Lauchhammer: Muerte en Lusacia

This first-rate noir production puts a fresh spin on the shopworn plot tripod involving a mysterious murder (yes, the victim is tragically young and very pretty), the detective(s) with a screwed up life, and "evil business"...oh, I forgot the corrupt cop, so that makes four legs. Yet, character development via superb writing and acting (female cop costar is a genius IMO), make it a most gripping and satisfying watch. The music is likewise as pitch perfect as the script. As an aside, one wonders for the millionth time why the writing for and acting by American child actors is so mundane/awful/unimaginative? Dustin, younger brother of the deceased, gives an amazing performance of a poignant character you won't forget.

This was a cop drama that had several strands with some of them having happened in the past and retold as flashbacks. This didn't make for a particularly cohesive story even though events in the past impinged greatly on the present-day investigation. At times it was rather hard to get the various timelines and events meshed together and melded in one's head.

There were a few loose ends too - we never got to know who the top dog was for instance. Where did the junkies go after eviction? And a couple of scenes were not credible - falling from a very tall building is fatal but not in the series - the guy was out of bed within a couple of weeks. These aren't strong enough hooks to be cliffhangers.

However the plot moved on at a fast pace involving input from family members as well as normal and methodical police work. On balance I'd say that I enjoyed the show.

Edit: There are no "spoilers" here in the sense used by this site. Please don't flag it again.

This six part series is set in what was a coal mining area of East Germany; now the mining has stopped and there are plans to attract tourists by converting the huge pits into lakes. As the story opens the body of a teenage girl is found on the shore of one of these lakes. Maik Briegand, a local man who now works for the national police force leads to investigation with new partner Annalena Gottknecht. There are quite a few suspects; the homeless man who found the body, her boyfriend, a local policeman who is involved with her mother, a property developer and a group of environmental campaigners based in nearby woods.

I thought this was a solid murder mystery that is told effectively. Key characters are quickly introduced as the investigation gets underway. Good use is made of the fact that this used to be East Germany with older residents missing the certainty of a job in the mine while younger people want nothing to do with polluting coal. There are enough suspects to keep one guessing right till the final reveal. The cast does a solid job. Overall a decent murder mystery set in an interesting location, worth watching if you enjoy the genre.

These comments are based on watching the series in German with English subtitles.

This series is interesting enough to watch, but unfortunately is not told in a very coherent manner. The scenes do not flow in a manner that enables viewers to understand the events. There is little context provided so the dots do not always connect up in a way to produce a smoothly flowing narrative. Some scenes just seem to be out of sequence and irrelevant to the main plot. The constant use of flashbacks at very awkward moments is distracting and confusing. The series is watchable but does tend to drag a bit. It is the lack of connectivity between the scenes that make the series incomprehensible at times!

A great story BUT one has to pay attention.

I left the show in German and read the subtitles in English.

The only character that I had a problem with was Annalena the cop who in charge of the murder investigation. When will script writers learn how to write for a successful, accomplished women without her coming across as less than/a bit@#. The detective is well versed in policy and procedures BUT does not get along with others. She is not a team player. At times she comes across as a bully and can come across as bias in her thought process. Towards the end of the 6th episode this was addressed. All in all she has little compassion and is all about results. And what's with asking point blank a subordinate for sex and stating that no feelings will be involved.

The other lead detective Maik is going back to his home town to conduct the murder investigation and with it comes all his baggage that he has put behind him.

I loved the filming of the series. The music. The flashbacks.

If you love a good mystery, want something non formulaic, this a good choice.