The Undertaker
| Television series | |
|---|---|
| German title | The Undertaker |
| Original title | The Undertaker |
| Country of production | Switzerland |
| original language | Swiss German |
| Year (s) | 2013-2019 |
| Production company |
SRF , snakefilm GmbH |
| length | 58 minutes |
| Episodes | 40 in 7 seasons ( list ) |
| genre | Thriller |
| idea | Hartmut Block |
| production |
Markus Fischer , Simone Schmassmann |
| music | Raphael Benjamin Meyer |
| First broadcast | January 8, 2013 (Switzerland) on SRF 1 |
| German-language first broadcast |
April 22, 2015 on WDR television |
| main actor | |
| supporting cast | |
The Undertaker is a German-speaking Swiss television series produced by Snakefilm GmbH on behalf of SRF about the undertaker Luc Conrad, who, as a former criminal police officer, took over the funeral home of his deceased father in Aarau . As an undertaker, he repeatedly encounters extraordinary deaths (agT) and participates in the investigations.
overview
The first season of the series consists of four episodes and was broadcast on SRF 1 in January 2013 . In June 2013 filming began for the second season, consisting of six episodes. The broadcast took place from January 7, 2014 to February 11, 2014.
On February 12, 2014, SRF described the series as a “unique success story” and announced what prompted it to shoot a third season of six episodes in the summer of 2014, which was broadcast from January 6, 2015. From January 8, 2015, the broadcast in a French-dubbed version on the French-speaking Swiss broadcaster RTS Un began under the name "Le Croque-mort" . On January 15, 2015, Swiss television announced that, after being broadcast in Germany and Canada, the crime series would now also be shown in the USA under the title “The Undertaker”. The American broadcaster MHz Networks bought the rights to the series. The series was dubbed to standard German for broadcast on German television and the first two seasons were broadcast on WDR from April 22, 2015 to June 24, 2015 . The station 3sat also broadcast this synchronization, but skipped the first season.
Filming for the fourth season took place from the beginning of June to mid-September 2015. These six episodes were broadcast on Swiss television every Tuesday from January 5, 2016.
Filming for the fifth season began on June 6, 2016 and lasted until September 20, 2016. The six episodes of the fifth season were broadcast on SRF 1 on Tuesdays from January 3, 2017.
On March 8, 2017, SRF announced that there would be a sixth season. Shooting started on June 18 and will last until October 3, 2017. The six episodes of the sixth season were broadcast on SRF 1 on Tuesdays from January 2, 2018.
On January 24, 2018, SRF announced that there would be a seventh season. As announced on June 11th of the same year, this will be the last season. The shooting started on June 17, 2018.
Characters
Leading roles
Luc Conrad
The title character Luc Conrad is played by Mike Müller . Luc Conrad was a senior investigator with the Aargau canton police . After the murder of his best work colleague Bernhard Mäder, he was arrested innocently as the main suspect. The murder case could never be solved and Luc left the police even though he was not convicted. It is not clear if he did this willingly. He then spent some time abroad to further his education. When his father died, he was the third generation to take over his funeral home.
Since he is now dealing with deaths on a daily basis, he also often encounters deaths with a criminal background. Although he has given up the police job, he still participates in the investigation.
Anna-Maria Giovanoli
Commissioner Anna-Maria Giovanoli (40), played by Barbara Terpoorten , is the successor and former employee of Luc Conrad. Both had a relationship until the Mäder murder case, but it broke up. Since both are not completely over their love-out, a special relationship develops between the two when they have to do with each other again professionally. On the one hand, Anna-Maria wants to prove herself in her new job as chief inspector and can't stand her ex-boyfriend and boss interfering in her cases; on the other hand, Luc shows great expertise and can provide valuable information through contact with bereaved.
At the end of the third season, it is revealed that Anna-Maria's father raped her mother. At her mother's deathbed, she learns who her father is. At the end of the season, she disappears without a trace. Then, as a cliffhanger , she is shown locked in a cellar and given a meal by her half-brother Mario.
