The youngest member of the team, he is quiet and reserved compared to the rest.
Plot[]
Season 1[]
While young and eager to fit in Kent is torn between fitting in with the team and obeying his new boss. Early on he aids DI Joseph Chandler by fetching him some chalk much to the amusement and derision of his teammates. Respecting Chandler early results in Chandler appearing to favor Kent such as when Kent is in Chandler’s group on the stakeout and Chandler takes Kent with him to interview a victim in the hospital.
DS Ray Miles reveals to Chandler that he knows that Kent sometimes cries in “the bog” or the car park in order to cope with the stresses of the job.
Season 2[]
During the second season, while conducting interviews, Kent is brutally attacked by a man in nice, dark shoes and a suit. The attack could have served as a warning to Chandler's division to back off or as retaliation for Kent making offensive statements about the Kray copycat murderers. He is 'striped' which is a historical technique in which deep slashes are inflicted with a bladed weapon, such as a knife or machete, down the buttocks. Kent is hospitalized then left on crutches until the third episode of the season.
While attempting to follow further inquiries into the case, Kent is menaced and threatened by corrupt uniformed officers twice, and his work impeded. While working in the incident room alone at night, corrupt officers ransack the incident room. The next day when team members recount incidents of Kray associates interfering with the investigation and their personal lives, Kent does not disclose that he was in the incident room when it was ransacked, rather Kent stated nothing happened to him. After Chandler realizes there is a leak in the division, in an attempt to flush out the leaker Chandler calls out and dismisses Kent in front of everyone in the incident room. Chandler expressed a desire for the leak not to be Kent, stating, "out of everyone, I really wish it hadn't been you." Kent leaves distressed and cries in the car park next to a donkey. Later the culprit is discovered, and Kent is brought back into the investigation. He is reinstated with Chandler apologizing for not trusting him. Kent confessed he was in the incident room when it was ransacked.
Season 3[]
Much of the season Kent has rather minor roles and remains the youngest member of the team.
During the second case, he is forced to humiliate himself in-front of Chandler, covering for DC Finlay Mansell, by revealing he knows of a sex shop where Spanish Fly can be purchased.
Later, during the third case of the season, he suspects Morgan Lamb of being involved with the killings and acts hostile towards her. Kent asks Ed for precedent to support his theory, reading a file on Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate. After Chandler defends Lamb both in the interview and throughout the investigation, Kent accuses Chandler of being blinkered over Lamb's possible association with the murders. Chandler barely manages to contain his anger after Kent asserts that Chandler fancies Lamb. Chandler blames the outburst and Kent's suspicions on their lack of sleep during the over 36-hour shift and takes no further action.
When the case closes and Lamb is revealed not to be involved in the killings, Chandler tells Kent to apologize to Lamb. Kent states that “I guess being the bad cop isn't really me,” to which Lamb responds, “perhaps it’s more you than you think.” Kent abruptly leaves the room, leaving the door open, which is used by Cindy Watney to gain access to Morgan and kill her.
Season 4 []
DC Finlay Mansell begins to date Emerson Kent's sister, Erica, after meeting her at the book launch for Edward Buchan. At the party, Emerson refuses to introduce Erica to Mansell and shows visible annoyance and disapproval when he sees Erica and Mansell hitting it off. He doesn't approve of this match, based on Mansell's history of cheating, and tells Mansell not to pursue Erica. Despite Emerson's express disapproval, Mansell starts seeing Erica and taunting Emerson about the relationship.
In the second case of the season, Kent is assigned to investigate an unidentified victim’s tattoos to try to identify the man. At the tattoo parlor, a Polish women named Katje gives Kent information about Russian tattoos as well as her number. Despite Kent telling Katje he will call, he immediately throws her number away when he exits the tattoo parlor.
Erica breaks up with Mansell in episode five, causing Mansell to spiral. DC Megan Riley asks Emerson to talk to Erica about the breakup, which Emerson does not do. Mansell's poor mental health culminates in him standing on the ledge of the police building, requiring Riley to talk him off the edge. During the incident, Emerson enters the roof and quickly exits, only being seen by Riley. Riley tells Mansell that the breakup was the result of an outside force in reference to Emerson.
The breakup is a result of Emerson's attempts to split them up. When Emerson confesses to sabotaging the relationship to Mansell, Mansell punches Emerson to the ground. Emerson receives a cut to the face and a black eye that becomes swollen shut. Emerson leaves the incident room after being reprimanded by Miles, Chandler, and Riley to call Erica, leaving a voice mail. Then he is splashed by water. Mansell and Erica get back together by the end of the episode.
When delivering a report to Chandler, Chandler comments on Kent's black eye by telling him to get a bag of peas from the canteen to ice the swelling. Kent misinterprets Chandler's comments as concern but is corrected by Chandler who remarks that the black eye makes him look unprofessional.
Meanwhile, Kent begins to see his reflection distorted on mirrored surfaces. The distorted reflection is a motif related to Kent throughout the season.
In the last episode, Kent asks Chandler if he wanted to get a drink with him at a pub, which could be interpreted as an invitation to a date. Kent quickly corrects himself to construe the invitation as from the rest of the officers involved in the case. Chandler accepts the invitation, specifying that he would see Kent there.
Relationships[]
It is hinted that he has a somewhat crush on DI Joe Chandler as it has often been said that he slipped into the DI's habits like they had been his all along. He is also shown to look up to Chandler and respects him throughout the series. When he was suspected to be working for the Kray's, he appeared to have been heartbroken because Chandler didn't trust him for a while.
Kent's family is rarely mentioned. Kent's twin sister, Erica, is revealed in the fourth season. Kent tells Mansell that his aunt is a psychic during season 3 episode 5, when they are inside the Mantus family home which has been left abandoned for 10 years. Mansell makes fun of him which upsets Kent a little.
Trivia[]
Kent did not enjoy watching the Tod Browning film “London After Midnight” while waiting to remand Calvin Mantus back into the custody of mental health professionals.
Students made fun of Kent in school by calling him ‘Emma’ as a derivative of ‘Emerson.’
Riley thinks Kent’s running and screaming look and sound like that of a girl during the team building exercise.
Quotes[]
- Season 4 Episode 6
- DC Kent: There's something wrong with me. I just hate seeing other people happy. It just eats away at me and makes me angry. Why am I like that?
- DC Mansell: I dunno. Maybe other people's happiness reminds you of what you're missing.
- Season 4 Episode 6
- DC Kent: Sir, a few of us are going to the pub, a bit of a celebration. Would you like to join me, us?
- DI Chandler: I'd love to.
- DC Kent: Oh, great. I'll see you there.