Die Toten von Marnow

I'm all for the character-driven crime series from Scandanavia, but Germany delivers some of the best, more nuanced series in the genre. Marnow Murders (as titled/viewed in the US) has great, movie-quality characters, beautiful filmaking, quirky storyline and...two central figures that draw you into their individual worlds. Exceptional "tv."

There are surprises around every corner in this series. The two protagonists are very competent cops and extremely troubled individuals, spectacularly played by Petra Schmidt-Schaller and Sascha Alexander Gersak. (Both were awarded well earned German TV Prizes.) Also standing out: Anne Schäfer and Jörg Schüttauf. No black and white, good against evil here. Unusual for a German production, the good guys are corrupt, take the law routinely into their own hands, try desperately to get away with it and to bring down the real villains for good measure. One memorable scene after the other: A crime victim taking revenge in a shocking way within minutes after the deed. The heroine telling how she lost her whole family. A stunning action sequence with the hero trying to save his own family. A second season would be very welcome.

This drama was incredibly good. I was a little confused about what was happening in the first episode, but from then on the pace picked up and the plot went like a rocket to superlative. Huge surprises along the way. Charismatic main characters, superb acting. The interactions between Lona and Elling, and between Elling and Susanne, were totally believable. I was engrossed in the story and was swept along through to the end.

Sorry they don't seem to be doing another in this series - everything about it, right down to the hot summer days in some of Germany's most beautiful scenery, was perfect.

Thanks for this wonderful series.

As this German series, set in the city of Schwerin in the former East Germany, opens a man enters an apartment and discovers a body on the sofa... the body of somebody he intended to murder! He searches the apartment looking for a list of unspecified information. When the body is discovered by the police it is hanging in the bathroom with a message suggesting he was a paedophile carved into him. The case is investigated by Detectives Frank Elling and Lona Mendt. The soon have a second case when a man is found with his throat cut. The evidence suggests the same killer but there is no obvious connection between the victims beyond the fact that the first regularly stayed at a holiday site on the lake near where the second lived. The investigation will expose secrets dating back to the days of the communist DDR and place those investigating in danger; various personal issues don't help matters for them.

I really enjoyed this series. The central mystery was intriguing and had some good twists and turns before the truth is revealed. The opening scene immediately grabs the viewers' attention and get them hooked as we wonder just why two different people wanted this man dead. The main characters are interesting; normal police officers with various imperfections and problems. The actors all do a solid job. The setting adds to one's enjoyment; forests, lakes and some impressive old buildings... not everything east of the old Iron Curtain is grey concrete as those us who grew up before it fell imaged at the time. Overall I'd definitely recommend this to fans of Euro-drama.

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

Well obviously since this is a show - so no pun intended. I do not want to write this too often, but for a German show this is not half bad (it actually is quite decent to say the least). The actors are well chosen - and the story is good. Now does it sometimes feel that it could have been a bit shorter? Sure, but I never felt bored ... so I would not hold that against it.

Our main characters have been well cast - and they have flaws. They do things that normal cops should not do ... but where would we be and what tension would we have, if everyone would be just perfect? Exactly. So take this with a grain of salt .. and if you have the time give it a go ... especially if you are a fan of the genre.