Professor T: Overboard

After three seasons of therapy sessions, you would think Prof. Jasper Tempest would have made some progress overcoming his OCD quirks. Unfortunately, he started making headway by the third season, but then the murder of his former student and primary police contact Lisa Donckers sent him spiraling backwards. Tempest’s shrink, Dr. Helena Goldberg, initially recommends a return to crime-solving as therapy, but she will also request his consulting detective expertise for personal reasons in “Overboard,” which launches the fourth season of Professor T, premiering tonight on PBS.

A death on a cruise ship is a premise worthy of Dame Agatha. However, initially only rookie DS Chloe Highsmith suspects foul play in the presumed drowning of Ophelia McQueen. To be fair, DS (and acting DI) Dan Winters might be a bit distracted mourning Donckers, with whom he had a rather complicated relationship. However, revelations of some nasty texts and further suspicious circumstances prompt a more pointed investigation.

It turns out, Dr. Goldberg is an old friend of McQueen’s mother, so she would like Tempest to apply his anti-social genius to the case. Of course, Tempest is incapable of responding with grace, but eventually he starts his own investigation, with all the prickliness of his first season self. At this point, the only person of his limited social circle willing to help happens to be his free-spirited Aunt Zelda Radclyffe, who agreed to visit while Tempest’s mother tours Europe. Frankly, she really came more for the dog, but she can drive.

Fortunately, this will be a case Tempest can solve like Nero Wolfe, without access to the crime scene. Yet, he still gets himself into trouble. Regardless, writer Stephen Brady pens some clever parsing of witness statements. Still, it seems like this episode fails to capitalize on a promising crime scene. However, it accomplishes its primary goal: getting Tempest back in the game.

Despite Tempest’s extreme introversion, Ben Miller manages to humanize the good professor, playing up his eccentricities and insecurities. He also looks convincing playing drum solos, during fantasy interludes. Juliet Stephenson compliments him nicely, providing healthy commentary and some dry wit as Dr. Goldberg. However, new cast-member Zoe Wannamaker will annoy viewers almost as much as she aggravates Tempest, portraying painfully unfiltered Zelda.

Obviously, Professor T appeals to PBS viewers, since this is its fourth season. They must appreciate Tempest’s persona, which is both elitist and neurotic. Indeed, Tempest’s erudite analysis and the Cambridge setting work well together, a very British kind of way (even though creators Matt Baker and Malin-Sarah Gozin adapted a hit Belgian series). Recommended for fans, the season four premiere of Professor T delivers what fans want, when it airs tonight (8/24) on PBS.