![]() Martin’s scowling, growling, and eye rolls obscure an obvious respect and admiration for Eliza. ![]() He sees crime as a dirty, gruesome business that benefits from Eliza’s more calm, analytical mind.įor most of the series, their relationship is akin to an annoying little sister and her big brother. Hopefully not, as the pair seem to work best as foils. The series, wisely, avoids giving them a “will them, or won’t them” type of relationship, like a Victorian version of “Moonlighting,” though the finale leads one to question if that could still happen. When Duke demands Eliza give up being a detective it’s not wholly because it just isn’t done during the times, but because of a promise to her father to keep her safe. Phillips’ warmhearted presence is tempered by Martin as the loud, brash Victorian “Duke.” Outside of being the heavy to scream at villains or deliver a punch, his relationship with Phillips’ Eliza is one of equals who see two different methods of solving crimes. When Eliza ends up in jail or in front of a judge for trying to be a woman doing men’s work, she’s frustrated, of course, but the script never beats the audience over the head with “she’s hindered because she’s a woman.” She elegantly deduces information in a Sherlock Holmes way, without falling into the trap of presenting an overbearing “Girl Detective” veneer. Audiences might remember Phillips for playing the demure Jane Seymour in “Wolf Hall,” and Eliza Scarlet has a similar primness to her. The individual mysteries are all fun, ranging from straight-up murder to Eliza infiltrating a presumed terrorist group… which is actually just women trying to gain suffrage.Īs she becomes more enmeshed in local events, she returns again and again to Martin’s “the Duke,” who, at times, sees her femininity as an advantage but generally just wants her to give up the life and fall back into conventional gender roles. Instead, she decides to continue her father’s work. This matter of necessity could put Eliza on the path to a hasty marriage with the kind-hearted, if nerdy, Rupert Parker (Andrew Gower). Branded the town drunk, she doesn’t pay much heed to what’s happened until his body is presented to her. We meet Eliza as she learns her father has disappeared. In five episodes, 50-minutes each, there’s a breathless quality to its blend of mystery-of-the-week and an overarching story. What makes “Miss Scarlet and the Duke” work so well is what feels like brevity. ‘Succession’ Review: A Provocative Series Finale Hammers Home Hard Truths - Spoilers However, the men of Scotland Yard, especially her childhood friend William “The Duke” Wellington (Stuart Martin), see Eliza as little more than a hindrance. When he dies, Eliza is left needing to find a way to keep a roof over her head, so she decides to carry on in her father’s footsteps and become a private detective. Maybe that’s why Rachael New’s PBS mystery series, “ Miss Scarlet and the Duke” feels so charming, because Being Feminist (capitalization intended) isn’t what it sets its focus on.Įliza Scarlet’s (Kate Phillips) father was a retired detective who taught his daughter everything about detection. In fact, there have been numerous female detectives created for the period, with the plotlines generally revolving around how strange and unusual she is for entering a man’s arena. ![]() That’s not to say that inserting a woman into this world immediately revolutionizes the premise. The Victorian era has been shaped by its men, from Sherlock Holmes to the dastardly deeds of Jack the Ripper.
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