Beyond Paradise's Humphrey stunned as dilemma grows even more complicated
"I do hope it won't be a problem."
Humphrey's relationship with his mother-in-law Anne mostly consists of her chiding him for getting under her feet as they navigate living under the same roof in Beyond Paradise.
After the detective and Martha moved back onto the boat, having paused their fostering journey, the small matter of them drifting out to sea while they were tucked up in bed in the season 4 premiere saw them swiftly move back into Anne's house.
But as close as Martha and her mum are – and there is also love between Humphrey and Anne, given how important each of them are to Martha – it has become increasingly clear that the newly married couple need their own space, regardless of whether it's just the two of them, or if they welcome another child into their lives.
So, they committed to house hunting and after a fairly breezy search and some gentle deliberation, they've landed themselves a fixer-upper.
But as they were toasting the next chapter of their lives in their new backyard – which looks out onto a stunning vista, I must say – the mood was quickly dampened when Anne, who had arrived with a basket of goodies to celebrate, delivered some news of her own.
Courtesy of Mr Smith, Humphrey's odious new boss, Anne has been given a seat on the new police and crime panel as part of her duties as a local counsellor, which is designed to oversee the "activities" of the Shipton Abbott police personnel.
Cue dumbfounded expressions from both Humphrey and Martha.
"I do hope it won't be a problem," she added, knowing full well that it complicates matters astronomically.
That news came in the aftermath of Humphrey being instructed to lose a member of his team due to funding cuts – a choice he's so far been unable to make, given his affection for Esther, Kelby and Margo, and the fact the station wouldn't be nearly as effective without one of them.
So, he's been dodging Mr Smith's ever more frequent calls (and has yet to tell his colleagues what's really going on), prompting his boss to turn up at the station without warning, like the four horses of the apocalypse rolled into one.
And unsurprisingly, Humphrey's Post-it notes outlining a series of uncosted savings – supposedly totalling a year's salary for one of his team – did nothing to win Mr Smith over, who once again demanded the DI make a decision.
But will Anne prove to be the ace up Humphrey's sleeve?
"We find her working as a counsellor and looking for a committee seat," explained Barbara Flynn. "Through this, she becomes involved in the world of golf, where she meets Mr Smith from the police hub. He takes a shine to Anne and helps place her in the station."
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While she's been known to give Humphrey a bit of hard time, they do have a solid relationship – he is the love of her daughter's life, after all, and is wholly committed to Martha.
So perhaps she'll use her charm and local influence to help ring-fence the Shipton Abbott police team, though it would no doubt come with conditions further down the line (we're imagining cups of tea on tap).
But that would be a small price to pay to keep Humphrey's team firmly intact.
Beyond Paradise continues on BBC One and iPlayer at 8pm on Friday 17 April.
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Authors
Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor for Radio Times, covering TV drama and comedy titles. She previously worked at Digital Spy as a TV writer, and as a content writer at Mumsnet. She possesses a postgraduate diploma and a degree in English Studies.
