The sixth season of Miss Scarlet came to a close with a tense and personal episode titled “The Line of Duty,” which aired on February 15, 2026 on PBS. This final chapter did not just deliver a complicated murder mystery involving a dead ambassador; it also put the future of Eliza Scarlet (Kate Phillips) and Inspector Alexander Blake (Tom Durant Pritchard) directly in the crosshairs of government bureaucracy. The episode forced Eliza to solve a case of political intrigue while facing the very real possibility that she might lose Scotland Yard as a client forever because of her romance with Blake.
The mystery begins when the mysterious government operative known only as Miss Scott summons Eliza and Blake to a condemned asylum. Scott explains that while the official report claims Sir Joseph Milner, an undersecretary at the Foreign Office, died from an infected cut after falling from his horse, she needs to be certain there was no foul play. Because of the recent spy scandal at Scotland Yard, all officers must now sign declarations of interest regarding their personal relationships. Since Scott knows about Eliza and Blake’s romance, she informs them this will be their last case working together .
The Investigation into Sir Joseph’s Death
To investigate quietly, Eliza and Blake put together a team they can trust completely. They bring in Moses (Ansu Kabia), who has returned from Paris, and Clarence (Paul Bazely). Their cover story is that they are looking into a string of fake street thefts in Westminster and Mayfair, which allows them to visit Sir Joseph’s home on Park Lane and the government offices in Whitehall without raising suspicion .
Detective Willows (Sam Buchanan) helps from the inside at Scotland Yard by asking Ivy (Cathy Belton) to create fake incident reports to support their cover story. Blake speaks to Sir Joseph’s butler, Mr. Lawrence (Oliver Gatz), who claims his employer was a good man. Lawrence mentions that Sir Joseph would work at Whitehall, visit embassies, and return home late at night, often accompanied by women .
Eliza and Blake realize they need the coroner’s report. Since the mortuary assistant Mr. Potts (Simon Ludders) is on strike until his boss Mr. Wormsley apologizes, Moses takes matters into his own hands. He confronts Wormsley with a list of his private activities, essentially blackmailing him into apologizing to Potts. This allows Potts to return to work, where he secretly accesses the coroner’s report for Willows .
The Truth About the Ambassador’s Murder
As the team digs deeper, the case becomes more complex. Clarence discovers that a large sum of money was transferred from Sir Joseph’s bank account to a small German bank shortly before his death. Meanwhile, Moses questions a coalman with a criminal record who delivered coal to Sir Joseph’s house twice a week, learning that the other servants did not like Mr. Lawrence .
Eliza and Blake find Lawrence collapsed in his rented room, suffering from what appears to be tetanus. At the hospital, Lawrence admits he stole from Sir Joseph and from Countess Polcheck, a Russian diplomat’s wife who was having an affair with Sir Joseph. Lawrence reveals he smoked tobacco from a pouch he stole from his employer right before he got sick .
Potts provides a crucial piece of information: the symptoms that killed Sir Joseph and made Lawrence ill were not caused by tetanus, but by strychnine poisoning. If inhaled, the poison works rapidly. Eliza realizes the poison was in the tobacco. Potts explains that strychnine is difficult to obtain, usually requiring large quantities extracted from rat poison, which is supplied by specialized pharmaceutical companies .
Miss Scott’s Confession
Following the trail of strychnine deliveries leads Eliza to a pharmaceutical supply company. The foreman admits the business closed years ago and all deliveries are being forwarded to another address. That address turns out to be the condemned asylum where the episode began .
Eliza rushes to the asylum and finds Miss Scott waiting for her. She accuses Scott of killing Sir Joseph, and Scott does not deny it. Miss Scott explains the political truth behind the murder. Many in the government believe Germany will soon become a threat to England’s national interest. Sir Joseph shared this view, but the Foreign Secretary, Lord Powell, did not agree. To force England into a war with Germany, Sir Joseph had hired two low-level German assassins to kill Lord Powell. Their only qualification was that they were German, which would have framed Germany and pushed the country into war .
Miss Scott tells Eliza: “War makes money for those in high places regardless of the cost of human life. My conscience would not allow such a thing.”
Scott killed Sir Joseph to stop his plan. She explains that she hopes the report Eliza writes will be read by the few decent men left in government who need to know what Sir Joseph planned and why he had to be stopped. Miss Scott tells Eliza she will leave London that night to enjoy the fortune she has amassed. She pays Eliza double the agreed fee and warns her about trusting men, advising that financial independence is everything for a woman .
Eliza and Blake’s Relationship Future
Throughout the investigation, Eliza wrestles with the news that this will be her last case with Blake. She worries about losing Scotland Yard as a client, which would be a major blow to her detective agency. When Miss Scott asks Eliza if she is in love with Blake, she admits it indirectly. Scott warns her against fully trusting any man, sharing her own experience with loneliness .
However, the finale offers a hopeful resolution. Despite Scott’s warnings, Eliza realizes she is surrounded by men she can trust: Moses, Clarence, Potts, and especially Blake. The episode ends not with Eliza losing her partner, but with Blake receiving a promotion. He also manages to save Willows from being fired by the disciplinary board .
“He gets a promotion instead, saves Willow from being fired, and still gets to work with his girl,” one recap notes. “The two of them not only get to have hope for their future, but they cement their trust even further by also deciding they’ll tell Sophia about their relationship, who unsurprisingly already knows.”
A New Beginning for Eliza
The final moments of “The Line of Duty” focus on Eliza’s professional triumph. For years, she has fought to establish herself as a trusted lady detective in a male-dominated field. In the closing scene, women show up at her office to work for her. It is proof that her hard work has paid off and she is making real changes in the profession .
Eliza’s face shows a mix of hope and contentment as she realizes she has achieved what she always wanted: a thriving business and a partner she can rely on completely. The show ends with the message that she can be both a successful career woman and deeply in love at the same time .
While PBS has not officially confirmed a seventh season at the time of this writing, the finale was written in a way that provides closure while leaving the door open for more adventures. If this is the end, it is a satisfying conclusion for a character who has grown from a stubborn private detective into a woman surrounded by loyal friends and a loving partner .
Streaming Details for Miss Scarlet Season 6
All episodes of Miss Scarlet Season 6, including the finale “The Line of Duty,” are currently available for streaming. Viewers in the United States can watch on PBS.org and the free PBS App, which is available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio devices. The season is also available through PBS Passport, a member benefit that provides extended access to content .
For viewers in the United Kingdom, the series airs on Alibi and is available on UKTV Play. The show has been a co-production with BBC Studios and continues to draw strong ratings on both sides of the Atlantic. International audiences in Canada, Australia, and India can find the series on their local PBS affiliates or through streaming platforms that carry Masterpiece Theatre content .
Public streaming for Episode 6 expires on March 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET, so viewers who have not yet seen the finale should watch soon through the PBS app or website .\
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