What’s in Store for Miss Scarlet and The Duke Season 2
We have an official release date for Miss Scarlet and The Duke Seasons 2 and 3, plus some insider insights from stars Kate Phillips and Stuart Martin on what to expect in the all-new season. More mysteries, more action, and perhaps more romance? Plus, find out how you can stream full episodes of Season 1 online. Read on and buckle up!
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When Does it Premiere?
Mark your calendars! Miss Scarlet and The Duke Season 2 is officially on its way, premiering on Sunday, October 16, 2022 at 8/7c on MASTERPIECE on PBS.
Plus, some more good news…Season 3 won’t be far behind! The broadcast premiere of Season 3 is coming on Sunday, January 8, 2023 at 8/7c! (For more information on the premieres of Seasons 2 and 3, check out our special feature with all the details.)
Want to watch Season 1, whether it’s for the first time, second time, or tenth time? You can stream every episode of Season 1 now through Oct. 16, 2022 (ET). (Full episode viewing available in the U.S. only.) You can stream the full season on your own schedule anytime with PBS Passport, an added member benefit.
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The Inside Scoop from Kate Phillips on Eliza Scarlet
An Independent Woman: Eliza Scarlet is back and as spunky as ever, ready to solve more crimes and show the men how to do it. Actress Kate Phillips was thrilled to step back into Eliza’s shoes, calling them “a perfect fit” because of just how much she loves the role. “I still haven’t come to terms with the fact that I get to do it, as I think the way the role came to me was a bit too magical!”
Eliza is still the same independent, fierce woman who won’t let anyone tell her what she can and can’t do. “Hattie (played by Jessie Cave) says something that I really like in the first episode of the new season,” Phillips revealed. “She says to Eliza – ‘You know who you are and what you want. Many may not approve, but you simply do not care. I call that [sic] freedom indeed’… There’s something about Eliza that feels really empowering. It’s truly awesome to see a character strive for success and if they stumble, to always do it with a bit of smile.”
And despite any blossoming feelings, Eliza Scarlet wouldn’t be Eliza Scarlet if she gave up on her career just for love (even with a certain prickly Inspector).
“Eliza is still paving her way as a private detective and as much as she wants him in her life, her work is still at the forefront,” Phillips explained. “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.”
Three Words to Describe the New Season: Witty. Bouncy. Romantic.
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Stuart Martin on Going Deeper with The Duke in Season 2
Getting to Know More of the Duke: Stuart Martin returns as William ‘The Duke’ Wellington, who’s gruff demeanor strangely make him the perfect counterpart to the lively, charming, and optimistic Eliza Scarlet. He may grumble, but he too lives for his work, and lives by the book as well.
But there’s more to William than we know, we’ll soon learn. “In in this new season you get to see so much more, and you get a much deeper look at him emotionally, seeing what makes him tick and where he comes from,” Martin said.
His attitude, wits, and frank personality are the very things Martin loves most about The Duke. “I’ve got a load of respect for him because I like the way that he says it how it is. I probably wouldn’t have the confidence to do that,” he admitted. “I like the fact that he will go for what he thinks is right and if he realizes that he’s wrong after it, he’ll always apologize for it.”
Three Words to Describe the New Season: Full of fun!
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Romance in Season 2: Will They or Won't They?
It’s the question we’ve all been asking, ever since that Season 1 finale! While the two stars of the series wouldn’t spoil it for us, they did provide a few crumbs for fans of the duo.
Kate Phillips: Though Eliza may not need a man (or anyone for that matter), there was no denying the want between Eliza and the Duke last season — and though that’s still very much alive, their relationship has never been simple, that’s for sure.
“I feel like there’s a lot of things that are left unsaid between [Eliza and William] in this season,” Phillips said. “By the end of Season 1, the romantic tension is clear to see. This is very much where we find them in Season 2, but unsurprisingly they encounter many of the same hurdles. This year, however, the dynamic between them feels a lot more knowing, and a lot more painful.”
But never fear, she said. It’s not all painful. “The fans will also be happy to hear there is as much sparring and comedy as ever.”
Stuart Martin: At the end of Season 1, things certainly felt promising between the crime solving pair, and we see that at the start of Season 2, according to Martin. But they haven’t changed too much. “They are deeper emotionally, but at the same time they have this very fractious sparring that is a lot of fun to play,” he said. “They don’t really apologize for it and that’s where I see a lot of the comedy and the fun in this series.
But it’s not all smooth sailing (it never is!). The two hit a bump in the road early on when Eliza opens an old case of William’s, a stark reminder of the main obstacle that still exists between them. “William sees that as her challenging him and questioning his position,” Martin explained. “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.”
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Creator, Writer and Executive Producer Rachael New on Season 2
Giving the Fans What They Want: In an interview with MASTERPIECE, series creator Rachael New dove into the inspiration behind the series, the history behind the name “The Duke” and shared what makes her most excited about Season 2.
“I’m really looking forward to this season even more than Season 1 because I know what works—I know what people have loved: focusing on the fun,” she said. “If you look through Twitter, it’s astonishing the amount of love there is for the show… The same premise will be there, which is the engine of the show: a woman in a man’s world, trying to stay in the game. Yes, there will always be a crime of the week, but the most important aspect of the show is what those crimes throw up to our main characters—the problems, the dilemmas, the obstacles.”
Read the full interview with Miss Scarlet and The Duke creator Rachael New.
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The Cast
Kate Phillips and Stuart Martin may play the titular characters of the series, but there’s plenty of cast to know and love!
Some beloved characters from Season 1 that will be returning this season include Eliza’s housekeeper and mother-figure Ivy, played by Cathy Belton (Philomena) and street-wise crook turned maybe-ally (and maybe-friend?) Moses, played by Ansu Kabia (Murder on the Orient Express, I May Destroy You).
Season 1 also featured characters like Eliza’s deceased father Henry Scarlet (who still had the occasional ghostly advice to share), played by Kevin Doyle (Downton Abbey); Eliza’s rejected fiance but fast friend Rupert Parker, played by Andrew Gower (Outlander, Poldark); and The Duke’s partner-in-solving-crime Detective Inspector Frank Jenkins, played by Danny Midwinter (Casulaty, EastEnders).
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Watch a Preview!
