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Waldermann (Hanns Ernst Jäger) is a stand-up comedian who has definitely seen better days, as his old jokes and old school delivery are terribly outdated. Then, after one of his better performances in a medium-sized restaurant, he learns that his daughter Ursula (Christiane Schröder) has died, hit over the head with an iron bar, and not far from the crime scene her car has been found, doors wide open. Inspector Keller (Erik Ode) and his team (Reinhard Glemnitz, Günther Schramm, Fritz Wepper) investigate, with Keller soon zeroing in on Waldermann himself, getting vaulabe information from his sublet Sorge (Alfred Balthoff), who tells him how Ursula cared for Waldermann, that she pretty much managed him when everybody else has long given up on him - including his ex-wife (Hilde Weissner). Waldermann himself is understandably overcome with grief, and yet wants to perform this evening. Before his performance, Keller visits Waldermann backstage, and Waldermann finally breaks down, admitting he and his daughter had an argument on the day of her death, when she was already driving him to the venue of the night's performance, an argument on why she never laughs at his performances, and the argument got so heated he jumped out of the car. She went behind him but he pushed her away, onto a metal handrail, that would lead to her fatal injury ...

Now it has to be said, while Hanns Ernst Jäger as bad comedian comes across rather nicely, he overacts rather terribly when it comes to being the grieving father, in a way that's almost laugh-inducing - and of course, his stilted to unnatural dialogue doesn't make things better, especially when seen in hindsight. The one that actually holds the story together is Alfred Balthoff as his friend and sublet, giving a very subtle performance, making the most of the not very special script. In all, not the best Kommissar episode, but definitely far from the worst, and definitely not great crime drama but a fun watch from a nostalgic point of view.

review © by Mike Haberfelner

 

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