Recycled Rex

AnoREXia

2011-03-07T01:54:00.000-08:00

Yes, no food restriction, but REX restriction. Cannot believe it is almost a year since I posted and who knows when since I last saw a
Rex episode. Time to start dishing up the episodes again...I think I was still in Brandtner territory.. Sigh.

Inglourious Basterds

2010-04-03T18:13:00.000-07:00

Well, snowed under with work and haven't got to another Rex episode yet. Plan to put up the next episode soon.

However, I did finally get to watch 'Inglourious Basterds'. Now, I'm no Tarantino fan and my interest in watching this movie was purely Rex-related, in terms of checking out Brandtner (Gedeon Burkhard). Later, I also discovered Christoph Waltz was in the movie, who I loved in 'Der Puppenmoerder' back in the earlier Moser series of Rex.

So?

Well, the movie itself was okay. Thankfully not as violent as other Tarantino efforts, although I found the scalping a little challenging to watch.However, Gedeon's role turned out to be a bit of a non-event. He had very few lines, woefully underused and was taken out halfway through. No Rex to watch his back!

Waltz owned the movie, owned it. No wonder he won the Oscar. If you watch the movie for any reason, he should be it. If you don't fancy the movie, revisit him in 'Der Puppenmoerder'.

I liked the continual change between languages, although the sound quality made some of the language hard to catch in places. If you're no lingust, you might find the frequent use of non-English dialogue irritating.

I thought Brad Pitt was plain cheesy but I'm no fan and usually avoid his movies....and Mike Meyers as the General Ed Fenech was just plain stupid. He still seemed to be channeling Austin Powers. If he'd let slip a 'yeah, baby, yeah', I wouldn't have been a bit surprised.

The Baby Dealer/Die Babydealer (S6E7)

2010-03-09T20:13:00.000-08:00

When a priest discovers a baby left in his church, he is shocked to find that the baby is in fact dead. In lawyer Ambach's office, things are much happier as a young couple appraise a couple of babies with a view to adoption. While it's not obvious at this time, it doesn't take much in the way of deduction to realise that you can buy anything you want if you have sufficient funds.

Brandtner and Rex are passing time in one of Rex's favourite haunts - the pet shop. Pushing a trolley is all in a day's work for Rex when he can load it with as many toys as he wishes. When Brandtner notices an elderly lady concealing some tins of pet food under her coat, he acts quickly to prevent the woman from being caught by the shop owner. Kindness itself, he purchases the food and gives it to the woman once she's left the store.

Somewhere in a wine cellar, Gianni Costarella is informing Ambach about his wish to quit the

business. It's not a matter of money, Gianni is upset about an accident, by which he means the dead baby found at the beginning of the episode. He's overwhelmed with guilt but Ambach dismisses his concerns. Gianni is convinced it's a sign for him to leave, he has concerns about his soul. Ambach has concerns too and it's not about Gianni's eternal future.

Sandra Fossati, direct from Italy, books into Hotel Metternich. Sandra appears to be a friend of Gianni for she rings his number, although she hangs up when he answers. When Gianni traces the call back to the hotel, he appears to dismiss it as a wrong number. He's not expecting any out of town visitors.

Meanwhile, the Brandtner team are finally at the crime scene. Dr. Graf tells Brandtner the baby suffocated approximately 18 hours previously. No signs of violence. As the baby wasn't in the church when it was locked up overnight, it had to have been dumped early in the morning. Boeck isn't able to find any details of babies on the missing persons list. Unfortunately, the team have little to go on until Dr. Graf discovers a small feather from a blue-ear lory, a tropical parrot, in the baby's trachea and particles of dried bird droppings in her lungs. Seems like the baby was locked up with the bird. Big question is why? The baby's clothes also have Italian labels and smell strongly of petrol suggestive of a long car trip. Brandtner's first approach though is to check Viennese pet shops for sellers of blue-ear lorys. Kunz is asked to check out potential buyers. As always, he's a little put out.

Sandra has headed to Gianni's place. What could she want? Simple. She wants her baby, Marco, back. It seems Gianni has stolen him. Suddenly, it all becomes clear. Ambach is operating more than a private adoption agency, he's running a baby smuggling ring. Shocked by her arrival, Gianni agrees to help her get Marco back - only one condition, no police.

As darkness falls, Gianni and Sandra are seen climbing up a balcony into a large house. Once inside, and into a secret room, surprise, surprise, babies galore, including Marco. Sandra grabs him but they must move quickly before the carer returns. Sandra wants to take other babies but, in the end, they must flee as the carer is back from grabbing dinner. When the carer goes to check the crying babies, she notes Marco is gone and catches sight of Gianni and Sandra as they get in Gianni's car.

Sandra's plan is to leave immediately for Italy. Gianni makes an unfortunate decision though and returns to his flat to pick up his stuff first. He plans to leave also. Ultimately, he does, though not in the way he envisioned as he's surprised by one of Ambach's men. Endstation, Gianni, shot dead. Sandra and baby are taken to Ambach's wine cellar where she verbally abuses Ambach. He wants information about who from Calabria might know of his operation. Sandra tells Ambach if she doesn't return safely to Italy, her friends will call in the police and pass on information. Ambach isn't daunted though and Marco is sent back to the carer. The threat to Sandra is obvious.

Of course, Brandtner and team are on the trail. Seems Gianni was a bird fancier and regularly imported blue eyed lorys. At Gianni's apartment, Rex draws Brandtner's attention to a van in which birds have obviously been transported. Clever Rex also discovers a concealed section, filled with baby blankets. The link is obvious and forensics are called in. In Gianni's apartment, Brandtner finds a photo of Gianni, useful later in identifying his body, and discovers the last call from Hotel Metternich, from an Italian woman named Sandra Fossati. Suddenly things are starting to come together. The bird importation was just a front for the baby smuggling operation. When records show a previous conviction against Gianni, a former court translator, his lawyer at the time was none other than Ambach, whom Kunz proudly informs is also involved in adoptions.

Sandra, left alone, is trying to escape. With lots of bottles of wine in the cellar, it's not long before she's broken a bottle and has used the glass to cut her ties.

Brandtner and Boeck visit Ambach. Brandtner gets straight to the point - an Italian that Ambach represented, a dead baby and adoptions. Can Ambach join the dots? Ambach is put out, denies any knowledge and is outraged at the suggestion of baby smuggling. His callous attitude incenses Brandtner, even more so when Ambach labels Rex a mongrel. Oh, oh, you've done it now, Ambach. Forget the baby smuggling, you've insulted the dog.

Ambach is rattled though and tells his accomplice to go sort out Sandra. It's not quite Endstation Sandra though as she's finally worked her way free, just in time to smash a bottle over the accomplice's head. Grabbing his gun, she forces him to tell her where Marco is.

Sandra turns up at the address given to her. The adopting parents are shocked when Sandra bursts in and tells them their baby is hers. Ambach is nothing more than a criminal. The couple call Ambach. Ambach threatens them. They're caught up in this too. Tough luck. Ambach has a lead in that Sandra has left behind a ticket for Italy. The accomplice sets out for the station while Ambach calls the baby carer and tells her to disappear. As Brandtner chooses this moment to turn up at the house where the babies are kept, she leaves the babies behind. However, Rex spots her leaving and, as she tries to flee, she is involved in a car accident.

Kunz calls Brandtner to tell him that he's found out that Sandra has checked out of her hotel and is on her way, with baby Marco, to the station. Brandtner leaves. Boeck notices a baby bottle in the carer's bag and heads to the house looking for babies. When he hears a baby crying and cannot find the baby, he heads outside and soon works out from window positions that there must be a secret room. Soon Boeck has his baby.

Meanwhile, at the station, Ambach's accomplice has caught up with Sandra. Brandtner is there too and the accomplice spots him but not before Brandtner and Rex see him. The accomplice grabs Sandra and pushes her onto a moving train. Brandtner and Rex give chase while Sandra refuses to give up. When Rex jumps on the train and attacks the accomplice, Sandra jumps with her baby, ending up in the path of a train. Brandtner manages to switch the line just in the nick of time. Kunz gets the pleasure of arresting Ambach.

Happy endings as always, oh, except for Boeck and a dirty nappy.

Other players include Anna Thalbach above as Sandra Fossati, Julian Weigend above as Kurt (the accomplice), Albert Rueprecht as Dr. Ambach, and Nina Riegler, not credited with IMDB for this episode.

A single Recycled Rexer in Hilde Berger, above, not credited for this episode but also appearing in 'Mord a la carte' (1997) as Elvira Konrad and 'Ein feines Haus' (1994) as Helga Riedl.

Another Rex site

2010-03-02T14:06:00.000-08:00

Check out this fabulous Rex site at Kommissar Rex Online. Sections on episodes, actors, the latest Rex news, Specials including dowloadable wallpapers, mails and more. In fact, everything a Rex tragic could possibly want. Check it out either from the link above or the sidebar.

Don't speak German? Simple. Use Google to translate the site for you. It can be a little iffy....and occasionally rather funny!

Resolutions

2010-01-17T21:33:00.001-08:00

This time last year, I resolved to watch and write up a Rex episode a day. Ha. It all started rather well but then I started to write more detailed writeups and it took up more of my time.

Add to this life getting in the way (PhD deadlines, who needs them?) and I have lapsed a little. I now want to revisit some of those earlier writeups.

I have also been diverted by the newly released series 10 of Rex (thanks, Santa) and haven't wanted to post out of order. I have to say I really enjoyed series 10.It's good to see that the series lives up to the Recycled Rex reputation with Fabri's mother, played by Gertraud Jesserer, appearing in the murderering wife of a gynaecologist, Frau Fuchs, in Die Tote von Schoenbrunn, and an extremely nasty inmate, Sylvia Manz, in the as yet to be added Mord im Gefaengnis (2004). I wonder if Fabri knows about his mother's shady past?

I don't want to ruin the surprise for anyone who hasn't seen the final episode but it's good to know that old faces and locations make a welcome return. I hope the plans for new series are underway.

It's good to see that Series 10 also lives up to the Recycled Rex name, with former

Planning to return with regular episode postings in February when I have a little more time.

PS Double Rex Wednesday nights currently. Links to episodes on right side bar.

2009-12-30T16:50:00.001-08:00

Added a few new links on the side bar to blogs by fellow Rex tragics.

If you have any Rex sites of interest, please email to kleinewurstsemmelATgmail.com.

Christmas Trimmings

2009-12-27T17:52:00.000-08:00

Browsing in a store in the madness of the post-Christmas sales, I came across this item - animal clippers named appropriately the Moser-Rex Trimmer.

Wonder where they got that name from?

Seasons Greetings

2009-12-23T20:50:00.001-08:00

Yes, it's that time again.

To think at the beginning of the year, I promised to put up a Rex episode a day. Hmm. That resolution slid but I will be continuing, just been waylaid with work, study and life in general. Now, with a bit of a break ahead, things should start moving again.

Those of us experiencing extreme heat, especially us northern hemispherers who still can't get our heads around a hot Christmas, take time out to visit Merisi's Vienna - guaranteed to satisfy the need for a real sense of the Christmas period.

Here's hoping Santa drops me off Rex 10, especially as I've been missing out on episodes,. However, in an early and rather unexpected visit, he dropped me off Wasabi (lhasa apso), only 10 weeks old, to keep Sushi (another lhasa apso) company. Expect me to be doing much mopping inbetween relaxing with Rex.

At least Rex is housetrained!

Seasons Greetings to all.

Stockinger Subtitles

2009-12-12T18:51:00.001-08:00

Can anyone assist our fellow Russian Stockinger fans with subtitles for this series? I believe English would be fine?

Thanks!

Generous SBS

2009-12-02T14:53:00.001-08:00

If you missed the new series of Rex last night, SBS have made the episode available here.

Enjoy.

Brand new Rex! BYO hankies

2009-11-29T03:01:00.000-08:00

Well, you know what a tear jerker the last episode was. This week Rex returns on SBS, Wednesday, 7.30pm ...so we can presume that Rex lived. Still, be prepared to ring out those hankies and recycle. Rex has never been one to let you off the hook when it comes to a quick weep.

The new series, 10 in Australia, is still set in Rome. I've been trying to find out what is happening with regard to Rex moving back to Vienna but heard nothing. No news, as they say, is good news. Let's hope so.

Back to logging Rex episodes soon....

Rexless

2009-10-21T19:15:00.000-07:00

Away doing things unrelated to Rex, so as a filler, here's a review of Rex I had published in the now defunct SMH TV Guide 'The List', November 2007.

With eight series of the Austrian police drama Inspector Rex on continual loop, have the SBS lunatics left the asylum? No, it's the viewers that are mad...mad about Rex, mad about ham rolls and hopping mad if the show disappears from the viewing schedule. Ah, Vienna! No matter that episode titles like "Moser's Death" let the cat (down Rex!) well and truly out of the bag, that the cast have only one outfit apiece or that the plots have holes big enough to swallow the never-ending supply of afore-mentioned ham rolls. Who cares? For fans, it's all about the German Shepherd who outwits his human sidekicks and saves the day. Promoted as family viewing, the scenes portraying sex and violence may be inappropriate for younger audiences. And, as Rex is back to series one, the scenes showing Moser (Tobias Moretti) naked may be inappropriate for any audience. Servus!

Oh, and here's this week's fascinating story from the Austrian Times, Dial-a-Dominatrix.

Rex Resolution 81: Der Tod kam zweimal (S6 E6)

2009-09-15T19:59:00.000-07:00

Narcissistic? Well. you could be forgiven for thinking so. Marc, a male model, is watching and freezing video of himself showering. Craving a little more excitement, he sets up a couple of lines of cocaine and sniffs it up, just as a female visitor arrives. She's on his case, she wants to know if he's faithful to her. Marc's adamant he is. She then demands to know why their engagement must be kept secret. Marc spiels her some line about wanting to keep their life private for now and that they'll eventually have a big surprise party to announce their future together. Obviously, we're already guessing that isn't going to happen.

She's not convinced either but for completely different reasons and drags out a pair of delicate panties she found in his car to prove her point. Obviously, they don't belong to her or to him. What's more, she says that she knows exactly to whom they belong although she doesn't expand on that. Marc denies everything and, when she asks for water, it seems he's successfully allayed her suspicions. When he returns from fetching her water, she leaves. He resumes his glass of wine. Can anyone say drink spiking?

Unknown to either of them, someone has been watching them from an attic across the street. A man in a long leather coat stares intently through a set of binoculars and fails to notice the presence of the female caretaker of the block. She watches out of the attic window as he leaves and sees him enter Marc's apartment building. Finding it all a little odd, she thinks she should ring the police because she's seen him there multiple times. Her partner however thinks she should have questioned the man herself and that to call the police would create trouble. For the moment, she leaves it.

Marc obviously knows the man as he lets him in to his apartment. Marc is in poor shape though, falling over, losing alertness, and the visitor hurriedly fetches him some water before helping him lie down. It's obviously rush hour at Marc's for as the male visitor is leaving, another woman arrives. She's obviously been hitting the bottle and heads up to Marc's bedroom.

Next morning Brandtner is out clothes shopping with Rex. While Brandtner looks at rather conservative suit jacket, Rex is much more adventurous and selects Brandtner a rather outlandish jacket. Broad striped and really badly tailored too. Mind you, Brandtner would look good in a doggy bag. When a call comes in about a body found in a dumpster, Brandtner has to make a snap choice and ends up taking and wearing the jacket, earning himself untold mirth from Graf and Boeck. Graf highlights an unusual wound on the man but, true to form, he refuses to be drawn on details until he's able to perform all the proper tests. In true Rex form, another amazing coincidence occurs as Brandtner recognises the man. He just happened to be in an advert in the fashion store he just visited, though not modelling Brandtner's new jacket.

Across town, the mystery male visitor is sitting in his office, staring at photos of Marc. He turns out to be Gallauer, a model agent. When Brandtner visits him to ask about Marc, he claims he was in his office the previous evening and Brandtner seems happy to leave it at that for now.

Mother and daughter designers, the Schneiders, are setting up to display their new collection. While watching a briefing of their planned show on television, news of Marc's death is broadcast. The daughter Katharina, the girl who initially visited Marc, has locked herself in a room. Her mother, coincidentally, who just happened to be the second and drunk female visitor to Marc, can't get to talk to her.

Meanwhile the caretaker who noticed the man watching Marc's flat also hears of the murder. Her partner is still against her going to the police, even when they show up at Marc's flat. Her partner has a record for domestic violence and when he raises his hand towards her, it's enough to persuade her to stay put.

In Marc's flat, Kunz is admiring Marc's body from the video while lamenting the state of his own. Sorry, Fuzzy, buff you aren't. With the cocaine noted, Boeck discovers blood flecks on the sofa. Kunz score the main prize though. He finds the panties that had been found in Marc's car by Katharina. He's rather pleased with himself.

Brandtner heads off to pay a visit to the Schneiders. The mother's assistant is telling her she needs to think carefully about what to say if the police show up. Katharina is eaves-dropping and hears the mother telling the assistant she should tell the police she visited Marc the previous evening. The assistant says she should do no such thing and sets her up with an alibi.

As Brandtner arrives, the models are practicing their walks and it's not long before Rex is up there, giving a turn. Ah Rex, you handsome boy. When Brandtner comes across Katharina, she denies knowing much about Marc. Katharina directs Brandtner to her mother, pointing out that her mother could have had a drink or two or three... The mother is also reluctant to answer questions, blaming it on pre-show jitters. Brandtner indicates Katharina was also unable to help much and the mother tells Brandtner that Katharina is mourning her father who died of cancer. He's quite surprised when he finds out the death occurred three years ago. When Brandtner asks where the mother was the previous night, the assistant jumps in rather quickly with the alibi.

As he leaves, Brandtner talks again to Katharina, who wants to know what her mother said. Brandtner says it's interesting that neither of them mentioned that women chased after Marc as told to him by Gallauer but Katharina says that was just part of the image built for Marc and not necessarily true.

At headquarters, Kunz has the terribly unpleasant job of working his way through underwear catalogues to identify the origins of the found panties. How the poor man does suffer! Turns out the panties in question are very exclusive and pricey.

Graf has discovered that Marc didn't die from the strange stab wound but from respiratory paralysis, caused by an overdose of methadone. He was already dead when he was stabbed so effectively he was murdered twice, raising all kinds of questions.

Brandtner follows up with Marc's drug dealer, Sasha. Sasha denies all drug dealing activity but Rex discovers his stash and the chase is on. No one escapes Rex and Sasha is no different. He ends up telling Brandtner what he knows - that Marc was hooked on cocaine and that it was sourced for him by his agent Gallauer. Brandtner asks if Gallauer and Marc were lovers but Sasha doesn't know. When Boeck goes to follow up with Gallauer, he finds out Gallauer has left the country.

Despite Marc's death, the fashion show is going ahead. When the mother starts with a dedication to Marc, Katharina walks off in disgust. She accuses her mother of using Marc's death to grab attention. She says she knows what was going on between the mother and Marc. Brandtner and Rex have been watching their interaction unfold and interrupt. He asks them about Gallauer and Marc being lovers. The mother says Gallauer wanted a relatonship with Marc but Marc didn't like men sexually, adding that Gallauer was therefore jealous. planting suspicion on him.

The caretaker's charming partner has drunk himself to sleep and she decides to take the opportunity to call the police. Kunz and Boeck drop by with a photo of Gallauer and she identifies him as the mystery man and confirms him as the person who entered Marc's apartment building.

Gallauer has arrived back in town. Whe he phones in to his office, he finds out the police have been to see him again. Little does he know that Brandtner is waiting for him. When Gallauer spots him as gets his luggage out the taxi, he jumps back in and tells the taxi to head back to the airport. Unfortunately, he doesn't close the boot of the taxi properly and SuperRex jumps in the back, ending the journey. At headquarters, Gallauer has no choice but to answer some questions. Brandtner tells him he was seen visiting Marc on the night of the murder. Gallauer says he fleed from Brandtner because he had supplied Marc with drugs and he had found Marc in a bad way, possibly having overdosed. He says he didn't call for help because he didn't want to be dragged into a scandal. Marc died in his arms. Brandtner then tells him was poisoned with methadone.

