Television Q&A: Will Miss Scarlet carry on without the Duke on 'Masterpiece' series?

You have questions. I have some answers.

Q: Why did the Duke leave “Miss Scarlet & the Duke”? Will he return or be recast?

A: Kate Phillips, who played Victorian private detective Miss Eliza Scarlet, will indeed be without Stuart Martin as William “The Duke” Wellington when the series returns for a fifth season on “Masterpiece” on PBS; Wellington has gone to America. In a statement from the show, Martin said that “it felt like the time was right for Scarlet to explore new stories and challenges for now, as the show continues to grow and evolve.”

The show, retitled simply as “Miss Scarlet,” will have “new crimes, new friends, new foes and new romance,” says series creator Rachel New. That romance may well include Wellington’s replacement at Scotland Yard: Alexander Blake, played by Tom Durant Pritchard. And "Masterpiece" says returning characters include "Evan McCabe as Detective Fitzroy, Cathy Belton as Ivy, Felix Scott as Patrick Nash, Paul Bazely as Clarence, Simon Ludders as Mr. Potts, and Tim Chipping as Detective Phelps."

Q: Is TV’s “Reacher” going to be a series? If so, when is the next season?

A: “Reacher,” starring Alan Ritchson as the character from Lee Child’s books, is already a series. Two eight-episode seasons are showing on Amazon Prime Video. A third season is coming, possibly by the end of this year. You can also find Ritchson at the movies, where he is co-starring in “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.”

Q: I just finished watching the second season of “Will Trent.” Will there be a third?

A: Yes. And the wonderful drama had not completed its second season when you wrote in. The season finale is coming May 21.

Q: I enjoyed the first season of the series “Poker Face.” Unfortunately I have not seen any updates about the series. Will it be returning?

A: Peacock has ordered a second season of the fun, “Columbo”-esque mystery series starring Natasha Lyonne, although I have not yet seen an airdate. Viewers can catch up on the first season’s 10 episodes on Peacock.

Q: I have read that the television series “Monk” has inspired a movie which will be coming out in theaters this year. Is this true? If so, when is it likely to be shown?

A: I think you heard about “Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie,” a feature film with Tony Shalhoub returning as crime-solver Adrian Monk along with other returning cast members from the 2002-2009 TV series. But the film was not made for theaters. Instead, it aired on the streaming service Peacock late in 2023, and you can still find it there.

Q: I remember seeing parts of a movie on television about Canadian hockey great Maurice“Rocket“ Richard. I’m not sure when, maybe two or three years ago. I believe the title was “Rocket." Would that be available anywhere?

A: I believe you saw some of a movie called “The Rocket,” which came out in 2005. It has been released on DVD and Blu-ray (but look carefully when ordering because of other movies called “The Rocket”). I also found it on YouTube.

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