To each his own package
At the Cologne police station, Ballauf and Schenk prepare for Christmas, while elsewhere the most stressful time of the year begins. When a parcel carrier is murdered in his van, an undercover investigation is called for - "The Other's Burden" skillfully balances social criticism and crime thriller.
What happens?
Christmas time - parcel time: the days leading up to the festive season are the most stressful of the year for countless delivery drivers. Sybille Jäger (Susanne Bredehöft) runs a parcel delivery service and her messengers not only have to deliver at least 200 parcels a day, they also have to do their job in Santa Claus regalia and create a good atmosphere. This is tragically dampened when one of them, Milan Strasser (Dennis Svensson), is murdered during his shift. When Ballauf (Klaus J. Behrendt) and Schenk (Dietmar Bär) arrive, many of the packages have been opened and searched.
The investigation surrounding the unscrupulous company boss's large team is difficult. So the Cologne team resort to a classic trick from the police investigation box: Natalie Förster (Tinka Fürst) applies for a job as a delivery driver and sneaks in as an undercover investigator. She only gradually realizes how life-threatening this is. Things get particularly dicey when she injures her ankle jumping out of a window.
What is it really about?
Once people strolled and shopped, now they click and order. Among the victims of the great commercial frenzy of the festive season: the countless parcel carriers who make sure that the gift table bends under the weight of presents. Screenwriter Paul Salisbury sets the Milan Strasser murder case in this milieu, creating an atmospheric narrative environment in which many stories are told and touched upon without losing focus of the criminal plot.
A zap-away moment?
None, "The Other's Burden" maintains the tension throughout, from the tragic opening to the laid-out clues and subsequent events to the final montage between melancholy and reconciliation.
Wow factor?
"Tatort" cases set against a Christmas backdrop can get a bit tedious and those who look too critically may wonder whether the sub-plot has to be about Secret Santa and the search for Christmas presents of all things. But hey - it's the most wonderful time of the year, isn't it?
How was it?
8.5 out of 10 points - an entertaining, classic Xmas whodunit with a socially critical undertone.
Lesen Sie auch:
The crime thriller "The Other's Burden," airing on ARD's television series, takes place during the holiday season and centers around the murder of a parcel carrier. The investigation leads Ballauf and Schenk to disguise Natalie Förster as a delivery driver to infiltrate the company, revealing dangerous secrets at the crime scene.
With its artful blend of social criticism and crime thriller elements, "The Other's Burden" provides a gripping exploration of modern-day parcel delivery scenarios and the struggling lives of delivery drivers, set against a backdrop of festive holiday season pressure.
Source: www.ntv.de
