Professor T

Professor Jasper Tempest is an offbeat Cambridge criminologist whose razor-sharp intellect and obsessive rituals make him an unlikely but invaluable consultant to the police. He lives under the watchful eye of an overbearing mother, and his social awkwardness often clashes with standard investigative procedures. Episodes pair tightly plotted criminal cases with the slow revelation of Tempest's personal quirks, showing how his obsessive attention to detail helps solve mysteries others miss. The show balances forensic puzzle solving with character moments, keeping the focus on how Tempest’s habits shape his methods and relationships without revealing any major plot twists.

The 2021 British series was created by Paul Piedfort and Malin-Sarah Gozin and adapts the Belgian original for a UK audience. Ben Miller stars as Professor Tempest, supported by Emma Naomi, Barney White, Sarah Woodward, and Andy Gathergood, bringing a familiar cast to a translated format.

It did not collect major industry awards on release, though it registered positive attention for its lead performance. Instead of trophy-season buzz, discussion around the series centered on its character work and how an established foreign format was reinterpreted for British viewers.

As a UK remake of a Belgian drama, the series contributed to a trend of importing European crime formats with local twists. Viewers and critics compared it to other eccentric detective shows, and it sparked conversation about portraying obsessive behaviors on screen, showing that procedural formats can be molded around a particularly idiosyncratic protagonist.

Critical reception was mixed to favorable, reflected in a 7.3/10 audience vote average from a small sample. Reviewers tended to praise Ben Miller’s portrayal while noting the show follows familiar procedural beats. Major themes include the tension between logic and empathy, the costs of intellectual brilliance, and how personal routines can be both a strength and a barrier in human relationships.