Der Bestatter

There are many shows from Europe that are very cheesy and frankly, boring to watch. Why? Because they recycle, like Hollywood, the same tired tropes. This show is in that genre of recycled tropes but they make it fun. The characters and the actors are engaging. There is clearly a chemistry between them all. Could somethings have been better? Sure. But, it was fun to watch.

So let me tell you, when Luc Conrad (Mike Müller) started out in the first season, people were curious about the new production the Swiss television brought to life. Little did they know, "Der Bestatter" was becoming iconic for Swiss people nowadays. From elders to teenagers, everybody loves the series. The budget they had and still have is compared to other European standards very low. Moreover, the city it's set in, Aarau, has some beautiful parts and you get to see plenty in the series. Also, one episode you will come across "Ömer's Imbiss", sort of a fast food trailer in the middle of the city, this guy is no actor, he really did sell hot dogs and stuff like that there for decades! He just retired recently. Give it a shot, you get to experience not only mysterious crimes but also kind of a portray of Swiss Culture.

Why is nobody watching this series? No reviews yet? I stumbled upon this magnificent series on Netflix by accident and I binged the whole first two seasons in a total of a few weeks. Now I have to wait for the following seasons....

The story is about Luc, a former police inspector (overweight, unhealthy life style, grumpy, like they should) who has taken over the family business funeral home, undertaker business after his retirement from the police due to some accident of sorts. He lives in the funeral home, together with the dead (corpses) he is handling and the former assistant (and lover) of his belated father. In the first episode he gets a new young assistant, a metal alto male Gothic without a drivers license and with many alternative ideas about life and the world in general. This alone stands for lots of very funny and crazy moments in the conversations. The writing here is excellent! Then there is Anne Maria, Luc's former police detective (and maybe lover you think?) who is now the city's police inspector and her officers.

The whole idea is that Luc - although not official police anymore, can't stay away from solving cases, especially about the dead people he has to pick up at crime scenes and has to work on in his funeral home.

The fact that the actors speak Swiss German is no problem for me, because I speak both German and French (the language has a little bit of both) but hey, there are subtitles in Dutch and English, so please don't let that be your downfall missing out on this little gem.

We speak of a crime series with lots of serious notes here, but the comical twists and characters make it very enjoyable to watch. Season 2 works towards a very shocking and intricate finale, so don't think it's the easiest watch you ever had.

Summary: great writing, great acting, witty as well as very serious, good solid and current murder cases, very very enjoyable to watch!

Thank God for European TV and film. There is a place for dumpy, grouchy and complex romantic lead parts in major TV shows and film we don't seem to grasp in this country. The hit series The Undertaker is a prime example of beautiful casting, superb acting and directing of well written crime stories based around the Swiss town of Aarau, Switzerland. The former Head Detective has left the force to take over his late father's Funerial Parlor and his former lover has replaced him. Unfortunately for her his crime solving abilities keep interrupting her investigations leading to conflict at work and in their unsorted/unspoken feelings for one another. (It should be noted that both actors won awards for their performances in the roles.) Luc is over 40, overweight, opinionated and deeply in love but afraid/unwilling to open up due to issues in his past. Anna Maria knows/knew he is/was her chance at a normal life but as the series progresses we learn she has demons from her family life she has difficulty facing. Is it a soap opera? No. One of the things that makes The Undertaker great is how the writing team develops the mysteries with the romance as subtext. Eventually they add a character who further exacerbates both aspects along with a horrific crime story that permeates season two and three. I love Anna Maria's character and the way Barbara breathes life into her. Mike is also the perfect Luc. There is so much to like here. The series is still in production as of 2018 and MHZ Choice has 4 series available (European series are not necessarily broadcast in the back to back manner as here in the States.) although they do not always coinside with the Scheduled episodes. I am now mid season 3 and am forcing to slow myself down or I will binge self out of this enjoyable diversion. Don't sweat the subtitles and enjoy the show.

Alle Pointen sind ein Freudenfest für die deutschen Zuschauer: Wenn sich etwa zwei Schweizer schier unverständlich am Tatort unterhalten, bis einer der beiden selbst auflöst "... und jetzt noch mal auf Deutsch". Oder wenn der österreichische Pathologe mit Wiener Schmäh den sarkastischen Konterer mimt, wenn er über eine obduzierte Leiche sagt: "Den Spuren zu urteilen hatte er ein hartes, entbehrungsreiches Leben - also kein typischer Schweizer." Originel und ungewöhnlich im Panorama der heutigen TV Serien... und gute Schauspieler.