Sunday night = Tatort night
My oldest kindergarten friend Kathrin is finally converted. She is at last turned into a Tatort follower and therefore told me the other day that I have to introduce the Tatort to you….. but how can I explain it….
Let me try it this way:
The other day I called a friend. Important things were to be discussed. Of course. It was a Sunday evening at 20.20 and the only thing I heard her scream into the phone was “it is 20.20 on a Sunday. Hello! What is wrong with you?! It´s the Mûnster Tatort. Call me after 21.45 or tomorrow”. And she hung up on me.
I was not annoyed at her – I was actually annoyed at myself because I had forgotten time and therefore missed the first 5 minutes of my favourite Tatort – the one from Münster. What was I thinking?!
This is what Tatort does to people. Tatort can turn into an obsession. I guess the obsession already got going before I was even born….My life story starts the day after one of the most famous episodes (“Die Reifeprüfung”) was aired. My mum didn´t realize that her stomach pain was me and not the exciting Tatort episode …. But that´s another story.
So – now finally – what is the Tatort?
Tatort means crime scene and it basically is a crime television series which has been running since 1970. Not only did West Germany have it´s Tatort. East Germany had the East German version “Polizeiruf 110” – which is still on as well. And even Austria and Switzerland send out inspector teams (which are also brilliant by the way).
Every Sunday the team of inspectors comes from a different area in Germany. And of course everybody has their favourite teams. Me and THE danish boyfriend watch it pretty much every weekend – and in case we cannot make it we tape it. Not to miss out.
The opening sequence has only slightly changed over the years and although there have been many discussions about it, it has so far been untouched.
You might wonder what is so special about it…. and I can only say: I don´t know. It is simply a very well done TV crime scene series and it is cult.
So here comes my warning for everyone who wants to get in touch with Germans: DO NOT call them on Sunday nights from 8.15 pm to 9.45 pm if you would like to stay popular with them. Trust me – I am your friend here!
So dear German fellows. Anybody out there who can explain what the fascination about the Tatort is all about?