Professor T (2021–…): Season 1, Episode 3 - Tiger Tiger - full transcript

A jeweller is run down in the street when he crosses in a hurry. In his bag he has a collection of very valuable diamonds. The police suspect there is more to it and visit his family.

'Padam Padam' by Edith Piaf

♪ Cet air qui m'obsede jour et nuit

♪ Cet air n'est pas ne d'aujourd'hui

♪ Il vient d'aussi loin que je viens

♪ Traine par 100,000 musiciens... ♪

Haven't you finished with that yet?
Get a bloody move on!

What the hell are you playing at?

♪ Et sa voix couvre ma voix

♪ Padam, padam, padam... ♪

Hello?

Mum?



♪ Comme si tout
Mon passe defilait... ♪

Shut up! Shut up!

♪ Qui bat comme un coeur de

♪ Bois

♪ Comme si tout
Mon passe defilait. ♪

Jasper!

We need a gardener, it's like
The Day Of The Triffids out there.

Mother, what are you doing here?

As previously discussed,

I've decided to reoccupy
my old studio,

the scene of so many
of my artistic breakthroughs.

Well, don't look so horrified,
I shan't trouble you.

This is about me
and my growth as an artist.

Honestly, darling,
you won't even know I'm here.



Don't forget we're having lunch.

We'll be as quiet
as two little mice.

It will all be between you,
me and the lamp post.

Darling, you won't hear
so much as a peep.

We'll do our best not to get
under your feet, won't we, Kafka?

Ah! Ah!

Ambulance, please.

Oh, and if at all possible,
no sirens.

Ahhh!

OK, thanks, mate, thank you.

Thank you.

The late, great DS Donckers.

No prizes for getting here first.
Just another minor moral victory.

Vijay Banerjee, local jeweller,
hit while crossing the street.

Not to minimise his pain,

but why has Rabbit despatched us
to a road traffic accident?

He was carrying these.

Ooh, a goody bag.

See if his family
want them back first.

'You never said anything
about a child being involved.'

'What difference
does it make?'

Don't! They'll see your face.

It's itchy.

You expecting someone?
No. No!

Are you doing anything tonight?

I've got a gig.
Gig.

Not sure brass band concert
constitutes as a gig.

Who's at the door?

Calm down,
it's probably just a delivery.

Oh, jeez, I'm teasing.
Don't be so touchy.

It's OK. I get it.

Let me go and have a look,
see what I can make out.

Come on, let's go.

It's a man and a woman,
smartly dressed.

Don't worry, they're leaving.

Don't tell me to calm down, OK?

Yeah, OK. You're making me nervous.

What did they look like?

Hard to say. Smartly dressed.

Should we be worried?
Padma?

My phone.
'Fat lot of help you are!'

Don't.
'I don't trust this any more.'

He'll be here, just have to wait.

Padma, don't!

Dreaming about the big day?

No man will ever get me
up the aisle, Dan.

Let me know
when you change your mind.

Sorry to keep you waiting.

Hi. DS Donckers,
this is my colleague DS Winters.

We're making enquiries related to
a man we think is your proprietor.

Mr Banerjee's not here.

We're aware of that,
Mr Banerjee has been in an accident.

How badly is he hurt?
We don't know yet.

We're trying to locate his family.

Stop it!

I only have Mr Banerjee's
home number, I'm afraid.

Oh, finally.

Hey, don't answer it.
Why not?

It's not what we arranged.

What the hell are you doing?
Get back in line now!

It's going to voicemail.

Your boss was carrying some
pretty special-looking diamonds,

a lot of them, is that normal?

Wh... erm, he may have been
on his way to see a customer.

Mind if we take a look at the safe?

I couldn't, not without checking
with Mr Banerjee first.

We could come back with a warrant.

And a load of police vans.

Sirens blaring.

All right.

Is something missing?

I... couldn't say,
I'm not responsible for the safe.

But you know the combination.

What's your name?
Amrit Khan.

Ms Khan, we're police detectives,
not tax inspectors,

we just want to know what's missing.

Black diamonds.

How many?

A lot.
How much are they worth?

Erm, around a million.

Mr Banerjee would never take them
out of the shop without security.

Mr Banerjee?

We've given him a sedative.
We need to talk to him.

Mr Banerjee?
You need to ask the doctor first.

Mr Banerjee, can you hear me?

Mr Banerjee, can you hear me?

My... My family.

I have to go.

Can you tell us what happened?

I have to go.

They're crazy.

Who is, Mr Banerjee?

They're going to kill my family.

Boss, I think we might have
a hostage situation.

Mr Banerjee's freaking out,

he's convinced his family
is in danger.

It will take a couple of weeks

before the brace can go off,
Mr Tempest.