Mother and daughter designer are falling apart. Katharina accuses her mother of cheating on her father until he died of cancer, of cheating her of her inheritance and her work, and then having an affair with Marc. Her proof for the latter asks the mother? The infamous panties. The panties belonged to her. In her defence, the mother says she didn't know about Marc's affair with Katharina. Katharina then accuses her mother of stabbing Marc out of jealousy and leaves.

Gallauer admits to having loved Marc. He couldn't have him and that's why he was reduced to watching Marc from the attic. Unrequited love stinks. He tells Brandtner that on the evening of Marc's death, he saw Katharina arrive and noted that they argued. He saw her throw panties at him and leave. It was then that he went over to Marc's apartment but, as he was leaving, the mother arrived and he snuck out.

Lakeside, poor Katharina sits. Brandtner is in his car, one move ahead as always. He's checking with Graf whether methadone can also be used as a pain killer. Bingo. Katharina's father died of cancer, thus providing a source for methadone. He heads over to the Schneiders office and confronts the mother. She persists with her alibi until Brandtner tells her she was seen at the flat by Gallauer. She tries to dump a match box with number of the taxi company she used. A silly thing to do because Rex is always going to fish out a jettisoned clue. He must have been a retriever in a previous life. A simple call to the taxi company is all it will take to bust her alibi. When she confirms to Brandtner that her husband was using methadone for pain management, it's enough for Brandtner to arrest her.

When it becomes apparent that Katharina is missing, alarm bells ring. A letter is found by Katharina to the mother confirming Katharina's role in the murder and revealing a plan for suicide. Urgent action is required and Brandtner is soon in pursuit. By this time, Katharina is on a boat in the middle of the lake, swigging methadone. Brandtner and Rex are soon headed towards the Schneider's summer house, where, of course, they find Katharina just in the nick of time.

Other players include Andrea Sawatzki , above, as the mother, Gerd Silberbauer, above, as Gallauer, Matthias Johannik as Marc, and Jasper Wood, not credited with IMDB for this episode.

Recycled Rexers Vera Borek, here as Marie Puchner, the assistant, and earlier in Hetzjagd (1999) as Frau Swoboda and Denise Zich, here as Katharina and in the Italian series episodes Calibro 7.65 (2008) and L'incontro (2008) as Erika Hedl.

Noteworthy in this episode: I've often commented on the unique skill of Rex cast members at playing dead. This time I caught Marc (Matthias Johannik) blinking as he was examined by Graf and the team. Gotcha.

Schoenbrunn reprieved!

2009-09-12T17:36:00.000-07:00

The Jackson memorial bash is off, postponed to June 2010 and relocated to London. There have been some mumblings from Jermaine Jackson that he felt insulted after Viennese labelled the headlining acts 'B-grade artists'. It also appears someone had forgotten to let these headlining acts know they were going to appear.

Lucky escape for Vienna? What do you think?

So, 'castle' Schoenbrunn is safe, except from Andre Rieu of course.

As usual, I return to the trusty Austrian Times for the scoop. In tried and tested AT style, you can check out this week's choice story on the 'eco-vibrator' too.

Schoenbrunn, the new Neverland?

2009-09-09T14:52:00.000-07:00

Things have been quite Rex wise and I've been inundated with work to the point where I haven't had a moment to post up the next Rex episode. Hopefully today or tomorrow I'l get to it.

Carrying on from the messed up story linking Gedeon erroneously with Katherine Jackson is, of course, the news that the Michael Jackson tribute concert will take place later this month at Schoenbrunn. Got to be good for Vienna from the tourism viewpoint, given tourism has been a little down of late according to the Austrian times.

However I loathe the comparisons of Schoenbrunn to Neverland and it's description as a 'castle, Michael loved castles' in some of the press articles. Really? No, I don't think so. I hope Jackson fans take time to discover the beauty and culture of this fantastic city but I'm not holding my breath.

Read more at the Austrian Times here or, if Jackson's not your thing, how about the Styrian find for farting (got to love the AT - they cover all the big stories)?

Gedeon moonwalks?

2009-08-22T17:35:00.000-07:00

Well, of course, Gedeon Burkhard is everywhere currently but this story threw me a little.

Gedeon is involved in the Michael Jackson tribute tour?

I think this site has got its Katherines well and truly mixed up!

Just not cricket!

2009-08-19T20:14:00.000-07:00

Brandtner and team let their feelings be known outside SBS.

Cricket or Rex? It should be a no-brainer, right? It obviously is for someone at SBS because tonight's Rex episode has again been shafted for the Test match. *Massive yawn*

Rex will be back next week but note that it will be moving to Wednesdays at 7.35pm.

Thanks to Feronia for the heads-up on that.

More Gedeon

2009-08-19T15:00:00.000-07:00

Gedeon at the LA premiere of Inglorious Basterds.

Recognise this other Rexer? The great Christoph Waltz, who was extra creepy as the doll maker in 'Der Puppenmoerder', vintage Moser Rex.

Rex Resolution 80: Das Millionenpferd (S6, E5)

2009-08-16T20:55:00.000-07:00

Couldn't resist this photo of 'Fuzzy' in flannel from this episode.

Theresa is having a last ride on her horse Sirius before heading off to the airport to fly to the Emirates to take part in equestrian competitions. She's sad to leave Sirius behind and asks stable hand Swoboda to take extra special care of her horse. Sirius can't be taken because of quarantine regulations.

Besides Frau Latzki, her mother, sees an opportunity to get Sirius trained to jump higher. She instructs her stable manager Arthur to use his own training methods, Theresa doesn't like, while they are both away. Arthur readily agrees - anything to get a champion horse. Latzki cautions further that Theresa should never know. This means that trusty Swoboda will need to be ditched and replaced with Arthur's brother Gerhard. As Gerhard is intellectually disabled, the mother is skeptical but Arthur assures her Gerhard knows a lot about horses.

Swoboda is training Sirius when Arthur sends him home early. He's grateful but is surprised to see Gerhard arrive. Training resumes with much rougher tactics than Swoboda was using. When Swoboda returns and sees Gerhard whipping Sirius to get him to jump increasingly higher fences, he's upset but, before he can intervene, disaster ensues. Sirius falls badly, breaking both front legs. Arthur has no choice but to shoot him. Swoboda is beside himself and tries to stop Arthur, threatening to tell Theresa everything. When Arthur tells Gerhard to grab Swoboda, Gerhard accidentally breaks Swoboda's neck in the process. Arthur swears to take care of the situation.

He certainly does. He arranges for Gerhard to dump the body at a neighbouring farm, placing the body in a bull pen so the death seems accidental. He even manages to switch another horse for Sirius. When he manages to fool the insurance assessor and vet, all seems good.

Later that night, a couple are seen spying on Arthur and the fake Sirius. The pair seem to be some kind of animal activists, looking for evidence of ill-treatment.

When the neighbour finds the body, he thinks the bull has killed poor Swoboda. Nonetheless, Brandtner and team are called in to investigate. Graf immediately picks up a broken neck as cause of death and states that even though the bull appears to have trampled Swoboda, he was already dead. With nothing to identify Swoboda, the team have little to go on.

Gerhard is an emotional wreck because of what he's done. He tells Arthur he's going to tell the police everything but Arthur stops him. He sends Gerhard off to Budapest with 300 Schillings to bribe a beggar to send a fax from the post office before returning to his farm.

Graf tells Brandtner that Swoboda had been involved in a struggle. So, basically, it was a lot of bull about the bull and the hunt for the murderer is on.

The fax from Hungary arrives at the Latzki farm. Apparently, it is a kidnap note from someone claiming to have taken Sirius. Arthur is straight on the phone to Latzki in the Emirates.

The victim still cannot be identified, although Arthur is pointing the insurance company in the direction of Swoboda as they investigate the missing horse. The insurance company want the police called in much to Arthur's consternation. He has to give ground and finally tells the insurance company Swoboda's name.

Meanwhile more evidence has emerged. Someone else's blood has been found under Swoboda's finger nails and his clothing is covered in horse, not bull, hair. When Boeck comes in with a story of a missing horse, Brandtner is all ears - especially when it's a kidnap case with the stable hand as suspect.

Brandtner heads out, almost knocking over the animal activists as he arrives. They're soon at work photographing Arthur's mistreatment of the horses in training. Rex is much more direct, going straight to take the whip out of Arthur's hands. Brandtner wants to see everyone in the farm. Arthur tells him there is no one else, Swoboda is gone with the horse and that he needs a new stable hand. You can just sense this is going to impact on Kunz, see photo above.

Brandtner shows Arthur Swoboda's jumper but he denies any knowledge of it and turns the focus back on to the supposedly missing horse. In fact, he tells Brandtner, with the horse most likely gone to Hungary, the chance of it being found is minimal. However, Arthur underestimates Rex. The scent on the jumper leads Rex straight to Swoboda's flat above the stables. Victim identified.

Brandtner looks around. He finds lots of photos of Theresa. Obviously, Swoboda was taken with her.

At this precise moment, Latzki and Theresa return. Brandtner talks to them and tells them he's not there about the horse but about the murder of Swoboda. Theresa is devastated. Latzki is shocked. She had been told by Arthur that Swoboda had stolen the horse, not that he had been killed. Theresa is convinced that Swoboda could never have taken the horse. She wants to see his body. Meanwhile, Latzki is looking daggers at Arthur, she suspects his involvement in the murder.

The animal activists have learnt from the paper that Sirius has been kidnapped but they're not buying it. Of course, the day previously they'd photographed Arthur himself loading up Sirius into a transporter. She wants to go to the police but he's got another idea. He's sure it's a case of insurance fraud and sees an opportunity for them to make some money themselves. Of course, he intends to spend it all on animal welfare...right.

Theresa tells Brandtner that the stud farm used to belong to Arthur and Gerhard but that they mismanaged it, selling it to her mother.

Brandtner gets Kunz excited. An undercover job. He's less than impressed when he finds out that translates to shovelling horse poo. Mist, says Kunz. Genau. He moves into Swoboda's old living quarters as Richard Wagner. First job, put on flannel, sweep out the stalls. It doesn't take long for Kunz to get on to something though. He sees the animal activitists talking to Arthur, They're trying to blackmail him but Arthur sends them packing.

Brandtner is talking to the vet about Sirius. He shows him a photo and asks for confirmation that it is, in fact, Sirius. He then happens to catch the activists leaving the stud farm and asks what they've been doing. He also asks if they were here the day Swoboda was murdered. They deny it. Brandtner then approaches Kunz as Wagner, wanting a blanket from Sirius's stall for its scent. Kunz takes the opportunity to tell Brandtner he saw the animal activitists arguing with Arthur. Brandtner gets Boeck to check them out. They have a record, a past history of property damage while freeing animals.

The female activist is more determined to go to the police now there's been a murder. Her partner is again adamant. Of course, this is the moment where Brandtner turns up. He asks again about Swoboda. They again deny any knowledge. Brandtner shows interest in their photos. He then asks what they were arguing about with Arthur. They say it was simply about the cruelty. The woman tells the man that she won't be part of the blackmail. Her partner has a choice to make - her or the money.

When Kunz is shovelling hay, he notices two full aerosols hidden. What are they? Hair dye - possibly used to pass off another horse as Sirius. Brandtner's on to the insurance fraud.

When Latzki receives another kidnap demand, she calls Brandtner's team immediately. At the same time, love wins out and the animal activitists arrive to see Brandtner. Time to come clean about what they know.

At night, Brandtner takes up position watching Gerhard cleaning out the transporter. Boeck arrives. When they approach Gerhard, he's anxious. He allows them to see his one horse, the one passed off as Sirius. Rex proves this when he follows the scent from Sirius's blanket straight to the horse. A horse complete with hair dye. Game over. Gerhard's not smart enough to give Brandtner a plausible explanation. They leave, although Boeck stays watching. Gerhard sets alight to the barn and makes a run for it. Rex manages to free both the the horse and Boeck (injured inside the barn) in time.

Gerhard has returned to the house but sees that Brandtner and Boeck have freed the horse and escaped. He drives towards them on a tractor before driving into the fiery barn. Endstation Gerhard. When Brandtner finds the body of Sirius in a hay stack, all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place.

Kunz is alerted by Brandtner. At the stud, Latzki is yelling at Arthur. Seems she was in on the insurance fraud but she's angry at him for the murder. Unfortunately, Theresa overhears her mother telling Arthur to settle with the activists.

Theresa is devastated. She confronts them both. The mother tries to explain her rationale for the insurance fraud but Theresa is going to the police. When Arthur grabs a gun to stop her, a struggle breaks out between the mother and Arthur, the mother is knocked unconscious. Arthur is after Theresa, with only Kunz to save her. Kunz is knocked over while Arthur locks himself in the stable with Theresa, threatening to kill her.

Above, Rex takes aim and leaps, creeping up behind Arthur. When he leaps on Arthur, the girl is let go and Arthur is winged by Brandtner. Endstation Arthur.

Other players include Lisa Kreuzer, as Latzki, not credited for this episode but listed with IMDB for the Stockinger episode 'Lebende Schieß-Scheiben ' (1997), Anna Luise Kish as Theresa, Henry Meyer as Arthur Stein, Gunnar Kolb, not listed with IMDB for this episode, Richard Sammel, not listed for this episode but also appearing in Inglorious Basterds, and Alexandra Sommerfeld, also not listed.

Aside: This episode is particularly prone to the hovering microphone!

Where's that head shot?

2009-08-11T20:54:00.000-07:00

It's a slow, slow newsweek Rex-wise when the only thing I can come up with is this story about Tarantino, Gedeon Burkhard and a giant purple dildo.

What would Rex say? Poor Rex would probably choke on his Wurstsemmel.

If you're truly starved of entertainment, read more here. Note how they can't spell Gedeon's name properly.

Interview with Gedeon

2009-08-07T20:06:00.000-07:00

Photo copyright Carlos Serrao

What I thought was jus a snippet can be found here. Apparently, this is the full extended interview. What the?

Not sure I like the photo though, what do you think?

Strahlen der Rache/Rays of Revenge free online

2009-08-06T23:06:00.000-07:00

Now available free to watch at SBS online. See link in sidebar.

Musical interlude

2009-08-06T20:13:00.000-07:00

Continuing my ongoing fascination with Falco, time for another musical interlude.

Note I have dropped the Wurstsemmel counter. It was more of a guestimate at this stage and, unless anyone else volunteers to count all occurrences of Wurstsemmel in the Rex series,the true answer will have to remain one of the mysteries of the universe.

For now, all I know about the quantity of Wurstsemmel in Rex? EINE GANZE MENGE!

Comment on REX episodes at SBS

2009-08-05T21:10:00.001-07:00

Feel free to comment on Rex episodes and other Rex related issues at SBS here.

Gedeon premiere

2009-08-05T14:55:00.000-07:00

Gedeon Burkhard at the German premiere of Inglorious Basterds. See more photos here.

There might be quite a gap between the films of Quentin Tarantino and Inspector Rex but I'm sure Gedeon would have been swamped by Rex tragics if he'd made the trip down here to the premiere. Sadly, we missed out.

Any Recycled Rexers seen this movie? Prepared to share? Drop me a line at kleinewurstsemmelATgmail.com.

Wo ist der Stocki?

2009-08-04T02:06:00.000-07:00

Ah, SBS, you make me irate sometimes.

I discover you've hidden Stockinger away Tuesdays 1pm. Perfect timing for me though because I get home from work about 12.50pm and unwind over lunch with Stocki.

Two weeks in and it's disappeared. How am I supposed to enjoy my Wurstsemmel now?

Update: Apparently SBS say they have screened all of Series 1? I don't think so unless I missed a week. Anyway, they don't plan to put any episodes online (pah!)
and will not be screening Stockinger again for about 8-12 months on SBS 2.

Rex Resolution 79: Jagd nach dem ewigen Leben

2009-08-03T21:59:00.000-07:00

The Great Hall in the Austrian National Library features a stunning ceiling, a view of which forms the start of this episode. A tour is in progress, highlighting a new exhibition of the newly discovered works of Count Egon Reichenberg, traveller and botanist. Reichenberg was also believed to have developed an elixir for prolonging life, living to the ripe old age of 150 himself. The tour guide, Dr. Jungwirth, tells visitors that as yet no mention of the elixir has been found in the current works but that they are still being studied.

There certainly appears to be more than a passing interest in the material. Felix Nordegg, a distance relative of the Count, seems particularly keen to examine the books more closely but, as Dr. Jungwirth explains, the books are not yet available to the public as they are still being researched. With the tour ended, a couple of men loiter around the exhibited books before moving on. Nordegg has no plans to move on though. With the museum about to close, he conceals himself in a storeroom.

With the museum closed, he soon emerges and breaks into the cases holding his relative's works. A piece of paper seems to be guiding his actions - it's a list of volumes and page numbers, none of which matches the books he's looking at. From above, comes a distant rumble. A book is being slid along a bannister above and wouldn't you know it? It just happens to fall on Nordegg. Endstation 1. The list is taken and Nordegg? Well, he ends up in an old cart at the Vienna goods station.

At work, the following day, Dr. Jungwirth has noticed the books have been disturbed. The pair of men are also back lurking, watching what happens. A Buddhist monk also seems to have a keen interest in the books.

When the body is discovered, Nordegg has been well buried in coffee beans. Don't say you never learn anything useful from Inspector Rex Apparently, coffee is good to mask the smell of a corpse. I'll stick to my rather benign latte, thanks. Learn also about the Hat Brim Rule. Head injuries usually lower than the brim of an imaginary hat are usually due to falls or accidents, injures above the result of blows. Eat your heart out CSI!

Dr. Graf thinks it's all very strange. The injury suggests the victim was hit by someone at least one metre taller which isn't really feasible. When Boeck notices there are no labels on the man's clothes, Brandtner realises the clothes must be tailor made, otherwise why bother to remove labels? In a scene out of Cinderella, Brandtner sends Kunz with the man's shoe to track his identity from the records of Walter Schubert, shoemakers.

Back at the library, Jungwirth and the library archivist Lutz put the Count's works back into the store room for safety.

The two men from earlier are seen chatting at the end of a lecture. One tells the other he shouldn't have killed Nordegg for the list. Now their purpose becomes clear. Students of chemistry, they want the formula, they want to produce the elixir.

Nordegg was a loner, a translator, in debt from living beyond his means. His housekeeper tells Brandtner that he'd said he would be rich one day. Obviously he had plans for the elixir also.

Graf has determined that Nordegg was killed elsewhere. He also finds strange materials (linen, glue, gold colour) in the wound. He has no idea what the weapon could have been but then Brandtner notices books on Graf's shelves made of linen, glue and gold paint (what a coincidence!) and reenacts the crime on poor Graf.

With nightfall, Lutz is finishing up his work at the museum. When he hears a noise in the storage shelves, he investigates, only to be crushed between moveable shelves by the two chemistry students. However, they didn't reckon on Dr. Jungwirth still being around and she tries to rescue poor Lutz. Too late though. Endstation 2!

Graf tells Brandtner two people had to be involved in order to be able to crush Lutz. Dr. Jungwirth is too shocked to be questioned. Rex finds a trail and leads Brandtner to the window where the students got in. They are back at their 'lab' preparing drugs for sale. A heated argument about the plans for the elixir ensues.

Brandtner is talking to Dr. Jungwirth at the library about the missing books. Rex picks up a scent to the spot where Nordegg was killed. When Brandtner goes up to the second floor, Rex shows him the exact book that was the murder weapon. Smart doggy. Brandtner also notices he is being watched by the Buddhist monk and races off to talk to him. The monk wants to find the elixir also but wants to return it to its rightful home in Tibet.

One of the chemists finally thinks he has cracked the codes on the list. He thinks the numbers are telephone numbers. When the other student is less than receptive, he starts ringing the numbers. The argument becomes more heated.

Brandtner visits Nordegg's relatives. The relative thinks Nordegg was after the formula and denies any interest himself, thinking it would bring bad luck as it had been stolen in the first place from Tibet. Of course, this being Rex, we know he's lying.

Back at the library again, Brandtner is looking for a sandalwood box, supposedly the home of the formula for the elixir. Rex traces the box to a globe and Brandtner leaves it there in order to trap the murderers.

With more work, the chemists have finally cracked the code. 'The secret is there at the centre of the earth.' The clue doesn't make much sense to them. However, Brandtner has set up an interview about the murders and in it he slips in information about the globe. Bingo. The trap is set.

