Professor T (TV Series 2021– ) - Professor T (TV Series 2021– ) - User Reviews

7/10

A decent enough British remake of a better Belgian series

Tweekums22 September 2021

This series is centred on Professor Jasper Tempest; a criminology lecturer at Cambridge. After a request from police officer, and former student Lisa Donkers, he starts helping the local constabulary with their investigations. He isn't easy to work with; he is obsessed with cleanliness and will say exactly what he thinks which makes him seem rude and insensitive.

I really enjoyed the Belgian original so went into this with some trepidation. It isn't bad but I must say I didn't enjoy it as much as the original. Since the cases are basically the same this might be considered redundant but not everybody likes subtitles and the stories, characters and cases feel right for a light ITV crime drama. The cast does a fine job; Ben Miller is fun in the lead role and Frances de la Tour impresses as his mother. The rest of the cast, playing more 'normal' characters are good too. The cases are interesting and should keep the viewer guessing to the end without being too convoluted. Overall I'd recommend watching the Belgian original but if it is unavailable where you are or you don't like subtitles this is a decent substitute. If more episodes are made I'll tune in.

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8/10

A very watchable series.

Sleepin_Dragon26 June 2021

To start off, I have not seen the original series, so my views are not influenced by the fact that this is a remake.

On the whole, it's a very good series, very enjoyable, a good mix of drama, mystery and humour. For my money the first and fifth episode are the best of the series, two real highlights.

Clever stories, enough to get you using your little grey cells, Part one in particular is intriguing.

I loved the acting, Ben Miller is marvellous, he really brings The Professor to life, he's quirky, he's smart, and he's committed to getting the truth. Frances de la Tour is phenomenal as Jasper's mother, she's such a good actress, check out her scenes with Sophie in Part 5.

Let's hope a second series follows, we have a lot to learn, in particular what happened at the end of Episode six.

Well worth a watch, 8/10.

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7/10

Good enough.

systersister19 January 2022

In Murder in Paradise Ben Miller was this quirky policeman with a big brain and no social finesse. Great show. In Professor T he repeat that performance. But now as an eccentric crime academic. With no social finesse and strange behavior. It works this time also. But I miss him in Murder. Better role. Emma Naomi is also really good. Well, I have seen the original Belgian Professor T. Its not better than the British cover but is a bit warmer. Hope for a new season.

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6/10

Successful & Stylish Remake of the Belgian Original

JRB-NorthernSoul3 June 2021

This is a fairly straight remake of the much-liked Belgian show from 2015 which ran to three series and can be found on ALL4.

Ben Miller was an excellent choice to play the quirky sometimes petulant criminal psychologist Professor Jasper Temple and nails the part. The show is strongly cast with a mix of new faces and old stalwarts like the wonderful Frances de la Tour playing his crotchety old Mother.

The first episode has quite a bit of setup work to do and the crime plot itself is therefore a bit straightforward. The series improved as it went on. I thought it was very well directed and beautifully photographed and the score was also lovely.

The writing was intelligent and assured by Malin-Sarah Gozin who created & wrote another dark and interesting Belgian Series, Tabula Rasa.

I'd give it a solid 8/10 after watching all six episodes. The show gets better as it develops and there is an interesting backstory for the Professor that unfolds slowly. Look forward to another series.

If you loved and watched the original it's not going to be for you as they've recycled the same plots - if you haven't give it a go, it's an above average watch with imaginative quirks and high production values.

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8/10

Second only to the original

sv-5290522 July 2021

I have seen all 3 series, Belgian, German and this from England. The original Belgian is my favorite and this a close second. It retains the fanciful mostly comical hallucinations that were missing in the German series. And the quirky departmental secretary is an absolute hoot in both Belgian and English series. Ben Miller's portrayal of the professor is slightly warmer than the original, which makes the character very appealing.

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6/10

Interesting, but, it doesn't stand out.

vacio-4332316 June 2021

I love Ben Miller as an actor, in the series "death in paradise", he is splendid, but, compared to the Belgian version, in which a Koen De Bouw absolutely shines, you really think he has that disorder, the second you see him in scene, you know that something is not going well, he knows perfectly how to move between reality and madness, he is also supported by enormous secondary actors such as the actress Goele Derick who plays his secretary, the actor Carry Goossens his college colleague or the actor Herwig Ilegems who acts as a police officer.

I can only say that after seeing the sublime Belgian version, the British version is way behind.

