The Guild – As this episode of Miss Scarlet begins, Patrick Nash (Felix Scott) reads while in his prison cell. Mr. Fulton (Vahidhin Prelic) enters his cell. Nash asks him about another alcohol delivery. Fulton reminds him he still owes him from the last lot. Nash learns that the Governor (Milan Cucilovic) wants to see him. Nash is told he’s before the sentencing review committee and they’ve been asked to look at the length of terms for a number of prisoners. Lord Campbell (Richard Teverson) tells him to sit down. He reveals they’re considering reducing his sentence due to overcrowding. Nash says he’s found faith so he’s a changed man. He’s released from prison moments later. Ivy (Cathy Belton) and Eliza (Kate Phillips) talk about Inspector Blake. Eliza says she has a meeting with Mrs. Parker (Helen Norton) about the lease. She admits they cannot afford to spend more. Ivy suggests finding a nice man and getting married.

She says she’s just teasing her. Nash goes to Eliza Scarlet’s office and tells Clarence (Paul Bazely) how he got out of prison. Clarence breaks the news that all of Clarence’s accounts are empty and his license has been revoked. Nash says he needs some hope and some money. He’s also going to need an office. Clarence doubts Eliza will agree to work with him. Eliza visits Mrs. Parker who introduces her to Dr. Timpson (Paul Thornley). After a brief chat, Timpson leaves. Then, Eliza and Mrs. Parker talk about the lease. Parker agrees to keep it at the same rate as last year. Eliza is surprised to find out that Patrick Nash is out of prison. Nash admits he wants to share her office. He insists it’ll be a month at the max. Eliza gives him three rules, including not to involve her in whatever he’s doing. She gives him one week. Ivy finds Mr. Potts (Simon Ludders) trying to remove a ring from a corpse.

He says he has wonderful news. He’s getting paid more now and thought he’d find better accommodation. He found a little house in Aldgate. Potts says it’ll be the perfect home for when they’re married. He’s made an appointment for her to view it tomorrow. Nash goes to Battersby’s Boarding House and tells himself it’s just until he gets back on his feet. Lord Campbell approaches for a private conversation. Campbell admits he pulled some strings to get him out early. He knows Nash can get things done. Campbell says he has a younger brother who has been an albatross around his neck for years. Bertie likes to spend other people’s money. He’s left a trail of debts across the city, including one to a man named Dylan Cooper. Campbell admits Bertie’s days are numbered and he doesn’t want to wash his hands of him. He asks Nash to find him even though he doesn’t have a license. Campbell wants  Nash to find his brother and put him on a ship to Australia on Friday.

If he refuses, he will be sent back to prison. Campbell offers to pay him 50 pounds, but he wants evidence. He tells Nash he better get going because Friday is only a few days again. Ivy tells Eliza what she didn’t like about the house. Eliza admits she’s started to feel sorry for Potts. Ivy doesn’t see what the rush is. Eliza asks if she’s worried about leaving her. She insists she’ll be fine. Eliza goes to work. Clarence speaks to Nash who says things are far from well. He’s been working a case and he’s found himself at a dead end. Nash says he needs some help. Clarence wants to help but can’t. Nash says they need to find Albert Campbell who is known as Bertie. Nash reveals he’ll be sent back to prison if he doesn’t find this man. Clarence agrees to help him. They talk about the Cooper gang. Nash needs to find out whether Cooper already has Bertie. He needs someone who can pose as a gambler and ask some questions for him.

Nash asks Clarence if he can play poker. They go to The Poisoned Parrot Inn so Nash can teach him how to play. They talk about lying to Eliza. Nash tells him the importance of keeping a poker face. Nash decides to sell his watch which he bought with his first paycheck. That night, Clarence goes to the pub to play poker. He uses the name Charles Windermere and claims he’s a solicitor in Notting Hill. Clarence joins Dylan Cooper (Steve Hartley) and the others. Mrs. Parker visits Eliza at her office to pick up the lease money. Eliza suspects something else is going on. Mrs. Parker confesses she needs to speak to someone. She explains that she’s grown close to Dr. Timpson who proposed to her a few nights ago. He was supposed to visit the day after he proposed but he did not turn up. Mrs. Parker is worried that something has happened to him.

