1800s London crime drama ‘Miss Scarlet and The Duke’ is coming to PBS

A new British crime drama series set in the early 19th century will air on PBS in 2020.

Created by Grantchester writer Rachael New, Miss Scarlet and The Duke follows the first ever female detective in 1800s London.

The six-part first season was filmed in Dublin, Ireland earlier this year.

English actress Kate Phillips, best known for her roles in Wolf Hall, The Crown and Peaky Blinders, leads the cast as Eliza Scarlet.

Phillips also appeared as Princess Mary in the recent Downton Abbey movie.

The official synopsis reads: “When [Eliza Scarlet’s] father dies, he leaves her penniless in a time where marriage is her only option for financial security. But the headstrong Eliza is determined to find another way and tales over his private detective agency.

“To operate in this man’s world, she needs a partner, Detective Inspector William Wellington of Scotland Yard, who is also known as The Duke, a drinker, gambler and womanizer. Eliza and Duke strike up a mismatched, fiery relationship and team up to solve crime in 1880s London.”

The cast also includes Stuart Martin (Jamestown), Ansu Kabia (World on Fire), Andrew Gower (Carnival Row) and Downton star Kevin Doyle as Eliza’s father.

Watch the trailer:

 

Miss Scarlet and The Duke will premiere next year on PBS Masterpiece in the US and on Alibi in the UK.

Director Declan O’Dwyer has described the show as “a Victorian Moonlighting.”

He told Andrew-Gower.co.uk that the series “doesn’t take itself too seriously – but it does expose the prejudices society put on women in the Victorian era and draws many parallels to society today.”

A fifth season of Grantchester is also on the way next year.

Grantchester is available on DVD on Amazon.