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9/10

An excellent crime series with a surrealistic comedy side.

pereiradorogerio7 June 2021

I didn't see the Belgium original series and I'm glad for that, now I can enjoy the British take on it, without spoilers. It's a perfect cast, I love their acting and how they interpret the characters. The filming is superb and has a fantastic scene composition. Also has a good soundtrack, attention to set details and overall design. It gets better with each new episode, don't be discouraged by the simple crime plot of the first episode, keep watching and you will be rewarded. I can't wait for season 2. For me it's a solid 9, I think talent like this,both on filming and acting, must be recognized.

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6/10

Dr. T-ERRIBLE

OperaTarte21 July 2021

"Unfortunately" I watched the original version from Belgium. None of this - for me - comes close to the quirkiness & originality of the first. It might help if the peripheral characters/actors were cast on par - they are not. One of the weakest supporting cast I've seen. There is absolutely no charisma - no balance amongst any. The 'romance' doesn't deserve attention - tossed in there to give the backstory some personality. The two momentary lovers are poles apart in conveying any attraction, individually or as a pair. I'm mildly surprised at this British series being to lacklustre - then again lately very few have even tried to even try.

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8/10

Crime and humour - what could possibly go wrong

rich-mac11 June 2021

Professor T is refreshingly good fun - the emphasis is on its quirky character development and detailing which is enhanced with glimpses into the main character's inner surreal world.

The weekly crime setups are good - but this show is more about the journey than the whodunit - with light comedic touches that make the whole thing more likeable.

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6/10

Everything is here except a good show

Laight6 June 2022

Mix in some good actors and professional direction and a solid idea (borrowed, that is, from the much better Belgian show) and somehow you only get this mediocre attempt. The problem is that unlike the Belgian version, which was sure of itself, this recreation hasn't a clue as to what it is: is it supposed to be funny, tragic, sad, or what? There's too much juxtaposition of startlingly gruesome events with random attempts at humor, and the result is just weird. That's probably the best word to describe this show: Weird. But not good weird. Weird weird.

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10/10

Didn't watch the original.. really enjoy this one

alexandercl-9957515 April 2022

I always enjoy anything Ben Miller appears in. He's a solid performer who easily adapts to any role. Many reviewers are comparing this to the original Belgian offering. As I've never watched it my opinion is unbiased. I give it a solid 9 hoping for Season 2.

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6/10

Ruined by the original

Poster-Boy3 August 2021

If you haven't seen the original then you will probably enjoy this remake. Unfortunately this version just doesn't compare favorably. If you're going to remake then at least put some space between plot lines and characters. This version leaves the viewer to judge the work solely on the casts ability to outshine their predecessor. They are good but not that good.

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5/10

Sadly...no comparison...

Design8812 August 2021

I'm another reviewer who has been spoiled by the original Belgian series which is unique, quirky, compassionate, bright and fiery!! In comparison, the UK version is dull, poorly cast and rather boring.

It's also a lot darker in typical UK style.... long dramatic pauses and a darker score.

I'm a tremendous fan of "Richard Poole" so I felt Ben would be the perfect choice to play Professor T but I found him disappointing in the role and went back to watching season one of Death In Paradise on PBS instead. The weakest character in this version is the female police detective. They all keep mentioning how fiery and uncontrollable she is yet she's cast here as a wimpy "follower" who almost seems a bit "lost" and afraid of upsetting Professor T and her colleagues ... not what I expected at all. The brilliant actors in the Belgian version are a hard act to follow but the UK version has chosen a different path completely. I love Frances La Tour but she's just her same old "Rising Damp" character in this one whereas the original portrays her as far more sternly domineering which makes a lot more sense. I'm recording the rest of them UK version to binge watch later but, after three episodes, I'm not sure I'll bother to watch the rest of it.

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6/10

Remake......lost in translation?

squintykids18 June 2021

Fortunately (or unfortunately) I watched the original Belgian series which I thought was brilliant.

Maybe without being able to compare the two; the UK version might be refreshingly wierd and quirky.

Actors well matched to their characters, the 6/10 is purely for their performance.

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8/10

Not as good as the original

Chazzbat13 June 2021

I loved the original Belgian series (which ended too soon, IMO), so I was curious to see how it would transpose into English. I'm delighted that they have stuck close to the source material, retaining the quirkiness and eccentricities of the main character.

Ben Miller has already proven his ability to play an uptight English detective in "Death in Paradise", so Jasper Tempest is right in his wheelhouse. Frances de la Tour plays his flamboyant and annoyingly intrusive mother very well.

Unfortunately, Donckers is lacking some of the passion and playfulness of her Belgian counterpart, which is rather disappointing. There is more emphasis on her relationship with her partner than with the Professor, which is a shame.

This is a decent effort, nonetheless, and certainly worth watching. I'll be interested to see if this is picked up for a second series.

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The 2021 version doesn't do the original series justice!

lmyenglishrose18 September 2021

I love the actor Ben Miller; but Koen de Bouw hits the nail on the head in the 2015 version Professor T. The 2021 version doesn't do the original series justice (please excuse the accidental pun).

