Miss Scarlet and the Duke

Created by female writer Rachael New. Revolves around "lady detective" Eliza, who's brave, resourceful, has a loving relationship with her housekeeper, Ivy (Cathy Belton), who's in her 50s and has her own romance and story arc. Episodes touch on issues of gender discrimination, women's suffrage, the erasure of women's contributions to history, etc. Characters of color have supporting and minor roles and often fall into stereotype: Black characters appear dangerous or sketchy, almost always lying, stealing, grifting -- though this rakish behavior is portrayed with affection, as the characters are usually Eliza's associates (e.g., Moses, a Jamaican Black man with a facial scar, begins with stereotypical portrayals but is redeemed and becomes one of Eliza's staunchest colleagues). The only woman of color in a recurring role is Clementine (Laura Rollins, who's British Bajan), a confident sex worker portrayed as flighty; she lies and spends all her money on drinking. Episodic characters of color include a British-born Indian doctor's assistant (Pal Aron, British Indian) and magician's assistant Milena (Emily Redpath, British Mauritian-Jamaican). But others, like Miss Ling (Alice Hewkin, Chinese British), who's sleeping with her White boss, and a briefly shown Chinese man with a queue working at an opium den, are stereotypical. In first season, a gay White man is portrayed sympathetically and has his own goings-on, but he doesn't return in Season 2. Visible disabilities generally fall into clichés: Men with a blind eye and/or facial scars or differences are "scary" criminals. A minor villain who's very tall was put in a "traveling freak show" as a child and described as "that thing," "creature," and a "monster" by various characters, including main leads. A sympathetic character is shot in the leg and begins to use a cane in several episodes -- he's portrayed well.

This series revolves around crime, which is sometimes violent, including murder. But violence is soft-pedaled -- if dead bodies are shown, they generally appear to be peacefully sleeping, albeit with close-ups on fatal wounds with dried blood (slit throat, knife sticking out of body, etc.). Main character grieves for a parent's death, especially early in the series. Characters fight with fists, knives, guns, and get stabbed/shot. Discussions of a death by suicide. Creepy scenes include mentions of ghosts and hauntings, a séance, eerie dolls, etc. Men catcall a woman, whistling and jeering "come here and sit in my lap, darling." Characters are frequently in dangerous situations, such as entering rougher parts of London and getting followed by criminals, being sent homemade bombs (which include tense moments but never detonate), etc.

Main characters flirt, go on dates, reference a kiss they shared as teens, kiss cheeks, etc. A couple wake up in bed together, implying sex the night before. A scene takes place at a brothel: revelry and women wearing corsets that show cleavage. Sex workers have minor roles. Mentions of venereal diseases, including syphilis. A main character is accused of "womanizing" and has rouge on his collar. Male characters are occasionally shirtless, in states of undress or at a boxing gym. A character describes a woman as having a "ripe arse." Another talks about his wife leaving him.

Infrequent language includes "damn," "hell," "arse," "shite," "tart," "whore," and "buggered." "F-g" used with the British meaning of "cigarette."

Characters frequently drink, including main characters who drink on the job and, on rare occasions, get drunk. There aren't consequences, and it's portrayed as "normal" behavior. Several scenes take place at a local pub where police officers drink on duty. A main character's parent is described as "not having been sober in months" before his death. Characters occasionally smoke cigarettes, cigars, and pipes. A character visits an opium den, appears high, and later collapses. The main character uses laudanum to incapacitate a villain.