At the museum, there's quite a crowd gathering. The monk, the relative of Nordegg and the two chemists. Once the museum is shut, the students plan to open the globe, get the box and leave again in the morning unnoticed. Boeck, on security details, spots them. Once he's gone, the chemists emerge to break into the globe, only for one to get nabbed just as they take the box. Endstation 3! The other gets away but then mysteriously collapses dead. Endstation 4!

The monk appears and tells Brandtner the formula was probably poisoned for protection. Rex rescues the box before Brandtner can stop him and Rex is critically sick when Brandtner catches up. The monk lays his healing hands on Rex and revives him. Tissues all around! Sniff.

However, the box is gone. Guess who's taken it? The relative of Nordegg. Endstation 5!

The box is returned to the monk and it's rightful place on earth.

Other players include Konstanze Breitebner as Dr. Jungwirth, Christoph Dostal as Felix Nordegg, Nils Nellessen as Michael Stoll (a chemist?), Dennis Grabosch as Sascha Lechner (a chemist?), the late Kurt Weinzierl as Lutz, and Gerhard Toetschinger, not listed with IMDB for this episode.

A Recycled Rex free episode!

Besessen - free Rex episode online

2009-07-28T20:46:00.000-07:00

This is the episode with the manic music. Once you get it in your head, you can't get it out.
Available now for free viewing from SBS here. Limited time only.

Unfortunately SBS's kindness doesn't extend to Stockinger.

RecycledRex hits Twitter

2009-07-27T15:50:00.001-07:00

Finally, I'm getting with the times. I'm not sure quite how to use it but we'll how it goes.
Id RecycledRex.

Fuzzy on Facebook

2009-07-23T22:46:00.000-07:00

Back to Kunz. I keep getting email notification of Martin Weinek's Facebook entry. I checked it out originally but it didn't seem genuine to me as it was all in Italian. Since then, my mailbox is being filled with messages from this Facebook entry. Anyone else experiencing this?

Rex Resolution 78: Tod per Internet

2009-07-23T19:29:00.000-07:00

'Fuzzy'

Series 6 seems to move Rex a little further away from family viewing. This was the episode for which SBS received complaints and was investigated for showing in an inappropriate time slot. See here if interested.

Still, after a bit of a Postpause, nothing like a slightly racey Rex episode to get things going again.

Bachmann, webname Rider, is chattting with his cyberpal Tiger. Bachmann is off to meet with a couple, nicknamed TwoforYou and it's not to discuss purchases on eBay. Part of the swinging scene, Bachmann remarks the woman in the couple is super hot and super horny. Tiger is quite envious and is tempted to get it on the act. In the end, he asks Bachmann to simply let him know how it all works out. Some delay is to be expected as Bachmann is about to go overseas on a surfing trip.

The couple are arriving. In the lift, the woman warns her husband to keep calm if Bachmann says something he doesn't like. She's barely dressed, underwear and a leather coat. Hope it's not an Austrian winter. Brrr. The man wants to film their interaction. Bachmann's cool with that. He sends the woman off to the bedroom, reminding her to take off her coat. The action starts soon after...

Across town, poor Tiger is having to satisfy himself with internet porn and pizza.

When the man doesn't immediately join in, Bachmann taunts him about his virility, inciting rage in the man. It's not long before Bachmann is dead, smashed over the head with a lamp and all captured on video.

Move forward three months. A brief interlude as Brandtner and Boeck shop for hand-held vacuum cleaners, a gift for Kunz apprently. Rex prefers to check out the bedding department and is soon spread out on a bed with a very tasteful (not!) heart shaped headboard. When Brandtner absent-mindedly walks off to find Rex, vacuum in hand, he's thought to be a thief. With Boeck and Rex lounging on the bed, the threesome are headed for trouble until they have to admit, somewhat embarrassed, that they are policemen.

A body has been found. When Dr. Graf says the corpse is probably months old, Brandtner wants the find kept out of the press, sensing the murderer might be feeling quite confident that he or she has got away with it and therefore less guarded.

The male swinger is in his office, feeling somewhat down. His activities have been curbed by his partner since the murder and he's anxious to hit the internet scene again. His partner is understandably resistant. He tells her that he needs to watch her with other men. His frustration is palpable and it won't be long before he persuades her to resume their activities.

Brandtner and Boeck are at Bachmann's flat on what seems initially to be a different case. His parents have reported him missing. Bachmann's bags are packed. Rex finds a fragment of glass. More shards are under the bed and a blood spot is on the mattress. Suddenly they seem to have a victim and crime scene. Bingo. When Brandtner gets into Bachmann's laptop, he finds all his sex contacts and the team have a direction to investigate.

Coincidentally, back in the office, the woman is commenting to the man that they should have taken Bachmann's laptop. The man isn't worried. He's back cruising the sex groups, confident they are safe, and notices an ad. from Tiger. 'Tiger spoils couples in Vienna, everything allowed!' It's enough to tempt his wife, contact is made with Tiger and a meeting set up.

At headquarters Kunz is trying to find who Bachmann may have talked to on his computer. Kunz turns out to be a bit of a tech-head and tells the others it may be hard to find out anything useful. It is revealed that it's Kunz's anniversary with the department - hence the present buying earlier. Kunz is very excited by the handheld vacuum! What a sucker (groan)!

More findings from Graf suggest that the corpse found is most likely that of Bachmann. Kunz gets on to the internet posing as an interested participant, nickname Fuzzy. Ha!

The couple go to meet Tiger. They spot him playing billiards but don't go over to him and sit elsewhere. The woman panics and leaves, the man follows. Tiger rushes to the door in time to note their car registration. Tiger tries to make contact with them the next day but is interrupted by a message from 'Fuzzy', who makes out to be a friend of Bachmann and says he is looking for him. Tiger tells him Bachmann is in New Zealand, 'Fuzzy' says not and Tiger, freaked out, hangs up.

Brandtner has the idea of offering themselves as sex partners. Of course, this sets up the episode for some very amusing segments. Boeck stuck between 'the count' and 'countess', Kunz stuck with a very buxom woman (as he normally is!). Brandtner, however, gets himself in more serious trouble, walking unexpectedly into a blackmail set up. Photos are taken of Brandtner in a compromising position. The photographer Heinz says Brandtner can buy them for 5000 Schillings. When Brandtner tries to demand the film, Heinz attacks. Rex, left outside, knows something is wrong though and has already entered the building through a window. Within moments, Heinz is under attack by Rex and Brandtner has him cuffed.

Tiger contacts the couple TwoforYou finally. Tiger tells them he has news. He also challenges them about their 'no-show' last night. When the man claims work commitments, Tiger tells him he saw them. The man says he couldn't know that, he doesn't know what they look like. However, Tiger tells him that Bachmann had described them well. This is a shock to the man and, when Tiger says that he knows everything, the man arranges a further meeting.

8 pm that night, the man is waiting for Tiger at a dark parking spot. It seems like the whole of Vienna is having sex in cars in this particular spot. He gets into Tiger's car. Tiger is wondering where the woman is. The man fobs him off with the excuse that she's making herself attractive. While waiting, Tiger asks how things went with Bachmann. He then tells the man that he hasn't heard from Bachmann since he met with the couple and that he understands Bachmann never left town as planned. He also reveals he knows the man's real name - Kainz - he checked the registration number with a policeman friend. He's trying to blackmail Kainz. If only he could sleep with his wife from time to time.........enough said, Within minutes he cops a screwdriver through the chest. Endstation Tiger!

The wife is now back to being interested in meeting someone. Kainz now has less interest and she's confused. She clicks on Eros. This happens to be Brandtner. Heisser Typ? Aber, ja! She's putting pressure on Kainz to meet Eros.

Tiger's body has been found. Stefan Haller. With all the tiger articles in his flat, the team soon make the contact to Bachmann and to the couple TwoforYou. Eros, this time Kunz online, makes contact, although it's Brandtner that will be sent to meet the couple. They seem to get on well, until Kainz is asked if he has a problem with jealousy. He gets a little irate but recovers quickly and a meeting is set for the next day.

Brandtner is setting up the scene. Rex is hidden outside, with access through a window should trouble emerge. The couple arrive. The wife heads to the bathroom while the husband sets up video. He notices tape of his wife with Bachmann and tries to erase it. Brandtner goes into the bathroom where the wife confesses to being nervous. She tells him her husband gets angry, that she's afraid he will lose it. Kainz hears her spilling their secrets to Brandtner. Brandtner asks about her about Bachmann and tells her he's a policeman. The story is out. The wife doesn't know about Haller though. She's shocked.

Kainz tries to flee but Rex has him cornered in the phone box outside. Eventually, he manages to escape. He doesn't realise Rex has hidden in the car with him. He drives to a nearby bridge and tries to discard the incriminating video. It doesn't fall into the water and Rex retrieves it before Kainz can get it. Back at his apartment, he grabs money and a passport, only to find Rex has him cornered. Brandtner arrives and takes him into custody. With Rex having the incriminating video, the game is over.

Other players include Tobias Hoesl as Kainz, not listed for this episode with IMDB but also appearing in Stockinger, Oscar Ortega Sanchez as Haller, and Jan Sosniok as Bachmann.

Recycled Rexers include Sabine Petzl, here as Frau Kainz, in earlier episodes as Moser's colleague Elisabeth Boehm ('Ein moerderischer Sommer' (1995), 'Duft der Todes' (1995), 'Moerderische Leidenschaft' (1996)) and as Eva Kretschmer in 'Vitamine zum Sterben' (2003).

Stockinger

2009-07-18T18:45:00.000-07:00

Still in swine flu recovery BUT have noticed, for those of us currently not working, Stockinger is being screened at lunch times (1pm) on SBS Tuesdays. For others, remember to set your recorders.

And, of course, Rex returns to its regular timeslot this week.

Gedeon hat Geburtstag!/Happy Birthday, Gedeon!

2009-07-03T01:00:00.000-07:00

Gedeon Burkhard was born today (July 3rd) in 1969 in Munich. A fellow Cancerian, I like it.

Happy Birthday Gedeon from Rex fans around the world.

Rex Resolution 77: Ein Toter kehrt zurueck (S6 E2)

2009-07-01T20:02:00.000-07:00

It's night time in Vienna and a hooded monk is seen walking across a city square. Interesting, especially to the man watching him from a car. The monk, later to be identified as Hanusch, reaches his target and looks around to see if he has been followed. When all seems clear, he opens a heavy wooden door, not realising that someone is waiting around the corner, ultimately following him in.

Hanusch heads down into what appear to be catacombs, with neat piles of skulls, other bones and a skelton in a coffin. Disrobing, Hanusch then climbs into a smaller chamber where he sets up his laptop and uses a scanner. It appears he's trying to detect something in the wall. Meanwhile the other guy has caught up with him and, under gunpoint, orders him to stop scanning. They obviously know each other. Hanusch is surprised that the other guy has been trailing him for two days. A fight and a chase ensue and, before long, the second guy is dead.

His body is found in what looks to be a grit box (for snow?) the next morning. With no papers on him, the body cannot be identified until Kunz sees the body. Shocked, he reveals the man to be Walz, a former colleague from Robbery. It turns out Walz was suspended from duty. He had been shot in an earlier robbery, a robbery that involved Hanusch, alternatively known as 'The Mole'. Walz had exprienced problems, feeling he'd failed to prevent the robbery and had taken to drinking. Hanusch, imprisoned, escaped during a relocation exercise and sought refuge in Brazil. Hanusch had apparently been declared dead a few months previously. Of course, we know differently.

Meanwhile Hanusch is checking out of Hotel Kummer. Soon after another guest, Mendes, checks in to room 121. The facial fuzz is fake. Mendes appears to be Hanusch again, although I admit to being a little confused by this part. In his hotel room, Hanusch takes a call from his girlfriend, who sings a self-composed song to him. He seems less than impressed. Me also. When asked what's wrong, he's evasive. The girlfriend is obviously looking forward to joining him in Brazil. Her room is decorated with posters of Rio.

Brandtner is told by Graf that the bullets used to kill Walz were quite unusual and when Brandtner talks to Walz's colleague from Robbery, he finds out the kind of guns using these bullets were stolen recently from a gunshop. Unfortunately little other detail is available.

Kunz and Boeck head off to check out Walz's flat. Walz's flat has been ransacked and his car is missing. Someone has obviously been looking for something. Suddenly, Walz's recent activities become of interest.

In the catacombs, Hanusch is searching again but gets interrupted by a crowd of pesky tourists. When he disturbs a bone on the pile, his presence is revealed to a boy in the crowd. Lucky for Hanusch, the tour guide blows off the boys claims of someone present as imagination and Hanusch escapes. Back in disguise as Mendes, Hanusch visits Bank Austria, checking out security cameras. For some reason, he feels underneath the counter shelf. Strange behaviour.

Brandtner is calling in help from his informants. He wants information on who robbed the gun shop and is directed to Harald Schmoll, an electrician in the Rohrergasse.

Back in the catacombs again, Hanusch is wiring up an explosive device. Seems he's found what he was looking for but it's not stolen loot as might be expected. Instead, it's another passage.

Later on, his girlfriend is again singing him Brazillian type music. Dreary stuff. I'm certainly glad that it didn't make the Rex soundtrack.Hanusch is talking to her about a bank..seems like he has plans to hit the bank he robbed previously. See? In Rex, even the crime scenes get recycled.

Walz's car has been located and Rex is able to trace a scent from the car to the catacombs entrance. What a dog! With blood and a bullet on the floor, it seems the team have found the crime scene.

When Brandtner and Rex head off to see Schmoll about the gun theft, they have to break into the premises. No one is there. Rex sniffs out a dodgy tv, revealking hidden guns. Of course, Schmoll chooses this moment to return. Brandtner is about to grab him when his mobile rings , alerts Schmoll and allows him to escape. It's only momentary though. True to form, Rex rounds him up. Schmoll maintains no involvement in the murder but admits to selling someone a gun. He has no idea who the buyer is though.

Another bullet has been found. Fingerprints are checked and are revealed to be those of Hanusch. Obviously he's not dead and what's more the fingerprints are fresh. An airline ticket for Brazil is also found in the car. The team are confused. Why would he risk returning? Family reasons perhaps? His mother is in a residential home and Brandtner pays a visit. It appears he's only just missed Hanusch, until the mother says he's still visiting and has just gone to get her a drink. While they wait for his return, the mother talks about his girlfriend Claudia who no longer visits. When the mother thinks Rex is a dachsund, Brandtner cottons on that a few marbles might be loose and he's waiting for nothing.

Hanusch is lurking outside Austria Bank in his alternate form, as Mendes. Just as well because Hanusch has made the front page of the newspaper. Going into the bank, he plants a device under a counter and then leaves.

Brandtner is still trying to work out who Claudia is. A phone number on the plane ticket found looks promising but ultimately produces nothing.

In the catacombs Hanusch is drilling a small hole in the wall.

When the action moves to Claudia, it suddenly becomes apparent that her room is in a prison. When she's given her food, she throws it at the officer. She's then made to clean it up in the kitchen. It's all a ruse though. The food isn't quite that bad, it's just she has an ulterior motive.

The receptionist in the Hotel Kummer notices that the fax of Hanusch looks like her guest Mendes and calls Brandtner. Hanusch overhears and returns to grab essentials from his room. He marks some spot on a map and then throws it in the bin. Most likely a red herring with which to lead Brandtner astray. Dressed as a painter he manages to get out just as Brandtner arrives. Of course, Brandtner and Boeck pull out the map and are diverted to the marked spot - the bank which Hanusch robbed previously, the bank where he planted his device earlier.

In the bank, Hanusch's device is dripping water, releasing little balls that set off the alarms. It looks as if a robbery is in progress. Good distraction for Hanusch's real purpose.

Washing up in the prison kitchen is obviously an explosive affair. Hanusch's girlfriend is anxiously watching the clock. 6pm sharp, kaboom. Hanusch blows the wall of the prison kitchen out and the girlfriend is free. Ah, love not money, how sweet. Stupidly they stop for a cuddle instead of making good their escape because on the other side of the wall are now Brandtner and Boeck and they discover the escape route immediately.

Rex is straight on to it, chasing through the catacombs. When Claudia falls over, the gap narrows and, before you know it, Rex has them both. Good old Rex.

Other players include Max Tidof as Hanusch and Jenny Deimling as Claudia.

Recycled Rexers include William Mang as Walz, also in 'Baby Rex - der kleine Kommissar' and the late Gusti Wolf, here as Hanusch's mother, earlier as Johanna Gebauer in 'Der Tod der alten Dame'.

Swine flu confirmed

2009-06-28T21:29:00.001-07:00

After the mandatory quarantine, all I can say is thank goodness for 9 series of Rex (interspersed with extensive Jane Austen for variety).

Back blogging soon.

Rex Review

2009-06-24T17:10:00.000-07:00

A Rex review from The Age here.

Rex as a comedy? Sure it has its lighter moments but, on the whole, I think Marike Hardy just doesn't get it. After all, millions of Rex fans worldwide can't be wrong, gel?

Schweinerei....

2009-06-21T20:06:00.000-07:00

Quite literally.

Enforced break due to swine flu (results pending). Known contact tested positive so it's not looking good.

Back soon. In the meantime, you've read this page, now go wash your hands!

Alexander hat Geburtstag/Happy birthday Alex!

2009-06-13T01:00:00.000-07:00

Alexander Pschill was born today in 1970 in Vienna.

Happy birthday Alex from Rex fans everywhere!

Fritz Muliar

2009-06-11T20:23:00.001-07:00

Some sad news. I just found out Fritz Muliar, who played Moser's mentor Max Koch, passed away on the 4th May aged 89. I'm not sure why I didn't a Google alert on this but never mind....

Fritz Muliar was a highly esteemed actor with a huge body of work. The Austrian Times obituary will provide a much better history of this great artist than I ever could.

For us Rex fans, Fritz Muliar will always be Max Koch and we will continue to get pleasure from revisiting his interactions with Moser.

Fritz Muliar, rest in peace.

New Online Rex Episode

2009-06-11T16:43:00.000-07:00

The Baby Dealer, episode 7 from Season 6, courtesy of SBS. This episode will be available for a week.

Rex Resolution 76: Der Vollmondmoerder (S6 E1)

2009-06-09T21:45:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Series 6. A complicated plot for this first episode!

This episode starts with Brandtner executing a slide show of two murder victim: both women, murdered in cemeteries, laid on flowers/wreaths and with their hair cut rather savagely. Both murders happened at full moon, hence the episode title. The task at hand is a difficult one - how to maintain watch over Vienna's 56 cemetries?

Kunz thinks the problem will be averted. The police operation has been widely reported and should scare the murderer off. Boeck is much more clued-in. He knows the urge to kill will overcome any sense of caution. The team are restless, Rex himself is on the roof, howling at the moon. Of course, when Brandtner joins him in the act, Kunz's eyebrows are raised!

Across town, Judith Geigner is being chased through the woods. Unfortunately, it seems that the planned surveillance of the cemetries did scare the murderer but only enough to change his location. A tomb. When it appears nothing has happened, the team prepare to go home to catch some sleep but, as always happens in Rex, they get stopped by a 'phone call just as they are leaving the office.

A crowd and a tv crew has gathered at the crime scene but Brandtner's in no mood to comment. Despite no sleep, he's still thinking smart though and gets Boeck to arrange for photographs of the crowd scene and registrations of parked cars. He knows the perpetrator could well be watching.

Graf is on hand and confirms that a serial murderer is at large. The details of the killing match the two previous murders.

Someone is watching the tv coverage intently. The suggestion, of course, is that we're looking at the murderer.

Over at the victim's flat, there doesn't seem any obvious clues but, as the woman was an artist, they decide to check up her art school. Funnily enough, Brandtner finds her classmates painting works around the subject of the full moon. Brandtner takes the lecturer, Paul Mandl, aside. He seems shocked when he learns of Judith's fate. Brandtner asks about a painting of Mandl he found in Judith's flat, a painting by someone call Sandra (a fellow student), and a letter referring to her lover, an older, married man.

To complicate matters further, a woman is asking her psychiatrist husband Clemens if perhaps one of his patients could be responsible for the murders. Apparently, Clemens has a patient who is affected by the full moon and who hates women but he is dismissive of it. The wife is concerned but more about their social standing and the possible implications should the murderer were to be one of her husband's patients.

