnecessary delay.