Fabio Testi
Fabio Testi (23), embodied by Reto Stalder , is employed as an intern at the Conrad funeral home in the first episode. As a member of the Gothic culture , he stands out because of his outfit, but also because of his special views on the subject of death. His sometimes unorthodox actions, such as the transport of a baby coffin in a bus, show an impartiality in dealing with death. He is passionate about driving, preferably fast. He is also the lead singer in a band.
At the beginning of the 5th season, Fabio successfully completed his training and is allowed to call himself "Undertaker with federal certificate BBT ". Thereupon he is appointed by Luc Conrad as his business partner and the funeral home is renamed "Conrad & Testi".
Erika Bürgisser
The somewhat narrow-minded Erika Bürgisser is played by Suly Röthlisberger . Erika Bürgisser worked at the Conrad Institute when Luc was a child. At the institute she looks to the right and is often Luc's guilty conscience when he once again neglects his work due to his investigations. In the third episode of the second season it turns out that Erika nursed Luc's mother with cancer until she died and was Luc's father's secret lover.
Reto Doerig
Reto Doerig is a criminal investigator and a direct subordinate of Anna-Maria Giovanoli. He is played by Samuel Streiff . Since he was passed over by Luc when he was reassigned the chief post, he is no longer on good terms with this. Nevertheless, when Luc is in trouble, he is very loyal and helps him wherever he can. Luc is the godfather of his daughter Vanessa.
Alois Semmelweis
Dr. Alois Semmelweis is a Viennese pathologist at the Institute for Forensic Medicine who came fresh from university in the first season and parodied the factual and cool nature of many pathologists in a very clichéd manner. In a kind of cliffhanger he was gunned down by unknown perpetrators in the last scene of the second season, but survived the assassination attempt. He is played by Martin Ostermeier .
More roles
Paul Odermatt † was a public prosecutor for the Canton of Aargau in the first season and was played by Christoph Gaugler . When it became known in the fourth episode that he was involved in several murders, which he was able to cover up well in his function as prosecutor, he committed suicide. The 20-year-old Odermatt in the flashback scene was portrayed by Gabriel da Silva .
Pedro Lambert † appears for the first time in the first episode of the second season. He is a federal police officer from Lausanne specializing in human and organ trafficking . In the last episode of the third season, he is gunned down by Louis Lauener. He is portrayed by Carlos Leal .
Louis Lauener † ran a sock factory with his late brother. The former colonel first appears in the second season. Although he was convicted of organ trafficking by the police, he was released from custody after a year as part of an undercover investigation for tactical police reasons. Also in the third season he is the big man behind. In the last episode of the third season, he is shot by Anna-Maria Giovanoli. It was played by Mathias Gnädinger .
Max Lauener † (brother of Louis Lauener) appears for the first time in the 1st episode of the 2nd season. Luc Conrad buried him in the same episode. He was the trigger for the "Organ trafficking in Aarau" case, which had been investigated throughout the season.