Brandtner is interviewing student Sandra. She'd been with Judith the evening before. She said Judith hadn't been having problems with anyone. When Brandtner asks her about all the paintings of Mandl (the lecturer), Sandra breaks down and spills the fact that Judith and Mandl had an affair. Mandl had left her for someone else.

Clemen's first patient of the day is Schima, the man seen earlier watching the tv coverage. Clemens questions him about his activities from the previous night. Schima admits to having been restless, his medication hadn't seemed to work, he had drunk alcohol and couldn't remember much else. Schima brings up the topic of the latest murder and states his lack of comprehension for such a deed.

Brandtner is back interrogating Mandl, who's getting a little annoyed. Mandl has no real alibi for the previous night but sets one up with Sandra. Brandtner keeps pressing. No wonder Mandl is nervous, his wife knows nothing of his affairs. When pushed, he pulls out Sandra as his alibi and she is asked to make an official statement.

The team are called back to crime scene. The place where the actual murder took place has been ascertained. The crowd is still there and guess who's among them? Yep, Schima. For some reason, Rex sniffs him out and barks at him until Brandtner's interest is raised. Brandtner asks questions. Why is he here?

Clemens' wife is a very pushy number. She's putting pressure on Clemens to build a stellar career like her father. Talk about issues! Their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of Schima. Schima's in psychological crisis, fearing he might hurt himself. Never mind that. His ears should be burning for Schima is the current topic of conversation at police headquarters. Boeck recognises the name from somewhere, he has Schima's care registration number and so it's clear that Schima was at the crime scene both days. Schima is a hairdresser. With little hair of his own to fuss over, Kunz gets to check him out for a shave.

In the salon, Schima is mid-discourse on the full moon murderer. Kunz gets freaked by the scissors and shaving implements. Schima seems to know sufficient about the murders to raise Kunz's suspicion and he calls for assistance. When Brandtner turns up, Schima flees, knocking Kunz out with a well-aimed hairdryer. Rex is on the chase and soon has Schima rounded up. Endstation as Rexers often say.

Schima flatly denies any involvement but indicates his treatment with Clemens. While he admits to visiting cemeteries, he refuses to admit to the murders. Brandtner keeps the pressure on. At Schima's flat, Kunz and Boeck are finding potential clues -a necrophiles guide to Viennese cemeteries (must surely be a bestseller!), a moon calendar. What will prove to be the clincher though is a small droplet of blood from a self-wound to the perpetrator inadvertently dropped on the victim. That's enough to convince Schima his game is over and he confesses. As a hairdresser, he just couldn't stand listening to old women rambling on all day. He's bitter because his victims, all young and pretty, had no time for him. However, he denies the murder at the tomb. He visited the scene to see for himself - he had an imitator. As an alibi, he outlines a failed attack on another woman, a woman who managed to escape, and then a drink at the pub. The publican confirms the latter part of the story.

Brandtner, Boeck and Rex head off to the site of the failed attack. Supersnout Rex finds a tied up dog whose owner happens to be the woman who escaped. Alibi confirmed. So, who committed the last murder?

Graf tells them he too believes the last murderer was different because the victim's hair was cut off with scissors, not with a razor as before. Also, the first two victims were strangled with a narrow cord, the last victim with a wide one. A copycat murder. Interestingly, the last victim also happened to be pregnant.

Meanwhile Mandl is asking Sandra if the police have followed up on the alibi she gave him. She's not comfortable with the position he's placed her in. He kisses her. She's momentarily comforted but you can sense it won't be long before she cracks under pressure. When she finds out that the murderer of her friend is still at large, she goes straight to Brandtner and confesses her lie. Mandl is pulled back in. He finally has to admit that Sandra rejected his advances, he left early and spent time with a prostitute instead. Of course, Kunz gets to go to the brothel to check out the story. Oh, poor Kunz, surrounded by all those scantily clad women! Mandl's story stands up and he is let go.

Unwittingly, Sandra provides a clue when she mentions Judith's psychiatrist, Dr. Clemens. The same psychiatrist who treated Schima. When Sandra confirms Clemens is older and married, it becomes apparent that he might be the person mentioned in letters found at Judith's flat. At the Clemens flat, Brandtner explains his visit as needing more information on Schima, saying there is doubt about whether he committed the third crime because the police haven't been able to locate the razor. Clemens says he has nothing to add and Brandtner remarks the police will look further tomorrow. A very subtle plan to flush Clemens out.

It works because on the middle of the night Clemens ducks out. Why? He's looking for the discarded scissors at the murder scene and heads out to the woods. He finds the scissors but, of course, Brandtner and Rex are waiting to round him up. It turns out he had an affair with his patient Judith and murdered her to avoid scandal and the loss of his profession. A last minute attempt at suicide fails as Rex drags him out of the path of a car. Endstation noch einmal.

Other players include Stefan Matousch as Dr. Clemens, Krista Stadler, as Frau Clemens, not credited with IMDB for this episode, Mathieu Carriere, as Mandl, not credited with IMDB for this episode, and Nora Miedler, as Sandra, not listed with IMDB.

A single Recycled Rexer in Viktor Schefe, here as Schima and earlier in 'Blutrose Rosen'.

Free REX - with subtitles!

2009-06-04T22:16:00.000-07:00

SBS, when it comes to all things Rex, you can be so naughty (running episodes out of order, that soundtrack DVD) but now I know you can also be quite nice.

Catch free episodes of Rex online at SBS and click on the Watch Full Episodes tab. For this week, link directly to the Rex episode, Death Came Twice, shown last night.

I'll create a link to the current online episode in the side bar and update the link as necessary.

Gedeon Burkhard

2009-06-03T21:07:00.000-07:00

Brad or Gedeon? A no brainer in my opinion.

You can just catch a brief glimpse of Gedeon in the trailer for Inglorious Basterds if you look carefully. Note that viewing the above trailer is somewhat violent and may not be appropriate viewing for everyone.

Rex Resolution 75: Vollgas (S5,E16)

2009-06-03T19:07:00.000-07:00

And so ends Series 5. Not a favourite episode of mine, although it is fun to watch Gedeon Burkhard squeeze his huge frame into a tiny go kart in the closing sequences.

Claudia is the girlfriend of Martin, a go-kart racer and mechanic. She's spent the evening watching who racing. Martin's disheartened because he's been beaten by a competitor, Sasha. When Claudia leaves to go to work, she's attacked by loan collector. Money is owed by her boyfriend to loan shark Baumann and he cannot pay. As Claudia is the guarantor on the loan, she's up for paying in more ways then one, with the loan collector hitting her to reinforce his threat of what might happen if payment is not forthcoming.

Martin races out as the loan collector drives off, yelling death threats directed both at him and Baumann.

Across town, Baumann is sitting in his office, gun on his desk. Someone comes in who he appears to recognise, picks up the gun off his desk and shoots him. The corpse is discovered by his secretary the next morning. The murder scene has been arranged to look like suicide. Graf soon has it puzzled out. The dead man is holding something in his right hand. He couldn't therefore have shot himself as it is made to appear. An interesting fact for those interested in neurology, the item wasn't dropped because the bullet passed through the cerebellum of the brain, effectively freezing the position of the victim. Being a loan shark, it's a dead cert (no pun intended!) that the perpetrator was most likely a client.

A brief interlude, which becomes important later in the story, shows Boeck and Kunz on the firing range. Boeck achieves a perfect score but Kollege Kunz, while making a good start, is stopped dead in his tracks when one of the target figures appears to be drawing a gun. If the situation had been real, Kunz would have been dead. He'd previously almost shot someone who wasn't armed. It's a problem, obviously.

Martin is getting some pressure from Claudia. Their plans involve settling, having a family but she can't see it happening while he's involved in go-karting. Martin's colleague Joe Meixner is back from racing in the East. Turns out the go-karts are a front, distracting customs officials while the real business seems to be about smuggling something - not made clear at this point.

The debt collector is at work again. This time he's threatening a mother out shopping with her child. He tries to take her car keys. He doesn't count on Boeck and Kunz turning up though. Ever the gentlemen, they take his details and then take the woman shopping for groceries. Brandtner is over talking to Martin. Of course he can't resist a quick drive himself before asking Martin about Baumann. Martin's boss comes over. He's a little worked up that Brandtner is asking questions. Interestingly, he starts stressing Baumann's history of depression and medication, pushing the suicide angle.

Martin and Claudia head for a tryst in a campervan back at Martin's workplace. Passion is interrupted when Martin discovers a pile of money under the mattress. Money laundering by his boss Nemec and Meixner perhaps?

Kunz finds out from the debt collector that Baumann had financed the go-kart place for Nemec to a tune of 20 million. Brandtner and team are clued up enough about go-kart racing to know it would be very difficult to pay off that kind of money. Nemec also has several fat bank accounts. Nemec has an alibi set up for the murder time with Meixner though. Brandtner notices a trophy that indicates that Meixner might not even have been in Vienna though. He puts Boeck on the case. It's not long before his alibi crashes.

When Martin is offered a kart for purchase, he breaks into the campervan and thinks about taking the money. He's surprised by Meixner who beats and ties him up. His absence is noticed when Claudia rings the go-kart stadium looking for him. She wants to tell him she's pregnant. She's wary that something is up and returns to the van, finding him. Of course, she gets surprised by Meixner, Martin is shot and the pair are locked up.

Brandtner returns to the racing track, Rex is sent outside to wait. He hears Claudia's screams and sets out to alert Brandtner. Freeing them up, Brandtner asks them to call for assistnace. Meanwhile Meixner and Nemec are in the hall finalising their money exchange. Brandtner is outnumbered but turns out the lights. When Meixner comes out to sort out the problem, Brandtner challenges him but he escapes. Brandtner then finds himself under fire from all directions as the team arrive. In the shoot out, Boeck nearly buys it, about to be shot by Meixner when Kunz shoots Meixner. Kunz as hero, knotted hankie and all. I like it.

Other players include Mavie Hoerbiger as Claudia, Dietmar Moessmer, not credited with IMDB for this episode, and Guenther Panak as Baumann.

Recycled Rexers include Xaver Hutter, as Martin, uncredited with IMDB for this episode but also appearing as Andi Kraus in 'Vitamine zum Sterben' (2003), Georg Prokop, uncredited for this episode but also appearing as Gasser Jr. in 'Todesrennen' (1996), Johannes Krisch, a personal favourite, uncredited for this episode but also appearing as Josef Nowak in 'Ein moerderischer Plan' (1998) and as Marco Kolb in 'Strahlen der Rache' (2001).

Rex Resolution 74: Brudermord (S5,E15)

2009-05-24T19:42:00.000-07:00

I have been asked to specify series and episode number for each write-up. I'll retrospectively do that to earlier write-ups soon. Note, however, that I think the series structure for Australia may differ from elsewhere.

Nearing the end of Series 5, this is another favourite episode. Fraticide.

Hans Tomek is a whizz at the stock market which probably explains how he lives in a fabulous apartment, overlooking central Vienna. He is selling up to move to New York, which raises a what the? from me. New York or Vienna? Come on. Ah, but I digress.

Talking on the 'phone to his girlfriend, Hans announces that he is expecting an imminent visit from his twin brother, Paul. Paul has not been so lucky in life, having served a jail term for a hit and run offence, and is likely to be hitting on Hans for some money. However, on his way up to the flat, Paul is seen to drop a knife, so perhaps is intent is more serious?

The brothers greet. Paul grabs a drink and says he's come to say goodbye as Hans is leaving for New York. Hans gets straight to the point and says if he wants money, just say so, he hasn't got time to waste. This can't be about brotherly love, surely? Absolutely not. Paul is resentful. He gave up his studies so Hans could go to Harvard to study, he's envious of Hans' success and feels that should have been his success, although Hans is dismissive of his abilities. It emerges that Hans only has his career because of Paul, although it isn't explained why. Hans' response is to throw money at Paul and tell him to stop whining. Ah, but it's too late and, in a moment, Hans is dead. Paul burns the body in a cave and starts transforming himself into Hans.

When the body is found, it's hard for Dr. Graf to ascertain anything and the first thought is that the body belongs to a homeless man. However, Rex traces a scent of petrol to a spillage spot. With no canister, it's apparent it's no longer a question of suicide, something Dr. Graf later confirms when he discovers that the victim had been stabbed to death. Because of the state of the corpse, Dr. Graf has to rely on a computer to generate what the man may have looked like. it's enough for a publication to identify the body as Paul Tomek. Paul Tomek has not been seen for some time but his former employer is able to shed some light on his history, that he had been in prison and that some one had hurt him considerably. His flat is empty.

Meanwhile, alive and well, Paul is catching a taxi across town to see the real estate agent and finalise the sale of the apartment. Bad move for him as he is recognised by the taxi driver, a former prison mate. While he denies it vehemently, the taxi driver is convinced and keeps watch on him. He then sees the computer generated picture of the burnt corpse and can't make sense of it initially. Observing Paul's apartment, he takes some shots of him and notices a giveaway tattoo on his arm. Now he knows that he's right and he challenges Paul. Blackmail is the name of the game. It's not a game he's destined to win though - strangled to death in his cab later.

The team are making breakthroughs. They discover that Paul Tomek was imprisoned for a hit and run accident and, by tracing recently made calls by Paul, they find out that he has a twin brother, Hans. This means telling Paul that Paul is dead. Not surprisingly, he doesn't seem overly upset. Paul tells Brandtner he had a good relationship with his brother but that they didn't see each other often, mostly because he's based in New York and back only to sell the flat. When Brandtner asked about the Dow-Jones index, Paul reels off the closing figure. Impressive, only he's a day out, something that doesn't get past Brandtner. It doesn't take him long to suspect that maybe they're really dealing with Paul and not Hans.

A problem is occuring with the sale of the flat. The purchasers want to offer 2 million less and the agent is perplexed when Paul readily agrees. A further problem occurs when the taxi driver's body turns up and the team work out that he was a former cell mate with Paul.

Reviewing the hit and run case, Brandtner works out that Paul took the blame on behalf of the real guilty party, Hans. Suddenly, there's a motive and he's back questioning Paul and stating his hypothesis about the car accident. In the process, he sneakily gets Pau's fingerprints by handing him a photo of the lovely Dr. Graf.

Worse still for Paul, the girlfriend Judy turns up. Of course, Paul doesn't even know her name and has to rifle her bag to find out. When she gets frisky and he's not interested, she also spots the tattoo and becomes worried that things aren't right. After she confronts him, she seeks sanctuary in the bathroom, although it's only temporary. Paul gets in and knocks her out.

Then, the real estate agent turns up. He hears Judy moaning but doesn't pay much attention. Luckily for Judy, Brandtner and team arrive. While they bust their way in, he tries to escape over the roof top. Brandtner and Rex give chase. In the subway, when Paul misses the train, he runs down the track and hides in a storage area, stupidly using a match to light his way. When he drops it, the place ends up in flame. Before he can become a burnt corpse himself, Rex rushes in and leads him to safety.

Other players include Dieter Landuris, as Hans/Paul Tomek but not listed for this episode, Thomas Stolzetti, as real estate agent Drexler, Matthias Luehn, not listed with IMDB for this episode, Dorothee Reinoss, also not listed for this episode, Franziska Sztavjanik, also not listed, and Robert Hauer-Riedl, not listed.

No Recyclers this time.

Rex subtitles available to download

2009-05-22T01:25:00.001-07:00

Thanks to a fellow Rex fanatic, Minh Danh from Vietnam, for tracking down and then making available subtitles for some of the Rex episodes online.

You can find them here. I'll add the link to the sidebar also.

Excellent detective work!

If you have any Rex information you'd like to share, please email me at kleinewurstsemmel AT gmail.com (no gaps of course).

Be back with episode postings soon.

Rex Resolution 73: Kinder auf der Flucht

2009-05-07T18:45:00.000-07:00

Bacher, a security guard, has a serious alcohol problem and when he is sent home from work for drinking on the job, the outcome is disastrous. He becomes angry because his wife has thrown out all the alcohol and angrier still when his son Klaus is not home to celebrate his own birthday. It all ends in a physical fight with his wife, during which his daughter Kathie takes the opportunity to flee. The mother is not so lucky. She shuts herself in the bathroom but is shot by Bacher through the door.

When Bacher discovers that Kathie is gone, Bacher races out of the house to find her. The neighbours having heard the shots call the police and try to stop his escape, one getting shot in the process. Brandtner and team are aware the children are missing and set about locating them, as well as finding the Bacher. No one seems to know where they might have gone, although someone suggests they regularly visited a lady with a red Persian cat. Kunz starts checking out vets.

Meanwhile, Kathie locates Klaus and has to persuade him not to go home. She manages to distract him by playing at a local park but, when she sights her father looking for them, she has to sneak her brother away. Her father then takes up position outside the house of the woman with the cat, often visited by Klaus on his way home. He feels confident that, sooner or later, the kids will show up.

Kathie buys her brother a drink from a kiosk and overhears on the radio that police are looking for her father in connection to the murder of her mother. It's clear they can't return home and so they're on the move again, eventually finding a hideout in a shed. The kiosk owner realises, from police descriptions, that he has served the missing kids and contacts police. This gives the police a specific area for their search. Unfortunately, they report this on the radio and alert Bacher to their possible whereabouts.

The kids are disturbed in the shed by a junkie looking for money for his next hit. He takes the kids belongings which proves to be his undoing. The kids' rucksacks alert the police and he is taken in for questioning.

Brandtner and team end up following a few false leads - a publican in the process of getting alcohol from his own guesthouse, an erroneous cat link. The junkie at least provides some idea of where the kids have been. Then a school friend of Kathie finally provides details of where the woman with the cat can be found.

Thrown out of their hiding place by the junkie, they're headed towards the cat woman. Unfortunately, their father is waiting there and grabs them before Brandtner can get there. The woman witnesses them being snatched and can give details of the vehicle to Brandtner and, before long, the vehicle is traced and tracked. When an armed Bacher steps out to force police to retreat, Brandtner shots him in the leg. However, the drama doesn't end there. Bacher seems to have forgotten to engage the handbrake on his vehicle and it takes off downhill with the kids onboard.

Brandtner sprints to leap into the front seat while Rex races ahead to open gates blocking the vehicle's path. Catastrophe averted!

Other players include Simone Heher above as wife Sophie Bacher, Nikolaus Blum, not credited with IMDB for this episode, Wilhelm Manske, above, not credited with IMDB for this episode,

Manuel Loeffler, not credited either, although appearing in 'Baby Rex' (not strictly a Recycled Rexer).

Recycled Rexers Harald Posch, above, here as Horst Bacher, as Fritz Urban in 'Wofuer Kinder leiden muessen' and also appearing in 'Tod im Museum', and Nicola Etzelstorfer, above, here as daughter Kathie Bacher, but also appearing as Lisa in 'Ein Toter und ein Baby'

Baby Rex

2009-05-05T16:14:00.000-07:00

A slightly related news item. Baby Rex's in training. Doesn't it show the impact of Inspector Rex when it gets a mention in an article like this?

Some news of my own. A new puppy. While, of course, I would have liked a Rex of my own, I have to be practical and fair on the dog, realising that a small dog fits into my lifestyle much better. So, welcome, Sushi, the llhasa apso. The name Rex was still suggested from some quarters until I pointed out that Sushi is a GIRL and any resemblence to the real Rex is extremely minimal!

Inspector Rex soundtrack

2009-04-30T17:30:00.001-07:00

I finally got a copy. I can't help thinking this is a bit of a money-making exercise though. For an Inspector Rex soundtrack, there's really very little in the way of music from the series, not even the original Inspector Rex theme, just the two tracks used in the Italian series. While I don't mind the classical music, it's not really featured in Rex.

Has anyone else got a copy? Nikki? What do you think?

And....something interesting in the poll section....seems we suddenly have an avid Brandtner fan. Somehow he's scored 150 plus votes in the past week or so. Voting that many times? That's dedication!

A new case for Rex?

2009-04-29T16:38:00.001-07:00

Padding out the gaps in between writing up episodes with 'newsworthy' items related to cast members and Vienna itself.....I came across a new case for Rex.

Beyonce skives off Vienna art museum tour. Duping the Albertina director by sending along a look-alike, Beyonce seems to prefer shopping to sampling some of Vienna's art treasures.

Where was Rex? He'd definitely have sniffed the doppelganger out.

