Review of Professor T: Season 2 Episode 1 Ring of Fire

The Case
A student flat is engulfed in flames and the students inside escape.  The firemen, instruct the students to where the exits are. Wilf, the Landlady’s son, saves 4 people from the burning building. He tries to go back inside when he learns that another woman, Amity, is still inside but is stopped by the firemen and Donckers.

Professor T’s Lecture
General strain theory explains that criminal acts are a response of negative emotions caused by strain. We are all one misstep away from committing these crimes, the death of a parent, broken relationship or missed promotion can result in crime occurring.

At the university’s committee meeting, a teacher is sleeping, Professor T imagines Ms Snares in a marching band trying to wake up the teacher. Deep into his imaginative state, the Professor unknowingly agrees to the Dean’s proposition of including an oral exam for the mid term examinations. 

The Professor regrets agreeing to oral exams and visits the police station, looking for any pending cases he can help with. DS Donckers lets him know that they don’t require his help with the fire incident. This case interests Professor T and serves as a prompt for his oral examinations.

Professor T brings up a hypothetical dilemma to a student. Their house is on fire and they can only save one person from the flames, a cleaning lady or a scientist who is about to discover a cure for cancer. The Professor adds that the cleaning lady is their mother. This prompt stumps the students and leads to them stammering on the spot.

Back at the station, the DS’s praise Wilf for his bravery in saving multiple people from the fire. Wilf appears humble, regretting that he could not save Amity. It is revealed that Amity Roberts is in a coma. Wilf was painting a student’s room when the fire broke out. His mother further explains that Wilf was very smart but the university fees was too expensive which is why he didn’t go to university adding he also did not want to leave his mother alone.

DI Rabbit receives the fire scene investigative report that confirms that the fire was arson, with the intention to cause someone harm. Amity was found to have GHB in her system. It is clear that whoever did this did not want Amity to wake up. 

The Dean visits Professor T, as he had complaints from students who have ran out of his office crying.

The Professor asks the Dean who would he save, in the hypothetical situation. The Dean answers, that he would save his mother because anyone who leaves his mother behind doesn’t deserve to be saved from cancer. The Professor is quite impressed with his answer.

In another scene, Winters is on his date with Dina Rush, when he receives the bill he is surprised by the tomato salad being £11.50. He explains he is low on money and the two split the bill. At the restaurant, he sees his friend Calvin who appears to have been doing well and wearing an expensive suit which Winters envies.

Professor T, visits his mother at her home, but is not allowed inside as Kafka is doggy dating. The Professor explains he is taking up therapy. She then asks if he is taking up aerophagia, Colonic irrigation, goat yoga or Tibetan acupuncture? The Professor is not doing any of the eccentric therapy ideas his mother had listed but instead he is going to enlist a therapist to talk to about his past.

Adelaide visits the police car park to try and bump into Christina, it’s an icy reunion. She snipes that the Professor is only going to psychotherapy to impress Christina as he would only do self analysis to impress a woman. She later threatens her not to toy with his affections and that The Fen Ditton Bridge club can testify her wrath is a terrible thing to behold.

Back to the case, Winters and Professor team up to interview Wilf, the two rarely interact together so this was a quite fun to see. Winters attempts to make a Simpsons joke to the Professor which falls flat, D’oh.

Following his lack of money, Winters decides to meet with DI Rabbit and ask if there is any opportunities for promotion and a pay rise. However, Rabbit seems uncomfortable and it is clear that he is unable to help Winters with his request.

The scene ends with the Professor going to his first therapy session with Dr. Helena Goldberg. 

‘The Ring of Fire’ is a great start to the second season, this episode was more Winters focused and it appears that they are setting a story line for him. While previously, Winters was underutilised in Season 1 where he served the purpose of being Donckers on and off lover, it will be interesting to see the character development of Winters.