Cast and dubbing
Legend:
- Main actor ( • )
- Supporting and guest actors ( · )
main actor |
||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| role | Actress | Voice actor | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4th | 5 | 6th | 7th | Appearances |
| Luc Conrad | Mike Muller | Douglas Welbat | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 1.01-7.06 |
| Anna-Maria Giovanoli | Barbara Terpoorten | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 1.01, 1.03-7.06 | |
| Fabio Testi | Reto Stalder | Tim Schwarzmaier | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 1.01-7.06 |
| Erika Bürgisser | Suly Röthlisberger | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 1.01-7.06 | |
| Reto Doerig | Samuel Streiff | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 1.01-7.06 | |
| Dr. Alois Semmelweis | Martin Ostermeier | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 1.01-1.03, 2.01-7.06 | |
supporting cast |
||||||||||
| role | Actress | Voice actor | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4th | 5 | 6th | 7th | Appearances |
| Paul Odermatt † | Christoph Gaugler | · | 1.01-1.04 | |||||||
| Pedro Lambert † | Carlos Leal | · | · | 2.01-3.06 | ||||||
| Louis Lauener † | Mathias Gnädinger | · | · | 2.01, 2.06, 3.01-3.06 | ||||||
| Stella Duchamp † | Claudia Gallo | · | 3.01-3.04 | |||||||
| Mario Giovanoli † | Martin Rüegg | · | 4.01-4.06 | |||||||
| Black smock | Peter Freiburghaus | · | 4.01-4.06 | |||||||
| Karin Geiser | Mona Petri | · | 4.01-4.06 | |||||||
| Sebastian Lötscher † | Roeland Wiesnekker | · | 5.01-5.06 | |||||||
| Tobias Hefti | Ralph Gassmann | · | 5.01-5.06 | |||||||
| Katharina powder | Judith Hofmann | · | 5.01-5.06 | |||||||
| Irene Blumer | Sarah Hostettler | · | 5.01-5.06 | |||||||
| Hannes Blumer | Oliver Bürgin | · | 5.01-5.05 | |||||||
| Judith Luginbühl | Sabina Schneebeli | · | 5.03-5.06 | |||||||
| Jonathan Widmer | Simon cheese maker | · | 5.05 | |||||||
| Josef Mankovsky | Peter Lohmeyer | · | 6.01–6.06 | |||||||
| Andreas Behringer † | Fabian Kruger | · | 6.01–6.06 | |||||||
| Mia Lehmann † | Bettina Stucky | · | 6.01–6.06 | |||||||
| Beat Flückiger † | Stefan Graf | · | 6.01–6.04 | |||||||
| Veronika Beyeler | Rachel Braunschweig | · | 6.01–6.06 | |||||||
| Niklas Berghoff | Michael Neuenschwander | · | 6.01, 6.03–6.06 | |||||||
| Lilly Berghoff † | Tabea Buser | · | 6.02–6.06 | |||||||
| Ignaz Semmelweis | Helmut Berger | · | 6.03–6.06 | |||||||
| Lara Hauser † | Annina Walt | · | 7.01-7.06 | |||||||
| Max Hauser | Jonas Götzinger | · | 7.01-7.06 | |||||||
| Anatol Gisler | Martin Rapold | · | 7.01-7.06 | |||||||
| Vanessa Doerig | Chantal Dubs | · | 7.02-7.06 | |||||||
| Leonie Lauener † | Vera Bommer | Eva-Maria Reichert | · | 2.01 | ||||||
| Dragana | Tatiana Werik | Anna Ewelina | · | 2.01, 2.02, 2.06 | ||||||
| Emily Loser | Meret Bodamer | Tatiana Pokorny | · | 2.04 | ||||||
| Bianca Moreno | Stéphanie Berger | · | 3.03 | |||||||
| Ardite Mirakaj | Jessy Moravec | Ilena Gwisdalla | · | 3.02 | ||||||
Structure of the episodes
Most of the episodes begin with an extraordinary death to which the Conrad funeral home is called. In all of the episodes, Luc deals with several deaths, but neglects the normal cases and leaves them to Fabio Testi, whom he has placed great trust in right from the start. In each of the seasons, a larger criminal case is resolved over the entire season.
criticism
General
The criticism of the series is different. Some media criticized the fact that Mike Müller and Barbara Terpoorten do not harmonize well. The love relationship seems fake.
The Swiss Bishops' Conference emphasized how natural and dignified the issue of death is, but criticized the fact that there was no pastor throughout the first season.
Locations
Several media complained that many scenes were shot in Zurich and not according to the story in Aarau. On the one hand, the funeral parlor Conrad resides on the Zürichberg ; on the other hand, lemon-yellow fire engines are used in a speeding accident, which are only common in the canton of Zurich . Some scenes in the fourth episode of the first season were filmed on Lake Zurich , although there is a lake in Aargau ( Hallwilersee ). From the second season onwards, the production was supported by Aargau Tourism with the condition that they would film more often in the canton of Aargau.