Watching Alexander

2009-04-24T20:21:00.001-07:00

A short film by Julia Frick, winner of a Bronze Diana, some kind of film award (anyone know?) and featuring our friend Alexander. Sadly, no subtitles but some lovely Alexander viewing.

Enjoy.

Rex Resolution 72: Telefonterror

2009-04-22T21:41:00.000-07:00

This happens to be one of my favourite episodes. Paulus Manker has just the right amount of creepiness as the phone stalker Kurt Baudisch.

Interesting fact. Paulus Manker's mother Hilde Sochor is a Recycled Rexer, appearing in three previous episodes: Stocki's Letzter Fall, Hetzjagd and Die Tote von Schoenbrunn.

Katharina Lenz is driving her car when an unknown caller rings on her mobile. It's a threatening caller, threatening to hurt her daughter and Katharina loses control of her car, crashing through a barrier and down the side of a cliff. Two cyclists are witnesses but unfortunately cannot do anything to help her. The caller is still talking though and the cyclists notice that and report the details to Brandtner and team.

Brandtner and Rex have the unhappy task of informing Katharina's family. While Brandtner talks to the husband, Rex amuses the small daughter Marion - which, later, turns out to be critical move in solving the crime. Rex is taken with a new toy that Katharina bought for Marion days before, a tree climbing figure, and Marion kindly gives it to him.

Herr Lenz tells Brandtner about the strange telephone calls his wife had received. Luckily, she had taped some and he passes the tape to Brandtner for analysis.

In the city, Kurt Baudisch is making his living selling tree climbing figures but also using it as an opportunity to get contact numbers for women. At home, in his dingy apartment, Kurt has detailed records of a number of women.

Meanwhile Brandtner has called in a voice expert to help get some kind of profile from the tape. The profile they put together is pretty accurate. Under 45, with a record of minor sexual offences.

Kurt is about to strike against his next victim, Janine. He tells her he's been in her flat and has stolen some racey photos of her . In fact, right at this moment, he's on the phone outside her apartment and can see her. He gets her to dress sexily and come to the window, to light a candle but when, in her distress, the candle gets knocked over, the flat catches fire and his game, for the moment, is over. Neighbours raise the alarm and Janine is taken away to hospital unconscious but alive, not before informing police of the evening's events.

While Brandtner and team wade through piles of reports of strange phone calls, Kurt selects his next victim, Karin Eder. Ringing her workplace, he discovers she's visiting her mother in hospital.

Brandtner and teams search through the files ultimately pay off when they discover another victim, Frau Dressler. While the voice on the tape sounds different, the voice analyst soon confirms it's the same man. They can't find the connection between victims though, which is a shame because that evening Kurt breaks into Karin Eder's house after luring her out by posing as a doctor asking her to visit her sick mother. Seems Kurt has a fetish and is surprised in the act of going through underwear by Karin returning when her taxi fails to arrive. He fails to shut the drawer and Karin notices, becoming suspicious and locating him in the bathroom. He's quick to tell her he's brought the teddies for her. Right. Stupidly, she moves closer (what the?) and is strangled by Kurt.

At home, Kurt burns evidence of the women he's attacked and takes his underwear collection and buries it in the woods. Obviously, he's concerned people will be on to him.

Rex is quick to notice the open drawer at the crime scene and alerts Brandtner. This latest victim gives some kind of pattern - all women worked in the same area and then, another breakthrough, they locate the phone booth from which Kurt called. From the phone booth, Rex chases a scent which leads Brandtner to the hidden undies.

Brandtner turns up in the office at the same time as Boeck and Kunz are talking to Frau Dressler, an earlier victim, and she is able to identify some of her garments from the haul unconvered by Rex. Shocked, she sits down again, before then noticing Rex playing with the tree climber. Aha! The team are homing in on Kurt and, before long, they have his name and address and find the burnt evidence.

With Kurt away from home, it's off to the city to track him down. Supersnout Rex changes his focus to hearing and soon tracks down the noise of the tree climber toys. Before long, Kurt's reign of terror is at an end as they compare his voice to the voice on the tapes. Bingo!

Other players include Paulus Manker , above, as Kurt Baudisch, Margot Vuga , above, as Katharina Lenz, Alina Bimashofer, not listed with IMDB at all, Krista Birkner above, as Janine Toman, and Bernhard Murg above as Felix Lenz.

A single Recycled Rexer in Bernd Birkhahn, above, as the voice analyst, not credited with IMDB for this episode but also appearing in 'In letzter Sekunde' (2001) as Hans Bergmann.

Rex Resolution 71: Toedliches Tarot

2009-04-19T22:03:00.000-07:00

Be careful when a stranger invites you to the top of the Vienna Tower to find out about your future. The view may be spectacular but not when you're taking the short way down, pushed over the side, and the revelation about your future may not be what you hoped for when it relates to a tarot card (Der Turm/The Tower) shoved down your throat.

The lodged tarot card effectively rules out what is initially suspected to be a suicide and the team are called in. Kunz is immediately assigned to learn more about the tarot, which, being Kunz, freaks him out considerably. When Brandtner comes across a tarot reader's card at the victim's house, Kunz is sent to get a personal reading. Kunz apparently has a hidden sensuality. Who'd have thought? When Natascha gives him a crystal, the team are now able to compare her fingerprints against those on the first tarot card.

When the card reader, Natascha, asks Kunz who recommended him and names the victim, Natascha immediately denies knowing her. Uwe Keller, who is seen cutting newspaper of the dead woman out of the paper, certainly seems to. Shuffling tarot cards, he pulls out a card with three swords. This appears to the chosen method of death for his next victim and Keller later attacks an architect as he returns to his car, stabbing him three times in revenge for taking Sabine away. Aha. Stolen girlfriend? Sounds like a motive to me.

As people arrive, Keller panics and leaves the scene, dropping the tarot card by the body.

Both tarot cards are found to have Natascha's fingerprints on them and so Brandtner heads off to question her. Keller has been in her house and so when Brandtner arrives the door is open. Oddly, he finds the murder weapon hidden behind a set of books. While this might seem to indicate Natascha is the perpetrator, Brandtner thinks it is all too obvious.

Keller has meanwhile drawn another card, the chariot. This time the intended victim is Natascha herself and he follows her as she leaves police headquarters after being questioned by Brandtner. About the push her under a train, she is inadvertently saved when someone interrupts Keller's plan by asking for directions to Schoenbrunn.

Interestingly, it comes to light that a co-worker of the tower victim also died recently. It appeared initially to be suicide but when Natascha is found to be a common link between victims also, Brandtner is suspicious and talks to the dead woman's sister. It seems that the dead woman had been a friend of Sabine and had sent her to consult Natascha about her relationship with Keller. Natascha had advised her to end it.

There's your motive.

Keller is at Natascha's home, arranging a fake suicide attempt. When Natascha arrives home, she is lured by a noise to the garage, where Keller attacks her and places her unconscious in her car. Running the engine, he plans to give her carbon monoxide poisoning. As Brandtner arrives, Rex alerts him to the situation in the garage and Brandtner manages to rescue Natascha in time while Rex chases down Keller who has made his escape on bicycle.

Other players include Sophie Rois as Natascha Kaminski, Max Mayer as Uwe Keller, Sybille Kos, not credited with IMDB for this episode but also appearing in Stockinger, Eva Klemt, not credited for this episode with IMDB, and Michael Schottenberg, also not credited.

No Recycled Rexers!

Rex Resolution 70: Eiskalt

2009-04-18T21:19:00.000-07:00

A little aside before the next episode. I went to buy the Inspector Rex soundtrack from a Borders store. Stepped into the lift and got stuck for one hour. After all that, they didn't even have a copy. Pah. Back to the SBS online shop for me.

Okay. Back to Rex....

This episode centres around an ice hockey team. When a player collapses and dies on the ice, an intriguing murder plot is revealed. A mysterious scratch on the body prompts a search of the player's equipments and an ampoule of fast-acting insulin is found secreted in the player's shoulder pad. When pressure was put on the pad, the insulin was injected into the player's skin, causing a fatal hypoglycaemic event.

When the team become aware that the death was murder, all sorts of tension are unleashed within the team. A star player, Seiz, is earmarked as a likely suspect. Highly competitive, Seitz was seen to be jealous when the murder victim was selected over him to play ice hockey in the US. Questioned by Brandtner and team, Seiz acknowledges he was jealous but denies that it would lead him to murder. The president of the club, Altmann, also confirms Seitz would be unlikely to commit murder but suggests that Brandter talks to his wife, who knows the players a lot better.

A whole lot better in fact. Unknown to most, Mrs. Altmann, who acts as team manager, has been having an affair with Seiz, meeting regularly at a seedy hotel.

When the cleaning woman (I'm sure this actress must be a fellow Brit from her tortured German but IMDB is not forthcoming) remembers that she knocked the players equipment down while cleaning and may have put it back in the first place, Brandtner begins to suspect that maybe the insulin was intended for someone else.

The team trainer discovers that Seiz has a very large insurance policy taken out on his life and approaches Mrs. Altmann in order to blackmail her. This enrages Seiz and he goes after him with a gun (which later turns out to be fake). Brandtner is following Seiz and so the pair are taken back to headquarters for questions. It turns out Seiz had discovered he has a brain tumour and had decided to keep playing regardless of the risk. The larger insurance policy was to provide his daughter in case anything happened to him.

Brandtner and team continue to tail Seiz and thereby discover his affair with Mrs. Altmann. She's certain her husband, who's away in hospital, doesn't know. Brandtner, Boeck and Rex decide to go and tell him. Of course, he's not at the hospital, he's over at the ice rink, attacking Seiz with a hockey stick. The team arrive, as always, in time to prevent any severe injuries and Rex scores an almighty goal by rounding up Altmann between the goal posts.

Other players include Birge Schade, above, as Lisa Altmann, Marc Richter, above, as Harald Seiz, Suzy Spitz as the cleaning woman and Robert Viktor Minich, not credited with IMDB for this episode.

Recycled Rexers in Wolfram Berger, uncredited with IMDB for this episode but appearing as Kurt Nemec in 'Ein toedliches Match' and Johannes Terne , as Johannes Altmann here and in 'Toedliche Leidenschaft'.

Wurstsemmel counter

2009-04-11T20:39:00.001-07:00

Finally updated.....but becoming more of a guestimate really. Wurstsemmels are often hinted at but never seen. Do they count? Does it all really matter? Of course not! All we know is that there's a whole lot of Wurstsemmel in Inspector Rex.

Oh...and it's not only the actors that get recycled frequently in Rex. Certain key phrases you can guarantee to hear in every episode. Fancy learning some Rex lingo? Check out the sidebar. Nominate any phrases to kleinewurstsemmel AT gmail.com.

Rex Resolution 69: Baby in Gefahr

2009-04-11T18:54:00.000-07:00

I'm sure a super-intelligent dog like Rex could be trained to type up these summaries. I've nearly finished watching Series 6 but am woefully behind in the write-ups. Sadly, I only have a Golden Retriever and, while he's a lovely dog, the poor thing seems to have been out of the room when the brains were given out. At least, he doesn't even have a sense of the meaning of the word 'retrieve'..... So, I'll have to keep plugging away.

Opera star Nina Martin is due to return to the stage after a long absence following the death of her husband in a car accident. Going through final rehearsals, she leaves her baby with the nanny in her room at the Hotel Imperial. In the meantime, Paul Pranz and his girlfriend have checked in with their baby. Onlythe baby turns out to be a doll and, when they check out, a short time later, they leave with Nina's baby, having shot dead the nanny.

When the body is discovered, at first no one is aware that the baby is missing, thinking the baby is with Nina at the theatre. However, when Nina is called back to the hotel and doesn't have the baby with her, it becomes clear that the baby is kidnapped, confirmed by a find of the baby clothes and photos. An anxious wait for demands ensues.

Brandtner soon ascertains that a couple checked out with a baby around the time of the murder but finds the registration details of the couple to be false.

Demands soon arrive via the Viennese police website and Brandtner heads off to drop the ransom in a railway yard at night. Brandtner tells Rex to watch the bag containing the ransom and Rex takes him at his word. When Pranz tries to retrieve the bag from an overhead bridge with a crossbow, Rex grabs hold of the bag and is hauled into the air. With Pranz hauling in much more than he bargained for, he loses control and the bag is dropped, with Rex and the bag narrowly missing Brandtner. Brandtner killed by falling dog - what a storyline!

The blackmailers are becoming ever more impatient and the poor baby is kept doped up. A second drop of the ransom is arranged - this time in the woods and Nina carries out the drop herself. Although Brandtner and Boeck are close by, they are unable to intervene and Pranz gets away with the money.

All good except Pranz hasn't realised that on one of his conversations taped by the police, a chiming clock is heard in the background. Soon, the team recognise it as the Ankeruhr and they realise a neighbouring hotel is the likely location of the kidnappers. When reception confirms the presence of a couple with a baby, the team is on its way, just in time to foil the kidnappers' escape and reunite the baby with its mother.

Other players in this episode include Alexander Radszun above as Paul Pranz, Frederike Haas, above, as the girlffriend, not listed with IMDB for this episode, Nicole Ansari above as Nicole Martin, Joe Harriet, not credited for this episode with IMDB, and Peter Lodynski, also not credited with IMDB.

A single Recycled Rexer in Alexandra Hilverth, uncredited with IMDB here but also appearing as Sissy Kovarik in 'Ein feines Haus' (1994).

Downtime

2009-04-06T19:27:00.001-07:00

Just a quick post to say dealing with some health problems and posting might be intermittent, dependent on what happens this week.

Hope to be back soon.

Rex Resolution 68: Sisi

2009-04-02T15:47:00.000-07:00

If you're an avid Rex watcher, you might be forgiven for thinking that Moser's psychologist girlfriend, who witnessed his death, has fallen into a mental abyss as a consequence and deluded herself into thinking she's Empress Elisabeth or Sisi. In true Rex style, however, it's simply a case of Recycled Rexing, same actress, different character.

Marion is living out a fantasy life, a life where she is Sisi. Dressed accordingly, she takes a carriage ride through Vienna at night. A seemingly harmless affair, until the coach driver enters the carriage and is stabbed by his own tool when he tries to hit on her. Fleeing the scene, Marion is spotted by a woman who doesn't realise the seriousness of the situation, particularly as the carriage moves off. Unguided, the horses return to their stables where the wife of the murdered man discovers his body.

Marion goes to work late next morning. She's still busy putting away her clothing from the previous night, in a room devoted to all things Sisi. It's clear she's a little obsessive. Discovering that she works in costume design, it becomes clear where many of the period appropriate items come from. She's disturbed to notice that she appears to have lost one of the hair ornaments worn the previous night.

When the murder hits the news, the woman witness calls in to report what she saw. While talking with Brandtner where she saw the woman flee, Rex discovers the missing hair ornament among a pile of autumn leaves. Superdog or what? Such a distinctive piece, Brandtner and team have something to go on. It doesn't take long for Kunz to work out that the piece is a reproduction of an item worn by Sisi and for Boeck to find the jeweller who made the piece.

Finally at work, Marion is encountering trouble with her co-worker Hoffmann, who, aware of her obsession, is concerned for her state of mind. Later that night, he comes under attack as he tries to photograph Marion out riding as Sisi. Hoffmann also subsequently discovers her secret room. He's not the only one to spot her though. When a man sees her, he reports the strange behaviour to police who aren't interested initially but then receive a fax advising of a murder suspect who may dress up as Sisi.

Marion has 'borrowed' the horse and it doesn't take long for Brandtner to chase down the targeted riding school where he gets a list of women who have learn to ride side saddle, as Marion did. Marion, meanwhile, has joined a tour of one of Sisi's homes, hiding at closure time, to spend the night in Sisi's bed. She narrowly escapes in the morning with the first tour, just as Brandtner arrives to quesiton the guide about regular visitors. The guide indicates there is one particular woman and they both shortly discover there has been an overnight visitor to Sisi's bedroom.

With the list of side saddle riders, a list of costume companies, it's not long before Brandtner has Marion in mind as a potential suspect. While he's on his way to her workshop, Hoffmann confronts her and threatens to blackmail her over the killing. Big mistake. Marion's not one for bargaining and she stabs him. Moments later, Brandtner is also under attack as he tries to arrest her for the murder. Once again, who saves the day? Rex, of course, with a well timed grab of the weapon wielded by Marion.

The episode ends nicely with Dr. graf rushed to what he believes to be another crime scene. The crime? His birthday. Cake, champagne AND first names finally!

Other players include Lutz Blochberger, not listed with IMDB for this episode, Ulla Weigerstorfer (Miss World 1987!), not credited with IMDB for this episode, and the late Alfred Reiterer, also not credited.

Recycled Rexers include Marion Mitterhammer here as Marion and later as psychologist Patricia Neuhold in 'Mosers Tod' (1998), Johannes Thanheiser, not credited for this episode with IMDB but also appearing as 'Opa in Reichenau' in 'Geraubtes Glueck' (1998), and Dagmar Schwarz, not credited for this episode, but also appearing in 'Unter Hypnose'.

Rex on YouTube

2009-03-29T15:39:00.000-07:00

Must introduce you to fellow Rex tragic, rexthespace, who has uploaded the entire Rex series on to YouTube in the ten minute snippets I often post here along each episode. Everything is Italian but it's better than no Rex!

Rexthespace? GRAZIE.

Pop over and check out his YouTube channel.

Rex Resolution 67: Hetzjagd

2009-03-28T22:36:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm still struggling to get these written up! The backlog is growing......

A woman closes a supermarket, heading off to bank the day's takings. On the way, she is attacked halfway up the Strudlhofstiege by a man in a mask who attempts to snatch the money. Fighting back, she falls backwards down the stairs and when the man follows to take the money, she pulls off his mask and recognises the man, leaving the assailant little choice but to shoot her.

The mask is left behind at the scene and, for the moment, it's all that Brandtner has to work with.

Moritz Hollub has been recently released from prison for murder and is currently staying with his sister and driving her mad in the process with his messiness and laziness. Of course, he immediately becomes a suspect among the people living in the apartment block and the word 'murderer' is sprayed on his sister's front door. He's a prime suspect for the police too and it's not long before Brandtner and team arrive, with residents of the block urging him to arrest Moritz.

Of course, Brandtner is much more open-minded. When he and Boeck enter Moritz's flat, they find him preparing to commit suicide by electrocution, the idea of going back to jail abhorrent to him, particularly as he maintains his innocence over the earlier murder charge. While Brandtner distracts him, Rex, ever the hero, pulls the plug out of the wall, foiling Moritz's attempt. Brandtner promises to review the earlier case but has to take him away while they check out his alibi. The alibi holds.

Nagl, a fellow resident of the block is seen playing a loan shark, obviously in deep financial trouble. Unlike the other residents, he schmoozes up to Moritz's sister, pretending to be sympathetic to Moritz's cause. He has ulterior motives though which are to be revealed later. When the investigation turns in his direction, after a photo is found of him with the victim, Boeck is very surprised by the expensive stereo equipment found in Nagl's flat.

Under pressure, Nagl is forced to act to set up evidence against Moritz. He retrieves a beer bottle used by Moritz from the rubbish, semi-conceals the canister that held the supermarket takings in the laundry to be found by the janitor and then, when she finds it, hits her over the head with the bottle, complete with Moritz's prints. Nagl has told Moritz his sister is in the laundry looking for him, so Moritz heads down and finds the janitor unconscious. Immediately aware that he has been set up, he flees. Meanwhile Nagl has positioned his dear old granny from in the lobby while he plies her with chocolate bananas (yum!) and vanilla slices (yum!) so that she can witness Moritz running away.

Granny is very excited to be taken to police headquarters to provide a statement and seems rather taken with Kunz. It seems Moritz is implicated. Not only is there a witness but the fingerprints on the bottle belong to him also. Brandtner isn't convinced though and realises that a bottle could have been taken from the rubbish bin after checking with Moritz's sister.

Back at the apartment blocks, emotions run high and Nagl incites the residents to attack Moritz. When Moritz gets tired of being on the run in the cold and returns to grab some items to leave for Germany, the residents set upon him.

Brandtner's further investigation of Nagl has revealed his serious debt and he then realises Nagl is the most likely suspect, turning up, as ever, in the nick of time to prevent serious harm to Moritz and arrest Nagl for the murder.