Professor T does not appear to be as anxious and afraid of infections as in the original series.

The Professor does not present his superior knowledge of crimonology as in the original series.

The Dean is not so conscious of infecting Professor T's space as in the original.

Lisa Donkers is not as equally passionate about the police investigation, nor believes in the Professors brilliant knowledge of criminology as Annelies Donckers in the original series.

The list goes on...

Perhaps the director should refer back to the 2015 series.

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6/10

Decent start

jasondutton19 July 2021

Unfortunately, I watched the Belgian one first. Tough act to follow. Not sure they cast the professor very well. There are quirkier actors out there.

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9/10

Old fashioned TV that's very satisfying.

kindofblue-7822116 June 2022

Professor T may not appeal to the vast majority of people.

Why is this?

There's no swearing, nudity or violence.

Sadly, for many, such things are the prerequisites for a good film and TV series.

Thankfully there are still responsible film and TV makers who refuse to give in to populism.

Professor T starts slowly but its worth the wait.

Patience is a virtue. The virtuous will enjoy this program.

There's not much too the series. Not much happens. Nothing is complicated.

Less is more.

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7/10

A Lukewarm Version of A Good Story

joshbraid3 August 2021

I have watched all of the Belgian series (3 seasons) and one episode of the French(?) version. I watched the first episode as I was curious as to how the British version would work the zany and comedic scenes. I was not greatly impressed with the characters, who are subdued. Also, the great genius of this work is, of course, describing the process of recovery from trauma (what, is that possible!?) that was so well depicted in the Belgian series. My hope is that the British series allows the characters to enter into the crazy, painful, and vibrant process of recovery from trauma. In short, the topic is very intense and does not call for the reserved and subdued acting and direction that the first episode revealed. All of that aside, I think the production values are good, the actors are very good, the music is okay, and the direction needs energy.

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10/10

Surreal-and superb. I love it-and Ben Miller is perfect.

aufo-9128126 July 2021

I'm not a fan of surreal-in art or film. But this is Great. There are mad visions, touching scenes, a crime to be solved and a thoroughly damaged criminologist. Add Frances de la Tour as his mother and it's heaven. I cannot understand criticism that it's 'not as good as the original'. It's NOT the original-and bound to be different. Well Duh!!! I will certainly seek out the original it it has a chance of being as good as this-but in a different way. All the characters are excellent-from his office manager to the police officers. I do not want to binge watch this- as I wsnt to extend the pleasure of watching it while waiting for series 2.

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6/10

Great elements, but...

katharine-nichols19 June 2022

Warning: Spoilers

I enjoyed the series as a casual watch. The acting, music and cinematography are all spot on. However, the original Belgian series had 13 episodes in its first season. The British series attempts to shove the same amount of content into six episodes. You barely have time to get to know the characters and become invested in their stories before the season is over. This is most evident in the alcoholism subplot for Inspector Rabet and the father subplot for Anneliese. Given the shortened length, the writers would have done better to either cut one of those subplots, or saved at least one of them for season 2. It also gets too goofy with the visualization of Professor Ts thoughts. Where as the original show used that as an interesting visual element, the British show makes it seem like he's having intermittent acid trips. This aspect is made less effective in the British version when one character (a girl with Downs Syndrome) seemingly interacts with the same weird visuals he's seeing. In the original, only Professor T reacts to the odd visuals, making it clear these are his inner, personal thoughts. (I do want to note that the episode with this girl is the best in the British series and exceptionally moving at times). Honestly, if you have PBS Passport or Amazon you can access the original Belgian show, and it's far better than the British version. If they do make a season 2, the writers will need to slow things down a little and clarify a number of elements that just didn't translate well from the original Belgian show.

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10/10

Perfect

superenigmatix15 June 2021

Ben Miller is wonderfully bonkers and plays it just right. Highly entertaining. Recommended.

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6/10

Could have been so much better.

ian-watson69-28-5072053 August 2021

Poor characterisation of the supporting cast. Generally unpleasant and unprofessional. Ben Miller - brilliant as always.

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2/10

Terrible adaptation of a great work.

davholsea-990028 August 2021

I have no idea how people have given this the scores they have.

The basic premise for each episode appears to be, Murder happens, there's a bit of chat, Murderer confesses for no apparent reason, Prof T then tells how he knew it was them all along.

Little mystery, no tension, zero suspense, obvious ending.

Awful awful production.

Don't waste your time.

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6/10

Confused locations

medic0610762 August 2021

Why has the police station in Cambridge bearing the street sign Seville Row W1 That'll be london and lazy continuity.

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