Review of Professor T – Season 2 Episode 4 ‘DNA of a murderer’

Professor T’s lesson – Fantasising about murder. 

76% of men and around 60% of women fantasise about murder. Women are more likely to fantasise of murdering their family or their spouses family. Whereas, men are more likely to fantasise about killing people in their workplace.  

However, of the people who fantasise of this, only a small number of people do actually carry out murders. What is it that makes people go from fantasising to committing murders?

Is there such a thing as the DNA of a murderer?

The case
A man storms into the police station to report that he and his husband, Malcolm have been receiving death threats, and asks for the police to look into this. He brings in threatening letters they have received, DI Rabbit and DS Donckers don’t seem to be interested in the case and let him know the case is high priority, when in actuality it was said so that he would leave the station. 

DS Winters and DS Donckers learn that Malcolm does not care about the death threats unlike his husband. Malcolm thinks it might be his friends or people from the baking community who are trying to warn him to stop entering baking competitions.

Donckers and Winters interview Mr Sanderson, their previous neighbours, they learn that the Sandersons were in a legal dispute with Malcolm and his husband Aiden over a fence being built. Aiden and Malcolm had won the lottery and then moved out of the neighbourhood. 

At Dr Goldberg’s office, she poses the question if Professor T can control his thoughts? The Professor is aware of what Dr Goldberg is speaking of and he replies that by suppressing a thought it becomes inevitable. 

He claims Dr Goldberg’s methods are predictable, Dr Goldberg.

Dr Goldberg then suggests that Professor T should have a male therapist instead, claiming that he is hostile to women. 

He is instructed to  have some positive sentiments towards the women in his life, to help his relationship with women. 

Professor T asks Ms Snares to help him arrange a date with someone of the opposite sex. Ms Snares then suggests rehearsing a date with her so that he is well prepared for his official date with Christina. 

Professor T surprises his mother by visiting her, then asking her how she is. Adelaide is caught off guard with this, she receives some bulldog clips from the Professor. He mentions that she can use it for her art but then downplays the gift by saying that Ms Snares was going to throw them out.

Adelaide is still amazed at the gift, and likens it to the feeling of having her birthday and mothers day in one day. If this was a result of therapy then she is impressed and it is great progress.

Although she does want to receive pearls and champagne the next time the Professor decides to gift her. 

The case escalated when Malcolm Davies was announced dead, his throat was slit. Professor T provides a profile for the killer, they are looking for someone anti-social, paranoid, remorseless and convinced the world is against them.

Professor T believes the worst of human nature and that we use darkness to hide our transgressions.

After the case is resolved, Christina calls Donckers in and explains she wants to put Donckers up for a promotion, she has shown leadership skills and her work has led to the team solving cases. DI Rabbit is taking a leave of absence so if she does agree to the promotion, she will be a temporary DI. 

The Professor is about to ask Christina on a date but she is in a rush, unbeknownst to Professor T, Christina is on a date with Simon Lainsborough.

He then manages to find a time to talk to her privately about attending a dinner with him. Adelaide’s threat replays in Christina’s head and she tries to let him down. When he explains it’s part of his therapy treatment she agrees.

Professor T calls his mother to ask how to open an oyster, it appears he took Adelaide literally when mentioning pearls and champagne. He is preparing this for his upcoming dinner with Christina. Adelaide hints if the Professor is going to eat oysters as they are an aphrodisiac. 

The next scene splices moments of the practice date with Ms Snares and his official date with Christina. Unfortunately, the dinner plays out differently than he had rehearsed.

Ms Snares ends her date in happy tears, she is drunk and lets the Professor know that he will make a woman very happy one day.  On the contrary, Christina ends the date by informing the Professor that she is seeing Simon. Upset, the Professor says that she is foolishly infatuated, which angers Christina and she storms out.

Professor T Season 2 Episode 4, The DNA of a Murderer, is not an episode I would re-watch, the case was boring. The episode could have explored potential suspects through the bakery community in an attempt for something interesting to happen. It was interesting that no-one mentioned the couple being gay as a potential reason they were receiving those letters. 

The Ms Snares and Christina date scene was fun to watch but also difficult as we know that Christina is dating Simon. I am intrigued to see where this will go next. Will the Professor try to dissuade Christina from dating Simon or will he have a new love interest?