Every season, the Drama After Dark team gathers ‘round the (currently virtual) conference room table to watch the latest and greatest in British dramas. This month, our colleagues at MASTERPIECE delivered a deluge of new dramas, including Miss Scarlet & The Duke, a feminist detective series set in Victorian London. I’m here to recap all the mysteries (and the romance) of the season as it happens (and we’re also covering the show on Drama After Dark).
It’s morning at Victoria Mars’ house, and lest you think that our heroine doesn’t know how to have a good time, she and Ivy are waiting around with bated breath to… read the newspaper that Super Rooper brought over?
Kind of missing the “give us the headlines right now” vibes from the two women, Super Rooper launches into a story about how fun it was to buy the paper for the first time rather than having it hand-delivered by a servant, before Ivy finally caves and snatches the paper out of his hand.
Victoria Mars: Well this will be great: publicity is always helpful, and you might even get mentioned, buddy!
Super Rooper: Just as long as mummy doesn’t find out…
Victoria Mars: Aha, here we go: Bomb plot foiled! By Duke Silver, super cop? WTF?
Ivy: What does it say about YOU?
Victoria Mars: NOTHING! It just goes on and on about Duke Silver’s huge brain. Ugh.
Super Rooper: What about me?
Victoria Mars:
Well THAT’S some annoying BS, huh? It’s almost as if the papers, and indeed, the man in question, didn’t get the memo that Victoria Mars is the main character here, and Duke Silver's just a FOIL. I hoped we’d be able to avoid Duke Silver’s boss, the preternaturally creepy Superintendent Slimy, this week, but no dice: Duke Silver is also starting the morning with the newspaper in the aforementioned creepo’s office, awaiting his pat on the back.
Superintendent Silmy: Well good job, kiddo. The illustrated police news wants to write an article about you, and yes, it’s a fishwrapper, but all press is good press etc. Reporter’s coming today, drop my name, will ya?
Duke Silver: Ok?
Superintendent Slimy: Good. Do that, and you’ll get that promotion.
I have to assume at least some small part of Duke Silver knows that he’s not getting away with this without a fight from Victoria Mars, but he still pretends to be surprised to find her in his office.
Victoria Mars: Well fancy meeting you here, thought you might have forgotten to show up to work since you also forgot to mention my work on this case? You know I need that publicity!
Duke Silver: Look, you’re my secret crime solving buddy — it’s ok for the guys to know about you, but the general public!? Anyway, if we ever work together again I’ll try to get you some credit.
Victoria Mars: Sure, and I’ll try to give you the benefit of the doubt.
Reader, I don’t think she’s trying that hard.
Anyway, while Duke Silver prepares for his date with a journalist, Victoria Mars heads back to the office and gets waylaid as usual by Herr Hildegard, who wants to introduce her to his niece Tilly.
Hildegard: Hopefully she can hang out with you and do lady stuff while she’s here!
Victoria Mars: Alas, I have no time for lady stuff with my detective work and whatnot.
Hildegard: Oh, yeah, Tilly thought that was super exciting! Anyway, you busy now?
Victoria Mars: YUP. Bye!
Hildegard: That’s too bad, I have a case for you!
Victoria Mars: Oho, well, I’m never too busy for you, pal.
Hildegard: Great! What do you know about death photography?
Reader, I could not be more delighted to tell you that this episode is about to get super fun. Death photography became popular in this era as an affordable way to remember one’s dead loved ones, and while we generally find these images morbid today, they were considered a normal and healthy part of the grieving process for families of the time. This article has some good examples if you’re curious! Victorian photographers also thought that the last thing a person saw before death could be captured on their retinas, which obviously has some interesting forensic implications, so we might get some of THAT in this episode as well. Anyway, back to the show!
Hildegard lays it out: being an undertaker, he’s pals with a death photographer, Mr. Henderson, who’s been getting some creepy correspondence. The cops, unsurprisingly, haven’t been all that helpful. The letters are hand-delivered in plain envelopes, and contain only photos that Mr. Henderson has taken, but with a twist: the pictures are manipulated to include an added ghostly figure. Obviously, he initially suspected that someone broke into his studio, so he burned the negatives, but that didn’t stop them.