Awards
- Prix Walo 2014
- Prix Walo in the category "best TV production"
- Prix Walo in the category “best actor” for Mike Müller
- Swiss TV Film Award 2014
- Prize for the best female leading role in The Undertaker for Barbara Terpoorten-Maurer
- Swiss TV Film Award 2017
- Special price for the leading role in The Undertaker for Mike Müller
DVD release
Switzerland / original
All seasons were released on DVD by Praesens-Film :
- Season 1: March 14, 2013
- Season 2: February 11, 2014
- Season 3: February 10, 2015
- Season 4: February 9, 2016
- Season 5: February 7, 2017
- Season 6: February 28, 2018
- Season 7: February 8, 2019
On February 12, 2019, a box with all seven seasons was also released.
Germany and Austria / dubbed version
The first three seasons were released by Koch Media on DVD with the well-known synchronization of the WDR and the original soundtrack:
- Season 1: July 9, 2015
- Season 2: July 9, 2015
- Season 3: February 2, 2017
Web links
- The undertaker in the Internet Movie Database (English)
-
SRF The Undertaker
- Media folder Season 1 ( Memento from June 25, 2018 in the Internet Archive ), srf.de
- Media folder Season 2 ( Memento from June 25, 2018 in the Internet Archive ), srf.de
- Media folder Season 3 ( Memento from June 25, 2018 in the Internet Archive ), srf.de
- Media folder Season 4 ( Memento from June 26, 2018 in the Internet Archive ), srf.de
- Media folder Season 5 ( Memento from June 26, 2018 in the Internet Archive ), srf.de
- Media folder Season 6 ( Memento from January 17, 2018 in the Internet Archive ), srf.de
Individual evidence
- ↑ Unusual death (agT). Lexicon of forensic medicine. In: Institute for Forensic Medicine. University of Bern, accessed on April 6, 2018 .
- ↑ Swiss television announces second season of "Der Bestatter" Article in Tageswoche of March 27, 2013, accessed on March 27, 2013
- ↑ Article "SRF shoots second season of" Der Bestatter " , GMX.ch, March 27, 2013 ( Memento from June 3, 2013 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Mike Müller continues to determine: Third season for “Der Bestatter” srf.ch article from February 12, 2014, accessed on July 24, 2014
- ↑ Article "La RTS diffuse une série alémanique" lematin.ch, January 8, 2015, accessed on January 9, 2016
- ↑ The undertaker goes to the USA srf.ch article from January 15, 2015, accessed on February 11, 2015
- ^ Start of shooting of the fourth season of "Der Bestatter" srf.ch article from June 8, 2015, accessed on January 3, 2016
- ↑ Start of shooting of the fifth season of “Der Bestatter” SRG Deutschschweiz, article from June 6, 2016, accessed on June 7, 2016
- ↑ «Der Bestatter» - The fifth season of SRG Deutschschweiz, article from November 17, 2016, accessed on December 27, 2016
- ^ "The Undertaker" gets a 6th season srf.ch, article from March 8, 2017, accessed on March 8, 2017
- ↑ Start of shooting of the sixth season of “Der Bestatter” article on srgd.ch from June 19, 2017
- ↑ New episodes of «WILDER» and «Der Bestatter». srf.ch, January 24, 2018, accessed on January 25, 2018 .
- ↑ Start of shooting for the seventh and final season of «Der Bestatter». srf.ch, June 11, 2018, accessed on June 11, 2018 .
- ↑ Martin Ostermeier as forensic doctor Dr. Alois Semmelweis Article at srf.ch from December 24, 2014, accessed on December 24, 2014
- ↑ a b The undertaker in the German synchronous file
- ↑ Quite ok, but ... 20 minutes, January 9, 2013, accessed January 30, 2013
- ↑ Where are Pastors Blick, January 29, 2013, accessed on January 30, 2013
- ↑ «The Undertaker» lives in an old villa on the Zürichberg. Article in the Tages-Anzeiger from January 28, 2013, accessed on April 6, 2013
- ↑ Aargau government is enthusiastic about the 2nd season “Der Bestatter” article on srf.ch from February 12, 2014, accessed July 24, 2014
- ↑ Season 3 at Koch Media, accessed on January 25, 2017