Other players include Michael Dangl, not credited with IMDB for this episode. The rest should be vaguely familiar.

A veritable bonanza in Recycled Rexers with Ulrike Beimpold, not credited with IMDB for this episode but also appearing as Margarethe in 'Das Donaukrokodil' (2004), Simon Schwarz, here as Moritz Hollub, later in 'Happy Birthday' (2002) as Kurt Sedlacek, Vera Borek, here as Frau Swoboda, later in 'Der Tod kam zweimal' as Marie Puchner, Klaus Ofczarek, uncredited with IMDB here, but also appearingin in 'Das Maedchen und der Moerder' (2001) as Hubert Kolar and 'Wofuer Kinden leiden muessen' (2003) as Karl Dworschak, and, finally, Hilde Sochor, here uncredited with IMDB but also appearing in 'Stockis letzter Fall' (1996) as Johanna Reichel.

Rex Resolution 66: Moerderisches Spielzeug

2009-03-26T14:32:00.000-07:00

Straight out of a James Bond novel comes the plot of this episode, where a man Nordeck murders famous author Jochen Horn by piloting a model helicopter, loaded with explosives, straight into the open window of the author's flat. Kaboom. Need I say more?

Unfortunately, the explosion leaves a small part of the model intact so that Brandtner is immediately aware of the source of the explosion and has a head start in his hunt for the murderer. Kunz starts to look at modelling clubs for likely suspects.

Meanwhile Nordeck has put together another explosive toy which he attempts to direct towards a woman Spaeth, seen earlier with the author, as she sits in the park reading. This time, his attempt fails due to a small child who becomes interested in the car.

Brandtner and Boeck head over to Horn's publishers to see if they can find anything of interest. The publisher Unmack is in the midst of launching a new edition of Horn's works and, when Brandtner discovers the publisher is struggling financially, it seems the team may have uncovered a likely motive. Suspicion is further increased when a letter is uncovered suggesting the author was about to change publisher.

Across town, the model maker is confronted by his wife who has heard about the helicopter killing and asks about his involvement. After all, the episode closely mirrors the storyline of one of her husband's novels. Pure coincidence? He assures her it is.

It turns out Spaeth, the woman targeted earlier, also works for Unmack the publisher and Unmack directs Brandtner to her for further help. When Spaeth has to leave, Brandtner and Boeck notice a model car heading towards her car and manage to save her in the nick of time. Importantly, they gain another cue as they see Noredeck leaving in his car and now have a registration and, utlimately, a name.

Talking further to Spaeth, Brandtner now starts to look in a different direction - at writers whose work may have been rejected. Spaeth confirms she often receives threats from rejected authors but ignores them. When Kunz starts wading through the pile of rejections, he comes across the murderer's novel - which details the plots of the murderous plans in full.

Aware now that there is a third scenario and of its details, Brandtner goes to the murderer's house. Nordeck is not to be found but Rex uncovers the secret room where Nordeck creates all his models. Knowing Nordeck worked for a freight company, Brandtner heads out to the company's warehouses where he arrests Noredeck, just as he is about to flee the scene. The work is not over though. Inside, in the storage maze, is Unmack, kidnapped by Nordeck after rollerblading, and a bomb with 5 minutes to detonation. It's down to Brandtner and Rex yet again. Will they come through? Aber, sicher!

Other players include Ludwig Hirsch as murderer Alfred Nordeck, Claudia Messner, Christoph Moosbrugger as author Jochen Horn, Johanna Mertinz, not credited with IMDB for this episode, and Jacques Breuer as Unmack, also not credited with IMDB for this episode.

Rex Resolution 65: Das Testament

2009-03-21T15:10:00.000-07:00

If you get gifted a painting that's not to your taste, be careful before disposing of it.

When a son, Walter Stift, is dismantling his father's estate, he passes items not to his taste to an antique seller for disposal. When the dealer removes a tacky painting of the Prater from it's more valuable frame, he discovers the last will of the man's father written on the bottom of the painting and realises he can make a quick buck out of blackmailing Walter, for the will would substantially reduce the amount left to him.

Across town, Walter is making plans for extensive and expensive modifications to his father's house. Into this scene walks his father's former carer, Tanya Kraus, who has come to complain the afore-mentioned painting left to her by her former patient. When the architect informs her that everything has been sent to the antique shop, she leaves, although he later informs Walter that Tanya was looking for the painting.

The antique dealer contacts Walter to tell him about the will, how a substantial amount of his inheritance should be redirected to the carer should the will ever come to light, and demanding a reward. He soon cops something but probably not what he anticipated as Walter whacks him over the head with one of his antique walking sticks. Now aware of the content of the will on the painting, he is frustrated by his inability to find it and turns his attention to Tanya, who is also looking for the painting.

This particular murder puzzles Brandtner for there appears to be nothing missing from the shop. When Kunz discovers a secret workshop, it looks as if the murder might be related to smuggled antiquities.

Tanya finally turns up the shop and purchases the painting from the dead man's partner, the second owner unaware of the will, although he later discovers photos revealing the importance of the painting. When Tanya leaves it at a repair shop to get damage to the frame fixed, it becomes the subject of attention, both of the second antique dealer and Walter. Unfortunately for the antique dealer, Walter breaks into the store at the same time, with fatal results for the dealer. The painting is already gone. With repairs too expensive, Tanya has taken it to her new place of employment.

At the same time, Brandtner, now investigating the second murder also, discovers photos of the painting and will, leading him to both Tanya and Walter. Brandtner arrives just in time to see Walter trying to make off with the painting. When he throws it into the river, Rex dives in and saves it. With the will valid, looks like Tanya's future us suddenly looking much brighter.

Other players include Marianne Saegebrecht as carer Tanja Kraus, Peter Faerber as Franz Zehrer, Jazz Gitti, Gernot Kranner, and Franz Tscherne.

Recycled Rexer Frank Buchrieser, above, also in 'Ein feines Haus' (1994) as Kurt Kovarik, Herbert Foettinger, here as Walter Stift, but also appearing in 'Amok' (1995)

Rex Resolution 64: Giftgas

2009-03-20T01:00:00.000-07:00

You don't get many trainspotters out at night in the chill of a Viennese night, anorak or no anorak, so when two men stand watching trains in the dark, you know something is afoot. Later, a homeless man is unfortunate to discover exactly what that 'something' is. Seeking alcohol amongst the cargo on the freight trains, he is overcome by some kind of fumes that ultimately cause him to expire, while his friend looks on helplessly.

Across town, the two men are practicing putting on protective suits and gas masks. Kinky? Maybe, but this doesn't look like one of the racier Rex episodes.

When the body of the homeless man is discovered, Graf is pretty quick to determine that the cause of death is deadly sarin gas, ringing alarm bells.

Brandter immediately goes undercover as a homeless person, with Rex at his side, to see if he can find out more about what happened. He makes friends with the dead man's friend and she tells him about gas bottles on the train. Finally, the team have somewhere to search but the cargo is already gone. Brandtner is able to locate the taxi drivers who delivered the gas bottles, securing an identity for one of the men. When the man goes to visit his ex-wife, Kunz arrests him, although poor Rex gets shot in the process.

At the Museum of Applied Art in Vienna, the other man is taking a bottle of gas up to the atrium level. With a jewellery exhibition in progress, it's pretty clear the men plan to use the gas in a robbery attempt. The arrested accomplice spills the beans on the planned attack and Brandtner is soon on the scene in the nick of time to stop him activating the gas. When he flees, he runs up a set of stairs that go nowhere, an artwork, and Boeck gets his man.

Other players include Michael Blihall, here as Waechter, Thomas Thieme, above, here as Gerhard Frank, and Manfred Schauer, above, here as Edi Salzer.

A single Recycled Rexer Andrea Eckert, here as Franziska Koenig, later in 'Tricks an der Theke' (2002) as Sonja Fuchs.

Rex Resolution 63: Toedliche Geheimnisse

2009-03-19T01:00:00.000-07:00

It seems so idyllic, to ride your bicycle through the vineyards, before settling down on a rocky outcrop to study your books. Idyllic, that is, until someone shoots you with a crossbow as happens to poor medical student Sibylle in this episode.

When she fails to return for a barbecue with her flatmates or even pick up her 'phone, her boyfriend becomes concerned. No one seems to want to help until he comes across Brandtner. Ever sympathetic, he heads out with Boeck, Rex and the boyfriend to the vineyards, where Sibylle regularly cycled. Before long, Rex has detected the low battery bleep of the girl's mobile and her body is discovered.

Brandtner's immediate investigation centres on the boyfriend and two flat mates, learning that they were two couples living together, all medical students and planning to eventually work together. What he doesn't find out is that Sibylle had cheated on her boyfriend with her flatmate's lover, although, in the end, it adds little to the story.

Sibylle had been doing some work experience at a cosmetic surgery clinic where her lover was working, having already completed his studies. When her boyfriend and the other student look into her pc, they discover that Sibylle had been gathering evidence on the unexpected death of a patient at the clinic, thinking that the woman had been given an incorrect infusion of potassium.

When they reveal this to Sybille's lover, he is dismissive initially but then agrees to exhume the patient's body from the graveyard so that they can do their own pathological detective work.

Meanwhile Brandtner and team have worked out the crossbow connection as all of the students and the boss of the cosmetic surgey clinic were all keen archers. While the students are out digging and cutting up bodies, Brandtner and Boeck check over their apartment and then leave Kunz on surveillance duty.

The students are sprung returning the body to the cemetery and narrowly escape but when news of their cemetery activities is broadcast, Brandtner puts the story together and confronts them. When they explain their activities, Brandtner sends the body over to Graf for investigation, who soon determines they had the wrong body in the first place because that particular person had drowned. When they finally get their hands on the right body, it becomes apparent that what had been originally been dismissed as a heart attack was, in fact, a case of hyperkalaemia following a medical mistake by guess who? Lover boy? Genau.

Other players include Loretta Pflaum , above, as Andrea, George Lenz , above, as Sibylle's lover, and Katharina Ortner, not credited with IMDB for this episode.

Recycled Rexer Dominik Castell, not credited with IMDB for this episode but also appearing in 'Gefaehrliche Jagd' (1995) as Ernst Fuchs

Rex Resolution 62: Blinde Wut

2009-03-18T14:58:00.000-07:00

This episode introduces us to the somewhat obsessive, neurotic Kunz.

Sandra Haller is used to getting what she wants and when Thomas Reich refuses her advances, he pays with his life. Stabbed in the jugular with Sandra's car keys, Sandra calmly drives off as he bleeds to death, dumping the body and car in a car park away from the crime scene, a Viennese disco.

Once home, Sandra confesses what she's done to her father. After all, daddy always manages to fix things. When he suggests a world trip for when this is all over, that is when she has gone to the police and confessed, she's not happy and convinces her father that they can steer suspicion towards Thomas's girlfriend, with whom he was seen arguing at the disco before he left.

Her father is less sure, certain the police will soon arrive at their hotel, where Thomas had been an employee. Sandra isn't worried though. In fact, she's looking forward to it because, having seen Brandtner interviewed on television at the crime scene, she's discovered something else she wants.

When Brandtner and Boeck turn up, the father follows the plan and directs them towards Thomas's girlfriend but further investigation soon proves her to be innocent. In fact, the girlfriend redirects attention back to Sandra. With suspicions raised, Brandtner decides to plant Kunz in the hotel as a kitchen hand, to pick up on any gossip, but also returns to the hotel to talk to Sandra. He's taken aback to find himself wined and dined and offered a room for the night.

During dinner, a call alerts Brandtner to the suspicious death of Sandra's sister and the subsequent emotional breakdown of Sandra's mother. He later takes the opportunity to get a fingerprint from Sandra, which he later compares with a fingerprint left at the crime scene. Surprise, surpise, it's a match!

When Kunz overhears information that leads to the discovery of Sandra's mother, Brandtner pays her a visit and gets the final evidence he needs to justify the arrest of Sandra. At the hotel, an angry confontation ensues and Sandra hits Brandtner over the head, leaving him to drown unconscious in a bath tub of water before attempting to flee.

Boeck manages to stop the escape but it's only when Rex drops a lamp out of the room window, narrowly missing Kunz, that the team are alerted to Alex's fate. Of course, it all works out in the end and Brandtner is saved.

Other players include Bojana Golenac as the murderous Sandra Haller, Robert Hunger-Buehler as her father, Barbara Ratheiser, not credited with IMDB for this episode not shown above, Simon Verhoeven as the unfortunately Thomas Reisch, Erika Mottl as Elisabeth Haller, and Roswitha Soukup, not credited with IMBD for this episode.

A Recycled Rexer free zone!

Grovel, grovel

2009-03-15T23:04:00.000-07:00

Sorry I'm not keeping up with the writeups...I have about 6 episodes watched to put up. Silly things like work and study keep getting in the way. If only I'd done my PhD on Rex!

I'll have to have a super-rex session Thursday. Promise.

Rex Resolution 61: Rex raecht sich

2009-03-14T12:40:00.000-07:00

Endstation Hoellerer! Hoellerer is off to live with his mother and play merry host of the family guest house/pub and I can't say he looks too excited about the prospect. The result is an avalanche of Wurstsemmel in this episode (I counted 14, including a gifted pre-chewed one from Rex), just to expand his waistline a little more. Servus, Hoellerer!

A wild dog is feared to be roaming Vienna's parkland. freaky howling is heard nightly. When a man is bitten to death and the press coverage that follows is extensive, particularly in relation to the nature of the bite, Brandtner's interest is raised. The man has a single wound site on the neck, unheard of in dog attacks. Enough for Brandtner to stop the funeral and take the body back to Dr. Graf, who confirms his opinion that dog attack is unlikely. When further tests show that the bite matches a wolf type that became extinct over 100 years ago, it's clear that it's a case of murder.

This leads Brandtner to the anatomical museum. Could the jaw of such an animal have been stolen? Yes, indeed. Send in the Boeck to pose as a collector to see if there's any shady dealings going on. When the museum attendant responds positively to his request to buy a specimen, it looks as if the trail is getting warmer, particuarly when he admits to selling the wolf skull to a man.

In the meantime, a man fitting the description provided by the museum attendant is lurking in the park, trying to scare off people by warning them about the wild dog. When a solitary courting couple hear a strange noise and the man goes to investigate, he attacks the woman from behind, using the wolf skull to bite deeply into her neck. However, her screams alert her partner and the man is forced to flee.

When Brandtner is at the attack scene the next morning, he notices a man intently watching their operation and his curiosity is spiked. Boeck is sent to find out more. Turns out he's a nearby resident whose wife disappeared over a year ago. Aha!

A plan is hatched. Boeck sets off a tape of howling from nearby which wakes the man up. He gets up perplexed. After all, he had been the one playing such a tape. Rex is then sent into the man's building to scare him out, which he does successfully, enabling Brandtner to go in and have a look around. When he finds tapes of a howling dog and the all important wolf skull, the case, as Clousseau would say, is solv-ed and the murdered wife is located in the parkland lake.

Other players include Juergen Schornagel as Karl Wagner, Else Ludwig, not credited for this episode with IMDB and Tina Nitschel, not listed with IMDB.

A single Recycled Rexer Erwin Leder, here as the museum guide, but also in 'Diagnose mord' (1994).

Another Rex tragic....

2009-03-12T16:36:00.000-07:00

Meet another Rex fan here, learning German after being inspired by Inspector Rex.

Rex Resolution 60: Der Verlierer

2009-03-10T01:00:00.000-07:00

And so begins Season 5!

Who wouldn't sign up for a hot air balloon ride over Vienna? Boeck, who partakes unwillingly in some kind of a police prize, with Rex and Brandtner for company. Hoellerer is nowhere to be seen - too much ballast around the middle for the balloon, perhaps?

Anyway, wouldn't you just know it? Alex and Christian just happen to find themselves in prime position to watch a robber fleeing a bungled bank robbery down below. Not that Boeck is able to look anywhere except straight ahead. The robber has panicked and shot dead a passerby who tried to foil his escape. With police arriving on the scene, Brandtner is able to direct to where the robber dumped clothes and towards the robber, until a shift of wind takes them in the wrong direction.

The robber, Anton, is a novice. In desperate straights, owning money to brothel owner Sonner for a drug deal gone bad, the bank job is his attempt to pay Sonner back. Unfortunately for Anton the money is rendered useless by dye and so Sonner's henhman Grueber kidnaps Anton's girlfriend Alina. The idea is that Alina will work off Anton's debts in the brothel. In the interim, she is taken to a warehouse and dosed up with drugs.

With an identikit picture of the robber, Brandtner checks the drug scene and the robber is identified as Anton. His flat is empty of furniture and a quick sweep of nearby antiques stores reveals that Anton has sold everything and also his link to Alina, an employee.

Sonner gives Anton a chance to pay off his debts by closing a drug deal but what Anton doesn't know is that Sonner has arranged with Grueber to rip off the dealer as payback for a past deal gone wrong. Anton is just heading out for the job as Brandtner turns up at Alina's flat. With little to go on, Rex locates traces of burnt money from the bank job in the flat.

At the drugs handover, everything goes wrong. Grueber is shot dead, Anton is also shot but manages to flee with the money and drugs. When Grueber's body is identified, the link to Sonner emerges and Brandtner heads off to quiz him. He acts cool and Brandtner has no choice but to leave.

When Anton contacts Sonner to say he has the drugs and the money and will give them to him in return for Alina, Sonner heads off to the warehouse to get the girl. Unknown to him, Anton has hidden in the boot of his car and manages to get Alina away from Sonner, although he gets shot again the process.

Unluckily for Sonner, Brandtner had noticed some building plans while in his office and heads out to the building for a look, surprising Sonner. A shot out between Sonner and Brandtner follows, before Brandtner rescues a fear-paralysed Boeck from a high window ledge and then the girl Alina.

Other players include Annett Renneberg as Alina, Uwe Bohm as Sonner, Martin Brambach as Grueber, the late Urs Hefti, not credited for this episode, Paul Kreshka, not credited for this episode with IMDB, and Hans Dieter Sigl, not listed with IMDB and not pictured above.

A single Recycled Rexer Roman Knizka, uncredited for this episode but also appearing in 'Attentat auf Rex' (2003) as Huneck.

Rex Resolution 59: Truegerische Naehe

2009-03-08T01:00:00.000-08:00

After a night of champagne and oysters, a couple fall out when the woman, Susanne, refuses to leave her husband for her lover, Guenther. Arguing at the side of the road, the man slips down an embankment, hitting his head on a rock. Panicking, thinking that he's dead, she calls her husband for help. When he confirms the bad news, he helps her remove all traces of her presence from the nearby house where the lovers had met.

With the body discovered and Graf on the scene, it becomes apparent that what was initially thought to be an accident is in fact a murder, thanks to a second head injury completely unrelated to the fall. When they check out the house, a caretaker informs them that Guenther had been using the house for secret trysts. Finding the take out trash in the bin, a quick call ascertains the presence of Susanne, who had paid with her credit card.

Guenther's wife is understandably upset. When Susanne and her husband are taken in for questioning and a crime scene re-enactment, Rex provides some pretty solid evidence that the pair were at the scene. It looks grim until some further evidence steers the investigation in an unexpected direction.

Brandtner asks Guenther's wife if she knew of the affair, she denies it but seems to show little emotion, even when told Susanne has been released without charge. It's just the calm before the storm. Shortly afterwards, she heads over to Susanne's with murderous intent. Under the guise of 'having to talk', she laces Susanne's drink with something nasty and types up a suicide note, before leaving her unconscious. Susanne recovers sufficiently to call emergency services and mutter 'Brandtner' before passing out again. Lucky for her because it's enough to bring the team, save her life and allow her to identify the culprit. Outed, Guenther's wife is arrested for his murder and the attempted murder of Susanne.

Other players include Michou Friesz, not credited for this episode (also appears in Stockinger) and Ruth Rieser as Susanne Konsel.

Many more Recycled Rexers in this episode with Eva Herzig, above, uncredited with IMDB for this episode, but also appearing in 'Ein moerderischer Plan' (1998) as Eva Muench, Andreas Patton, above, here as Guenther Sikora but also appearing in 'Jagd nach einer Toten', Max Herbrechter, above, here as Bernd and appearing in 'Der Bluff' (2001) as Paul Stollberg and Andrea Haendler, not credited for this episode, but also appearing as Claudia Redl in 'In letzter Sekunde' (2001) and as Iris Konrad in 'Happy Birthday' (2002).