Victoria Mars: And there’s no message?
Henderson: There doesn’t need to be; the image speaks for itself. That ghostly woman is my late wife.
Spooky! Across town, Duke Silver gives his journalist a tour of the precinct. It’s hard to tell if this reporter is a kiss-ass, or just faking, but either way he’s effusive in his excitement at this frankly rather banal ride-along.
Duke Silver: I mean, I’m just surprised you’ve heard of me.
Reporter: Nooo, you’re so famous! I loved reading about your latest adventure: I cried! Anyway, everyone will love to hear about the guy who keeps us all safe :)
Duke Silver, shutting the door: Ah, while we’re on the topic of the article — it’d be great if you could mention much we all look up to Superintendent Slimy? He’s really great!
Reporter: Hmmm, I bet. While we’re talking about how much we love our bosses, MY boss is keen to attract a large audience. Got any old-timey clickbait to show me?
Duke Silver: Aha. Sure. Let’s look over the cases on my desk. We got arson?
Reporter: Anyone dead?
Duke Silver: Nope.
Reporter: Too bad. See, people kind of only care about it when kids or pretty ladies die. So if this article is going to be published, we’ll really need a good case.
Duke Silver: Aha. I see.
Back at Victoria Mars’ office, she examines the photos sent to Mr. Henderson with the assistance of Hildegard’s fancy magnifying glasses.
Victoria Mars: My dad had a great collection of glasses, but they’ve disappeared.
Hildegard: Well, your dad was great, but he sure wasn’t organized.
Victoria Mars: While you’re here, you know Henderson pretty well, right? Would anyone want to harm him?
Hildegard: No way, he’s a total sweetheart.
Victoria Mars: AHA. There’s blood on the envelope and the corner of the photo! But if it’s a threat, why make the blood so hard to see?
Hildegard: Did he tell you how his wife Catherine died? She killed herself, and poor Henderson found her. So you see, torturing him like this is really quite cruel.
Victoria Mars takes some time to ponder that when a familiar woman arrives: the assistant from Henderson’s studio, Amelia.
Amelia: I know who’s doing this. I help with the photo stuff, but I was originally brought on as a governess by Catherine. Anyway, when she died, poor Henderson was so distraught that I took on more duties, and we became close. But people are so judgemental, he’s insisted on keeping it a secret.
Victoria Mars: Keeping WHAT a secret?
Amelia: We’re engaged. And those photos started arriving the day after we were affianced. She’s punishing us.
Victoria Mars: Ok, well that’s not possible, let’s be sensible.
Amelia: She warned me that she would punish me if I went near her man. It’s revenge, Victoria Mars, and I can prove it.
Me, gnashing my teeth and chanting, feral with excitement: Séance. Séance! SÉANCE!!
Yeah dudes, that’s right, it’s séance time. Victoria Mars, Amelia, and a random guy we don’t know sit down with a spiritualist for a wee chat with the dead. For fun, please imagine that everything the spiritualist (who I'm calling Long Islington Medium) says is inflected with a classic “telling ghost stories around the fire” spooky voice.
Long Islington Medium: Before she died, your mother gave you something. A painting. A landscape.
Rando, rapturously: Yes! She did!
Long Islington Medium: It’s a city with a river. London? No, thank you spirits, it was Paris. At sunset.
Rando:
Victoria Mars, sarcastic:
The rando leaves, so it’s just us girls.
Amelia: Well, Victoria Mars clearly still doesn’t buy it, mom.
Victoria Mars: I mean, it was a fun show though!
Long Islington Medium: Fun? Show? We were talking to the dead bro!
Victoria Mars, sidestepping: It would be boring if we all believed the same thing!
Amelia: My mother has a gift, Victoria Mars. Tell her, ma!
Long Islington Medium: Catherine is restless, angry, and vengeful. I KNOW she’s sending the photos, she told me so herself.
Victoria Mars: Amelia, you mind if I get some solo time with your mom?
