Miss Scarlet Season 6, Episode 1 Review: Eliza’s Whirlwind Romance Highlights A Deeper Issue

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Warning! This review contains spoilers for Miss Scarlet season 6, episode 1.

The sixth season of Miss Scarlet begins by showing us a new side of Eliza, the skilled Victorian detective, as she tries to juggle her investigations with a budding romance. However, the season doesn’t start slowly! The very first episode features Eliza (played by Kate Phillips) cleverly drugging a group of men and expertly maneuvering around them to recover a valuable object.

While the quirky start to the season is typical for Eliza, viewers won’t find it shocking. What will likely surprise them is the immediate romantic connection between Eliza and Inspector Blake (Tom Durant-Pritchard)—they share a kiss in Eliza’s hallway, visible to passersby on the London street. It’s clear this isn’t a new development, and they’ve been seeing each other for some time.

This episode is different from previous ones because Eliza and Alexander are learning how to work together as colleagues again. The deaths of two women, investigated in the episode “Secrets and Lies,” appear to be their first case since becoming a couple, and Eliza is noticeably thrown off balance. It’s unclear how her romance with the Inspector will impact her work.

The Case Is Secondary To Eliza’s New Work Struggles

Credit: Maja Medic/Miss Scarlet Limited and MASTERPIECE

While the episode presents an intriguing mystery – exploring mental health care and the impact of early trauma in Victorian London – the central focus is really on the developing relationship between Eliza and Blake. Because of this, the mystery itself feels a bit rushed when it’s finally solved.

The couple is trying to keep their relationship hidden from everyone. At the beginning of the episode, Eliza hasn’t shared her good news with Ivy, causing friction between them. Eliza’s colleague, Clarence, also notices something is up, which leads to a particularly funny scene set in a poor neighborhood in London.

Right from the start, when the show was first called Miss Scarlet and the Duke, Eliza has been determined – and perhaps even loved – the challenge of being a detective, constantly battling the expectations of a male-dominated world. She’s intelligent, resourceful, and doesn’t back down, and even during more peaceful scenes with the Duke, she always maintained a strong, independent spirit.

Kate Phillips truly captures Eliza’s strong will, and it’s a welcome change to see her character letting loose in the first episode of Miss Scarlet season 6. We see a joyful, playful, and enthusiastic side of Eliza that isn’t focused on her work. Characters like Eliza often feel pressured to maintain a single, strong image to avoid being seen as vulnerable or too traditionally feminine.

What I really love about Eliza’s arc now is how she’s showing a softer side, but still staying true to who she is at her core. Her reluctance to go public with the relationship totally makes sense given her status, and it’s just a joy to watch the actress playing Phillips – she’s clearly having a blast, effortlessly switching between the Eliza we’ve always known and this fun, flirty new version of her.

Eliza Scarlet is a wonderful character who deserves to find love and be happy. However, I’m not entirely sure I’m impressed with her current love interest, Detective Inspector Alexander Blake.

Is Miss Scarlet’s Leading Man The Right Match?

Credit: Maja Medic/Miss Scarlet Limited and MASTERPIECE

Eliza and Alexander seem like a perfect pair, especially since they both love solving mysteries. He clearly admires her skills, even if he finds her methods a little unusual for a Scotland Yard Inspector. However, there’s a certain predictability to his personality, which is particularly noticeable in the first episode of Miss Scarlet season 6.

Durant-Pritchard does a solid job playing the Inspector – he’s charming, caring, and morally upright, with a background as a soldier and a family life to boot. He seems like the ideal partner for many Victorian women, but I think the show has made him too different from Eliza’s previous love interest, played by Stuart Martin.

The quick pace of Eliza and Alexander’s relationship feels rushed. They developed a connection in just seven episodes that Eliza and Inspector Wellington never achieved across four seasons, which makes their romance less believable. Their scenes are actually more engaging when they’re working on a case together than when they’re sharing intimate moments.

The problem might be that Blake, as the Inspector, doesn’t challenge Eliza anymore while she’s working. Their shared secret is now holding her back, and she lacks a rival within the police force to bounce ideas off of or disagree with. Even the new detective, George Willows (Sam Buchanan), is supportive, admiring Eliza’s skills and being a dependable, kind, and dedicated colleague.

The main source of drama now is Eliza’s fear that her relationship with the Inspector will be revealed, which is making things a bit slow. While Detective Phelps (Tim Chipping) wasn’t always the most exciting character, his absence is definitely felt in the first episode of Miss Scarlet season 6. Despite Eliza’s understandable anxieties, everything feels surprisingly calm.

As a big fan of Miss Scarlet, I thought “Secrets and Lies” was a decent way to kick off season 6. It really sets the stage, showing us how things are between Eliza and Alexander now and hinting at some trouble brewing. Honestly, I’m hoping we’ll see more depth to Alexander’s character as the season goes on – he seems a little one-dimensional so far, and I’m eager to see what’s really going on with him.

New episodes of Miss Scarlet season 6 air weekly on Sundays at 8 PM ET on PBS Masterpiece.

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2026-01-12 03:59