Miss Scarlet Series 5 Episode 2 Recap

As this episode of Miss Scarlet begins, Eliza Scarlet (Kate Phillips), Clarence (Paul Bazely), Ivy (Cathy Belton), and Mr. Potts (Simon Ludders) go out to celebrate Barnabas’s promotion to Chief Clerk. The waiter (Zeljko Maksimovic) brings Eliza a drink paid for by members of the Guild of Private Detectives. When Eliza goes over to their table, she is introduced to Edmund Fletcher (Paul Lacoux) and Archibald Spilsbury (Ian Hughes). They are the Chair and Deputy Chair respectively. Edmund explains they want Eliza to join them, but there is a matter concerning Detective Inspector Alexander Blake (Tom Durant Pritchard). Edmund says they must take action since Blake refuses to use private detectives. He believes Eliza can be their ace. Archibald says the role of Detective Inspector requires a perfect reputation, but Blake has been alone with Eliza on several occasions.

Edmund asks her to make an accusation of lewd behavior. If she does it, they’ll allow her to join the Guild and reap the benefits that come with the membership. Eliza refuses. After the intro, Blake tells Sophia (Ruby Siddle) that she’s supposed to be ready for school. Sophia doesn’t like it there because the girls are mean. Alexander tries to cheer her up. Barnabas visits Ivy to say he’s busy and won’t be able to join her for breakfast. Ivy tries to get Eliza to join her only to find herself alone. Eliza visits Blake to talk to him about the Guild of Private Detectives. She warns him that the Guild will do whatever it must to undermine his position. Blake suspects she just wants something out of it. Eliza says they insulted her deeply by asking her to make certain accusations about him. Blake visits Edmund at the Guild. He tells Edmund that he will run his division however he sees fit and no threats of blackmail will change his mind. Edmund tells him about his time as Chair and the fact that the Guild has two thousand members.

It is his duty to ensure that their businesses thrive. If he fails in that duty, he will look weak and he can’t afford that. Blake makes it clear that he doesn’t care. Edmund warns him that his daughter will also suffer if he loses his job. Blake says he will hire a private detective starting tomorrow. It will be Eliza even though she’s not a member of the Guild. Later, Black tells Eliza that she’s going to be working on background checks for a new clerical office. She will also interview and assess the candidates for their suitability. Blake tells her to do it or not. Eliza begins interviewing candidates, including Cynthia Quinn (Rebecca Collingwood). She complains about the work to Ivy later that night. Eliza suggests the task might be beneath her. Ivy tells her what she did today. She thinks Eliza should be pleased that she’s helping those young ladies. Eliza asks if all is well because Ivy doesn’t seem herself lately. Ivy admits she doesn’t know.

She complains that every day is the same for her. Eliza asks what she can do to cheer her up. Back at the police station, Eliza speaks to Detective Fitzroy (Evan McCabe) who offers his assistance. He receives a message asking him to meet Blake at 25 Girton Street. Eliza learns a body has been found at the Guild of Private Detectives. Blake checks Edmund’s body. He isn’t happy when Fitzroy arrives with Eliza. Blake mentions poisons. Eliza says that would explain the sickly-sweet smell. She suspects Edmund was injected using a syringe. When she notices a broken bottle of Chateau Lemaitre on the floor, Eliza points out that Edmund did not drink. Blake threatens to terminate her contract if she doesn’t return to her assigned duties. Ivy picks up food from Arthur and worries she’s too predictable. She notices a sign for a business trying to hire a secretarial assistant. When Ivy goes inside, a woman suggests she’s lost.

The employer tells her the butcher shop is next door. Ivy walks outside and looks at herself in several mirrors. Clarence visits Eliza who says she only has to do this for a few more days. Eliza admits she was hoping for the opportunity to dazzle DI Blake. Clarence has been working on the background checks for the candidates and one applicant caught his attention. There are irregularities in Cynthia Quinn’s work history. The companies listed are actually bogus. The paperwork leaves a trail that leads back to a private detective business, Malone’s Investigation Agency. Eliza decides to follow Cynthia who leads her to the office for Malone’s. She looks inside and sees Cynthia speaking to Malone (Joseph May). Eliza remembers encountering Malone once before alongside Patrick Nash. Black questions Archibald who calls Edmund Fletcher his friend. Archibald was just with Edmund in his office last night when they were discussing his re-election campaign.

Archibald left his office at half past eight. Blake asks about the bottle of wine found broken on the floor of Edmund’s office. Archibald says Edmund hadn’t consumed alcohol in years after picking up a disease in Africa that gave him a slight hand tremor. Alcohol seemed to make it worse. Archibald can’t think of anyone who may wanted to harm Edmund. The election was supposed to be tomorrow evening although it may have to be delayed. Archibald says he may stand in only in memory of Edmund and to continue his legacy. DI Blake learns that there is only one other candidate and they’ve been critical of Edmund’s time in office. At The Poisoned Parrott Inn, Eliza and Clarence talk about Thomas K. Malone. Clarence says he got Nash’s premises for a bargain. Eliza suspects Malone will try to put Cynthia into Scotland Yard to gain access to classified information. Clarence says Malone has decided to run for Chairman of the Guild of Private Detectives.

Eliza speaks to Blake about Malone and Cynthia. She thinks she should go with him to speak to Malone but Blake thinks otherwise. Eliza explains she knows the man and she’ll help for free. Blake tells her not to speak unless he asks her to, not to show any reaction, and not to do anything at all unless instructed to. When they arrive, Malone pretends he’s someone else. Eliza quickly says he’s Malone. They go inside to talk. Malone discusses moving there and taking the offices of Nash and Sons. He claims joining the Guild has been a waste of time and money. Malone gets a drink. Eliza notices it’s the same wine from Edmund’s office. He denies killing Edmund. Malone says he spent two weeks in a cell after his encounter with Eliza. He claims he was in his office working on his election speech last night. His entire staff can vouch for him. Malone admits he did not like Edmund Fletcher.

