There’s still a tale to tell for Florence.
*Spoilers ahead for season 13, episode 1 of Death in Paradise*
Death in Paradise has celebrated its 100th episode, and the BBC series delivered some nostalgic treats to pay homage to its long tenure.
One memorable character appeared only in photo form towards the end of the episode – DS Florence Cassell.
After solving the latest mystery, Detective Inspector Neville Parker (Ralf Little) was given a nudge by surprise cameo, Camille Bordey (Sara Martins), over his romantic hopes.
Viewers then saw him staring wistfully at a picture of Florence – and now more than ever, we believe Death in Paradise needs her back once more.
Neville developed feelings for Florence while working with her, and is clearly still in love with her. Now, we can’t dismiss the possibility that Florence might have feelings for Neville after all.
She could pitch up to declare her love, with the pair either setting up home together on Saint Marie, or setting off for a happy ever after elsewhere to mark Neville’s exit.
But, regardless of whether Neville and Florence would work as a couple, it’s her own personal story that feels the most incomplete.
So far, she’s only been mentioned when Neville, or another character, references how her absence has affected him.
Despite the need for some form of closure between them, we wouldn’t want Florence’s fate to revolve solely around Neville. If she were to return, it would have to be a meaningful journey for her.
Played by Joséphine Jobert, Florence was last seen in 2022 leaving the island after arresting serial killer Miranda Priestley (Victoria Ekanoye) during an undercover mission.
Florence shared a sad farewell with Neville as she was driven away from the place that held distressing memories for her.
In contrast to most of the detectives, who departed alive and well, both of Florence’s exits were a rather sombre affair.
While Camille, JP Hooper (Tobi Bakare) and others made tracks under much more optimistic circumstances, Florence felt forced to flee the first time around, thanks to the murder of her fiancé Patrice Campbell (Leemore Marrett Jr).
The traumatic memories of this tragedy influenced her decision to move on twice over – with the added side effect that Florence was at risk from Miranda’s dangerous associates.
It’s highly likely her safety could have been secured by now, but we’ve yet to hear what became of Florence.
There is plenty of ground left to cover, with her final appearance showcasing one of her finest moments yet.
Proving herself as a stellar undercover detective, Florence could have continued in the role off-screen before heading back to Saint Marie with a big job to do. Naturally, this would coincide with some intervention from Honoré Police.
This would be a suitably dramatic way for Jobert, if available, to reprise her role; delighting viewers as well as, hopefully, allowing Florence to flourish and finally lay her demons to rest.
Although Florence made a lot of progress coming to terms with her past during her last stint, she continued to associate Saint Marie with pain and suffering.
Whether temporary or permanent, we’d love to see Florence’s potential comeback help her make peace with the island.
She left behind a close network of friends who witnessed her go through many ups and downs.
Florence shared strong bonds with Catherine Bordey (Élizabeth Bourgine) and Commissioner Selwyn Patterson (Don Warrington), who would welcome her home with open arms and provide steadfast support.
And while there’s no current vacancy among the team, we can’t help but note the famous Death in Paradise penchant for replacing its lead detective every few years.
Neville is the longest-serving inspector on the show, and while we wouldn’t wish to hurry him, or indeed popular star Little, away, perhaps when the time comes, Florence could take his place.
It’s entirely believable that dedicated detective Florence could have been promoted to inspector by now.
Although it would break the tradition of British officers taking up residence in the Caribbean, who better than long-serving faithful Florence to make history as the first female lead on the show? She and current detective sergeant Naomi Thomas (Shantol Jackson) would make a great duo.
With Florence’s knack for stopping criminals in their tracks, we could certainly picture her having lightbulb moments and cracking cases in her own right.
That timely shot of Florence’s photograph doesn’t just serve as a reminder of Neville’s feelings. There’s still a tale to tell and some hard-won happiness to grab hold of.
Neville or no Neville, Death in Paradise has unfinished business where DS Cassell is concerned. Whichever path is meant for fan-favourite Florence, it deserves to be seen on-screen.
Death in Paradise is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. 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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