Professor T Season 4 Episode 2 Ending Explained: Who was the real killer at the September Gardens?

The intrigue deepened in Professor T season 4 episode 2, titled September Gardens, where a murder at the seemingly peaceful September Gardens retirement community tested both Jasper Tempest’s deductive skills and his strained relationship with the police. With family subplots colliding and old tensions resurfacing, the episode unraveled into a layered case that left viewers questioning loyalty, morality, and the limits of justice. But who was truly behind Abbey Sommers’ death, and what drove them to commit such a shocking act?

Who was the real killer at the September Gardens?

Professor T season 4 episode 2 begins on a personal note as Professor T accompanies his Aunt Zelda to meet her new partner, Peter, who, in a twist, turns out to be the father of his assistant, Miss Snares. Their lighthearted family drama quickly collides with a darker narrative when a body is discovered in the retirement community, setting the stage for one of the season’s most emotionally fraught mysteries.

The victim, Abbey Sommers, was discovered dead in her father Lucien’s former room, now occupied by Eddy Baines, an elderly resident with worsening dementia. Found clutching a hammer smeared in blood, Eddy seemed the obvious suspect. Yet as Professor T probed deeper, it became clear that Eddy was less a killer than a pawn caught in tragic circumstances.

The real story unraveled through layers of interpersonal conflicts. Abbey, embroiled in a bitter custody battle over her daughter Poppy, had been managing Lucien’s finances, moving him into cheaper accommodations to cover her legal expenses. This shift inadvertently set her on a collision course with Eddy, as she entered the wrong room on her weekly visit - Room 12, where Eddy now lived with the hammer he had taken from a careless roofer.

Suspicion briefly fell on Abbey’s ex-husband, Bruno, who had been spotted near the scene and was rumored to be involved with Julie, the community nurse and receptionist. Their presence added red herrings, but as the professor deduced, he had neither the motive nor the coordination to commit such a crime. Their inconsistent stories were explained by fear, not guilt.

The truth came to light when attention turned to Kate, the community director and mother of Marie, a girl bullied by Poppy to the point of self-harm. When Kate confronted Abbey, she was met with cold indifference. Abbey dismissively told her that Marie should simply “toughen up.” Enraged and desperate to protect her daughter, Kate orchestrated the chain of events that placed Abbey in Eddy’s path. She failed to inform Abbey of Lucien’s relocation, ensuring that Abbey would unknowingly enter Eddy’s room, a space now armed with a hammer and haunted by Eddy’s paranoia.

Though Kate did not intend Abbey’s death, her silence in that crucial moment - and her later decision to lock and unlock the door to obscure what happened - made her complicit. It was less a premeditated murder than an act of neglect fueled by maternal fury. The tragedy lies in her intent: she wanted Abbey to feel fear, but never foresaw how far it would spiral.

For Professor T, the case resonated personally. Understanding how trauma and parental instinct can drive desperate acts, he empathized with Kate’s plight. It was a nuanced resolution, one that blurred the line between justice and compassion, underscoring the series’ theme that morality is rarely clear-cut.

What is Professor T all about?

The crime drama series Professor T is a British adaptation of the Belgian original series of the same name. The cast for the series is led by Ben Miller as Jasper Tempest, a criminologist whose obsessive-compulsive disorder and strained family relationships shape his unique methods. Returning cast members include Emma Naomi, Barney White, Frances de la Tour, and Sarah Woodward, while the latest season introduces Zoë Wanamaker as Aunt Zelda.

In Professor T season 4, the show continues weaving episodic murder mysteries with long-running character arcs, deepening Jasper’s fragile connections with colleagues like Dan and Chloe while confronting his past. The latest season consists of six episodes, released collectively for members of PBS Passport on August 10, 2025. Additionally, the season will also follow the weekly release pattern, with a new episode dropping every Sunday at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET on the PBS app and the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video channel in the United States. Renewed already for a fifth season, the series has proven its staying power with audiences who enjoy not just crime-solving but the exploration of flawed humanity behind every case.