Amelia leaves, and Victoria Mars gets down to it: doesn’t this lady get that she’s upsetting her daughter?
Long Islington Medium: I’m only telling her the truth!
Victoria Mars: You’re telling her cruel stories.
Long Islington Medium: You’re a lot like him… your father. He was a skeptic too.
Victoria Mars: You knew my dad?
Long Islington Medium: Not in life. But he’s here right now!
Victoria Mars: I don’t know why you’re doing this.
Long Islington Medium, looking to the side: I’ll tell her. Victoria Mars, your dad says you had a pet frog as a kid, and used it to study chloroform. You named it after your teacher.
Victoria Mars: How do you know that? Have you been reading these recaps?
Mystery unsolved, we turn our attention to the morgue, where Duke Silver explains exit wounds to his crime reporter, who’s zoning out.
Duke Silver, annoyed: Bored?
Reporter, unrepentant: Yeah buddy, what did I tell you? This isn’t the kind of case my readers want!
Duke Silver: Well, there’s still all the interviewing to do; perhaps that will unearth something fun.
Before they can get into it properly, Duke Silver’s sidekick Frank appears.
Frank: Hey, great news, we can close this case! Turns out it was his business partner; they had a big fight.
Duke Silver: Uh, don’t be too hasty though?
Frank: There are three witnesses? And when they arrested the guy he said “I’m glad I did it?” Pretty open and shut, pal.
Reporter: What business did they do, anything cool? Circus maybe? Grave robbers? Drug dealers?
Frank: Nope, CPAs.
Duke Silver: Welp. Burglary next?
Morgue Bureaucrat, interrupting: Duke Silver, you know I hate conflict. But this is unacceptable!
Duke Silver: What are you on about?
Morgue Bureaucrat: YOU HAVE TO TALK TO HER!
We all know where this is going: Victoria Mars is outside causing a ruckus in an attempt to get into the morgue.
Reporter, interest piqued: Whomst?
Duke Silver, lying through his teeth: My cousin. She’s super boring and ugly, not worth talking about. I better go deal with her.
And so he does… kinda. Is he going to help her? No. Does he want to hear what she has to say? No. Is he going to fob her off on Frank in an attempt to get them both out of the way for his ongoing miserable time with the reporter? Yup. Victoria Mars isn’t fooled by that last bit: she dislikes Frank (good taste), he dislikes her (bad taste), and she can tell something is afoot. Unfortunately for them, Duke Silver doesn’t care. Back at the office, Victoria Mars pours over the fraud records, where she finds nothing about Long Islington Medium. Instead, she asks for the case file on Henderson, but gets shut down, despite her attempts to flatter and flirt Frank into submission. All in all, not a great morning.
Later, Victoria Mars heads over to Henderson’s for more investigating, just in time for Amelia to take Henderson’s kid Violet to the park.
Henderson: Man, I’m so lucky: Amelia is great with Violet, and I don’t know what I would do without her. Speaking of which, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about our engagement, but I’m a private person and I know some people would judge. Do you really think her mom is involved?
Victoria Mars: Well, she’s either a fraud or she can talk to the dead, and I can tell you which one I think is more plausible.
Henderson: The thing is, even if she wanted to mess with us, she wouldn’t know how to manipulate the photographs.
Victoria Mars: You burned the negatives, but before that, who had access?
Henderson: Only Amelia, but she can’t be the culprit: she’s been freaking out, and having night terrors. Look, I have to be away on business tonight, and she doesn’t like to be alone here: would you stay with her?
Victoria Mars: I’m not a babysitter, man!
Henderson: Please? I’m worried that she’s losing her mind, and I can’t have her hurt herself like Catherine did.
Victoria Mars: Fine, but I don’t like it.
Later that night, Amelia shows Victoria Mars to her room, explaining on the way that nighttime is the worst, and that she and her fiance are both very keen to move away from the unhappy memories in the house.
Amelia: Anyway, he thinks we need a fresh start.
Victoria Mars, gently: What about you? You know you don’t have to marry him, right?
Amelia: What are you implying? I’m very excited to marry him and have my own children, who wouldn’t?
