S05.E03: The Thames Reaper

[chitowngirl]

With a notorious serial killer on the loose Eliza is caught in the middle of a clash between Fleet Street and Scotland Yard.
 

Airs January 26, 2025 on PBS. Available for streaming on Passport December 8, 2024.

Edited November 26 by chitowngirl

[chitowngirl]

All episodes of season 5 are now available on Passport…possible episode chat below!

[chaifan]

OK, I can't help myself.  I'm watching one episode each night.  I have no willpower to space them out any more than that.  

I am really enjoying this season.  I liked Stuart Martin, but I am liking Tom Pritchard so much more.  Inspector Blake is a much more rounded, well written character than "the Duke" ever was.  I think they're building the relationship between Blake and Eliza very nicely.  And by relationship, I mean work relationship and personal non-romantic relationship.  Will they go in the "will they/won't they" direction?  eh, I'm seeing a small bit of it, but I don't feel we're being beaten over the head with it.  Who knows, maybe that will be the case in another episode or two.

Continuing the Ivy discussion from last episode...  Yeah!  Ivy!  Yep, Eliza went there, and Ivy held her ground.  Yeah!  I was surprised by Ivy's promotion.  I don't know if it really helps her that much.  She still has a full time job, just  not the overtime hours, but still has all the house responsibilities.  (OK, with Eliza and Mr. Potts help, maybe she's down to 90% of the house responsibilities.  They're not much help, probably cause her more work in the end.)  She's still going to be worn down in no time at all.  I thought she would go to part time work.  I'm hoping that Eliza's business improves and she can hire more house help to take things off Ivy's plate.

And Ivy's not rushing into marriage.  Hmmmm... wonder what will happen with that?  My guess is Mr. Potts will be released back into the wild by the end of the season.  

I liked this episode's plot, and the inclusion of the reporter.  Of course it sucks that any potential love interest for Eliza ends up being a rival or a crook.  This was a nice twist, though.  I also liked that Eliza was taking real action to go find work, going into the newspaper and proposing she work on the case for them.  We need more of that, less reliance on the police feeding her work.

 

 

 

[Driad]

Has Potts expressed an opinion on Ivy continuing to have a job if they marry?  

Now that Eliza and Ivy both have outside incomes, maybe they could hire someone to do the cooking.  It would be fair for Potts to contribute if he expects to eat there.

When Eliza agreed to go to dinner with the reporter that evening instead of postponing, I guessed she suspected something.

Edited December 12 by Driad

[Anothermi]

2 hours ago, chaifan said:

Continuing the Ivy discussion from last episode...  Yeah!  Ivy!  Yep, Eliza went there, and Ivy held her ground.

Yes! Happy for that surprise twist. I suppose— if I remembered Ivy's previous response to Eliza's moral dilemmas—I might have guessed that Ivy would not agree to use her insider knowledge for Eliza's benefit. But I didn't remember. Perhaps that is why her response to Eliza's request was so satisfying. 

It is refreshing to have a whole new dynamic between Eliza and the person who she thinks she needs to cultivate as her crime solving ally. Hoping this opens up a whole lot of "stories" in a variety of directions.  

I've really been enjoying getting to know the new - and some of the old - characters. 

My only disappointment to date was the reference to Clarence in the 1st episode and then.... nothing.