If, like me, you love a juicy period detective drama, you’ve surely already discovered Miss Scarlet and the Duke. This British-American co-production, broadcast on Alibi in the U.K. and PBS Masterpiece in the U.S., follows the exploits of one Eliza Scarlet (Kate Phillips), the city’s first-ever female investigator, as she develops her own detective agency in Victorian London. During her investigations, Scarlet often crosses paths with an old family friend (and slow-burn love interest), the esteemed yet somewhat gruff Detective Wellington, and together they solve cases that are endlessly mysterious and intriguing. If you haven’t watched yet, I highly recommend it.
Lucky for us, Miss Scarlet and the Duke was renewed for season 4 before season 3 even aired. In fact, production had already begun on the new season in November 2022, while season 3 wouldn’t premiere on Masterpiece until January 2023. So when can we expect season 4 to land, who will we see return to Miss Scarlet‘s version of Victorian London, and what might the new season be about? Read on to find out.
When will Miss Scarlet and the Duke season 4 release?
PBS has revealed that Miss Scarlet and the Duke season 4 will premiere on Masterpiece on Sunday, January 7, 2024. There is currently no official date for the fourth season’s U.K. debut, though it will likely be released around the same time, as it is an American-British production.
PBS recently released a trailer for Miss Scarlet and the Duke season 4. You can watch it here:
Which cast members will return for Miss Scarlet and the Duke season 4?
Almost the entire cast is set to return, including Kate Phillips as Eliza Scarlet, Stuart Martin as Detective Inspector William “The Duke” Wellington, Cathy Belton as friend and housekeeper Ivy, Evan McCabe as Detective Fitzroy, Felix Scott as fellow private investigator Patrick Nash, Simon Ludders as Mr. Potts the coroner, and Tim Chipping will return as Detective Sergeant Phelps. Also joining the cast in season 4 are newcomers Paul Bazely and Curtis Kantsa.
Sadly, the PBS announcement for season 4 doesn’t mention whether Ansu Kabia will be returning as well. Kabia has played the character Moses in all three seasons of Miss Scarlet and the Duke so far, helping Eliza with many of her investigations. Moses not returning to the show would be a real loss, though season 3 did leave his future open-ended, so there’s always a chance he may resurface.
What will Miss Scarlet and the Duke season 4 be about?
If you haven’t finished season 3 yet, beware of spoilers! The third season finale certainly packed a punch. Not only did Eliza’s rival investigator, Patrick Nash, offer her a genuine position at his much larger detective agency, but Wellington may have finally realized his true feelings for Eliza. Kate Phillips has teased that Eliza and Wellington’s history will be explored more thoroughly in the upcoming season, as well as an interesting build-up of tension between them. And how might she handle leaving her father’s legacy behind, upon joining Nash’s team? It certainly seems like there’s a lot of compelling, fun character work that will come into play in season 4.
(featured image: Alibi / PBS)
