LCShackley

Some have complained that this episode seems out of place in this series. Perhaps it does, but if you realize that the script was written by Brian Clemens, the mastermind of the later Avengers seasons, it all makes sense. In place of Drake and his female companion, just think of John Steed and Mrs. Peel. The other characters are typical of the quirky British types that Clemens liked to include in his scripts. It's all just harmless fun. There are some clever plot devices as Drake and the bad guys try to outwit each other and find their way off of the desert island, where a hermit stands guard over them.

The plot is rather convoluted, but the scenery is breathtaking. Almost the entire episode takes place in Finland, where Borowski teams up with some rural police to track down a young German criminal who has escaped. The Director, composer, and much of the crew are Finns. We get plenty of beautiful shots of the northern forest, rivers, and lakes, as Borowski tries to recapture his prey. Even Frau Jung is on hand to use her special gifts in solving the mystery. And as usual, there are some touches of humor, including watching the detective dance the tango in a rustic picnic area. Not one of the best episodes, but one of the prettiest.

The MHz streaming service recently (2024) began showing the "Tatort:Bremen" series. For some reason, they began with this episode, skipping almost a dozen earlier stories, which leaves us without any back-story for the main characters. Neither character is particularly likeable or compelling, leaving us to rely on the supporting cast for interest.

The character of "Manu" is definitely interesting: a waif-ish druggie who vacillates between her obsession with a missing lover, and her obsession with 9/11. We are treated to a cartload of conspiracy theories, leading me to wonder if airing those theories was the true motivation for the script, rather than an interesting cop thriller. Manu is almost always on the run, assuming that everyone is after her.

As others have pointed out, the story ends without a real ending, just an enigmatic shot of Manu on the run again, and the assumption that the CIA and their sinister colleagues have gotten away with something again (a common plot device in European thrillers).

Unlke the series set in Munich and Vienna, we really don't get a feel for the city of Bremen, which to me is one of the reasons I watch TATORT. So: little plot, blah characters, and a neglected setting make this a disappointing start to a TATORT series. I may try one more to see if this was just a fluke.