"Wilsberg: Out of the blue" (ZDF): Between real estate sharks and Chinese triads

Weak idea: the private investigator Georg Wilsberg from Münster solves his 72nd case.

The crime series “Wilsberg”, originally based on novels by the Münster-based author Jürgen Kehrer, means a solid bank for ZDF. At least five million viewers, more likely seven, in some cases eight. Including a high proportion of young people. To make things clearer: Netflix is estimated to have around eleven million subscribers in Germany. They are spread over an almost unmanageable range. How many viewers are there on individual Netflix series?

Even the most ardent followers of the “Wilsberg” series will admit that the quality of the individual films fluctuates. Sometimes the feeling arises that those involved consider their product to be a sure-fire success and are very reluctant to make the effort. This is the case again with the current episode.

“Wilsberg: Out of the blue” (ZDF): Invitation to dance

Detective Wilsberg (Leonard Lansink) is currently out and about in private. He owes Commissioner Springer (Rita Russek) compensation for a favor. The consideration: He should accompany Springer to the state police ball and be available to her as a dance partner. Springer demands at least one slow waltz. Wilsberg’s liabilities will only increase in the course of history.

Before that, Schluffi Wilsberg has to be dressed appropriately and is now sitting mauling and with a long face in the studio of the tailor Tahmina Ahmadi (Anastasia Papadopoulou). The tax authority in the form of Ekki Talkötter (Oliver Korritke) rushes up with screeching tires and storms the neighboring music store. Tax evasion and money laundering are suspected. The owner Jazek Antonov (Christian Kuchenbuch) was announced. A harassment of the house owner who wants to persuade the small shopkeeper, who has been given a favorable rental agreement, to move out.

“Wilsberg: Out of the blue” (ZDF): Murder in front of the camera

Wilsberg already has a new order. He is supposed to prove the speculator’s gloomy machinations. No sooner has he started work than the first murder occurs. Wilsberg and Ahmadi even become eyewitnesses, as they were on video call with the victim when the shot was fired. Of course, the perpetrator cannot be identified.

As so often, Wilsberg and Anna Springer investigate in parallel. Her notorious Adlatus Overbeck (Roland Jankowsky) is meanwhile busy elsewhere. He is working on an app that can be used to order marijuana as easily as pizza or kebab by delivery service. Overbeck senses an attack by Chinese triads who want to undermine the western world. “Somebody rolled out a mental-viral revolution.”

“Wilsberg: Out of the blue” (ZDF): Chameleon on duty

And that’s where the irritations begin. Overbeck can rave about underground organizations “who want to manipulate the citizens’ perception of the world experimentally with the help of digital technology and psychedelics.” But for the members of his surveillance team he couldn’t think of any better code names than “eagle”, “duck”, “hawk”. Once again, the action was brushed on to the gag. The viewer feels it and is upset.

And is it fair to believe that the policemen who are observing will miss a fat drone floating in from the sky? These mishaps indicate a fundamental problem in the series. The changing authors shape Overbeck as needed, sometimes as a trampling simpleton, sometimes as a Westphalian Dirty Harry, sometimes as casual intellectuals lost in conspiracy theories. There is no credible character development behind this, but noticeably authorial arbitrariness.

“Wilsberg: Out of the blue” (ZDF): wasted potential

At Overbeck’s side, the diligent colleague Isabel Wolfangel (Sarah Alles) appears for the first time. Unfortunately, the author Mario Sixtus and director Dominic Müller know little more about this promising figure than to let them adore the repellent and mentally absent Overbeck with doe-eyed remoteness. With her indicated competence she could stand up to the stupid with verve. Especially since Merle (Janina Fautz), who is otherwise responsible for cheek, is missing in this episode.

Dialogues like gags are extremely weak. Some bumps are also annoying: a drug dealer takes orders via app and delivers his goods by drone. How is he paid? The author Mario Sixtus should actually come up with a plausible solution, he has dealt with this topic in documentaries.

The strange construct that a shopkeeper and his immediate neighbor, who was shortly before within shouting distance, are meeting for an important conversation in a field far outside of Münster is not at all believable. In general, the timing and relocation of the characters are arranged rather casually. If necessary, a police truck has to serve as a taxi. The uniformed driver accepts Wilsberg’s destination information without contradiction. As if he had nothing better to do. (Harald Keller)