The title might seem to invite little curiosity, but the reality of this five-part German miniseries is anything but bland. The titular character, Freya (Iris Berben) is a reclusive, middle-aged plain-Jane who has spent decades transcribing interrogations, testimony and reports for the Berlin police department. She has suffered tragic loss in her life, aggravated by painful reminders when similar crimes (child abduction and abuse) come across her desk. She still has no idea of the fate of her daughter who disappeared 11 years earlier. When an obvious multiple offender is found not guilty, something snaps.
Freya goes secretly rogue when a new crime seems to connect to her own daughter's abduction, even though the cops fail to see her point. A new chief who is an old friend of hers returns to Berlin. They are close, but he's enough of a purist for Freya to keep him at arm's length from her activities. She also must avoid the attention of an ambitious female detective, who is jealous of the boss' high regard for this lowly, mousy clerk.
The series is low-key, but compelling, with some surprising twists. We root for Freya, even when she makes some unwise or illegal moves. The script maintains suspense admirably as to who did what to whom; who knew what and when they knew it; whether Freya will succeed, and what that might look like.
The 2018 series was nominated for a couple of awards in Europe, including Best Direction. All the performances are rock-solid - especially Berben's balance of conveying strong emotions while keeping them under a tight lid. There is some violence, and a disturbing overall theme, but nothing on-camera should seem too graphic for most viewers. Those with the time and taste for a five-hour binge can certainly consider this a worthy candidate.