Rex Resolution 58: Die Todesliste, Series 4

2009-03-07T01:00:00.000-08:00

As a woman, what do you do when you can't break that glass ceiling? Why, you accuse your boss of sexual assault and get him fired, taking his job in the process. Well, that's what Ricarda Limmer resorts to in this episode of Rex. A little extreme, no?

Newly congratulated for his sales leadership, Michael Fuchs returns to the sanctity of his office, not knowing the scheme being cooked up against him. With accomplice Brigitte Bosch planted in the conference room outside his office, Limmer enters the office, messes up her hair, rips her clothes and starts yelling for help. Of course, Fuchs, shocked, tries to shut her up, at which point Bosch enters, in time to see Fuchs manhandling Limmer and act as witness to the 'attack'.

When the HR boss, Sylvia Winter, wants to handle the matter in-house, Limmer is relieved. As Fuchs is rumoured to have a drinking problem following a recent divorce, his credibility in the matter is considered to be low. Fuchs gets fired, she gets his job and there's no police investigation of the assault. Fait accompli? Well, yes, but it's far from over.

A maddened Fuchs goes on the rampage, hence the name of this episode. The hit list consists of these three women and an innocent bystander, Gabi Probst. First, he tracks down Bosch and tries to talk her into coming clean. When she refuses, he runs her down in his car in an underground garage. With no witnesses or security video, Brandtner and team have little to go on in investigating the murder. All they have is a voicemail left by Limmer and intercept calls to Bosch's phone in hope of getting more clues.

Fuchs then stalks Limmer and when her boyfriend slips away early morning, he takes the opportunity to enter her flat and stab her with an ice pick, just as she is calling Brigitte Bosch. Hoellerer and Boeck listening in to the call hear Limmer attacked. By the time they've traced the call, it's all too late.

When the boyfriend is initially questioned, he provides Brandtner with a link for the two murders and attention turns to the swimwear company where everyone worked. Brandtner intercepts Winter on her way home, learns of the history with Fuchs and ultimately saves her from the man himself. Fuchs had been waiting in her flat but manages to escape.

Frustrated, Fuchs turns his attention to Gabi Probst who is swimming at a health club, attempting to drown her. Meanwhile Winter has remembered that Probst was also in the office and directs Brandtner to find her. Probst manages to escape the pool but ends up in a lift with Fuchs as he attempts to strangle her. Brandtner is frustrated in all his attempts to rescue her until Rex brings out his excellent lift management skills and manages to summon the lift, get in and attack Fuchs.

In the aftermath, Limmer's clothing is investigated and Fuchs is cleared of the assault. Shame that he's now facing a double murder charge.

Other players include August Zirner as Michael Fuchs, Katja Weitzenboeck as Ricarda Limmer, Tamara Metelka as Brigitte Bosch, Sabine Grabis as Sylvia Winter, Noemi Fischer as Gabi Probst, Roland Jaeger, not credited with IMDB for this episode, and Cecile Nordegg, not credited for this episode.

New poll

2009-03-05T21:33:00.000-08:00

Thanks for all the votes in the polls. Just a little fun but I have now taken down the 'Favourite Sidekick' and 'New Kommissar in Vienna' ones.

As expected, most (51%) would like to see Tobias Moretti back as Moser when the series switches back to Vienna. Well, maybe they could write off the episode 'Mosers Tod' as a dream? Alexander Pschill as Marc got 28% of the votes, including mine, and the rest all fell under the 10% mark. I somehow neglected to add Brandtner to the poll but seeing as Gedeon is now appearing in movies with the Pitt, I'd say a return would be unlikely. I also excluded Kaspar Capparoni. Ouch.

Favourite sidekick was Boeck (38%), followed by Stockinger at 27%, Kunz at 25% and Hoellerer, heading up the rear with a mere 6%.

Interesting stuff. If you're a Rex tragic that is.

Anyway, new poll. How do you take your Rex? Au naturel? Dubbed? Subtitles? I'm a non-native German speaker, who muddles their way through some of the more thicker Austrian dialect. Hum. Still, as an ex-resident of Baden-Wuerttemberg (Backnang) who picked up the Schwaebisch dialekt, what room have I to talk, gell?

PS And don't be impressed by the single follower. The box looked so empty. Sniff. I added my other blog identity. If you happen to be interested in psychology, pop on over sometime.

Rex Resolution 57: Furchtbare Wahrheit

2009-03-05T16:00:00.000-08:00

Along with truck drivers, another common theme seems to be crazed pianists. In this episode, Kordes is such a man, a concert pianist whose career was tragically cut short by the loss of a finger in a skiing accident. Separated from his wife and son, the wife being the skier who ran over his finger, our first introduction to the family is through son Maximilan, who is left waiting outside school for his mother to pick him up.

When she doesn't arrive, Max heads to the jeweller shop where she works, only to find Brandtner, Boeck, Rex and, oh oh, Graf, on the scene. Panicked Max rushes in, thinking the dead body on the floor is his mother. Luckily for him, it isn't. The shop has been held up and, while both assistants have been shot, his mother has survived and has been taken to hospital.

With no one to look after Max, Brandtner sets about finding his father. He tracks him down to a concert hall, working as a piano tuner. Kordes is overjoyed to have care of his son. It enables him to push him harder to practice at piano so he can vicariously relive his lost career.

A couple of things worry Brandtner about the robbery. The perpetrator seems to know a lot about the setup of the shop and only took worthless items. Initially, suspicion falls on the shop owner, particularly as his alibi doesn't hold out and Kordes has a seemingly solid alibi. However, it soon emerges that shop owner has a secret drug problem and has been evasive for that reason.

When Brandtner reviews the security tapes from the shop, he realises that Max's mother seems to have recognised the hold up man and has said something. With no sound, he calls in a lip reader to decode what was said and this confirms his thoughts. He realises that Kordes indeed has a motive in resenting the mother for the loss of his finger and therefore his career. When Alex goes to his flat, he finds taped music player and it becomes clear that the alibi given isn't so solid after all.

Realising the mother is at risk, he tries to call the hospital. Unknown to him, Kordes is already there, in the process of suffocating his ex-wife. When Brandtner arrives, it seems he is too late but, fortunately, the woman can be revived.

Across town, Kordes is indulging his lost dreams, having bought Max tails and playing a duet with him on stage. Sadly, it's all too late and Brandtner and team arrive to arrest him mid-number.

Other players include Michael Schoenborn, above, as pianist Kordes but not credited with IMDB for this episode, Laurence Rupp , above, as Maximilian Kordes, Ursula Mihelic, not listed with IMDB, Erich Schleyer , above, as Holt, Liliana Nelska, above, not credited with IMDB, Dany Sigel, above, not credited with IMDB, and the late Leon Askin, above, also not credited with IMDB.

Still watching.....

2009-03-03T20:42:00.000-08:00

Still watching an episode a day but just getting held up writing up...many balls being juggled and trying to avoid dropping a few. Catch up with the write ups soon.

In the meantime, why not amuse yourself with some Rex games at the official Kommissar Rex site?

Rex Resolution 56: Priester in Gefahr

2009-03-02T23:26:00.000-08:00

This is another 'yawn' episode for me. What is it about truck drivers and Rex? No offence if you're reading this and happen to be a truck driver.....Anyway, a small disclaimer in that I think I dozed off somewhere in the middle of this episode (shame on me!) but I hope I have the story line mostly straight.

A truck driver gets stabbed to death while sleeping at a truck rest and his truck, with his body still on board, is stolen.

When the action cuts to Brandtner and team at a briefing about missing drivers and stolen loads of pharmaceuticals, the motive behind the attack on the man becomes clear. Not that Rex cares, he's far too busy tormenting Boeck with a laser pointer - and this, for me, is probably the best part of this episode.

The next step in the chain is for the group behind the scheme to get some unsuspecting individual to drive the stolen load across the border. All is well and good until the designated driver spots the corpse of the original driver in a car boot. Suddenly he wants out and the group are kind enough to grant him his wish, shooting him as he tries to leave. Thought to be dead, he is left in a car while the other body is disposed of and uses this opportunity to make good his escape on a garbage truck.

Falling off the truck as it arrives in the depot, he makes it to hospital and manages to survive long enough to confide in a priest the names of the men behind the scheme. Of course, this puts the priest in danger, hence the title of this episode. The priest refuses to break confidentiality and tell Brandtner what he knows, even though Brandtner tells him he is at considerable risk. When the priest starts warning other truckies of what's happening, it's not long before he's rounded up and taken prisoner. The boss of the gang seems particularly intent on making him talk to find out what he's said, the point of which is lost on me.

When Brandtner, Boeck and Rex arrive on the scene, Rex soon tracks down the priest while Brandtner and Boeck exchange shots with the gang members. The boss uses this as his opportunity to get away but Brandtner catches on and manages to disable available vehicles. When Rex catches a knife launched at Brandtner, it's all over for the bad guys yet again.

Other players include Werner Prinz as Josef Schuller, Witold Bielinski, not credited with IMDB for this episode, Miroslav Zbrojewicz, not credited for this episode, and Merab Ninidze as Jiri Borowjez.

A single Recycled Rexer Otto Tausig, uncredited with IMDB for this episode but also appearing in 'Sein letzter Sonntag' (2004) as Herr Watzek.

Rex Resolution 55: Gafaehrlicher Auftrag

2009-03-01T18:13:00.000-08:00

This has to be one of my favourite episodes in the Brandtner series. Quite suspenseful. Although every time, I hear someone mention a bomb, it reminds me of Moser going on about 'die Bombe, die bombe...' in an earlier episode.

You might think you're watching the wrong program when it starts with Brandtner in prison. Has he gone back to his murderous ways from 'Amok'? Luckily not. He's just 'doing time' to get close with criminal Zach, who is thought to have loot and a bomb hidden somewhere on the outside.

Zach's not easy to befriend though and, when Zach is bullied by other inmates, Brandtner has to punch a few people's lights out to get him on side. As the pair are transferred to another prison together, Brandtner pulls a gun on their prison guard and the two are set free. Of course, it is all a set up. Brandtner talks Zach into hiding out at a friend's house (Boeck in disguise and wearing different clothes for once!). The idea is to keep tracks on him and find out the location of the bomb and money.

Zach has other ideas though and soon leaves, not knowing that Boeck has planted a transmitter in his bag. Brandtner and Boeck are therefore able to track him. Unfortunately, Zach discovers the transmitter and throws it in a rubbish truck, which leads the team off-track a little. Once they realise, they return to Zach's last known location from where Rex can follow the trail to Zach's hideout. Hoellerer is then able to confirm they've got the right spot from a traced phone call made by Zach when he was staying at Brandtner's.

Zach sees Brandtner arrive outside with Rex and arms a bomb before attempting to exit the building. This leaves Brandtner with just three minutes and a bomb disposal expert on the end of a 'phone to defuse the bomb. Does he succeed? Well, let's just say the episode is not called 'Brandtner's death'.

Zach has also strapped a bomb to his body and uses this as leverage to escape, with Hoeller, finally in an action-man role, as his driver. Wiley Hoellerer has other plans however and, after a sharp turn at speed into a car park, bails out the vehicle leaving Zach to explode as the vehicle smashes into another. Wurstsemmel all round, boys!

Other players include Thierry Van Werveke, above, who sadly died of cancer just last month, as Fritz Zach, Heinz Trixner, as the prison boss, not credited with IMDB for this episode, Peter Strauss, not credited with IMDB for this episode but appearing in Stockinger, and Rochus Millauer, Brandtner's cell mate, not credited for this episode.

A single Recycled Rexer, Michael Rast, uncredited for both appearances, here as the prisoner who bullies Zach and falling to his death in 'Tod im Museum'.

Rex Resolution 54: Das letzte Match

2009-03-01T01:00:00.000-08:00

Yes, back on track with Rex episode 54. This may, in fact, be the first episode of Rex I ever saw.

Not quite sure what the above video is about but found it on my search for something suitable for this post. Gedeon is certainly most welcome to hang out on this site. Ha.

Intriguing. The pink socks? Any idea, anyone?

There's something putting coach Breuer off his tennis game and that's enough to irk his playing partner, Habermann. Calling it quits, they pack up for the night. Invited to drinks by the centre owner, Schulz, she threatens to fire Breuer should he talk.

Talk? About what?

We never get to find out because Breuer gets stabbed in the back while changing. With Habermann and Schulz gone for the night, Breuer makes it to the tennis court before collapsing, his body found by the cleaning woman the next morning.

Brandtner, alert as ever, has his sights set on Breuer and Schulz and, in his initial questioning, notices some damaged items in Schulz's office. Perhaps there has been an earlier fight? Meanwhile, Boeck virtually drools over a young, attractive tennis star under the guise of asking questions related to the investigation.

With no one able to provide any clue as to why Breuer should have met such a horrible fate, Brandtner becomes more suspicious of Breuer and Schultz. When he finds out that Schulz had rung Breuer every night over the past week and notes her use of valium to calm the nerves, he confronts her. She claims financial stress and that Breuer had been drinking, a matter she needed to address otuside of business hours.

Later, Habermann is seen putting moves on Schulz and, when she rejects him, threatening her over the money she owes him. When Schulz is found stabbed the next morning, the pressure of suspicion builds on Habermann.

The father of the attractive tennis player has other ideas though, feeding Brandtner the idea that Breuer and Schulz had been involved in an affair, that Schulz had killed Breuer out of jealousy before turning the kitchen knife on herself.

Brandtner returns to investigating the possibility of an earlier fight in Schulz's office. Finding traces of blood and at least four different sets of footprints, Brandtner knows he's found something of significance. When Habermann escapes an attack at his sports store and seems loathe to report a break in, Brandtner confronts him with the office fight scene. Habermann claims he and Schulz fought over money in front of Breuer, who, coincidentally, may have suffered a nose bleed. What? From the stress? Alex is not convinced.

When Hoellerer unearths the fact that the young tennis star had a car accident about ten days before the first murder, Brandtner realises there's more to the story than he first thought and brings her in for questionning. Under pressure, she tells Brandtner that Habermann and Breuer raped her in front of Schulz, who did nothing to intervene, and that her father took revenge. The father agrees, wanting to save his daughter's stellar career.

Supersnout Rex knows different and when he is able to prove that the murderer was in fact the young tennis player, out for revenge when her father wanted to suppress the story to avoid scandal, the story gets wrapped up.

Other players include Anja Kruse as Heidi Schulz, Dietrich Hollinderbaeumer, not credited with IMDB for this episode, Manfred Lukas-Luderer, not credited with IMDB for this episode,
Eva Habermann as tennis plater Karin Klein, and Wolfgang aka Fifi Pissecker, not credited with IMDB for this episode (although also appearing in Stockinger).

A single Recycled Rexer, Doris Mayer, not credited for this episode or an earlier appearing in 'Ein Engel auf vier Pfoten'.

Location! Location! Grand Hotel Panhans

2009-02-26T19:06:00.001-08:00

As I'm momentarily incapacitated in the progression of Rex episodes, I thought I'd return to the location stream of posts.

The Grand Hotel Panhans with Semmering Golf Course is the main setting for 'Die Verschwoerung'/'The Conspiracy'. This is indeed the hotel in which Rex watched racey movies and ate chocolate from the bar fridge.

Looks fabulous to me. Forget the golf, I'd be happy to enjoy the beautiful hotel and surroundings. I might skip on the sauna though!

Hilfe! Hilfe!

2009-02-25T18:23:00.000-08:00

I'm looking for help for a Rex fan from Vietnam.

Does anyone know where you can find subtitles for series 4 onwards? Apparently, episodes available online for download come without.

If you have any information that could help a fellow Rexer, please leave a comment below.

Danke!

Technical difficulties

2009-02-25T18:00:00.000-08:00

From ouch to couch. Still painful but at least up for some Rex viewing. Series 4, disc 4.

Looking, looking, looking........I recently lent this series to a 'friend', use of inverted commas intentional as I discover today that disc 4 is missing. Insert expletive of your choice here.

So.....until disc 4 is returned, Resolution Rex is on hold. Heated 'phone conversation to follow this post.

Yes, I could post out of order but who do you think I am? SBS? Hee.

Pause

2009-02-24T21:47:00.000-08:00

No Rex Resolution today.

Wurstsemmel is a little off-colour having had a huge chunk (ok, slight exaggeration) cut out and stitches put in her tongue today. Now the anaesthetic has worn off, all I can say is OUCH and that's putting it mildly. I don't even feel like watching a Rex. Now what does that tell you? Just be glad I didn't post a gory photo.

Normal service resumed tomorrow, I hope.

Anyone got a wurstsemmel and a blender?

Rex Resolution 53: Der Voyeur

2009-02-23T19:38:00.000-08:00

Rex goes Hitchcock as a janitor's titillation from spying on his undressed woman neighbour takes a sinister turn. From undies to undertaker as the woman is strangled to death. About to call for help, the janitor realises the photos he's taken, which clearly show the murderer, could feather his nest quite nicely.

Having found the body, the husband is initially a prime suspect. However, a business trip to Munich at the time of death seems to rule him out.

Brandtner discovers a receipt for a Chinese restaurant and a pile of taxi receipts among the woman's belongings. Interestingly, all the receipts are from the same driver. When it emerges that the woman had been seen arguing with a man in the restaurant, the taxi man becomes chief suspect. When the driver is tracked down, he admits to having an affair with the woman and is arrested under suspicion of murder, a charge he repeatedly denies.

During this time, the janitor has forged ahead with his blackmail plan and managed to extort two million Euros out of the murderer. When he realises that this amount isn't quite enough to buy him the Viennese pad he desires, he's cheeky enough to check with his victim, the woman's husband who, conveniently, is also a real estate agent, how much he really needs. He ends up doubling his demands.

This irks the husband who then sets about finding the likely location of the blackmailer. Unfortunately, the janitor was only minding the apartment from which he took the photos. When the real owner returns from a relaxing break, he is strangled and ends up head first in his acquarium. Welcome home!

In the meantime, Brandtner has revisited earlier suspicions about the husband and finds out that he drove back to Vienna from Munich on the evening of the murder, flying back to avoid detection. Returning to the husband's apartment, he finds a ripped up photo that shows the husband murdering his wife. Note, if you're getting blackmailed, dispose of the evidence more carefully!

Brandtner's quick to put things together and heads to the apartment from which the photo was most likely taken, finding the flat ransacked and the body of the poor unfortunate traveller. Directed to the janitor and finding his flat also ransacked, he realises the janitor is the blackmailer and that his life is at risk.

At work as a night watchman in a store, the janitor is surprised by the husband who ties him up into a carpet rolling machine in an attempt to get him to tell where the negatives are. It's all too late though. Brandtner and team arrive just in time to release the man and capture the husband.

Other players include Robert Meyer, here as Mahler, Robert Hoffman, not listed with IMDB for this episode, Willy Hoeller as Herr Hoffmann, and Heide Stahl, not credited with IMDB for this episode.

A single Recycled Rexer Fritz Karl, not credited with IMDB for this episode, but also appearing in 'Bis zur letzten Kugel' (2002) as Gerhard Kostial and 'Impara l'arte' (2008) as Hugo Starke.

A bit scant on photos today. If I'm not reasonably sure I'm getting an image of the correct person, I'll pass on photos.

Rex Resolution 52: Rache

2009-02-22T18:36:00.000-08:00

Peter Rogner, fresh out of jail, has only one thing on his mind. Revenge. It seems Brandtner and his former dog Arco arrested him for armed robbery of a bank. His girlfriend picks him up from jail in a van. In the back is a female German Shepherd. The plot is to kidnap Rex. The woman knows Brandtner's morning routine and, before long, she's got Brandtner and Rex looking for her car keys, dropped during her morning jog. Of course, it's all a ploy to lure Rex away. When Rex sees the bitch, the keys are forgotten.

It doesn't take Brandtner long to find out where Rex might be. The van gets traced back to a dog breeder, who finally tells Brandtner the name of the woman. This allows him to trace her to a location near the Prater. By the time he arrives, the pair have already left. Unknown to Alex, Rex is on his way home, having escaped the vehicle, bitten and disarmed Rogner. When Alex finds a pool of blood, he fears the worst.

