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Ever since Kommissar Faber's long-time partner and secret object of his affection Kommissar Boenisch was killed in the line of duty, Faber has been "on medical leave" from his police work due his deep depression/prolonged mourning. Nonetheless Faber refuses to idly stand by as his estranged elderly father becomes a person of interest in the disappearance (and suspected murder of) a ruthless and shady real estate tycoon. He will aid the investigation.

This Tatort episode is more of a continuation of the drama in the dysfunctional family lives of the regular cast members. Of course, the long time team leader Boenisch (with her own troubled personal life) recently died, leaving everyone emotionally scarred.

Somehow the entire team has extreme private issues to juggle, while doing their work as detectives. There's a junkie/jailbird wife/mother, a mother with a dark domestic terrorist past, a father with dementia; which one of those "situations" is an easy cross to bear? When life throws you that kind of smorgesboard of unfairness, pain and suffering, a murder case that needs solving suddenly becomes a side-plot rather than the center of the story.

If you're looking for a formula "whodunit", then this episode may not be for you. If you are (like me) a lifelong Tatort fanatic, you will watch this double dose of "back story" to the Dortmund Team, and you will be glad you did! Look for the heartwarming scenes in the hair dresser salon with the "old bitties" talking about the good ol' days, and how everybody in the neighborhood was pulling together during troubled times. Priceless! In my book, it's one of the very best Tatort episodes!