Rex Resolution 30: Stadt in Angst

Episode 30. I have to admit I'm feeling a little Rexed-out because, of course, I also watched Italian Rex last night.

Remember that old Pepsi ad? The one that went 'Lip smacking, thirst quenching, ace tasting, motivating, good buzzing, cool talking,high walking, fast living, ever giving, cool fizzing, Pepsi! And the paraody of that which went something like 's**t tasting, gut rotting, heart stopping.....'? Well, the latter would probably apply to the soft drink featured in this episode.

When a young woman suddenly dies from cyanide poisoning after drinking a soft drink whilst skating, all eyes are on her brother who gave her the drink and was seen arguing with her shortly before her death. When it turns out that the pair are due to share a massive inheritance, with each one's share due to go to the other should they die prematurely, and the brother has enormous debts, suddenly motive and opportunity are clear. The team start putting the pressure on. Luckily, for the brother, he is able to find a witness who can confirm the canned drink was unopened when the sister took it.

Moser is immediately switched on to the idea that someone may be tampering with the cans and blackmailing the soft drink company, a fact the company initially deny. However, when a man is later hit by a tram, on investigation by Dr. Graf, it becomes apparent he is the second victim of cyanide poisoning. The firm finally has to admit it's under threat and work with the police to trap the blackmailer.

An attempt to nail the perpetrator when he tries to pick up the money fails when Boeck leaps out to grab him prematurely but Rex, true to form, is soon on his trail and the team manage to save a child from drinking a poisoned soft drink in the nick of time. With no suspect in mind, Boeck notes an elderly man in the crowd and, following a hunch, makes up for his earlier error by securing his first homicide arrest. Gut gemacht, Boeck!






Other players include Rudolf Wessely , above, as Theo Kern, Paul Matic, above, not listed with IMDB for this episode, Kathrin Pilz , above, as Karin Lobner, Rainer Friedrichsen as Fritz Weiss, Gabriela Schmoll , above, not listed for this episode with IMDB, and Ernst Josef Lauscher in his recurring role as forensic expert.



A single Recycled Rexer Christoph Faelbl, above, not credited with IMDB for this episode but later appearing in 'Der schoene Tod' (2001) as Ober Franz and 'Die Leiche lebte noch' (2004).

Rex Resolution 21: Gefaehrliche Jagd

The Vienna Water Tower above features in this episode. For fun, check out the webcam mounted on the tower here (except not at this exact moment - all is pitch black being the middle of the night).

So, to business...

Life on a council estate. Alcoholic mother. Pet budgie. Who wouldn't want to escape, right? Two men decide to hold up a money truck but it all goes horribly wrong when shots are exchanged, leaving one security guard and one robber dead.

Moser and team are soon hot on the trail, identifying the dead robber from his finger prints, and turn up at the estate, where the surviving robber, Fuchs, has hidden the haul with his scantily clad girlfriend (have to get nudity into the episode somehow) before going to tell his accomplice's mother, aforesaid alcoholic, that her son is dead. The son might have been a 'braver Pup' but it doesn't seem to sink in that he's now a deceased 'Pup'. Moser and Stockinger aren't going to get anything out of her and it all looks a little hopeless until Rex discovers a secret passageway that allows movement between different parts of the estate.

Moser chases down Fuchs, confronting him in the communal showers (enabling further gratuitous nude shots). Fuchs grabs a hostage (thankfully clothed), allowing him to escape. A carjack later, he winds up at the Vienna Water Tower, hoping to meet his girlfriend. Unfortunately, her attempt to leave the estate with the suitcase disguised as one very ugly baby gets foiled by Hoellerer and Fuchs is stood up.

Spotted by patrolling cops, his location is blown and a big shoot out is on the cards. This is the second time Moser takes a bullet but, of course, we all know it won't be the last.....

Other players include Dominik Castell as Fuchs.

A fair bit of a Reycling bonanza in this episode!

Recycled Rexers Ernie (e in credits) Mangold, above, uncredited in IMDB for this episode but also appearing in 1998 as Frau Schuster in Moser's Tod, Gregor Seberg, above, uncredited in this episode but seen in Drei Sekunden bis zum Tod (1996) as Gredl and Attentat auf Rex (2003) as Rudolf Hartmann. Markus Siebert, uncredited here in IMDB but credited for Baby Rex - Der kleine Kommissar (so, a kind of baby Recycled Rexer)and Hemma Clementi, here as Gabi Schmoelzer and in 1996 as Christa Augustin, the photographer, in Tod im Museum.

Here again, but not strictly Recyclers, are Ernst Josef Lauscher, repeating his role as forensic expert from Toedliche Teddys and repeat offender Daniela Gaets.

Rex Resolution 6:Toedliche Teddys

This episode is enough to give any Paddington Bear or Winnie the Pooh lover nightmares. Exploding teddy bears.

Interesting how the word 'teddy bears' in the context of Rex immediately draws my mind to another episode Telefonterror from 2000 where toy seller Kurt Baudisch flogs his 'schoene alte Teddybears'. Quite creepy. Anyway, back to this plot.

Moser is inexplicably in bed with a broken leg. Anyone have any idea why this is? In true Inspector Rex style, no explanation is given. Did Moser trip over a pile of Wurstsemmel perhaps? Frustrating as it is, it does give Moser fans ample chest viewing opportunity. After that, who cares about exploding teddies?

Moser doesn't seem to care that much either once he meets the attractive owner of the teddy bear factory. Of course, it's pretty handy that they happen to meet at his bedside and are soon chucking down the tequilla. Can't say Moser's a slow mover. In true Rex fashion, all comes good, when seemingly about to get sucked in and Rex growls one time too many, Moser finally catches on....

Other players in this episode include Tony Slama as Paul Steger and Pepi Griesser (seen above) as Gerhard Boeck.

More Recycled Rexers in Nina Franoszek, temptress Diana Neuwirth in this episode and teacher Claudia Martin in Toed eines Schuelers (1998), Elizabeth Osterberger, here as Gerda Schuetz and later in Das Maedchen und der Moerder (2001) as Birgit Taschner and Ernst Josef Lauscher, here as crime scene tech. and also in the same role in Ein feines Haus - a sneaky late addition as he wasn't mentioned in the credits for the latter episode.