Close to Home: Murder in the Coalfield

This series is interesting enough to watch, but unfortunately is not told in a very coherent manner. The scenes do not flow in a manner that enables viewers to understand the events. There is little context provided so the dots do not always connect up in a way to produce a smoothly flowing narrative. Some scenes just seem to be out of sequence and irrelevant to the main plot. The constant use of flashbacks at very awkward moments is distracting and confusing. The series is watchable but does tend to drag a bit. It is the lack of connectivity between the scenes that make the series incomprehensible at times!

Each episode begins with a melancholy, deep voice, accompanied by images captured in warm yellow tones, ranging from wildly romantic to excerpts of a mysterious murder. The action takes place against the backdrop of a disused coal mine in Lusatia, which symbolizes environmental pollution and the downfall, the past of the GDR. Quote from Lauchhammer: "one of the most expensive disposable items of reunification".

As German productions like to attach great importance to conveying a message, classic old and current clichés are used here once again to raise a warning finger. So you can already guess that we have to deal with East German frustration and the climate stickers, whether we like it or not. Unfortunately, the moral ambitions are usually so high that it sometimes seems overloaded.

Unfortunately, German productions lack the courage to go their own way, so they follow in the footsteps of tried and tested colleagues from abroad. As a result, the two main investigators are made up of a quiet, emphatic man and a mostly newly assigned socially incompetent female colleague, as is currently very popular. He has his roots where the murder took place and has to come to terms with his past. As a result, the story is spread across different timelines and an earlier murder and several social stories are told in parallel. On the one hand, this makes for a multi-layered story, but it also distracts more and more from the actual murder case, which fades into the background.

The story unfolds slowly but builds up the suspense constantly, despite a few "social" gap fillers, some of which drag on a little. There are always enough suspects to keep you guessing until the case is finally solved.

The entire cast does a solid job. Little Dustin, who took my heart by storm, is particularly endearing. Lucas Gregorowic, who I really like, was absolutely convincing in his role. The dialog also stands out positively overall. The technical realization is excellent, capturing a great melancholic mood with a beautiful image and color design. The camera, lighting and editing deserve praise here, they are much better than the average German series.

Unfortunately, the characterization is too negative, clichéd and flat for me. The old East Germans who weep for their GDR, the drug-addicted mother in cheap "Berlin-Marzahn" clothes with a child without a father. And of course the Fridays for Future group of the vegan granddaughter with protests and "forest occupation". This gives the whole series the feel of an environmental protection lecture with a 4.1/2 hour message: "Coal is bad, meat is bad, save the planet". Which is basically not a bad thing if you don't just keep asking yourself the question, "Who else was the murder victim?"

------------- Conclusion:

So-so - For fans of German crime thrillers, this is a high-quality production worth seeing that stands out from the classic Tatort, is multi-layered and wonderfully shot.

Very hard to get into this one. As a true crime author, I usually love true crime series, especially crimes set in Europe. It was disjointed and not really focused on the murder or the investigation. There were some characters who didn't seem to fit the narrative. Some of the others had too much going on that didn't seem to make any sense with respect to the crime. I had a hard time following the plot line.

I am searching to see if there are any other documentaries about this crime to compare it to, but if not, I would not recommend this one if you are a true crime junkie. You'll know after the first episode of you should keep watching.

This six part series is set in what was a coal mining area of East Germany; now the mining has stopped and there are plans to attract tourists by converting the huge pits into lakes. As the story opens the body of a teenage girl is found on the shore of one of these lakes. Maik Briegand, a local man who now works for the national police force leads to investigation with new partner Annalena Gottknecht. There are quite a few suspects; the homeless man who found the body, her boyfriend, a local policeman who is involved with her mother, a property developer and a group of environmental campaigners based in nearby woods.

I thought this was a solid murder mystery that is told effectively. Key characters are quickly introduced as the investigation gets underway. Good use is made of the fact that this used to be East Germany with older residents missing the certainty of a job in the mine while younger people want nothing to do with polluting coal. There are enough suspects to keep one guessing right till the final reveal. The cast does a solid job. Overall a decent murder mystery set in an interesting location, worth watching if you enjoy the genre.

These comments are based on watching the series in German with English subtitles.

This first-rate noir production puts a fresh spin on the shopworn plot tripod involving a mysterious murder (yes, the victim is tragically young and very pretty), the detective(s) with a screwed up life, and "evil business"...oh, I forgot the corrupt cop, so that makes four legs. Yet, character development via superb writing and acting (female cop costar is a genius IMO), make it a most gripping and satisfying watch. The music is likewise as pitch perfect as the script. As an aside, one wonders for the millionth time why the writing for and acting by American child actors is so mundane/awful/unimaginative? Dustin, younger brother of the deceased, gives an amazing performance of a poignant character you won't forget.