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Kira Dorn (Nora Tschirner) and Lessing (Christian Ulmen) in "The Fine Spirit"
Photo: Steffen Junghans / MDR
It was actually the same as always: a new episode, »Tatort«, is coming up and ARD is making the film available to critics in advance in a special online portal.
They then hint at tricks and twists in their discussions, but reveal neither perpetrators nor other surprises.
This is how it was intended in the case of »The Fine Spirit«, the new episode from Weimar with Nora Tschirner and Christian Ulmen, which runs on New Year's Day.
But the "Bild" newspaper insisted on it this time and, after viewing it in advance, betrayed the film's great coup.
+++ Don't read on from here if you want to be surprised +++
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Set design from "The Fine Spirit"
Photo: Steffen Junghans / MDR
Christian Ulmen, who had been Commissioner Lessing in the series since 2013, died as a result, but returned as a ghost - in keeping with the ridiculous humor of the Weimar »crime scene«.
"The death of our Commissioner Lessing and the continuation of his figure as a ghost was a creative suggestion from Christian Ulmen," says the MDR press office.
"We were happy to include it because we see an exciting development in it."
It is not yet clear whether Ulmen will get out of line afterwards or whether he will remain as a ghost to his partner Kira Dorn (Tschirner).
"We are now waiting for the effect of the film and then we will decide how to develop the format further," says the MDR.
Those responsible can definitely take their time with the decision.
Due to the filming delays caused by the corona pandemic, no joint filming date could be found for 2021.
The next "crime scene" from Weimar is therefore not scheduled for 2022.
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