In the project "Tatort-Kommissar*innen im Wandel" , the researchers interpret the characters as "symptoms and symbols of social and political change and, above all, as symbolically condensed representatives of the state". To get to the bottom of this assumption, they look at Tatort - one of the most important institutions of German television with more than 1,000 episodes produced in Germany - from a media studies and sociological perspective.

What were you thinking?

The researchers at the University of Wuppertal, led by sociology professor Ludgera Vogt, are focussing on reconstructing the development and creation process of the characters. In doing so, they are capturing the perspective of the producers: What are the ideas, what is intended to have an effect on the viewers and where do problems lie? "The data collection process got off to an excellent start in the first year of the project," reports Ludgera Vogt. In 24 qualitative interviews so far, actors from the areas of editing, scriptwriting, directing, production and presentation have talked in detail about their activities. "They provide some breathtaking insights into the engine room of what is still the most successful fictional entertainment format in Germany," continues Vogt.

The interviews showed that the path to a new Tatort series as well as to an individual episode is a complex negotiation process between many participants - a process that harbours imponderables. For example, it can happen that a script that has already been approved is changed during the production process without consulting the author in such a way that the "message" of the film is significantly altered. "Or actors might announce immediately before the start of filming a new series that they don't want to play the developed character concept after all and demand serious changes with the threat of dropping out," says Vogt, providing insights into initial findings.

Bringing together different perspectives

In addition to the production perspective, it is also planned to record the perception of viewers at a later stage. This will be done in group discussions. The results from Wuppertal are already being continuously interwoven with media science analyses of numerous Tatort episodes at the University of Marburg. Using a selection of several hundred episodes, the experts there are analysing how the characters are constructed: for example, how they interpret their professional and private roles, how they are socially contoured - for example in terms of gender, origin, sexual orientation and milieu affiliation - and whether there are any indications in their role of the social context in which they were created.

The overall aim is to present a typology of German Tatort inspectors in academic publications and thus draw a comprehensive picture of their development over the decades. "With such a successful TV format, it's worth taking a closer look - after all, it has been reaching many people for decades: It's important to know what images - including of the state - are conveyed here, and it's exciting to see whether the impact and original considerations on the part of those making the programme match up," concludes Vogt.

The research project is being funded with around 650,000 euros by the German Research Foundation (DFG).