S05.E02: The Guild

[chitowngirl]

Eliza is tasked with solving the murder of a high-profile private detective with a closet full of skeletons.
 

Airs January 19, 2025 on PBS. Available for streaming on Passport December 8, 2024.

[chitowngirl]

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

Edited December 8, 2024 by chitowngirl

[chitowngirl]

.

[chaifan]

On 11/25/2024 at 7:51 PM, chitowngirl said:

Eliza is tasked with solving the murder of a high-profile private detective with a closet full of skeletons.

I think the better description would be "Eliza is specifically NOT tasked with solving the murder of a high profile private detective, and is in fact told many times not to do so, but does so anyways."

I like that Ivy has set her sights on higher ambitions, but she's in an awful conflict of interest position taking that job, and there's no way Eliza will resist asking her for information and there's no way Ivy will resist Eliza.  

[Anothermi]

20 hours ago, chaifan said:

I think the better description would be "Eliza is specifically NOT tasked with solving the murder of a high profile private detective, and is in fact told many times not to do so, but does so anyways."

I like that Ivy has set her sights on higher ambitions, but she's in an awful conflict of interest position taking that job, and there's no way Eliza will resist asking her for information and there's no way Ivy will resist Eliza.  

Exactly what I think.  I snorted that we just watched an episode where someone appears to have tried to plant a woman in a new, sensitive department of Scotland yard - which Miss Scarlet is participating in exposing. 

And then she uses her authority to choose a candidate that has been her support since Eliza was a child!?  

Eliza has certainly become more complex... and less moral. Interesting twist. 

[chaifan]

31 minutes ago, Anothermi said:

And then she uses her authority to choose a candidate that has been her support since Eliza was a child!?  

Eliza has certainly become more complex... and less moral. Interesting twist. 

I think Eliza's motivations in getting Ivy a job at the police department are good/moral.  It wasn't stated either way, but with the build up of Ivy being discontented and wanting more, and actually going into that one place to apply for a job, I don't see Ivy as a plant (pun not intended, really) for Eliza.  If Ivy is there simply to spy for Eliza, we wouldn't have needed all that background stuff.

I think Eliza genuinely wants Ivy to be happy and had the ability to give her a job, and knows Ivy would be good at it.  (I'm assuming Ivy is qualified for the job, but we have no reason believe she's not.)

But, as I said above, I doubt that either will be able to resist the temptation that comes with the job.  I'm sure this will come up rather quickly.  

 

[Anothermi]

I certainly agree with you regarding what motivated Eliza. But I also believe she knows that  following through is a moral conflict—and is ignoring that aspect of her decision.  

I assume it is to add some depth to her character, and therefore also agree that neither of them...

Quote

will be able to resist the temptation that comes with the job. 

Looking forward to the ramifications. 😎

[wanderingstar]

Cool to see that Ivy will be working at Scotland Yard. I'm glad for her to find something to do beyond keep house for Eliza.

[HoodlumSheep]

posted thoughts in previous episode thread. boy am i out of it tonight lol.

5x02

liked this episode more than the opener.

go Ivy go! i knew the moment they mentioned a secretarial staff that ivy would get the job (or one of the jobs heck they hired a lot more ladies than i thought they would).

congrats to mr. potts for his promotion i guess

cool that they brought back the shady guy from the france eliza/nash bottle(-ish) episode.

Edited Monday at 03:10 AM by HoodlumSheep

[HappyHanna]

51 minutes ago, HoodlumSheep said:

one of the jobs heck they hired a lot more ladies than i thought they would).

Same.  It looked like they hired 10 or so,  which was a lot more than I thought,  and seemed like a huge jump from zero to new clerical office. 

When the inevitable happens and the new inspector visits Eliza at home,  oh the hijinks that will ensue... (and are they going to hire a cook and a maid now? We know Eliza can't cook,  so is Ivy going to do her new job and still all the house work?)

Edited Monday at 03:58 AM by HappyHanna

[magdalene]

When the Inspector finds out about Ivy Eliza may lose all the gains she had made with him. I continue to like him. I missed Nash.

[Driad]

Didn't Eliza teach Ivy to read just a few years ago?  I applaud Ivy's progress.

[libgirl2]

I enjoyed this episode a lot. I don't see Ivy working for SY being an issue. Eliza hired her because she knows how much Ivy wants something different and that she is not content with her life as it is. I'm sure all the household stuff will be just fine. Women did work back then too and things still got done. Eliza isn't a child and will be fine. 

I like the relationship between her and the new inspector. He doesn't look down on her, even though he didn't plan on working with her (or her working FOR him). And I think his daughter is a character and maybe he sees that Eliza is the same. ANd of course, there was that "look" between them. 

[taanja]

48 minutes ago, libgirl2 said:

And I think his daughter is a character and maybe he sees that Eliza is the same. ANd of course, there was that "look" between them. 

I saw that look!