Victoria Mars:
Amelia: Oh, damn, you’re weird. Anyway, I haven’t been totally honest with you. Henderson and I got together before his wife died. She knew about it, that’s why she told me she’d get revenge. It’s our own fault.
Victoria Mars: Whoever is doing this isn’t a ghost.
Amelia: Well maybe you’ll change your tune tonight. This bedroom? It was Catherine’s, and it’s where she died!
Before we can digest THAT revelation, we must go to the pub, where Frank and Duke Silver are enjoying some after work drinks. Does the pub look dingy and probably smelly? Yes. Am I still very jealous that they’re sitting at a table close together despite not being in the same household? ALSO YES.
Frank: So, what happened with your journo?
Duke Silver: He got bored and left :( So much for my 15 minutes of fame. And all so I could talk up Superintendent Slimy, who, by the way, would have already promoted me if he thought I was a snob with army connections like him.
Frank: Snobs are indeed the worst. Speaking of which, that Victoria Mars is a real fancy pants, why do you keep her around? Trying to hook up?
Duke Silver, blushing: No, shut up!
Frank: No, of course not, you’re all proper. But let’s be real: she’s super annoying, but I’d still hit it.
Duke Silver: If you talk about her like that again I will kick your ass. We’ve been friends since we were kids, and her dad basically raised me; I hope you were helpful to her earlier.
Me: That’s a little unfair since you’re categorically unhelpful to her whenever possible, but ok.
Frank: Moi? Of course I was helpful! Anyway, it’s not her case, it’s one of ours, but we filed it as a waste of time because it’s utter nonsense. Death photographers? Messages from beyond the grave? Hogwash.
Duke Silver, internally: Yeah, exactly the kind of hogwash that sells papers.
You know what’s fun when you’ve been pushed into a sleepover in a dead lady’s room? Ambiance in the form of a dark and stormy night! Victoria Mars gets ready for bed and even our even-tempered detective is clearly a little spooked by her surroundings. Before she can put out her candle, she awakens to a scream from Amelia’s room. Victoria Mars offers her warm milk and even a medicinal brandy, but Amellia isn’t having it; she’d rather just try to sleep. But that’s not going to be likely, because when Victoria Mars gets up to leave, they find another letter, this time IN BED WITH AMELIA.
A new day dawns, allowing Victoria Mars to start investigating in earnest. First, she examines the window in Amelia’s bedroom. Is Amelia sure she left the window open? Yes, she always does, and no one came in the window anyway because with all the rain, they would have left footprints or a puddle. The front door was locked, and the only other person with a key is the maid, Ruth. Obviously, that’s worth looking into, so Victoria Mars heads off to do a bit of sneaking around. It pays dividends pretty quickly, as she follows Ruth into what appears to be an old timey UPS Store.
Victoria Mars: Oh hi, my friend just came in here to send a message to our dining companion tonight, but I think she gave the wrong location. Can I maybe see the message, just to make sure she got the details right?
Clerk, stoic: No. Messages are private, it’s right there on the wall.
Victoria Mars: Oh, totally get it, but she’s a very close friend. And, ya know, a scatterbrained lady.
Clerk:
Victoria Mars: And there’s no one else here I can speak to, huh? Well look, I’m a detective, working a case. I will pay you to look the other way.
Before she can attempt to work that angle further, Victoria Mars notices that Duke Silver is weirdly lurking outside the window, and that obviously merits investigation.
Duke Silver: Oh, I’m just looking into the Henderson case, and happened to end up here.
Victoria Mars: So you suddenly care about this case?
Duke Silver: Well, my boss is asking that all open cases get resolved by the end of the month. Let’s pool info and get it handled!
Victoria Mars: Great, what do you know?
Duke Silver: Uh, guy’s name’s Henderson. He’s getting photos.
Victoria Mars: Ok, so you know nothing. And you followed me here.
Duke Silver: Yes, but you look peeved, which probably means that you could use some backup.
Clearly, she agrees, because seconds later our burly friend is loudly berating the clerk and threatening him with bodily harm AND arrest if he doesn’t bring the message over ASAP. Terrified and crying, the clerk scampers off to grab the message, but alas, it’s already been sent. However, he does know where it went: to Long Islington Medium!
