Kommissar Rex

I only started watching this show and I love it. It has everything a cop show should have - excellent characters, suspense, drama, action and comedy. Rex steals the show - as well as most of the food! - in this outstanding German TV Series.

Great dog show. In the tradition of all dog shows, the dog is smarter than most of the characters (all human) on the show. Tight but easy to follow plotlines with the cute Inspector Rex hogging all the limelight from his equally cute owner/trainer. This show does not pretend to be anything deep and meaningful, or try to be gritty and edgy like all the other police shows that are on at the moment. But rather it uses its police storylines to show us the beauty of Vienna, the essence of the Viennese, and of course Rex. It is its simplicity and the star of the show Rex that are the secret of its appeal. In short, if you like dogs of any kind, you will not want to miss an episode.

I was flipping through TV channels the other day looking for something to watch and happened upon one that was broadcasting Rex. You couldn't imagine how nostalgic I was. Rewatching the first seasons (The ones with Moser were on another level, and Brandtner was good too) brought back so many memories. Not only do I still love it because of my connection to it from when I was younger, but because it simply has its heart in the right place. The relationships are genuine, especially the one between the dog and its owner. It has humor, it has crime, it has been crafted with love, it's brilliant. Would take it over any Netflix show that's airing today.

A cult favourite TV series in Australia, where it is screened in German with subtitles (have you noticed almost all the comments are from Australia), Kommissar Rex is an Austrian show, now in its ninth season.

Try to imagine a German language version of Jim Belushi's K9 movies, with a Viennese backdrop, and you are somewhere in the ball park. A loner male cop paired with a German Shepherd police dog, though Rex veers a little more towards action/mystery than comedy.

The show itself is a little confounding in some respects. It can be rolling along in G-rated family mode, and then they will find a dismembered body in a sewer, or there will be scenes of someone shooting up junk. This doesn't seem to phase Australian viewers but it may mean it will never get a US release (that, and the subtitles.)

Basically there have been three incarnations of Rex. The first four season featured Moretti as Rex's partner. He was good looking, charismatic, and the chemistry was perfect. These trend to be regarded as the classic seasons. A further four seasons followed with another male lead, whereupon the entire cast (including Rex) were replaced and we now have a new male lead who has a female cop love interest. In my opinion this badly interferes with the man-dog chemistry (the male lead should be a confirmed loner/bachelor) - but it's still a likable show even in this incarnation.

Audiences in Australia have been known to become extremely upset if this show is temporarily taken off air. It's a shame it's not available in the US, because it would garner plenty of fans.

I discovered this show on PBS' Spanish program and though I do not speak Spanish watch it regularly. Such a refreshing different approach to police work than the all the other police shows. These Austrian police men not only use the fabulous dog in their work, but they also know how to shoot. All the criminals are hit in the leg, so they cannot run, not killed like the local police seems only be able to do. It would be so nice if one of the networks would buy it, so that I could understand it. The show gives an interesting look into life in Vienna and I think that is so refreshing. Americans need to see how other people live.