Beyond Paradise fans were complaining about Chief Superintendent Smith’s as he made a return to the BBC drama
Gemma Jones and Angie Quinn Screen Time Reporter
16:24, 11 Apr 2026Updated 16:25, 11 Apr 2026
Beyond Paradise were left complaining during Friday’s installment of the BBC series (Image: BBC)
One character’s corporate-speak on Beyond Paradise has pushed the drama’s devoted viewers to the breaking point.
During the latest installment of the BBC show, Chief Superintendent Smith has alienated fans with his language, prompting many to call for him to be written out of the show.
Sharing a baffled-looking GIF on X, one viewer wrote: “The UK when Chief Superintendent Smith is talking his business jargon #BeyondParadise.”
Another raged: “Can Mr Smith get in the bin!?” While another suggested: “How about Mr Smith commit a murder in the finale so he can get arrested?”.
Someone else posted: “Hopefully, Humph will go above Smith and get that slimy git fired. Problem solved. #BeyondParadise.”
Even before the episode had started, the BBC itself poked fun at the character, sharing a bingo card of his favourite phrases on social media, captioned: “Advance warning: James Smith is in this episode, so we made you a handy little guide to understanding corporate jargon, in case it helps… #BeyondParadise.”
Fans are not impressed with the new boss(Image: BBC)
Humphrey’s superior officer, James Smith, portrayed by Vincent Franklin, returned to screens this evening having first appeared in episode one.
He immediately cast himself as the villain when he broke the news that the team would need to make some staff cutbacks.
The team was dispatched to attend a Dark Morris Dancing event, known as the “Legend of the Knuckerhole Dragon”. While there, Margo Martins (Felicity Montagu) found herself embroiled in a crime when one of her team members collapsed during a performance.
With a severe allergic reaction at the root of the crime, and the victim’s EPI-PEN case found empty, DI Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall) was utterly baffled as to how the attack was triggered without anyone noticing, all while the audience’s gaze remained fixed on the stage, reports the Express.
Fans were not happy with Friday’s episode of Beyond Paradise (Image: BBC / Red Planet Pictures / Joss Barratt)
As envy and hidden secrets began to surface, the deliberate exploitation of the victim’s allergy started to reveal a far more sinister picture.
With a personal connection to the crime, Margo faced her biggest challenge yet as she went undercover to uncover what clues a familiar face might be concealing.
Meanwhile, Humphrey and Martha Lloyd (Sally Bretton) took a significant stride forward on their property-owning journey, though Humphrey found his thoughts elsewhere when an influential figure from the Hub turned up at the station demanding answers.
Elsewhere, DS Esther Williams (Zahra Ahmadi) was left reeling when Zoe (Melina Sinadinou) unexpectedly announced her intention to embark on worldwide travels.
Beyond Paradise is available to stream on BBC iPlayer