Tatort began with a 'flash mob' beating (missed the opening credits and the very beginning). A shock of recognition as the investigators went to inform the ex-wife of the victim -- felt she looked like me (!! AUGH!) She was very obviously MIDDLE-AGED and, truth to be told, lying in a typical 'Dorf Diva' mode, on the couch and sleeping. The home -- or workplace, or home/workplace was a 'Wascherei', and I felt a shock of recognition there, too -- could have easily been one of the apartments we lived in while in Berlin. Floor to ceiling tiled kitchen, crumbling gray Putz on the outside walls, old-fashioned appliances. Been there, done that. Jolt of gratitude that I escaped to a snug 'Neubau' house with a garden. But I fully signed up for life continuing on in an apartment in Berlin, and man I was brave. Would be so miserable living there now.
So ex-Frau had my sympathy for the beginning. For some reason, the 'Lebensgefährten' (German has a sensible word for this when English doesn't) and the victim shared a totally modern, lovely house. In fact, the live-in girlfriend opened the door wearing a wedding gown (??) and only when she sat in the couch before a woodland scene framed her floor-to-ceiling picture windows, looking like a fairy princess, did we find out she was actually meant to marry the victim the next week. So there was a reason she was wearing a wedding gown, it wasn't simply to make that beautiful scene. HAH. Yes, the princess in the woods scene was beautiful and totally worth any amount of plot contrivance necessary to wedge it in.
The scenes of the investigators were stressful as they shouted a lot at each other, seemingly unnecessarily. They only seemed panicked when together: they took their time with the victims. The victim's daughter, Anna, was beautiful and a very effective actress, although I somehow thought the script seemed like it had been written for a younger person than Anna appeared to be (20? When the daughter should have been about 14?). The mother of the suspects was great and very effective.
German sentence I loved for its lack of sentimentality: "Hapsberg (the victim) wird heute wohl abgeschaltet." (The victim was on a life support system that was going to be turned off).
To my surprise I felt very warm toward the 'kooky' commissioner. They didn't make him as 'alternative' as he has been in previous episodes. Somehow he had a very 'German' face, although I couldn't think of who or what it reminded me of. Perhaps the baby on the Brandt Zwieback tins? Anyways, enjoyed him. His female sidekick had VERY little to do in this episode, except remind me of my eighth grade teacher -- had she worn a red ponytail instead of a nun's habit on her head.
Also appreciated the introduction of a DS child with not fuss or special notice taken of him. His father was played by an über-yuppie control freak type, but it seemed like natural casting. I enjoyed that little side-plot.
There was reference to a back-story which I barely got. It had probably been heavily edited.
In short, enjoyed the Saarland Tatort way more than I expected. Thumbs up.
So ex-Frau had my sympathy for the beginning. For some reason, the 'Lebensgefährten' (German has a sensible word for this when English doesn't) and the victim shared a totally modern, lovely house. In fact, the live-in girlfriend opened the door wearing a wedding gown (??) and only when she sat in the couch before a woodland scene framed her floor-to-ceiling picture windows, looking like a fairy princess, did we find out she was actually meant to marry the victim the next week. So there was a reason she was wearing a wedding gown, it wasn't simply to make that beautiful scene. HAH. Yes, the princess in the woods scene was beautiful and totally worth any amount of plot contrivance necessary to wedge it in.
The scenes of the investigators were stressful as they shouted a lot at each other, seemingly unnecessarily. They only seemed panicked when together: they took their time with the victims. The victim's daughter, Anna, was beautiful and a very effective actress, although I somehow thought the script seemed like it had been written for a younger person than Anna appeared to be (20? When the daughter should have been about 14?). The mother of the suspects was great and very effective.
German sentence I loved for its lack of sentimentality: "Hapsberg (the victim) wird heute wohl abgeschaltet." (The victim was on a life support system that was going to be turned off).
To my surprise I felt very warm toward the 'kooky' commissioner. They didn't make him as 'alternative' as he has been in previous episodes. Somehow he had a very 'German' face, although I couldn't think of who or what it reminded me of. Perhaps the baby on the Brandt Zwieback tins? Anyways, enjoyed him. His female sidekick had VERY little to do in this episode, except remind me of my eighth grade teacher -- had she worn a red ponytail instead of a nun's habit on her head.
Also appreciated the introduction of a DS child with not fuss or special notice taken of him. His father was played by an über-yuppie control freak type, but it seemed like natural casting. I enjoyed that little side-plot.
There was reference to a back-story which I barely got. It had probably been heavily edited.
In short, enjoyed the Saarland Tatort way more than I expected. Thumbs up.