Luc Conrad (Mike Müller) has left his job as senior investigator for the Aarau police. It seems he cannot move past the trauma of seeing his partner and friend, Mäder, die at the hands of an unknown murderer. I don’t know how it’s helpful for his PTSD to become an undertaker, dealing with – along with your garden variety dead people — victims of the picturesque town’s violent crimes. Seems like it would be triggering to have to apply pancake foundation to a dead body when you can’t fall asleep at night without dreaming of your friend bleeding to death in the rain! Still, with his father passed on, someone has to take over the family business. Ah, but once a cop, always a cop — his proximity to death, mysterious and otherwise, and the ongoing need to solve the murder of his friend, mean he’s always on the scene when something goes down, much to the chagrin of his former junior detective, Anna-Maria. Honestly, she should be grateful for his help. She’s got her hands full. There’s neo-Nazis, street racing gangs, unruly teens, a chicken activist — Aarau may be a darling, small city with a shoe museum and an annual carrot festival, but apparently there’s no shortage of felony infringements going on at all times!
The crew
Luc is making an attempt at moving on from his former life when the specter of death arrives at his door. Wait, no, that’s just Fabio, who has come seeking an apprenticeship wearing a getup that makes him look like a rejected member of an emo goth metal band. His lack of appropriate professional attire notwithstanding, the tenderhearted Fabio is exactly what Luc needs to balance his own emotional upheaval around being accused of Mäder’s death, and the no-nonsense Swiss neutrality of his stepmother and business partner, Erika. If there is a cuter “work family” than this one, I don’t know about it. Mike Müller is so charming, he manages to lighten up even the darkest subject matter. Luc can’t seem to help himself investigating the lives and deaths of his customers, sometimes with the aid of my favorite medical examiner on any show, from any country, Dr. Alois Semmelweis. He’s quirky, he’s rude, he’s everything you want an M.E. to be, and he’s the perfect acidic note in this otherwise endearing fondue.
The cases
Between becoming an insta-dad to a young African boy whose father was found murdered with a swastika carved into his forehead, solving a case of jaw-clenchingly grim interpersonal family relations, and keeping high school girls from beating each other up over a dead teacher, Luc craftily continues to gather intel on Mäder’s old buddies, including the district attorney, Odermatt. This, naturally, irritates Anna-Maria, who is not only his former underling but his former girlfriend too. Luc uncovers the truth of the killing that has haunted him: Mäder was wrapped up in some shady stuff, and was killed for it. Odermatt’s attempts at a cover-up were no match for Luc’s detection skills and Luc can finally find peace. Will season 2 see him return to the force where he truly belongs? Do we even want that – what would happen to Fabio, not to mention the families of Aarau seeking to memorialize their loved ones among the carrots? Let’s find out.
You Might Also Like:
Want to get MHz Choice Premiere announcements sent to your inbox?
Sign up for our free newsletter here!
MHz Choice is available in the U.S. & Canada. Free 7-day trial then $7.99/mo.
Subscribe at mhzchoice.com.
About the author:
Allison Lowe Huff is a freelance writer and editor with an overly concentrated interest in mystery stories from anywhere and everywhere. Follow her on Twitter @lowehuff.