Try not to fall down the stairs
again.

Is there someone to pick you up?

'Anyone you can think of, sir?'

A gardening accident?

But you're such an unlikely
horticulturalist.

Patently.

Are these your gardening clothes?

They had to cut my trousers off.

These were the only items
in my size

that it was possible to acquire
in the hospital gift shop.

Are you congested?

This is Ben Sparrow from
the anti-kidnap and extortion unit.

Hi.

DS Winters and DS Donckers,
the investigating officers.

We are still carrying out
reconnaissance

and we do not know as yet how many
hostage takers we're dealing with.

We're waiting to get some thermal
imaging equipment on site.

Do they know that we know?

No, and I want to keep it that way.

This is Banerjee's mobile phone.

We, er, picked it up
at the hospital.

Good, very good.

It might be helpful. We should avoid
contact as long as practical.

That's standard procedure.

We think we have two hostages,

his wife,
and their daughter, Priyanka.

They are both registered
at the property

and none of the neighbours have seen
either of them exit as yet.

Priyanka's car
is still parked outside.

That's all the intel we have today.

So...

...now, all we have to do is wait.

Professor Tempest's office?

Mrs Tempest!

Yes, he's right here.

Darling,
don't forget we're having lunch.

He's not going anywhere soon.

So much to discuss.

One o'clock? I'll tell him.

Bye, Mrs Tempest.

Doubtless she'll be very keen
to tend to the invalid.

This might be the moment to escape.

'Well, you heard the woman.'

Something's not right,
he should have been here by now.

Let's get the girl to call.

Where's your phone?

In my coat.

And, where's your coat?

All of you into the bedroom, now!

Call your dad, and no messing.

Don't answer.

They'll know we know.

'Please leave your message
after the tone.'

Daddy, Daddy, main hoon...
Speak... English.

Daddy, it's me.

'Where are you?

'You ARE going to do
what they're asking, right?'

Voicemail.
Play it.

'Daddy? Daddy, main hoon...'
'Speak... English.'

'Daddy, it's me.

'Where are you?

'You ARE going to do
what they're asking, right?'

Send a message.

Problems with safe. Stop.

Need more time. Stop.

There was an armed raid
at Banerjee's shop last year,

it triggered the alarm,
but the raiders got away.

Did they take anything?
No.

Second time lucky.
Listen, I appreciate the legwork,

but I'm trying to deal with
a hostage situation here.

Can't be any harm trying
to find out what's motivating them.

See what else you can dig up.

Professor, have you been skiing?
What happened?

A displaced fracture
of the distal end of my fibula.

Shouldn't you be at home,
resting it?

My home and office
are being disinfected as we speak.

I have a problem with vermin.

He's got to be somewhere.

I turn my back for five minutes.
He's been acting very oddly.

Jasper is always a little odd.

He's taken up gardening.

What did you say?

Gardening.

I heard you the first time.

I thought I might
make myself useful here.

Jasper, we're in the middle
of a hostage situation...

No. Not his field.

I have written and lectured
extensively on the subject.

We've brought in the big guns.

Thanks for the offer, though.

Oh.

I need to rest my foot. Erm...
Do you mind?

No rush.

Wilfred!

Ah!
What are you doing?

I can't abide a man
working at height.

I'm tidying my Ps and Qs.

Well, do get down.

Steeple-jacking at your time of life.

Wilfred, Jasper has started
working on the garden.

Ah.

You know what that means?

Mm. He's digging.

He intends to stay.

Will you speak to him?

Well, yes, of course, Adelaide,
but I'm sure it's just a phase.

Huh! Wish I was blessed
with your naivety.

Tell me about these diamonds.

Black diamonds, from Brazil.

From outer space, actually,
they merely landed in Brazil.

Excuse me?

Black diamonds, carbonados,

they're thought to be
the remains of asteroids.

Did you just colour code
the teabags?

Asteroids, which formed

from interstellar clouds
of diamond crystals.

How much are they worth?
Jeweller mentioned a million.

I would estimate
considerably more than that.

Ah, Ben,

come in, help yourself
to a tea, coffee, whatever...

We were just discussing
your ransom kidnapping.

Excuse me?

Ransom kidnapping,
the act of forcing a victim

to hand over valuables
by holding their family hostage.

I know what a ransom kidnapping is.

Oh, in which case,
I wonder whether you might consider

adhering to my three golden rules
of hostage negotiation?

I'm sorry, who are you?

This is Professor Tempest.
He's our external advisor.

Hmm.

What would these, er,
so-called golden rules be?

Firstly, always give them precisely
what they want, if at all possible.

It's statistically
the wisest course of action.

I deal with real-life emergencies
mate, not statistics.

Chief Inspector?

