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Grimm-Tinged Schwarzwald ‘Tatort’ Debuts to Strong Notices and Shivers

A traumatized child’s fairy tale becomes the lens for a case that unsettles investigators as well as viewers.

Overview

  • Das Erste broadcast the new Freiburg episode, “Das jüngste Geißlein,” on January 4 at 20:15, with on-demand access via ARD‑Mediathek.
  • Suspended detective Friedemann Berg discovers Eliza, a largely non‑speaking girl hiding inside a standing clock, as police later recover her father’s body from a nearby lake and search for her missing mother.
  • Although out of service after events in the prior case, Berg is the only person Eliza trusts, prompting colleague Franziska Tobler to involve him despite his suspension.
  • The investigation is framed through the Grimm tale “Der Wolf und die sieben Geißlein,” which Eliza continuously plays on a Walkman cassette, blending fairy‑tale imagery with police work.
  • Reviews highlight a darker, horror‑inflected style, single out Hanna Heckt’s performance, and note Rudi Gaul’s direction and co‑writing with Ulrike Schölles, with praise for mood despite some dramaturgical gaps.