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Live, Unscripted ARD/ORF Crime Dinner Tops Primetime and Exposes Format’s Limits

Audience metrics point to strong reach with notable mid‑show drop‑off.

Overview

  • The two-hour improvised event aired live on November 22 at 20:15 with Axel Prahl and Jan Josef Liefers steering the action and viewers participating by phone and SMS.
  • Overnight figures showed about 3.86 million viewers and an 18.1% market share, delivering a clear primetime win in Germany and solid youth demos.
  • AEOS device-level data from Vodafone households indicated steady audience erosion through much of the broadcast before stabilizing near the end.
  • Real-time reactions skewed mixed, with praise for individual moments and performers such as Bill Kaulitz alongside criticism of pacing, confusion and uneven execution.
  • ARD and producers framed the show as an innovative TV experiment and made it available in the ARD Mediathek, positioning learnings for potential future live-interactive projects.