The season 5 premiere of Miss Scarlet kicked off a new era for the show — and while The Duke didn’t return, fans did get answers about his whereabouts.
During season 4 of Miss Scarlet and the Duke (which is now Miss Scarlet), Inspector William Wellington a.k.a. The Duke (Stuart Martin) professed his love to Eliza Scarlet (Kate Phillips). After they kissed, he traveled to New York City for a job.
In February, PBS announced that Martin, 38, would not be returning to the show for season 5, which shattered many fans’ hopes that Eliza would get her happily ever after. When the new season premiered on Sunday, December 8, via the PBS App and the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel, viewers learned why The Duke wasn’t coming back.
Warning: Spoilers below from Miss Scarlet season 5, episode 1.
“Postmark’s from New York. Aren’t you going to read it?” Eliza’s housekeeper, Ivy (Cathy Belton), said in the episode, delivering a letter to the private detective. Eliza, who is sitting by a fire, replied, “Yes, in private!” but eventually opened it and began to read in front of Ivy.
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Before Eliza could detail the contents of the letter, The Duke’s replacement, Inspector Alexander Blake (Tom Durant-Pritchard), interrupted her. “I fail to see the relevance of this,” Blake told Eliza, who replied, “You asked for every detail.” He quipped, “Every detail relevant to the case. What has this letter to do with anything?”
Eliza and Blake didn’t get off to the best start during the premiere — after she offered her services for a case he shut her down. However, once Blake found Eliza locked in a room with a dead man he agreed to listen to her, which led to Eliza detailing her actions over the past few days — including the reading of the letter.
“The letter was from your predecessor, Inspector Wellington. In it he stated he’d been offered a permanent position in the New York Police Department and with it a promotion to Superintendent,” Eliza explained. “A position he’d never be offered in London, so it was good news indeed.”
Blake was suspicious and asked, “Why was he writing to you?” Eliza replied, “We’re old friends, which was why I was so pleased for him. In fact, I was more than pleased for him. I was delighted.”
The new inspector said, “I don’t believe you,” which caused Eliza to freeze. “I don’t believe you have anything that can help with this investigation,” he clarified.
The scene then switched back to Eliza reading the letter to Ivy and crying over its contents. “Oh Lizzy, I wish there was something I could say to make you feel better,” Ivy said. “There’s nothing to say, he’s not coming back,” Eliza said through her tears.
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While still reeling from the news of the Duke’s promotion, Eliza went to see her former boss and friend Patrick Nash (Felix Scott), who is currently in jail. She informed Patrick that Inspector Wellington won’t be returning to London — which he already knew — and then inquired about Blake.
“He doesn’t hire private detectives,” Patrick revealed, assuring Eliza that if anyone can change his mind it would be her.
As she went to leave, Patrick gave viewers even more insight into Eliza’s heartbreak. “He asked you to join him in New York, didn’t he? Your Inspector?” he asked. After a pause from Eliza, Patrick continued, “But if you’d gone it would have been as his wife.”
He explained: “A Superintendent can’t have a wife who’s a private detective. You would’ve been forced to give up everything you’ve worked so hard for.”
Eliza didn’t confirm his hunch, but she did poke fun at Patrick. “If you know so much, why are you in prison?” she joked. “That’s a question I ask myself every day,” he replied.
As the episode continued, Eliza put aside her feelings and helped Blake solve a tricky case involving a fugitive named Lord Boden and his daughter.
Although Blake put the suspect Emilia Boden behind bars for killing a man — and trying to pin it on her father, Lord Boden, who she claimed was back in London — without Eliza’s clues, he did thank her for her help.
The two part ways, with Blake going home to his daughter and Eliza returning to an empty home. Eliza later went back to prison to see Patrick who asked, “Surely you have better places to be?” Eliza took a sip of her drink and admitted, “Sadly, not.”
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After Patrick told her there will be “other cases” that she can solve, she broke down. “I’m not interested in getting by. Getting by isn’t enough,” she said. “It needs to have been worthwhile.”
Eliza seemed to be upset over The Duke’s decision to relocate, adding, “If I’m to live a life alone I need to excel in my chosen profession and have some lasting success.”
Patrick concluded that Eliza needs to set her sights on “short-term goals” like “getting drunk and playing poker” with him. She cracked a smile and agreed.
Season 5 of Miss Scarlet is streaming early Sundays on the PBS App and the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel. The broadcast premiere airs on Masterpiece Mystery! on PBS Sunday, January 12, at 8 p.m. ET.