This is Professor Tempest speaking.

Who's this?

Put it on speaker.

'Where the hell is Banerjee?'

Mr Banerjee is currently
in the hospital,

he was hit by a car
whilst fetching the diamonds.

That's why we haven't
heard anything.

'Are you police?'

The police are here, but I would
not recommend talking to them,

I am not entirely convinced
Mr Swallow can be trusted.

I'm hanging up now.

He hung up.

What are you doing?
Are you mad?

On the contrary.
You totally shafted us.

You gave me no choice.

I was going to offer them
exactly what they want,

but you lied to them, which forced
me to follow rule number two.

And what's your rule number two
when it's at home?

Tell the truth, at all times.

This is bullshit.
I disagree.

It's pure logic,

informed by extensive analysis
of the available data sets.

My recent paper on the subject...

If you interfere again,
I'll have you arrested.

Is that logical enough for you?

I think you should come with me,
Jasper.

Jog on.

Now they know we know,

we need to secure the area and
get everyone evacuated immediately.

Stay in here.

I'll find someone.
Yeah.

Can you run a check
on all parked vehicles

within a 500-yard radius
of the property, please?

Yes, sir.

'Papa Alfa 8-7,
parked units in place.'

'Mike Bravo 6-8 to control,
ETA minus three minutes.'

'Control, Sierra Juliett 4-0
requesting sit-rep.'

Let me see.

There's a sniper on the roof!

There must be half the police
in the city out there!

You promised me
it wouldn't come to this!

We've finally got thermal imaging.

It confirms there are two of them,

and they've moved the hostages
to a separate room,

that should minimise the collateral
damage if we have to go in.

It's the last resort, I hope.

Look at those shapes and movements.

There are four hostages,
not two of them.

Sister and her little 'un.

These things seldom work out well.

Really?

First thing I've eaten today.

D'you want one?
No.

Sparrow.

Out of the question.

OK. OK, calm down, calm down.

They said they'll only talk
to the professor.

Are you sure?

Absolutely.

To measure is...
To know.

To guess is...
To miss.

But are you REALLY sure?

Categorically so.

Because this buzzard or blackbird
really doesn't think much of you.

Why are you here all the time?
Mind your own business.

What's in the suitcase?
You ask too many questions.

Jasper, we need you.

Well, go on, then.

Hello?
'Professor?'

Indeed, this is Professor Tempest.

I do not negotiate with anyone
holding a child hostage.

I wish you a pleasant day.

Back to your office?

Yeah.

What the hell are you doing?

Trying to bring a hostage situation
to a successful conclusion.

By taunting the hostage takers?

Don't tell me you trust Brad Tit
and his macho posturing

more than a scientific approach
backed by data?

Sparrow, it's Ben Sparrow, and he's
actually been very professional.

Are you going somewhere?

Listen, Jasper,
I think it would be better

if you just stayed out of this case,
I'm gonna call you a taxi.

Yes?

'Papa Alfa 8-7 to control...
A child in the building...'

So...

what's your third golden rule,
Jasper?

Hey, well done,
I'm really proud of you.

You're such a brave girl.

Daddy should be here by now.

Why is he taking so long?

Free my hands.

No, it's too risky.

Priyanka, please, get the scissors.

They're there in the drawer,
just go.

Get them.

What we doing now, huh?
What do you mean what do we do now?

We just let two hostages go.
So what have you got next, brains?

Huh? Have a think.

We should just give them
what they want...

...then this will all be over.

Your father would never abandon us,
never.

Something's happened.

Come on, just cut me free.

Sit still.

Ooh, shit!

Let's speak to the professor again.

Professor Tempest.

'We want a million pounds...'

in unmarked notes,
and a car, and free passage.

'Or we start shooting.'

Professor?
'I believe you're bluffing.'

'Bluffing?'
Yes, exactly. Bluffing.

To deceive by presenting
a self-confident front.

You have considerably less leverage
than you'd have us believe.

You're surrounded
by Mr Parrot's snipers,

who will shoot you dead
the moment you leave the building,

and unbeknownst to you,

your situation has recently become
even less promising.

What do you mean?

Mr Banerjee has died.

The accident ruptured his liver.
He did not survive.

No, wait!

Sweet mother of God, Tempest,
if this ends badly...

You... You will be responsible
for the victims.

It will not end badly.

You were in on this?

The third golden rule.

Convince the kidnappers
their situation is hopeless.

Well, they're desperate now.

No. No!

What are you doing?
Let her go! Let her go!

Come on!

Let her go! Let...

Let her go!

Let her...

'4-0 control, shot fired.'

'Control 4-0. Authorised
firearm offices clear to deploy.'

Priyanka!

Armed police! Armed police!