I am enjoying the new 'inspector'? (is that what he is?) better than I thought I would (I did so love The Duke) Also I speculated that last week that his wife was perhaps mysteriously missing or had run away  -- but it seems she is conveniently dead so no worries about wifey showing up!

I like Eliza's determination to see things through to the end no matter what! - and I think the new dude is starting to appreciate that as well.

I am so glad Ivy will be working at SY. Talk about future hijinks!

[nora1992]

Wouldn’t Miss Quinn still be arrested for aiding and abetting Malone’s attempted murder, or worse?  A man is dead because of the poison she purchased; does it really matter that the victim wasn’t unassailable?  The show seemed to imply no charges followed.  Did anyone else pick up more information?

[Calvada]

5 hours ago, nora1992 said:

Wouldn’t Miss Quinn still be arrested for aiding and abetting Malone’s attempted murder, or worse?  A man is dead because of the poison she purchased; does it really matter that the victim wasn’t unassailable?  The show seemed to imply no charges followed.  Did anyone else pick up more information?

I agree, she was involved in a conspiracy to commit murder and obtained the murder weapon. It seems unlikely that Scotland Yard would say never mind, you're free to go.

I thought they were leading up to Ivy becoming Sophia Blake's new nanny. I am surprised that Eliza arranged for Ivy to be hired by Scotland Yard, since it seems inevitable that Blake will discover the connection between Ivy and Eliza.

Malone talked about someone dealing with Fletcher's crap.  That seemed a very modern phrasing and not what would have been said in the 1880s.  

[surfgirl]

I too liked the new Inspector this epi. I always felt that the Duke was so wishy washy and he always seemed to demean Scarlet as a women whenever trouble was afoot. I get the vibe that the new Inspector will look upon Eliza as more of  an equal than the Duke ever could have. Whether that involves a romantic relate Aina to be seen.

Still pining for Eliza and Nash.

I thought for a moment that Eliza would suggest Ivy as a new nanny for the Inspector's daughter but working for SY is much better, go Ivy! Barnabas is such a dolt, poor guy 

[taanja]

10 hours ago, Calvada said:

I agree, she was involved in a conspiracy to commit murder and obtained the murder weapon. It seems unlikely that Scotland Yard would say never mind, you're free to go.

 

I think one time William said that it was up to the inspector (himself) whether to charge someone. He was either referring to something Eliza had done or some other character (a female character) and though she was involved in a crime he had the discretion to charge her or let her go.  I do NOT remember the episode or the circumstances of the case, however, so don't quote me! ;-)

[pezgirl7]

Not sure how I feel about the new Inspector yet. What does it say that I can’t even remember his name? He definitely was more likable in this episode though. I just get the feeling that the writers knew a lot of fans were unhappy with the slow burn of Eliza and William, so they’re trying to fix that by introducing a William 2.0, who again lets Eliza get away with way more than she should. But this time they knew they had to make him more open to Eliza’s career choice so they don’t write themselves into a corner. Then to speed up their bonding, they threw in a daughter who is growing up the same way Eliza did; motherless with a father who is an inspector. 

Like others here, I was hoping Eliza and Nash would become a couple. I guess it could still happen!

I wonder what the exact type of work Ivy will be doing. She has no clerical/shorthand experience and just learned to read and write a few years ago. I have a feeling she's going to be very overwhelmed. And I'm sure things are going to suffer at the house. Taking care of an entire household back before there were any modern conveniences must have been a ton of work. 

[Dowel Jones]

17 hours ago, pezgirl7 said:

Not sure how I feel about the new Inspector yet. What does it say that I can’t even remember his name?

Just think of that other PBS series - "Doctor Blake Mysteries".  Maybe it's his cousin.  :)

[taanja]

17 hours ago, pezgirl7 said:

Not sure how I feel about the new Inspector yet. What does it say that I can’t even remember his name? He definitely was more likable in this episode though. I just get the feeling that the writers knew a lot of fans were unhappy with the slow burn of Eliza and William, so they’re trying to fix that by introducing a William 2.0, who again lets Eliza get away with way more than she should. But this time they knew they had to make him more open to Eliza’s career choice so they don’t write themselves into a corner. Then to speed up their bonding, they threw in a daughter who is growing up the same way Eliza did; motherless with a father who is an inspector. 

Like others here, I was hoping Eliza and Nash would become a couple. I guess it could still happen!

I wonder what the exact type of work Ivy will be doing. She has no clerical/shorthand experience and just learned to read and write a few years ago. I have a feeling she's going to be very overwhelmed. And I'm sure things are going to suffer at the house. Taking care of an entire household back before there were any modern conveniences must have been a ton of work. 

I can't remember the inspector's name either. He's ok. I hate kids on TV shows so I am not excited about the new dude's child. Sigh.

I liked Willian, though and I liked the layered history and relationship between him and Eliza. But William is gone so I adjust.  I suspect TPTB will get us all invested in the new inspector and his and Eliza's relationship (whether working or romantic) and then -- the last minutes of the very last episode -- boom! William returns! 

Nash is fun as a character but NOT a love interest. IMO