Eliza insists there’s an explanation. Mrs. Parker reveals she made a donation of 1,000 pounds to Timpson’s charitable causes. Clarence does well. He mentions to Cooper that he had hoped to bump into a fellow he used to know. Clarence mentions Bertie Campbell’s name. Cooper’s attitude changes and says Bertie owes him money. Cooper ends the game but tells Clarence not to go anywhere. Once they’re alone, Dylan Cooper tries to find out who Clarence is. Clarence clams himself before telling Cooper that he’s his worst nightmare. He goes on to say he’s an undercover detective inspector from the Scotland Yard. Clarence demands to know where Bertie is. He leaves the pub a short time later. Clarence tells Nash they need to leave immediately. Eliza goes to St. Agatha’s Hospital to look for Dr. Timpson. She’s surprised when Nash comes out of Dr. Timpson’s office. A man nearby says he’s Dr. Timpson.

At the pub, Nash and Eliza discuss the case. Nash explains why he had to take Lord Campbell as a client. He thinks they should join forces and get Mrs. Parker’s money back. Eliza isn’t happy that he got Clarence involved. Nash admits he’s never been brought so low. He believes Campbell will have the money on him. Eliza agrees to help, but they have to give Campbell to the police if he doesn’t have the money. Nash believes Campbell has paid someone to help him disappear. Eliza visits Solomon (Brian Bovell) to see if he can help. Solomon wants three hours so she can speak to the other Solomons. Ivy visits Mr. Potts and tries to smooth things over with him, but he says he’s not happy in the least. He gives her a letter that releases her from all of her obligations to him. Potts doesn’t think she wants to get married and it is time for him to face the truth. He says Ivy does not love him how he loves her. Potts says he’s setting her free because he loves her more than she could ever know.

Nash begins to worry he’s not going to find Campbell. Seconds later, Solomon returns with Solomon Four (Branislav Zeremski) who says he put him on a train to Cumbria. Eliza and Nash want to know where in the Rookery he is. Solomon Four says he’s under the Rookery. Eliza and Nash check the tunnels. They make it to the spot where Bertie Campbell is supposed to be and find a hidden door. When they find a bed with a fake body, someone tries to flee from them. Bertie crashes into Clarence before he’s captured. Nash tells Bertie that his brother wants him out of this city and out of his hair. Bertie doesn’t want to go to Australia. Nash says he’s going and they also want the company. Bertie claims he’s lost the money playing cards with Solomon. Nash refuses to believe him. He asks Eliza not to do anything hasty. Bertie doesn’t want to go to the police.

Nash reminds Eliza that he’ll be taken back to prison. Clarence just wants to get out of there. Nash relents and says they’ll take him to Scotland Yard. They worry that they’ll get stuck in the Rookery after dark. Bertie begins yelling that they’re all undercover police. People start throwing stuff at them. Nash shoots in the air before chasing Bertie alone. At the office, Nash tells Eliza he couldn’t find Bertie. They share a drink to rock bottom. Nash says the only way is up. In the morning, Eliza notices that Nash’s watch is missing from the pawnshop. She asks Clarence for the receipt. Clarence finds out that it’s missing. Eliza catches up with Patrick and accuses him of betraying her. He admits he found Bertie last night. However, he’s changed his mind about letting Bertie go. He says he can’t let Eliza down again. Patrick opens the carriage and lets her have Bertie who is tied up inside.

Nash says the only place he is going is Australia with Lord Campbell’s fee in his pocket. He’s going to start afresh. Patrick says goodbye to Eliza who says she’ll miss him. Nash says he’ll probably be back. Potts visits Ivy who reveals that Reverend Harvey (Branko Duric) has visited. Eliza visits Mrs. Parker to tell her what happened with Bertie Campbell. Parker worries about being the topic of gossip. Eliza insists she will survive this. Then, she goes home and learns that Ivy and Mr. Potts have set a date for the wedding. Potts is going to move in with them since Ivy doesn’t want to leave.

 

Miss Scarlet Review

The fourth episode of Miss Scarlet’s fifth series was easily the strongest of the series and probably the only truly worthwhile episode so far. However, it feels bittersweet with the writers working to get rid of Patrick Nash so they can push Eliza and Inspector Blake together at some point.

The episode proved once again that the show’s strongest characters are the side characters, including Clarence, Nash, and others. However, we have many that are just showing up from time to time such as Phelps and Fitzroy. Blake really adds very little to the show considering the character is a carbon copy of Eliza’s previous love interest.

Eliza doesn’t need a love interest. We’ve already seen how that played out with Potts and Ivy. It’s already to the point where it’s beyond obnoxious. They need to get married or not, but the show needs to push past that storyline as quickly as possible. Not to mention, it’s overly cliché with almost every British crime drama having some type of difficult romance.

While this was a strong episode, it leaves a lot of concerns about the future of the series. At the very least, this was a good point for Felix Scott to drop out because it appears there’s nothing stopping the collapse of Miss Scarlet at this point. The episode scores a 6 out of 10.

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