From the moment he laid eyes on Florence Cassell, Death in Paradise’s DI Neville Parker only had eyes for her. But their romance wasn’t to be, with Florence rejecting his advances in favour of maintaining their friendship.
“I was thrown by what you said,” she admitted. “It made me realise how much I care about you and how important you are to me, as a friend.”
It wasn’t the happy ending Neville or the audience were hoping for, but things appear to be looking up for the detective.
In the Christmas special, he has an awkward encounter with a woman called Sophie, who is holidaying on the island of Saint Marie.
He knocks into her with a suitcase before swapping their luggage and driving off with her belongings – but not before he almost crashes into her taxi. It’s all accidental, we should add, but it doesn’t make his actions any less painful or irritating, with both parties leaving the scene flustered.
“Really not your day is it?” says Sophie, visibly irked.
“Apparently not,” he sighs.
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Eventually, Sophie turns up at the police station looking for her belongings and again, the exchange between the pair is painfully awkward.
“Finally I can put some clean clothes on,” she says. “I’m wearing the same ones I arrived in.”
Neville, trying to lighten the moment, replies: “I was wondering what the smell was.”
Realising she might not appreciate his comment, he adds: “That’s only a joke. I didn’t…. You smell great.”
Cue bemused expressions from Naomi and Marlon.
But Sophie appears to find his babbling endearing and at the end of the episode, the pair sit down to enjoy Christmas lunch together.
“There’s way too much for me here,” Neville says of the food in front of him. “Maybe you could help me out with it?”
Sophie is more than happy to oblige: “I thought you’d never ask.”
Will Neville finally get his happy ever after? And what could that mean for his role as Saint Marie police chief?
Catch Death in Paradise season 12 on Friday 6th January at 9pm. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what’s on tonight.
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