Scene of the Crime

The charred body of a former star tenor is discovered in the basement of a luxurious retirement home. Suspicion falls upon two star sopranos who had been romantically involved with the notorious womanizer. Chief Inspector Moritz Eisner and his team find themselves caught in the crossfire between the rival opera divas and the suspicious director of the upscale facility.

A dancer is found murdered near the grounds of a psychiatric hospital, and the prime suspect is a patient with a history of violence. But Ballauf and Schenk’s investigation opens up new possibilities: Is the patient merely a pawn in a devilish game? Directed by Claus-Michael Rhone, 1999.

A boy is found dead in a school bathroom, and Max goes undercover to investigate. He discovers an ongoing war between gangs of German and Turkish teenagers, and an unemployed right-wing radical who claims he protects children from foreign drug dealers. Directed by Ben Verbong, 1999.

On its second mission, the new "Tatort" team has to solve a particularly delicate criminal case, because an extremely spicy situation becomes fatal for those involved: while the easy-going Roman Kraus and the escort girl he paid, Mirjam, are partner-swapping with the prominent couple Peter and Helene Pollak, Roman's wife, a well-known pharmaceutical researcher, is murdered and a valuable scientific discovery is stolen. All evidence found at the crime scene points to Roman Kraus as the perpetrator, but Chief Inspector Eisner believes that Kraus is innocent.

Freddy and Max investigate the death of a wealthy gynecologist who's found dead in his swimming pool. The doctor’s wife and son suspect a prominent Pro-Life group, but the search for the killer leads to a maze of half-truths and evasions. Soon, a number of possible killers emerge, each with a completely different motive. Directed by Wolfgang Panzer, 1999.

After a colleague’s long-time girlfriend is killed in the courtyard of a crowded apartment complex, Freddy and Max are frustrated when none of the residents admit to seeing or hearing a thing – and their frustration turns to bafflement when they discover that the victim was secretly pregnant. Who was the father of the child, and why was the victim planning a secret move to Hamburg? Directed by Kaspar Heidelbach, 1999.

The body of a four-year-old boy is found in a working class area. An autopsy reveals posthumous injuries. Schenk suspects they're dealing with a psychopath preying on the weak. Meanwhile, Max befriends Mirko, an emotionally neglected eight-year-old he suspects knows more than he's willing to admit. As they investigate the murder, they are drawn further into the world of children's fears, and grown up's dreams. Directed by Niki Stein, 1999.