And with that revelation, our crime solving duo heads over to pay Amelia’s mama a visit. They lay out all the images and ask her if she altered them. No, obviously, she doesn’t know how. Could she have paid someone to do it?
Long Islington Medium: Why are you even asking me this?
Victoria Mars: Well, you should know the answer to that; you’re a psychic, aren’t you? Duke Silver, check this out, she keeps dossiers on people so she can manipulate them when they come asking for her services. She’s a fraud. Getting tipped off by death photographers and mortuaries? Not cute.
Duke Silver: This one’s from someone named Ruth?
Victoria Mars: Yeah, that’s Henderson’s maid. She’s been sending the names of recent clients and info about the dead folks that she gleans from snooping.
Long Islington Medium: I can explain!
Duke Silver: I’m all ears. Shy? Well here’s an example: this letter includes info about a certain lady detective and her... pet frog? Victoria Mars, you’re so weird.
Victoria Mars: Yeah, but I was also right that she didn’t divine that info from my dad’s ghost, just a gossipy friend, so I’m feeling pretty good about myself right about now.
Long Islington Medium: Yes, ok, I do collect info, but I didn’t send the postcards. I wouldn’t want to hurt my daughter, even though I do think her fiance is unsuitable. I encouraged her conviction that the cards were coming from the ghost because I thought it might break them up, but I didn’t do it.
Duke Silver: Then who did?
Long Islington Medium:
She’s pretty convincing, but since she’s a professional liar, Duke Silver arrests her for the evening just to make sure. He’ll also bring in the maid and some of the other tipsters for questioning, while Victoria Mars fills in the Hendersons. These two? Working together successfully? Who’d have thought!?
Victoria Mars: Hey, do you believe in ghosts?
Duke Silver: No, duh.
Victoria Mars: Oh yeah, me neither. But sometimes I feel like my dad is with me… sometimes I even talk with him. You must think I’m weird.
Duke Silver: I’ve always thought you were weird, so.
Frank, interrupting: Oh hey, that journalist wanted to see you — he’s asking if he can get a sketch of the spiritualist so he can run that story today.
Duke Silver:
Frank: What? Why are you being weird?
Victoria Mars: Journalist, huh?
Frank:
Duke Silver: Just normal stuff… nothing major, department publicity etc. Anyway, you know how these people love goofy stuff like this.
Victoria Mars: And were you going to tell him about me?
Duke Silver:
Victoria Mars: Great, so you were going to betray me again. Cute.
Duke Silver: I’m just trying to get ahead at work, and there’s a clique of army officers in my way!
Victoria Mars: Oh, so you’re facing discrimination? WOW! I wonder what that could be like?
Snark deployed, Victoria Mars heads over to the Henderson house to fill them in on the arrest of Amelia’s mom.
Henderson: When did you arrest her?
Victoria Mars: A couple of hours ago, and we’ve got your maid too.
Henderson: Then it can’t be her. It’s impossible — we found another note on the doorstep right before you got here. Ten minutes ago!
Victoria Mars heads upstairs to find Amelia packing: she can’t marry a man who doesn’t believe her or trust her! TBH, that’s reasonable, especially since he apparently asked her if she was leaving the cards as part of some weird plot to get out of the marriage.
Amelia: Oh my god, he thinks that because of something you said, doesn’t he? Look here: I want to get married, don’t put your weird ideas on me!
Victoria Mars: I have to see all sides of the issue, that’s my job!
Amelia: Well stop it, you’re wrong, and I’m leaving!
And with that, Victoria Mars is alone in the house. Or is she? There’s a strange sound coming from behind the couch in the studio, and of course, Victoria Mars investigates. The sound is coming from Henderson’s kid Violet, who’s resolutely doing her bit to keep convincing me that my fear of small British children is justified. Violet is playing at death photographer with her dollies, even pricking her finger to make some “rouge” for one of the dolls.
Violet: Do you want to play?
Me:
Victoria Mars: No thanks. Where are the photos?
