*This article contains spoilers*
Fans have reacted with dismay and, in some cases, anger at the exit of Josephine Jobert as DS Florence Cassell from BBC One’s murder mystery series Death in Paradise – her second departure from the show.
Fans felt her departure hard. “Started this episode stressed out now in tears. Talk about an emotional rollercoaster,” one posted
DS Cassell’s undercover operation reached its peak on Friday night’s episode when she engaged in a fight and shootout with the principal suspect in a series of gangland murders. DS Cassell was fortunately fastest to draw and disabled the woman by shooting her in the arm.
But what was the faraway look in her eyes when the commissioner and DI Neville Parker (Ralf Little) got to the scene? She was clearly going to have to leave Saint-Marie after the undercover mission was accomplished. Cue an emotional scene with Neville.
“I knew I needed to come back to do that,” she told him, “but If I’m going to start living again, properly living, it will be somewhere else, where there are no ghosts. Somewhere new.”
Neville was crestfallen and responded that she had ‘made this island a home for me’, but inevitably Florence ended the episode in a taxi on the way to the airport.
It prompted utter disappointment from fans at the unconsummated romance between Florence and Neville. One tweeted: “So much, so much for nothing... A great disappointment... You have disappointed me a lot... You made us believe something that was never going to happen. Here it ends.”
Another wrote: “For once could we please hear wedding bells? How many series now of unrequited love? I can't cope..”
For once could we please hear wedding bells? How many series now of unrequited love? I can't cope..January 28, 2022
Another Death in Paradise viewer was a bit more forceful in her reaction: “Absolutely raging... I cant believe we have been strung along for 2 series, is everyone allergic to happy endings on San Marie?”
Absolutely raging... 😠 😡 I cant believe we have been strung along for 2 series, is everyone allergic to happy endings on San Marie?January 28, 2022
Some optimists watching the programme remained hopeful it wasn't the last we'd seen of Florence. “Missing her sparkle: Unless Florence returns later in series 11 or in series 12 then the show will be diminished without her sparkle and the sadness of her ignominious ending.”
It’s hard to see where producers will go with Neville’s character, now that his love interest has gone. Will he have renewed focus on his job without any distractions? Or will they introduce a new romance to keep the soap opera pot bubbling?
One fan felt Florence’s exit was right for the programme, tweeting: “Platonic friendship - can’t always be a happy ending & so happy this show demonstrates that. Loving Neville’s journey. Feel he’s really grown with time.”