Blake asks about Cynthia. Malone confirms she’s working for him, but he insists her actions have nothing to do with him. Malone thinks they should be talking to Archibald. Outside, Blake and Eliza briefly discuss the case. He says he’s going to follow up on other leads and she can go wherever she wishes. Eliza says it’s petty if his pride won’t let someone else solve his case. Blake says he has one more appointment before he heads home. At home, Eliza plays a game with Ivy and Barnabas. Potts reveals that Eliza’s name was mentioned today. He explains that Blake came by to pick up the postmortem results on Edmund. Potts told Blake he was surprised Eliza wasn’t a suspect. Eliza tries to find out what kind of poison was found in Edmund’s system. Ivy gets upset with them bickering so Potts says it was the Calabar Bean. Eliza is convinced the puncture mark on the back of Fletcher’s hand was from a syringe.

When Clarence arrives at the office, Eliza tells him she has news. The poison used to kill Fletcher was a rare, ingenious one. When placed in food or drink, it’s slow-acting so it can take hours or even days to take effect. Death occurs by cardiac arrest making it impossible to distinguish from natural causes. Since Fletcher was killed by injection, he would’ve died in seconds. Eliza questions why the killer did that. Calabar Bean grows in the same area where Fletcher and Spilsbury served in the army. Clarence isn’t sure it’s a good idea to conduct their own investigation and antagonize Inspector Blake. Eliza asks Clarence to speak to someone who deals in the exotic end of the black market. Clarence visits Mr. Gibson (Paul Murray). Clarence asks him about the physostigma venenosum. Gibson claims he doesn’t deal with poison. Clarence offers to make it worth his while. After Clarence pays Gibson’s bodyguard (Nemanja Dordevic), Gibson says he’s never heard of the poison.

He won’t give Clarence’s money back either. When Archibald leaves, Eliza sneaks into his office and looks around. Blake ends up catching her in his office. Black says he has a search warrant before they hear screaming. Malone is found tied up downstairs. He explains that Spilsbury invited him over because he was thinking about conceding. After they had a drink, Spilsbury knocked him out. Blake asks where the vote is held. After the vote, Archibald says he hopes to prove himself to everyone. Blake arrives moments later. Clarence approaches Gibson again and says he’s known to black marketers as Archibald Gibson. He knows that Gibson’s wife believes he’s dead. Clarence tries to pressure Gibson to give him the information he paid for yesterday. Gibson asks if he has a pen. Eliza goes to Blake’s house and finds Sophia. Alexander invites her in moments later. He tells her about Sophia briefly before asking about the information she has.

Blake soon realizes that Eliza is relentless. They agree that Archibald Spilsbury is not the murderer. Eliza knows who bought the poison that killed Edmund Fletcher. Blake and others arrest Cynthia Quinn. At the station, Blake tells Cynthia that a syringe was found in her belongings. It contained residue of the poison used to kill Fletcher. Cynthia insists she didn’t kill him. She worked for Fletcher who asked her to get a job with Malone. She explains that Fletcher hated Malone. Fletcher wanted her to report back on Malone but there was very little to report back about. However, she knows he drinks a bottle of wine a day. Cynthia says she took the wine from Malone’s cupboard and got the poison for Edmund Fletcher. She alleges that Fletcher was going to inject the poison through the cork. It would’ve looked like natural causes.

Since Fletcher had a tremor, his hand slipped and he injected himself. Cynthia says Malone wanted her to get a job at Scotland Yard so she could report back on any confidential cases. Eliza speaks to Blake who believes Cynthia’s story. He admits that Eliza did well. Eliza gives him a copy of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland for his daughter. Blake says Sophia has struggled in her new surroundings. They’ve had words and Sophia is with the neighbor Mrs. Bambury. Blake’s wife passed a few years back. Fitzroy interrupts to say the clerical officer is ready. Eliza insists she’s selected the best candidates. Ivy has gotten a position.

 

Miss Scarlet Review

This episode of Miss Scarlet was okay although it feels like The Duke’s departure has been all for naught. Stuart Martin’s exit left many doors open so the possibilities were endless. There really haven’t been any dramatic shifts as DI Blake has just assumed The Duke’s role while being slightly different.

While Eliza and The Duke were reluctant to make moves over four seasons, Eliza and Blake are getting along rather easily after two episodes. The initial hesitation from Blake was similar to what The Duke went through when he refused to work with Eliza. It’s like the show has simply restarted with Blake and we’re going through the same steps. In other words, it’s starting to feel like the series is getting repetitive.

It’s good to see Ivy and Clarence get some moments here, but those are almost pity moments at this point. Patrick Nash was nowhere to be seen, DS Phelps disappeared, and Fitzroy just popped in and out from time to time. The series has a strong cast, but the strongest and most developed cast members have been pushed off the stage to make room for the massive introduction of DI Alexander Blake who quite frankly doesn’t bring anything new to the table.

Viewers who were upset with The Duke’s departure probably aren’t going to appreciate a hasty replacement. However, it’s hard to grasp how the writers failed to capitalize on the natural chemistry between Patrick Nash and Eliza Scarlet. The series has time to improve once DI Blake becomes another fixture, but the first two episodes of series five aren’t promising. This episode scores a 5 out of 10.

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