Keep your hands
where we can see them!

Don't move! Don't move!

Right.

Uh-huh. Thank you.

Everyone's OK.

The whole family.

And the gunmen?

There's no sign of them, but they're
still searching the vicinity.

The building was surrounded.

They might have got out
through a service tunnel.

What about the shot?
A distraction.

Part of the escape plan
they worked out in advance.

How did they know about
a service tunnel when we didn't?

An inside job?

Has all the hallmarks.

Banerjee took his most valuable
stones.

Carbonados are easy to sell
on the black market.

Insurance fraud?
Exactly so.

He staged the kidnap
so he could cash in twice.

The only thing he didn't plan for
is getting hit by a car.

Yes, that was fortunate.

Not for Mr Banerjee, but for me.

It meant I could convince
the kidnappers

their situation was hopeless.

If Banerjee was dead,
their plan had failed.

Impressive.

That is the rankest tracksuit
I've ever seen.

But still... impressive.

You can't hide out here forever,
you know,

you've got to go home some time.

I could say the same to you.

Going to my sister's.

Derek and I have decided
to spend a little time apart.

Go on.

I know you can't resist the urge
to say "I told you so".

Well, if you will run off with
a boring accountant named Derek.

Well, at least he can open the door
without wearing bloody gloves.

I knew you could never
be happy with him!

Jasper! There are golden rules
to relationships, too.

You never gave me what I wanted,
you never told me the truth,

but you sure as hell convinced me
that our situation was hopeless!

I've... been putting off
this decision for way too long.

I don't want to spend my life
feeling half happy.

You're gonna want to hear... this.

We ran a check on parked vehicles
in the vicinity of the apartment.

Uniform helped, we struck lucky.

Purple Ford Fiesta stolen yesterday.

Uh-huh?

Turns out they were hiding
in the cellars until we left.

Luckily, we had a team waiting for
them at their stolen escape vehicle.

We've got 'em, ma'am.

Out! Get out! Move!

Good. And we're onto
something else, but...

We have to check something.

Mrs Banerjee, we have good news.

We've arrested two suspects.

You said Priyanka saw one of them
without their balaclava,

is that right?

Yes.

Argh!

We'd like you to see
if you can ID him.

Just informally for now.

Do you recognise either of them?

Is it him?

I don't think so.

'Are you really sure?'

'Yes, I'm sure.'

We recovered enough fingerprints
from your apartment

to convict them five times over.

But if you can't ID them, well...

Unless...

What?

Unless Miss Banerjee is lying.

Why would she do that?
You own your own business, right?

In the gem trade, like my father,
importing from India.

Doing OK?

Bit up and down.

Priyanka?

I'd say that's
a bit of an understatement.

While our colleagues were
trying to negotiate your release,

we had time for a bit of digging.

Winding up petition from your
creditors, served ten days ago.

Did you ask your father
for a handout?

Did he refuse?

What is going on here?

We've spent hours in here,
there's fucking police outside.

There's police?
There's police.

Get out!

How could you?

Mummy.

Mummy, I didn't want this.

Mummy, please.

I'm so sorry.

Don't take it to heart.

It was an inside job.
You were half right.

To me, being half right
is like being half happy.

'Two men are in custody...'

Hi, Dad.

'The suspects were arrested when
armed police officers forced...'

You all right, love?
Yeah, fine.

I made your favourite pasta.

'..Confirm that no-one
was injured in the incident.

'Earlier, streets surrounding
the property were cordoned off

'for several hours,
as specialist officers

'from the National Anti-Kidnap
And Extortion Unit

'negotiated with the hostage takers
for the release of the family.

'Police are refusing
to confirm reports...'

I can manage, you know.
I know.

'As a result of the negotiations,
a woman and a girl of six

'were let go
by the hostage takers...'

Who was that?
It's a friend.

That kind of friend?
He's just a friend.

He's just someone I work with.

Unfortunately.

Eat some.

It's delicious.

You haven't even tasted it yet.

This is not going to work, Mother.
What isn't?

You, moving in here.

You clearly need my help.

I know what I need from you, Mother,
and it is not your help.

But, darling, look at you.

I was doing perfectly well until you
burst in and discombobulated me.

I thought it was the father,
but it was the daughter.

An unforgivable mistake.

Dear heart.
Don't be so hard on yourself.

You always were a mercurial boy.

Now, if you don't mind,
I have an exhibition to prepare for.

By the way, leisure wear's
not a look you can pull off.

'Una Lacrima Sul Viso' by Bobby Solo

♪ Da una lacrima sul viso

♪ Ho capito molte cose

♪ Dopo tanti e tanti mesi, ora so

♪ Cosa sono per te

♪ Uno sguardo ed un sorriso... ♪