Too much of a bad thing

The first two very convincing episodes after Charly Hübner's retirement almost put aside the anxious question of how things would continue in the Rostock "Polizeiruf". But only almost, because the third episode is a relapse.

Anyone who produces a crime series with the aim of attracting an entire country to the television must make a lot of compromises. Or you can go the exact opposite way and consistently burn all bridges episode after episode, both thematically and in terms of acting. Dortmund's "Tatort" has been proving how well this can work for more than ten years. On the "Polizeiruf" side, until recently you could rely on the Rostock team, who were just as gloomy as their colleagues from the Pott, with an equally horizontally told story about the semi-secret inspector Bukow (Charly Hübner) and his LKA colleague König (Anneke Kim Sarnau).

After Bukow's resignation with a big bang, doubts were high: would his successor Melly Böwe (Lina Beckmann) be able to fill his place? Beckmann, who has been married to Hübner for more than ten years in real life, forms a stark counterpoint to the gloomy Bukow with her sunny disposition and, at first glance, rather naïve manner. After the first two episodes, the all-clear seemed to have been given: "The cast is still the real asset, the story fits perfectly in Rostock, and I'm already looking forward to the next case," wrote our colleague Ingo Scheel about "Daniel A." in February, awarding it nine out of ten points.

Important topic, poorly told

Unfortunately, "Nur Gespenster" is a bitter disappointment: the story about an abused teenager who (supposedly) takes revenge on her tormentors 15 years after her disappearance is hopelessly overloaded and unwieldy. This is doubly unfortunate, because the focus on repression by the relatives and the complicity of the silent mother is an interesting approach. "Our aim is to create a level that doesn't allow you to look away," says director Andreas Herzog. "To raise awareness of the fact that abuse exists and that these things can happen in anyone's social environment. It does happen and it should be dealt with." The director thus hits a crucial point: the topic is extremely uncomfortable and important at the same time. And therefore needs to be told with the necessary care.

Which "Nur Gespenster" doesn't do, but instead gets lost in a half-baked side plot that tries to draw parallels between investigator König, her missing father and the current case. However, because this will probably only be understood by viewers with a built-in episode guide to episodes from years ago, we'll also include an explanation from König actress Anneke Kim Sarnau: "She dreams of her childhood with her parents in the GDR. The whole thing takes place by the sea, and suddenly she is left alone ... like after the escape. A traumatic experience (...). She fled across the sea with her mother when she was about four years old, and her mother drowned during the escape."

Still with us? Because that wasn't all: "She has never seen her father since. Years ago, Katrin König did some research on him, with the help of Veit and Sascha Bukow. She found out that he had been imprisoned in Bautzen as a critic of the system, and because she couldn't find him, she thought he was dead." That doesn't just sound terribly complicated, it is when you watch it - and distracts from the really important issues. Of course, the Rostockians want to remain as abysmal and complex as possible, but in this case it's unfortunately too much of a bad thing.

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In the world of German television, the crime thriller "Polizeiruf 110" on ARD's TV channel remains a staple, with episodes often receiving critical acclaim. For instance, the television series' latest episode titled "Daniel A." was praised for its compelling story and strong cast, garnering a high rating from our colleague Ingo Scheel. (ARD, television series, crime thriller)

Moreover, Polizeiruf 110 is renowned for its dedicated and talented actors like Anneke Kim Sarnau, who portrayed LKA colleague König in the series. Her performance in the popular series has captivated audiences for years, earning her a loyal fan base. (ARD, TV, Polizeiruf 110, Anneke Kim Sarnau)

Source: www.ntv.de