The “Tatort” Münster is – more than the entire Sunday evening thriller – a box of chocolates. The chocolates you get look fun but sometimes taste terrible. “You Only Die twice” is less funny, but very good.Thanks to two people involved.
After all, the “crime scene” is a box of chocolates.You never know what awaits you, especially in Münster. The breadth between entirely stupid and terribly funny is never as great as in the cases of the Anabaptist city.
The fact that in the case of “you Only Die Twice” we are willing to declare a kind of Westphalian peace has to do with three things. Maybe there will even be four. We see.
AS. The first reason. Sasha Arango. He has already written an almost disturbing number of “crime scenes”, for exmaple the one in Kiel for Lars Eidinger as a mysterious thief, roommate who becomes a murderer. It all started with “borowski and the Silent Guest”. And obviously we haven’t told a commercially dramatized criminal case in which at a certain point a shot is fired, then someone is dead, one of the perpetrators is dead and when the inspectors have identified themselves, we can rest assured - the world can still to be saved, which of course it is not. At least not the ones at the “crime scene”.
Arango doesn’t care. He is interested in what an act does to the offender. And to find out, sometimes you have to first know who the perpetrator is, and then you have to be around him, around the perpetrator, all the time. Which can lead to narcissistic insults in some inspectors.
In the case of “You Only Die Twice” we follow the widow Praetorius to court. Previously, the camera had panned in “Dream a little Dream of me” over a seemingly late-winter property, in whose meadows the first crocuses raised their heads, and through a rather large house, in which blood apparently flowed.
However, Doreen Prätorius, together with her lawyer Weintraub, successfully defended herself not against a murder charge, but against an insurance company that did not want to hand over the four million that Doreen was entitled to under the life insurance after the alleged death of her husband in the South American jungle.
“You only live twice”, among other things, is also proof that men can be worse than insurance companies. The lawyer discovers shortly before being impaled on the sword of a giant Inca statue that her husband Praetorius is not dead at all.
Death by the sword
After making sure his faithful wife put all the money she had in the pockets of his cargo pants for his ”archaeological” research, the poor man’s Indiana jones spent two and a half years in a bunker under the villa Spesa. They are toasting the millions when Weintraub is behind them.A few minutes later he is thrown over the balustrade, near his sword. Boerne and Thiel have a case.
And we come to the second reason why “You Only die Twice” is an absolute option to visiting the Christmas market. cordelia Wegen is the reason. To find out what dazzling figure we are dealing with in the case of the alleged widow,he almost does not need a microsequence at the beginning.
doreen is there, she just won, but she doesn’t know if she should be happy. There are millions, with her husband apparently dead she can now free herself from everything, from the debts her archaeologist got her into, from life in the gilded cage of her parents’ enormous house.
But she knows that she is a con artist, that she is a perpetrator and a victim, and that she should actually free herself from Mr.Praetorius. All this flashes on Cordelia Weg’s face like a premonition. Arango plays all of this in the episode.You quickly realize that Thiel, Pauli’s awkward fan, immediately falls in love with her. “Why,” he wonders, “do these assholes always have the most amazing women?”
This brings us to the third reason. Thiel and Boerne are kept on a short leash by Arango and director Janis Rebecca Rattenni. Of course they argue, of course Alberich and his boss argue in the dissecting room. It’s all there, but the sparks that fly have soft colors and are all thanks to a very precise integration into the plot, which serves to illuminate the narrative of a gradual awakening, a story of gradual female self-empowerment that never becomes a thesis piece.
Boerne on the exercise bike
Now we could list some other reasons. How beautifully and intelligently the network of visual motifs is constructed.How precisely Rattenni incorporated the visions that Boerne and Thiel have about the possible course of events. How elegantly ChrisTine Urschrift occasionally throws Jan Josef Liefers over the table when he says that even evil is exclusively male and that women cannot physically lift anyone over a balustrade. As – this time the pinnacle of fun – Boerne and Thiel are locked together at the end,Boerne on an exercise bike,Thiel munching on empty pineapple cans. And incidentally, how beautiful it all looks, thanks to Viktor Voßen’s camera.