Rogner and the girlfriend have headed in to the city, where Rogner steals a gun from a weapon shop.

With little to go on, Brandtner suspects Rogner may rob the same bank as before and guess what? He's correct. When Brandtner arrested Rogner previously, he walked him out of the bank in just his underwear. With Rogner holding hostages, Brandtner offers himself in exchange. A smart move as far as any Brandtner watchers go because, in a plot twist, Brandtner gets marched out the bank half-naked. Boxers or jocks? See above. That's probably one thing you never thought you'd learn from Rex.

Rex, by this time back at the scene, is not happy to see Alex half-undressed and with a gun to his head and leaps on Rogner, allowing Brandtner to escape. When a shoot out follows, Rogner escapes to a disco where he almosts nails a temporarily blinded Rex. Time for Alex to step in. With Boeck rounding up the girlfriend, all ends well.

Other players include Jochen Nickel as Peter Rogner and Teresa Harder, not credited with IMDB for this episode, both pictured above.

Recycled Rexers Herbert Pendl, not credited here but appearing in 'Ein feines Haus' (1994) as Doppler and in 'Der Fluch der Mumie' (2003) as Svoboda and a stint in Stockinger; William Mang, above, uncredited here with IMDB but appearing as Helmut Waltz in 'Ein Toter kehrt zurueck' (2000) and in 'Baby Rex- Der kleine Kommissar' (1997) and the late Hansi Lang, uncredited here with IMDB but also appearing as Rudolf Kraus in 'Mord in Gefaengnis' (2004).

Rex Resolution 51: Geraubtes Glueck

2009-02-21T01:00:00.000-08:00

A woman is found dying in a park by a woman walking her baby. Unfortunately, there's no clue to her identity. When Dr. Graf picks up on blue spray paint on the body, Brandtner is able to tie up a key found on the body to a locker in an art school. While checking out the victim's flat, a young couple arrive and the case takes a turn for the worse. The victim had been minding their baby and now the infant is missing.

With no ransom demanded, Brandtner deducts the baby must have been taken by a childless woman and when the woman who found the body says she had been approached by a stranger who took an interest in her baby, his worst fears seem confirmed.

Brandtner favours the softly softly approach and tries to keep the story out of the newspaper, to avoid panicking whoever took the baby. Talking to a woman who had previously taken a baby gives him a line of research but the young couple, frustrated by what they perceive as inaction, go public.

When a neighbour of the perpetrator reads the story of the abduction and challenges the woman about her 'new' baby, the woman attacks her before fleeing to the countryside. Meanwhile, Brandtner's research has led him to the woman's address, saving the neighbour and discovering information which leads him to the location of the woman's country hideout.

With the woman flushed out into the open, she ends up on a cliff top in desperation and while, ultimately, Rex manages to save the baby, he nearly loses his own life when he goes over the edge himself. This time Brandtner steps up to save the day.

Other players include Ursula Andermatt , above, as Eva Oswald, Marlon Rosenthal, above, not listed with IMDB at all, Ina Halmagyi , above, as Sonja Ebner, Johannes Thanheiser as Opa in Reichenau, Ingrid Burkard, not credited with IMDB for this episode.

A single Recycled Rexer Petra Morze, not listed with IMDB for this episode, but appearing in 'Flucht in den Tod' (1994).

Rex Resolution 50: Die Verschwoerung

2009-02-20T19:00:00.000-08:00

When three friends find themselves blackmailed by a business associate, they elect to take matters into their own hands. As the victim indulges in a little clay-shooting, he suddenly finds himself staring down the barrel of his own gun, as one of three shoot him in the face in an attempt to make his death look like a suicide. Meanwhile, another heads off to the victim's hotel room to erase incriminating data from his computer. Then it's time to resume their pleasant morning of golf.

However, they weren't counting on Rex, who picks up a trail at the crime scene that leads him right on to the golf course. Questioned by Brandtner, this unsettles one of the three to the extent that he loses his nerve and releatedly attempts to leave the hotel, incurring the wrath of his associates. This eventually secures him the 'hot spot', locked in a sauna in a fluffy robe with heat set to maximum in an attempt to silence him for good.

With a brief intermission so that Rex can eat chocolate from the hotel mini-bar and watch a porno movie, for which Boeck gets blamed (smart dog!), Brandtner soon works out that the victim had been blackmailing the three men and moves in to arrest them on suspicion of murder. Rex manages to locate the sauna victim but, in trying to save him, he gets locked in and sweaty under the collar himself. The other two run for it with Boeck in hot pursuit. With their escape foiled by a train crossing, the chase takes off along the rail lines where Boeck falls and ends up unconscious between the rails, just in time to catch the express to Salzburg. Rex, by this time freed from the sweatbox, gets there in the nick of time to stop the train, which finally comes to rest a metre or two from Boeck. As he helps Brandtner round up the escapees, the case is laid to rest.

Other players include Erwin Steinhauser as Ahrens, Miguel Herz-Kestranek as Stanok, and Thomas Declaude, not credited with IMDB for this episode.

Recycled Rexers Johannes Silberschneider, not credited for this episode with IMDB, but appearing in 'Der erste Preis' (1995) as Wolfgang Kucera, Susanne Michel, not credited for this episode but also appearing in 'Ein Zeuge auf vier Pfoten' (2002) as Claudia Vogler.

Rex Resolution 49: Toedliche Leidenschaft

2009-02-19T01:00:00.000-08:00

If you've ever considered infidelity, this episode might give you food for thought. When Helmut Kraus finds out his father has been having an affair with his wife, revenge comes in the form of a storage container dropped on his father from a great height.

Of course, when Brandtner and Boeck first start their investigation, it initially looks as if the case is related to Kraus Senior's gambling history. Alex puts himself in danger, joining an illegal poker game and asking the most pointed questions almost before the first hand is dealt. No wonder he's outed as a cop almost immediately. Good job Rex is on hand to save the day yet again!

When Kraus Senior's little black book (or should I say 'phone directory) comes to light, suspicion shifts to his wife. Cold as ice, she doesn't seem to give her fig about her flattened man. Scary is Boeck's dreamy look as he imagines 48 girlfriends and what he'd get up to. Aiee. Let's not go there, please.

Brandtner decides to talk to Helmut's wife, Ines, to see if she can shed any light on familial relationships or suggest who the latest girlfriend might have been, not knowing he's talking to the guilty party. However, when he leaves, he notices a parking ticket on Ines' car and, following up, realises the truth.

Stressed out, Ines faints and is taken to hospital where it emerges she is pregnant to her husband's father. Rex goes Jerry Springer! Overcome with rage, Helmut takes her forcibly to his mother's office where the mother learns that Helmut was behind the murder. When Helmut hits out at Ines, mother-son love runs deep and the mother helps him hide the unconscious body in a storage container, just as the police arrive. Rex isn't fooled though and notices blood on Helmut's trousers and finds Ines just as she's about to be shipped out of the storyline for good.

Other players include Angelika Bartsch as spurned wife Martina Kraus, Klaus Rohrmoser, not credited with IMDB for this episode, and Iris Junik as the unfaithful daughter-in-law, Ines Kraus.

Recycled Rexers include the late Georg Staudacher as Helmut Kraus, and Johannes Terne, not credited with IMDB for this episode, but also seen in Eiskalt (2000) as Johannes Altman.

Rex Resolution 47: Der Mann mit den tausenden Gesichtern

2009-02-18T01:00:00.000-08:00

Usually people choose to run away to the circus but, in this episode, a washed-up circus act uses his mastery of disguise to knock over a few supermarkets to raise money to run a bar somewhere hot and sunny. Sounds like a reasonable retirement plan until he shoots dead a supermarket manager who tries to stop him making off with the money.

Alongside his various disguises, the man, Wallisch, has worked out a good escape strategy, ducking into peep shows and walking out minus his diguise (but thankfully not minus his clothes). This offers the show the opportunity both for it's increasingly common token nudity and a little comic relief as Boeck gets grilled about his experience with peep-shows by Brandtner.

Still, it doesn't take Brandtner long to work out a circus connection and, thanks to an agent in the business, Boeck is sent to track the man down. However, poor Boeck gets fooled by Wallisch in disguise and when Brandtner realises what has happened, it's all too late and the man is gone, not without leaving a clue though. A brochure on Schoenbrunn leads Alex in the right direction. With supersnout Rex on board, it doesn't take long to locate Wallisch.

After a very scenic chase through the park and zoo, Wallisch holes up in the Pavillion with a number of hostages. Brandtner, Hoellerer and Rex hatch an elaborate plan to capture the man when he tries to escape on a bus with his hostages but Wallisch outsmarts then. Disguised as a released wounded hostage, Wallisch plans his escape in an ambulance but Rex smells him out and alerts Brandtner, allowing him to stop the ambulance in the nick of time. Endstation as Moser would say.

Other players include Gideon Singer as the unwiting accomplice Thomas Koller, Monika Tajmar as Claudine Potofski, Magdalena Felixa, not credited with IMDB for this episode, Rainer Warrings, not credited with IMDB at all, and Elisabeth Orlowsky, also non-existant in the IMDB database.

A single Recycled Rexer Joachim Bissmeier, here as the man of the title, later as Egon Limbach in 'Der Fluch der Mumie' (2003).

Vienna

2009-02-17T01:00:00.000-08:00

A musical interlude. Have been saving for an appropriate moment and this is it. No Rex Resolution today because the last two feature length episodes really amount to four days worth of viewing.

Bis Morgen!

Rex Resolution 46: Der Neue

2009-02-16T01:00:00.000-08:00

And so we enter the eye candy phase......with a stunning debut by Mr. Wet T-Shirt himself, Alex Brandtner, aka Gedeon Burkhard.

If you visit Vienna and happen to stay at Hotel Das Triest, be careful not to open any doors to the next room. When the victim in this episode checks in, he notices the door joining his room to the next is ajar. Instead of closing it, he opens the door to the next room (a what was he thinking moment), discovering a couple of men with some very big guns and copping a broken neck as his reward. Obviously something big is afoot.

Meanwhile Boeck and Hoellerer are taking turns to care for Rex, who is missing Moser and refusing to leave Moser's house. Brandtner turns out to be a bit of a dog whisperer. Soon he's taking over care of Rex and Rex is back on the case.

When the body from the hotel turns up in the Danube, Hoellerer and Boeck are quick on the scene but not as fast as Brandtner, who executes a perfect dive, fully-clothed into the Danube. All to rescue some escaping evidence, the linen bag in which the body was dumped. With the body's face damaged and the finger tips removed, the bag is all the team have to go on.

As a female prosecutor arrives from Rome and meets with a journalist, the base story line becomes clearer. She is looking for evidence of mafia money laundering through Austrian banks and the journalist is set to help her. The guys with the guns? Out to shut her up. Unfortunately for her, they have her secretary in a tight spot, having kidnapped his wife. All her movements are reported back to the guys with guns.

The linen bag gets traced back to the Hotel Das Triest but the mangeress has no time to talk, until she sets her eyes on Brandtner that is. Boeck acts somewhat beleidigt. Aren't blondes supposed to have more fun? It turns out that a guest is missing and now they have the identity of the corpse in the Danube. When the connection to the next hotel room becomes apparent, tracing the Italian guest brings a dead end due to false identity. At that precise moment, the dead man's business contact shows up, picks up the presence of the police and runs for it, getting away. Have no fear though, Rex is back on the trail.

It's another red-herring. Purely about shady business deals.

When a hotel receptionist manages to provide a photofit of the Italian in the next room and the fingerprints of the Italian's Austrian accomplice, a convicted arms dealer, show up on the database, things start moving.

As the prosecuter and journalist set up a meeting in a restaurant with a bank's lawyer. the game is on. Sadly, this means death for some poor old lady who just happens to live in an apartment with a birdeye view of the restaurant. Waiting, waiting, waiting. When the meals on wheels lady gets no response and sees her body through the letterbox, the hitmen are busted. Aware that she has called an ambulance, they won't leave without their shot. Unfortunately for them, pussy has other ideas and stuffs up the hitman's aim. No one seems to notice the shot and they escape the scene.

When Brandtner turns up to investigate the old lady murder, he finds out the Italian was seen leaving the building. Looking around, Brandtner notices a bullet hole in the restaurant building but doesn't put it together unlike Moser would. Beauty versus brains, eh? Brandtner heads off with Boeck to arrest the Austrian accomplice but the accomplice whacks Boeck and escapes. Meanwhile Brandtner is left chasing the Italians. The Austrian gets Brandtner cornered and tells the Italians to leave, which they do but not before threatening to shoot Alex. Rex saves the day again, dropping a gun to Brandtner so he can take out the accomplice, thereby saving his life.

In a tight spot, the accomplice tells Brandtner what he can, which is little except for a mobile number he provided to the Italians. Listening in, they find out about a meeting scheduled for the morning outside of Vienna but the details are vague. When the meeting is set firm the next day, the prosecutor's secretary calls through to give the precise meeting place and time and Brandtner and team have the information they need.

With the pressure on to get there in time, action man Alex directs the search from above, sees the men planting a bomb and parachutes with Rex out of the plane. Good use of stuffed doggy in the distance shots, I think. Can't really be Rex, huh?

The bomb in place, the Italians are ready to take out the prosecutor but they hadn't counted on Alex and Rex. With the road blocked, the car is stopped just in time and the Italians are taken out, although not before setting the bomb off. Rex saves Alex yet again. Welcome back, Rex!

Other players include Maddalena Crippa , above, as prosecutor Lucia Amato, Emilio de Marchi as Mimmo Munafi, Antonio di Mauro , above, as Gianni Fedele, and Andrea Tiziani , above, as Franco Bianci.

Recycled Rexers Josefin Platt, above, here as the journalist Kramer, earlier in 'Blutrote Rosen' (1997) as Ines Dorner, and Andreas Lust, above, not credited with IMDB for this episode but also appearing as Herbert Weninger in 'Blond, huebsch, tot' (2002).

Rex Resolution 45: Mosers Tod

2009-02-15T01:00:00.000-08:00

Watch and sob!

Mosers Tod. As titles go, you can't give away the plot any clearer than that.

Moser and team are working on a series of murders. There seems to be nothing to link the victims except a domino left with the body. And I thought dominos was such a harmless game too! Under fire from the media, the pressure is on.

When the next body turns up, again with a domino, it's clear to Moser that a serial killer is on the loose and it's time to call in a forensic psychologist. She's able to give a fairly detailed profile of the killer while also giving Moser the eye. Now that's multi-tasking! In a psychological nutshell (no pun intended), it seems the killer is out to act on an unresolved conflict.

Two individuals meeting the profile seem to be out of the question, so, with nowhere to go, Moser heads off for a swim. Under the guise of checking on progress, the psychologist turns up at the pool (aren't we a sneaky proferssion!) and, before you know it, the two are in bed and Rex is playing Peeping Tom at the bedroom window.

The next morning, when Moser returns to the crime scenes, he notices a church tower visible from both spots which directs him to the likely locale of the murderer. When forensic evidence suggests the murder weapon may be antique, attention is drawn to an antiques shop near the church seen by Moser.

Unfortunately, not in time to prevent murder number 4. This time we see the killer make the victim act out the role of his mother before shooting her dead. He has an excellent alibi, escaping from and then returning to a mental health facility to commit his crimes. This time he's unable to leave his usual clues as the woman is still alive, startling him.

Moser returns to the antique shop looking to trace the weapon, a shop run, surprise, surprise, by the killer's mother. Her manner alerts Moser but he leaves and runs checks on her, which reveal she has a son in a psychiatric hospital after murdering a woman. Coincidence? Moser thinks not!

Meanwhile the mother visits her storage facility to see if the weapon described by Moser is still there. Of course, it isn't and she goes to confront her son. When he fobs her off by suggesting she put the weapon elsewhere and has forgotten and she tells him she will look again today, the scene is set for Moser's demise.

While the psychologist interviews the son in the facility, Moser and Rex explore and Rex leads Moser to a secret exit the killer has been using. While Moser confronts the physicians, the murderer escapes and heads to the storage facility to face his mother, eventually locking her up, before then snatching the psychologist and taking her back to the storage depot.

Moser, looking for the mother, finds out about the facility and is soon headed there, only to find the psychologist tied up. Sadly, the killer spots Moser first and while Moser survives the first shot, you can't keep a good man down and the rest, as they say, is history. RIP Moser.

Other players include Ulrich Tukur as killer Kurt Hauff, Thomas Anzenhofer, not credited with IMDB for this episode, Birgit Stauber as Inge Schoen, Holger Handtke, not credited with IMDB for this episode, and Eduard Wildner, also not credited with IMDB, all shown above in listed order.

Recycled Rexers Marion Mitterhammer, as psychologist Neuhold here and later as Marion in Sisi (1999) - never spotted that, and Erni Mangold as the mother here, but also uncredited in 'Gefaehrliche Jagd',

Rex Resolution 44: Ein moerderischer Plan

2009-02-14T01:00:00.000-08:00

Alles Liebe zum Valentinstag!

This is the last but one episode with Tobias Moretti as Moser.

When violent offender Nowak is released from prison, he is a little upset to find that his ex-wife has remarried and had a child. Unable to contain his anger, he threatens to kill the new husband, who meanwhile is acting rather strangely. Chased off by a neighbour, he spots his love rival returning home and, shortly afterwards, the husband takes a dive out of his third floor window.

Looks like an open and shut case and when Nowak returns to his ex-wife's flat with a bunch of flowers, Rex chases him down. Unfortunately for Moser and team, life is not that simple. The victim managed to scratch his murderer and Dr. Graf has isolated the murderer's skin under the victim's nails. Different blood group to Nowak and so the hunt resumes.

Moser has a particular knack of taking two and two and making six and it doesn't take him long to turn his attention to the victim's company, where had been a driver on security runs. From very little detail, Moser manages to work out that senior management had planned to hold up one of their trucks and discovers that they had disabled the victim's gun. Swapping places with the armoured truck drivers, Boeck and Moser unleash a surprise on the would-be robbers and round them up before they get their mitts on the money.

Other players include Eva Herzig , above, as Eva Muench, Thomas Enzinger, above, not listed with IMDB for this episode and Christian Berkel, above, not listed with IMDB for this episode.

Recycled Rexers Johannes Krisch, above, here as Josef Nowak, later as Marco Kolb in Strahlen der Rache (2001), Cornelia Lippert, above, not listed with IMDB for this episode or for her role in the earlier episode 'Der Duft des Todes', and Toni Slama, not listed with IMDB for this episode but listed for his earlier role as Paul Steger in 'Toedliche Teddys'.

Tomorrow, it's 'auf wiedersehen, Moser'. Hankies at the ready (again).

Rex Resolution 43: Tod eines Schulers

2009-02-13T01:00:00.000-08:00

A revision of 'To Sir with Love'. Female teacher, young male student. Add in a healthy dose of blackmail from a fellow student and you get a totally unhealthy outcome. When the blackmailer tries and fails to get the teacher into bed himself, it's only the beginning of a downturn in his day. Leaving the scene, he gets stabbed to death. That solves the blackmail issue, right?

When the student lover tries to retrieve incriminating photos from the dead student's room, he arouses the suspicions of the boy's mother who calls in Moser. With the couple under interrogation, the student confesses to the murder in the mistaken belief that his lover killed the blackmailer.

When the student cannot demonstrate how he killed the blackmailer, his innocence becomes clear. When Moser reads a message left for the student by the teacher, he realises that she is intent on commiting suicide, believing herself in the boy's guilt. With Rex on the trail, Moser turns up just in time to save her from throwing herself off a very tall building and making a very big mess.

With nowhere to go, Moser returns to Dr. Graf to review evidence and notices an oddity on the photos of the corpse, indicating the killer had a missing finger. Bingo! It's off to arrest sports teacher Eckhart, who also had been putting moves on the teacher.

Other players include Sebastian Stroebel, above, as Tom Friedmann, Torben Liebrecht , above, as Stefan Dorner, Heinz-Josef Braun, above, not credited with IMDB for this episode, and Herta Schell, not credited for this episode in IMDB.

Recycled Rexers Nina Franoszek, above, here as Claudia Martin, earlier in 'Toedliche Teddys' (1995) as Diana Neuwirth and Hermann Schmid, not credited for this episode but appearing later in 'In letzter Sekunde' (2001) as Kurt Schweiger.