TV tip
“The Vienna Crime Story”: Between a coffee house and a seminary
The suspect Nusser (Wolfgang “Fifi” Pissecker, l) observes Alexander Haller (Philipp Hochmair) in the steam bath. photo
© Hubert Mican/Mona Film/Tivoli Film/ARD Degeto/dpa
The blind special investigator Haller and his driver Falk have formed a likeable team in “The Vienna Crime” since 2018. But their tenth case, “Death in the Coffee House,” puts their friendship to the test.
While the elegant special investigator Alex Haller (Philipp Hochmair) and his trusted driver Niko Falk (Andreas Günther) dine in a magnificent Viennese restaurant and chat about the qualities of the exquisite “Tsar’s Coffee”, an accident occurs in a shabby side street in the capital.
A man lies seriously injured on the pavement in front of a flophouse and an ambulance takes him to the hospital. On the operating table he asks for Haller – and then, shortly before his end, he whispers the words to him: “You have to protect her. Don’t let her look.”
Sharpened hearing, refined sense of smell
With this – juxtaposed – simultaneity of events begins the tenth case for the tragically blind former chief inspector, whose eyes are replaced if necessary by his comrade-in-arms, the tough ex-Berliner Niko. Otherwise, the wealthy hotel heir Haller can once again rely on his sharpened hearing and refined sense of smell in the remarkably cultivated crime series “The Vienna Crime: Blindly Investigated,” which has been running since 2018.
At the time, Haller had rejected the investigation due to bias. The task was taken over by his now retired colleague Bollinger (Martin Brambach, “Parliament”) – whom the ex-policeman therefore also asks for support. Bollinger actually remembers some inconsistencies. But Scherf had confessed to the crime, so the crime seemed to have been solved.
Maintaining captivating entertainment
Their current, atmospherically filmed investigations take the trio into the traditional world of Viennese cafés with their specialties such as brown and melange – but here even down to the cheap instant extract. The result of all this is once again worth seeing, captivating “Vienna crime” entertainment.
Again directed by David Nawrath (“Your Honor”) based on his own script (written with Paul Florian Müller). It soon turns out that Scherf had a daughter with his girlfriend – the now 13-year-old, extremely aggressive Luna (Chiara Bauer-Mitterlehner). She is the one who needs to be protected. Haller and Falk also come across a mysterious nouveau riche coffee house queen (Nadeshda Brennicke, “2 under Million”). And fight in a steam bath with one of their most important employees.
Another highlight is that the two unequal investigators, who otherwise like to joke around with each other, get into a quarrel on the way. Because Haller takes out his feelings of guilt for letting Scherf down on his previously confidant. So their German-Austrian friendship seems to be over. And the question is: Can the blind special investigator solve the case on his own, which is becoming increasingly dangerous for him?
Hochmair in “Everyman”
Hochmair, a renowned stage actor who will take on the title role in Salzburg’s “Everyman” in the summer, has a personal opinion on this. “Without a loyal team, nothing in the world works. I know that very well from my theater experiences,” explains the 50-year-old Viennese in the ARD press release – “The big task is just to keep thinking about it, despite all the stress factors. ” Hochmair also reveals that “Zarenkaffee” is actually his favorite Viennese drink.
And in “Blindly Investigated” exactly one week later (Thursday, May 9th, at 8:15 p.m.) a new investigative task awaits Haller and Falk – under the title “Death in the Palace”. An aristocratic family and a seminary provide the setting (including Martin Feifel and Johannes Zirner).