A pile of files, 100,000 euros, and a dead man. This is what detectives Friedemann Berg (Hans-Jochen Wagner) and Franziska Tobler (Eva Löbau) find when they are called to a crime scene. What the audience can already see in “Ad Acta” (Sunday, 8:20 PM, ARD), the new Schwarzwald “Tatort,” the investigators quickly uncover as well: The dead man is Tobias Benzinger, the stepson of lawyer Rainer Benzinger (August Zirner), where Tobias also worked. He was shot by a masked motorcyclist.
And since Benzinger’s law firm represents some particularly nasty individuals, the suspicion quickly arises that the murderer may be found here as well. However, Benzinger senior is not very cooperative, and the death of his stepson does not seem to affect him much. What is he trying to hide?
Help from the Father
To find out, Tobler and Berg seek help in different places: Tobler from her father (Michael Hanemann), who was long with the police and is well acquainted with some old cases involving Benzinger’s dubious clients; Berg from a contact who does not always adhere strictly to the law. The murder weapon eventually leads the investigators to a case from long ago that could shed light on the darkness.
“Ad Acta” is not a crime thriller that will have viewers on the edge of their seats from sheer suspense. As so often, Tobler and Berg convince more through down-to-earth grounding and authenticity. Almost as interesting as the case is a small private subplot: Tobler is considering applying for the position of head of department at the police headquarters, but she thinks that Berg is actually the one due for a promotion. Her father keeps telling her that her colleague is not suitable for the position at all, as if he knows something his daughter does not. And indeed, Bruno Tobler and Friedemann Berg seem to share a common secret. But what is it?
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