New 'Tatort' Episode Explores Sex Work and Trauma in Cologne's Red-Light District

The socially critical episode shifts focus from the murder investigation to the lives and struggles of sex workers on the seventh floor of an Eros Center.

The episode, titled 'Siebte Etage,' follows detectives Ballauf and Schenk as they investigate the murder of a building technician pushed from a window in a Cologne Eros Center.
Through direct-to-camera monologues, the episode delves into the personal stories of sex workers, highlighting themes of exploitation, stigma, and resilience.
The show adopts a unique visual style, including point-of-view shots from the perspective of clients, to critique the transactional nature of the sex industry.
Critics are divided, with some praising the episode's focus on social issues and emotional depth, while others find its execution heavy-handed and overly didactic.
The episode is part of 'Tatort's' tradition of addressing societal issues, using the murder mystery as a backdrop to explore the psychological and social realities of marginalized communities.

Augsburger Allgemeine