Violet: She told me not to say.
Victoria Mars: Who?
Violet: Mother.
Well that’s one mystery solved. Victoria Mars explains everything to Mr. Henderson: his wife knew about his relationship with Amelia, and looped Violet in on a “game.” When Henderson and Amelia were engaged, Violet was supposed to deliver these letters to her dad and erstwhile governess. She didn’t know what was inside. Amelia and Henderson both forgive Violet, and all is right with the world.
...Or is it? Later that evening, Victoria Mars tells Super Rooper all about the case over some wine. Well, quite a lot of wine, it seems, because Victoria Mars seems to mostly be complaining about her betrayal at the hands of Duke Silver, and Super Rooper is politely ignoring her.
Victoria Mars, chucking a pillow at her pal: ROOP. Buddy. Pay attention!
Super Rooper, slanderous: Oh, sorry, it’s that Only Child short attention span. You know how my mom gets.
Victoria Mars: Yes, how is Snooty?
Super Rooper: Ah, you know, trying to get me married off. If only I could find a wife who was cool with my whole deal. You know, maybe we could figure out some arrangement?
Victoria Mars: Uh, barking up the wrong tree, we’d be miserable.
Super Rooper: I’m not suggesting we get intimate or anything; ew!
Victoria Mars: Rude! LOL.
Can I just reiterate that I enjoy this friendship? On the less convivial side of the coin, across town, Superintendent Slimy welcomes Duke Silver into his office with a shushing.
Duke Silver: It’s about that article… it’s going to press tonight, and there will be a serialization. They’ll mention you, and how well our department is doing.
Superintendent Slimy: Awesome, great work. Anything else?
Duke Silver: Well, you did mention that we’d talk about my promotion?
Superintendent Slimy: Didn’t I say something earlier? Sorry, I gave the job to Hudson.
Duke Silver: With respect, I have seniority over him. By a lot.
Superintendent Slimy: Yes, but he was in the army. And I served with his father back in the day. Whole family is good and stodgy.
Better luck next time, Duke Silver. Hope betraying your friend to get ahead was worth it! The next day, Victoria Mars runs into Herr Hildegard and his niece outside their respective offices, where the Germans are waiting to meet up with Victoria Mars’ handsome, charming friend for a stroll. Who could it be? You guessed it: it’s Super Rooper, attempting to solve his marriage issue by wedding an inoffensive, if dull, fraulein. Victoria Mars, amused, heads into her office to find the door already ajar. No, it’s not a robber inside — it’s Duke Silver, who let himself in with the aid of Papa Mars’ spare key.
Victoria Mars: What do you want?
Duke Silver: I left you a note. And a present. But I’m here to apologize, and I figured if I wrote it down I could avoid an argument/getting really annoyed at you.
Victoria Mars, sarcastic: Wow, great apology!
Duke Silver: Well, that’s not the apology, this paper is.
Guys, he actually did good: our buddy Duke Silver scampered right out of that crappy meeting with Superintendent Slimy and headed straight to the presses, where he had them edit the case to feature Victoria Mars in a starring role.
Duke Silver: Look, the writing might be bad, but you got the credit you deserved, and I had them include your office address too. Anyway, I better get out of here before I have any feelings.
Victoria Mars: Well, thank you. And keep the spare key, just in case.
Nice tidy wrap up, no? Not so fast! Victoria Mars attempts to straighten the family portrait on her wall one time too many, and it tumbles to the ground, revealing a rather large hole in the wall behind it. Replastering will be annoying, but that’s probably mitigated by what she finds inside the hole: a mysterious notebook.
What’s in the notebook, and will it be useful or just another challenge for our detective friend? Is Duke Silver finally convincing me that he can be upgraded from Annoying Jerkface to Interesting Foil? And will Super Rooper go through with his marriage scheme, possibly ending late night wine-and-whine hour with Victoria Mars? Only one way to find out, and that’s to check out episode 5 next week.
Episode 1 Recap: I Wanna Be Sedated
Episode 2 Recap: Pocketful of Sunshine
Episode 3 Recap: It's A Man's Man's Man's World
