Tatort

Tatort

TV Series · 1970 · 68 people

On November 29, 1970 the German-language crime series Tatort ("Crime Scene") began with the episode Taxi nach Leipzig, and it is still running. Based on an idea by Gunther Witte, it started as a West German production of ARD and is now a joint effort of ARD, Austria's ORF and Switzerland's SRF. It is the longest-running and most popular crime series in the German-speaking world, sometimes drawing over ten million viewers. More than 1,300 episodes have aired.

Each episode usually tells a self-contained story of about 90 minutes in which a different detective or team investigates a crime, mostly in a large German, Austrian or Swiss city. Each regional broadcaster adds a few episodes to a common pool with its own police team; local architecture, customs and dialect are the hallmark, and often the city itself is the real main character. Some detectives achieved cult status, most famously Götz George's Duisburg inspector Schimanski. The opening sequence, set to Klaus Doldinger's music, has barely changed in decades.

New episodes usually air on Sunday evenings in prime time on Das Erste, ORF 2 and SRF 1, about 35 a year. The series has collected nominations and awards including the Grimme-Preis, the Goldene Kamera and the Romy.

Production companyARD, ORF, SRF
NetworkDas Erste

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Almila Bağrıaçık Almila Bağrıaçık Actor · 36 years old Mila Sahin Fahri Yardım Fahri Yardım Actor · 46 years old Yalcin Gümer Klaus J. Behrendt Dietmar Bär Miroslav Nemec Udo Wachtveitl Ferdinand Hofer Jörg Hartmann Anna Schudt Aylin Tezel Rick Okon Hans-Jochen Wagner Eva Löbau Heike Makatsch Axel Milberg Kida Khodr Ramadan Kida Khodr Ramadan Actor · 50 years old Mehmet Erdem Erol Sander Erol Sander Actor · 57 years old Durmus Korkmaz Tayfun Bademsoy Tayfun Bademsoy Actor · 68 years old Hamid Özer Baki Davrak Baki Davrak Actor · 55 years old Cousin Jamie Bick Jamie Bick Actor · 26 years old Young Monika Michael Gwisdek Michael Gwisdek Film actor · died at 78 Paul Winter Sibel Kekilli Sibel Kekilli Actor · 46 years old Sarah Brandt Jale Arıkan Jale Arıkan Actor · 61 years old Sabine Lâle Yavaş Lâle Yavaş Actor · born 1978 Rhea Singh Birol Ünel Birol Ünel Actor · died at 59 Houari Al'Bakr Michaela Caspar Michaela Caspar Actor · 66 years old Martina Kästner Philipp Baltus Philipp Baltus Actor · born 1978 SEK Beamter Burkhardt Nazmi Kırık Nazmi Kırık Actor · born 1976 Metin Nayani Ercan Özçelik Ercan Özçelik Actor · 60 years old Bülent Is Özay Fecht Özay Fecht Actor · 72 years old Adam Bousdoukos Adam Bousdoukos Actor · 52 years old Henning Udo Kier Udo Kier Actor · died at 81 Hans-Rudi Dreher İdil Üner İdil Üner Actor · 55 years old Steffie Pietsch Hülya Duyar Hülya Duyar Film actor · 56 years old Michael Mendl Michael Mendl Actor · 82 years old Wessel Jerry Hoffmann Jerry Hoffmann Actor · 37 years old Dabo Fofana Navíd Akhavan Navíd Akhavan Actor · 46 years old Arman Renan Demirkan Renan Demirkan Actor · 71 years old Ulli Meray Ülgen Meray Ülgen Actor · 85 years old Hasan Oenoekyl Özgür Karadeniz Özgür Karadeniz Actor · 49 years old KTU'ler Mehmet Kurtuluş Mehmet Kurtuluş Actor · 54 years old Cenk Batu Hasan Ali Mete Hasan Ali Mete Actor · 60 years old Kont Uwe Bohm Uwe Bohm Actor · died at 60 Gerd Endres Julia Brendler Julia Brendler Actor · 51 years old Inga Scholz Uygar Tamer Uygar Tamer Actor · 55 years old Jelena Princip Şiir Eloğlu Şiir Eloğlu Actor · 60 years old Mrs. Mayer Django Asül Django Asül Actor · 54 years old Groundsman Maryam Zaree Maryam Zaree Actor · 43 years old Samira Demir Gökgöl Demir Gökgöl Actor · died at 74 Döner Shop Boss Corinna Harfouch Corinna Harfouch Actor · 72 years old Dr. Lore Ewers Rufus Rufus Actor · 83 years old Hacker Hanna Schygulla Hanna Schygulla Actor · 82 years old Catharina Berrak Tüzünataç Berrak Tüzünataç Actor · 42 years old Rehan Meral Perin Meral Perin Actor · born 1965 Mrs. Akinici Bilâl İnci Bilâl İnci Actor · died at 69 Wirt Nursel Köse Nursel Köse Actor · 65 years old Realtor Paul Fassnacht Paul Fassnacht Actor · 77 years old Dr. Bollinger Denis Moschitto Denis Moschitto Actor · 49 years old Ersoy Günes Adnan Maral Adnan Maral Actor · 58 years old Gruber Patrycia Ziółkowska Patrycia Ziółkowska Actor · 47 years old Marion Hagen Oktay Özdemir Oktay Özdemir Actor · 40 years old Bülent Delikara Erdal Merdan Erdal Merdan Film actor · died at 60 Arkan Orhan Güner Orhan Güner Actor · 72 years old Father Sahina Aykut Kayacık Aykut Kayacık Actor · 63 years old Tuncay Nezrem Katja Riemann Katja Riemann Film actor · 63 years old Katja Tim Seyfi Tim Seyfi Actor · 55 years old Mr. Yilmaz Hilmi Sözer Hilmi Sözer Actor · 56 years old Aka Özkan Orhan Kılıç Orhan Kılıç Actor · 52 years old Jamal

Through different eyes

Series Binger A series devotee tracking character arcs, cast chemistry and season pacing.

Watching Tatort from start to finish like a regular series is close to impossible; more than 1,300 episodes and teams that change from city to city make it closer to an anthology. The good part is that every episode is self-contained: you can jump in with any city and any detective. The tricky part is that the differences between teams can show from one episode to the next; one team's style may grip you while another leaves you cold. Finding a favourite team and following its episodes is the smartest way to handle this vast series. Cult figures like Schimanski seem to have grown out of exactly that kind of loyalty.

History & Society Lens Asks about the period, the social background and what the work reflects.

Tatort's most interesting quality is that for more than half a century it has been recording the cities of three German-speaking countries. With each regional broadcaster presenting its own police team through its city's architecture, customs and dialect, the series becomes more than a crime show: an archive of local life. Starting on West German television and growing into a joint production with Austria and Switzerland is a piece of history in itself. As a Sunday-night show that sometimes draws over ten million viewers, it is a unique window on how a society talks about crime, justice and city life.

Action & Thriller Fan Puts pace, tension and set pieces first; little patience for slow drama.

Tatort isn't for anyone expecting action-movie pace; the weight usually falls on the murder investigation itself. Its ninety-minute self-contained stories, when well built, can carry as much tension as a feature film, like a weekly TV movie. If you enjoy cracking a whodunit rather than explosions and chases, you'll have a good time. If you want speed, you'll need some patience.

These are not reader reviews: they are short editorial takes written from different viewer perspectives with AI assistance. Reader reviews are below.

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