'Miss Scarlet & The Duke' Shows Us How Its Central Relationship Began in "Origins"
For Miss Scarlet and the Duke fans — at least those who haven't already binged all of Season 4 early with PBS Passport — the past week has likely been agony. The season's second episode concluded with the show's biggest cliffhanger to date: William was shot, badly enough that a dazed and blood-covered Fitzroy was forced to find Eliza immediately to tell her about the gravity of his injuries. Thankfully, Miss Scarlet is aware of the importance of this moment, following it up with one of the best episodes in series history. But while "Origins" finally answers some of the questions we've all been asking about Eliza and William's past together, the episode is less clear about what this near-death experience might mean for the pair's future.
To what is likely the surprise of no one, William Wellington does not die this week, though he does spend most of the episode unconscious while Eliza frets at his hospital bedside. Though we don't see most of it, we're told she's been coming every day, even going so far as to pretend to be his wife to gain access to his room. She's gotten advice from everyone about the best way to help him get better, which runs the gamut from talking to him as though he can hear her to staying quiet and letting him experience some silence for once. Despite her steady chatter, it's obvious that Eliza is distraught as she begs William to wake up, and the show dissolves into a flashback, which subsequently takes the bulk of the hour.
Taking us 12 years back into the past, to the first meeting of William and Eliza is an interesting choice, a move that not only gives us the origin story for the series' titular duo we've always wanted, but also serves as a concise and important reminder of what the pair have always meant to one another. Occasional present-day behavior to the contrary, William has always known how different Eliza is and how crucial those differences are to who she is. (He's also literally been into her for over a decade now, can we please get on with this?)
