Tatort (1970– )

A long running German cop show where detectives work to solve a crime.

Stars:

Klaus J. Behrendt, Miroslav Nemec, Udo Wachtveitl

66 wins & 85 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Klaus J. Behrendt	...	Hauptkommissar Max Ballauf (69 episodes, 1990-2013)
Miroslav Nemec	...	Kriminalhauptkommissar Ivo Batic (67 episodes, 1988-2013)
Udo Wachtveitl	...	Kriminalhauptkommissar Franz Leitmayr (65 episodes, 1991-2013)
Dietmar Bär	...	Hauptkommissar Freddy Schenk (62 episodes, 1984-2013)
Ulrike Folkerts	...	Lena Odenthal (59 episodes, 1989-2013)
Joe Bausch	...	Dr. Joseph Roth (52 episodes, 1998-2013)
Andreas Hoppe	...	Mario Kopper (50 episodes, 1996-2013)
Bernd Michael Lade	...	Hauptkommissar Kain (46 episodes, 1992-2008)
Peter Sodann	...	Hauptkommissar Bruno Ehrlicher (45 episodes, 1992-2007)
Michael Fitz	...	Carlo Menzinger (45 episodes, 1991-2013)
Tessa Mittelstaedt	...	Franziska Lüttgenjohann (45 episodes, 1999-2013)
Peter Espeloer	...	Peter Becker (43 episodes, 1981-2013)
Annalena Schmidt	...	Frau Keller (43 episodes, 1998-2013)
Manfred Krug	...	Hauptkommissar Paul Stoever (41 episodes, 1984-2001)
Charles Brauer	...	Hauptkommissar Peter Brockmöller (40 episodes, 1981-2001)
Karl-Heinz von Hassel	...	Kommissar Brinkmann (40 episodes, 1971-2001)
Dominic Raacke	...	Till Ritter (38 episodes, 1985-2013)
Götz George	...	Kommissar Horst Schimanski (35 episodes, 1971-1991)
Dietz Werner Steck	...	Kommissar Ernst Bienzle (34 episodes, 1973-2007)
Walter Nickel	...	Techniker Walter (34 episodes, 1992-2007)
Eberhard Feik	...	Christian Thanner (33 episodes, 1972-1995)
Ernst-Georg Schwill	...	Lutz Weber (32 episodes, 1991-2013)
Harald Krassnitzer	...	Moritz Eisner (31 episodes, 1999-2013)
Gustl Bayrhammer	...	Kriminaloberinspektor Melchior Veigl (30 episodes, 1971-1992)
Sabine Postel	...	Hauptkommissarin Inga Lürsen (29 episodes, 1989-2013)
Boris Aljinovic	...	Felix Stark (29 episodes, 2001-2013)
Christian Tasche	...	Oberstaatsanwalt von Prinz (29 episodes, 1996-2013)

Storyline

A long running German cop show where detectives work to solve a crime.

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Plot Keywords:

interrogation | german culture | deutschland | criminal | murder | 

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Genres:

Crime

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Details

Official Sites:

Das Erste [Germany]

Country:

West Germany Austria

Language:

German

Release Date:

29 November 1970 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

Crime Scene

Company Credits

Production Co:

Arbeitsgemeinschaft der öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunkanstalten der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (ARD), Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF), Schweizerische Radio- und Fernsehgesellschaft (SRG)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Between 1985 and 1989, the networks ARD from Germany and ORF from Austria co-produced thirteen episodes, which were only aired in Austria (see Tatort).

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Connections

Referenced in Geen gedonder in het vooronder (1985)

User Reviews

Federal Germany's Leading Detective Series

"Tatort" (= Crime Scene) is one of the most popular detective series on German TV. Feature length (90 min) episodes air on roughly 30 Sundays of the year - following the evening news at 8:15 p.m.

The public network ARD that shows "Tatort" is organized federally, i.e. it consists of a dozen regional TV stations. Each regional station have their own police team depicted in their region. So, there is a Berlin team, a Hamburg team, and so on - each have their own episodes under the common label. Larger regional stations like WDR (Cologne) add 3 or 4 episodes each year, smaller ones like tiny Radio Bremen just 1.

The style and setting vary with the teams - that is part of the fun of the series. Episodes from Frankfurt have been rather vanguard in terms of cinematography and storytelling, while the Münster team is famed for their witty dialogues and comic effects.

The regional differences also lead to a competition for audiences and public attention. Viewers tend to choose what team episodes to watch - with consequences for audience ratings and public discussions about the poor scripts or the cheap productions that the Tatorte from some stations have been suffering recently.

The feature length and the producers' ambitions to show not only entertaining crime stories but also to present social issues like child abuse, integration of immigrants, or school violence lead to high public awareness for "Tatort". Episodes are regularly reviewed in quality newspapers like Frankfurter Allgemeine or Süddeutsche Zeitung.