What happens to the elegant Mercedes that Boerne gets to drive during this time is, however, a disadvantage. But you can’t have it all. And this is also very coherent from a dramaturgical point of view. Once Borowski finally retires to Kiel, couldn’t Sascha Arango take better care of Münster? We also send him chocolate to Brandenburg.
How has Sasha Arango’s writing style influenced the portrayal of psychological depth in “Tatort” episodes?
Interview between Time.news Editor adn Dr. Lila Fischer, Expert on German Crime Dramas
Time.news Editor (TNE): Welcome, Dr. Fischer! We’re thrilled to have you here. The latest episode of “Tatort” Münster has gotten a mix of reactions. Some viewers compare it to a box of chocolates – some pieces are delightful, while others… not so much.What’s your take on the oscillation between humor and darkness in this series?
Dr. Lila Fischer (DLF): Thank you for having me! That box of chocolates metaphor is spot on. “Tatort” is infamous for its unpredictable narrative tones, especially in Münster. One moment you’re chuckling, and the next, you’re grappling with raw, unsettling themes. It’s a reflection of life itself – unpredictable and complex.
TNE: Absolutely! The episode “You Only Die Twice” seems to have leaned more into the serious side of things. Critics have remarked on how it benefits from the nuanced writing by Sasha arango. What do you think sets his work apart?
DLF: Sasha Arango brings a psychological depth to his characters that is rare in crime dramas. his focus isn’t just on the crime itself, but rather on the implications of the crime on the perpetrators and their surroundings. In “You Only Die Twice,” we follow the widow Praetorius, and through her journey, Arango invites us into a world where grief and justice collide, making us reflect on our own moral compass.
TNE: It’s interesting that you mentioned morality. The episode presents numerous ethical quandaries. do you feel that in this instance, the show successfully navigates those complexities?
DLF: I do. arango’s storytelling allows viewers to confront difficult questions without easy answers. The stark setting in Münster, contrasted with the personal drama of the characters, elevates this exploration. It’s not just about solving a crime; it’s about understanding the human condition and the chaos that ensues from an act of violence.
TNE: As we follow Doreen Prätorius to court, the cinematography really adds to the mood of the story.How important do you think the visual elements are in conveying the show’s themes?
DLF: Extremely important! The visuals in “Tatort” create an immersive experience. The camera pans over the winter landscape and the first crocuses, contrasting beauty with the underlying horror. This juxtaposition enhances the emotional impact of the narrative and reflects the duality of human experiences—beauty amid tragedy.
TNE: Speaking of emotional impact, many viewers found this episode especially moving. Why do you think it resonated on such a deep level with the audience?
DLF: I believe it’s because the themes of loss and justice are universally relatable. Doreen’s journey through grief, courtroom drama, and the struggle to find closure strikes a chord. In “Tatort,” even when we deal with dark subject matter,there’s a sense of empathy for the characters that draws viewers in. They see pieces of themselves in their struggles.
TNE: That makes a lot of sense. We’ve seen that “Tatort” offers a captivating look at different societal issues, and this episode feels like a step towards something larger. Do you think it succeeds in addressing broader societal themes?
DLF: Yes, absolutely. Episodes like “You Only Die Twice” often serve as a microcosm of broader societal issues. Whether it’s the effects of crime on families, the justice system, or the ethics of vengeance, “Tatort” Moonster isn’t afraid to tackle them head on. It challenges viewers to reflect on their own beliefs and values.
TNE: with Sasha Arango’s influence, do you foresee the series continuing down this thoght-provoking narrative path?
DLF: definitely. Provided that the writers, like Arango, delve into the psychological and moral dimensions of crime, “Tatort” will remain relevant and compelling. It’s a series that has evolved over the years and continues to adapt to modern sensibilities while providing thrilling storytelling.
TNE: Thank you, Dr. Fischer! Your insights have added so much depth to our understanding of this episode. We appreciate your time today!
DLF: Thank you for having me! I always enjoy discussing a show that has such a rich tapestry of narratives.