The dog named Banane: “Propheteus”, a well thought-out, over-the-top crime scene in Münster.
When Thiel’s sentence falls “It was a completely normal murder investigation” – the viewer has already understood that it cannot have been a completely normal murder investigation, even given the unusually unusual conditions at a Münster crime scene. Namely: Professor Karl-Friedrich Boerne wears a Hawaiian shirt (!), has a black eye and is on the run (but still properly crosses himself in church, so much decency must be).
A dog named Banana loves to eat bananas. A man takes inspector Thiel and public prosecutor Klemm hostage – prosecutor Klemm, of all people, who, we bet, eats ten cigarettes and eleven criminals for breakfast. Boerne interferes. And then Mr. Muster and Ms. Mann from the Office for the Protection of the Constitution get involved. But are they actually from the Office for the Protection of the Constitution – or maybe not… extraterrestrials?
Astrid Ströher, book, and Sven Halfar, director, are responsible for a crime scene for the first time, this in the anniversary year of the Münster crime scene, which is now twenty. And because some scenes take place in a bowling alley, it should be said straight away: the two clear quite a few bowling pins in these 90 minutes.
They attack conspiracy theorists with wit, a double bottom and a nice carefree attitude. The kind that believe in the secret domination of reptilians on Earth (this “theory” is part of QAnon’s lunatic repertoire, about 17 percent of Americans believe his claims. But that’s just a side note). The “prophet” that Thiel and Boerne deal with uses a messenger service called, hihi, “Bla” to warn of the “extraterrestrial occupying power”.
On the other hand: what about the slightly strange and, well, somehow pale, somehow cloned-looking Muster und Mann (Melanie and Daniela Reichert), what about the little dog that appears so enigmatically in all relevant places? Everyone thinks he belongs to Thiel, who rejects it in a bad mood. In the end, however, I have to admit that he was kind of helpful, the dog who goes by the name of banana.
The most popular of all crime scene duos, Axel Prahl and Jan Josef Liefers, the pathologist “Alberich” and the public prosecutor, Silke Haller and Mechthild Großmann, plus “Vadder” Thiel, Claus D. Clausnitzer, and assistant Mirko, are a really nice episode. Björn Meyer, written on the figure. An over-the-top, but thoughtfully over-the-top episode.
What is it actually about? About the “wonders of the universe” (Boerne), “harmless fun” (a suspect), gone haywire, or is it the “antisocial media” (the hostage-taker and low-wage butcher Kayser, Matthias Komm)? About mysterious chips in the neck? A case of jealousy? A Da Vinci riddle? And what is “Sisundus” supposed to be if, if Latin, it should be called Sisuntus? Of course it is Professor Boerne who comes up with the solution. But beware, this joke is at the expense of the Hessians.
And what is the “completely normal murder investigation” all about? First of all, a dead person is found, programmer, addicted to shopping, otherwise inconspicuous. And yes, he was “popular everywhere”, what else. It is understandable that Thiel assumes that he can simply do his job. Although, after twenty years on this job, he might know better.
“Tatort: Propheteus”: ARD, Sun., 8:15 p.m.
