‘Miss Scarlet and The Duke’ Season 2 Premiere Date, Season 1 Recap, and More
London’s first female detective is back on the case in PBS’s Miss Scarlet and the Duke. Season 2 of the detective drama premieres Oct. 16. Before diving into the six new episodes (which air weekly through Nov. 20), here’s a refresher on where things stood at the end of season 1.
Kate Phillips stars in ‘Miss Scarlet and The Duke’
Miss Scarlet and The Duke – which premiered in the U.S. in January 2021 – introduced Eliza Scarlet (Peaky Blinders’ Kate Phillips), a fearless young Victorian woman determined to carry on her late father’s work as a private investigator, despite the many obstacles standing in her way. By her side was her childhood friend (and possible love interest), police inspector William “The Duke” Wellington (Stuart Martin).
The show opens with the sudden death of Eliza’s father Henry (Kevin Doyle) a former police officer who’d left the force to start his own detective agency. With the household finances in shambles following Henry’s death, Eliza takes matters into her own hands (and fulfills her dream of becoming a detective) by taking over her father’s business. It’s an unconventional choice, but her other alternative is to accept an offer of marriage from her kind, closeted neighbor Rupert Parker (Andrew Gower), which she knows would make them both miserable.
Over six episodes, Eliza establishes herself as a detective to be reckoned with, even as people repeatedly dismiss her because of her gender. She gets help on some of her cases from her father’s former protégé, William. However, working with him doesn’t come without conflict (plus a hefty dose of sexual tension). She also connects with Moses (Ansu Kabia), whose underworld connections prove helpful in several investigations.
What happened at the end of ‘Miss Scarlet and The Duke’ Season 1?
By the end of season 1, Eliza has figured out that Henry’s investigation into a ring of forgers led to his murder. As Eliza and William dig into the case, they discover that Police Superindent Stirling (Nick Dunning) is involved. But before he can be arrested, the corrupt officer is murdered by his accomplices, who make their escape to America, much to Eliza’s frustration.
However, in a last-minute twist, William discovers that his fellow officer Frank Jenkins (Danny Midwinter), is actually the mastermind behind the forgery ring. He murdered Henry Scarlet, Stirling, and the other involved in the plot. He intends to kill William as well, but Eliza and Moses arrive, foiling his scheme. The season 1 finale ends with William and Eliza agreeing to go to dinner together, hinting at a brewing romance.
What to expect from season 2 of the PBS drama
Miss Scarlet and The Duke Season 2 begins several months after the end of season 1, with Eliza taking on another new case. A woman has hired her to find her missing sister. But the young woman’s disappearance was already investigated and closed by the police. That leads to fresh tensions between Eliza and William.
“William sees that as her challenging him and questioning his position,” Martin told PBS. “His position at work is also being tested because of her. So, it’s a big question as to whether they can work together moving forward because of how involved she gets in the cases.”
As to whether Eliza and William take their friendship to the next level in season 2, fans will have to wait and see. But in an interview with PBS, Phillips hinted that her character’s first priority is her work, not romance.
“Eliza is still paving her way as a private detective and as much as she wants [William] in her life, her work is still at the forefront,” she said. “She’s still in the process of proving herself to the world and she won’t let anything get in the way of that. Even the Duke.”
Season 2 premieres Sunday, October 16 at 8 p.m. on PBS. (Check local listings.) Steam Miss Scarlet and the Duke Season 1 for free on PBS.org or with the PBS app.
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