Rex Resolution 31: Tod im Museum

This episode is probably one of my favourites. Is it the fascination with stuffed, dead animals or the creepy guy who loiters in the museum, wanting to preserve their peace? Hello? They're dead. Can you get any more peaceful? Or is it the fact that I can use this as a training video for my cats......kind of 'behave or you'll end up like this'? Whatever, this one definitely holds up to repeat viewing.

Most of the action takes place inside the Natural History Museum where a photographer is taking photos for a book. When she moves to smooth the ruffled fur of a bear for a photograph, she stumbles across hidden diamonds and can't resist removing a few for herself. Well, they are a girl's best friend, gell?

There's certain a lot of strange men hanging around and when one catches her touching the bear, he warns her that doing so could be 'dangerous' and makes some vague comment about her 'wanting a long life?' He probably should have noted his loaded comments himself because less than a minute late, he's laying face down in the museum foyer, having overlooked the lift and taken a shorter route over the balcony.

Enter Moser and Boeck. Suicide or murder? Moser is convinced the man was pushed and sets out to prove so by having Boeck repeatedly toss a nicely dressed mannequin from the top floor until they can determine how exactly the man went over the balcony. As usual, Moser is proved correct.

When a second man is found dead in the grounds, a discarded bloody tissue provides Moser with just what he needs for super-nose Rex to sniff out a trail. Leading Moser to the bear, the remaining diamonds are discovered and a trap is set. When a third man turns up to collect them, the boys pounce. Hidden booty from a heist years earlier, the two dead men were accomplices also looking to collect the loot.

And the photographer? Moser kindly lets her hand back the other diamonds scot-free and even stops off for a cup of tea. Lucky girl.

Other players include Eugen Stark, not credited with IMDB for this episode, Michael Rast, above, not credited with IMDB for this episode, and Eva Neubauer, above, not credited with IMDB for this episode.

Recycled Rexers Hanna Clementi, not listed with IMDB for this episode but also appearing as a prostitute in 'Ueber den Daechern von Wien' (1996) and as Gaby Schmoelzer in 'Gafaehrliche Jagd' (1995), Harald Posch, above, not credited with IMDB for this episode, as Horst Bacher in 'Kinder auf der Flucht' (2000) and as Fritz Urban in 'Wofuer Kinder leiden muessen' (2003), Klaus Ofczarek, above, not credited for this episode but also appearing as Hubert Kolar in 'Das Maechen und der Moerder' (2001) and as Klaus Dworschak in 'Wofuer Kinder leiden muessen' (2003), Hannes Fretzer, here as Hubmann but also appearing in 'Stockis letzter Fall' but uncredited for that.

Rex Resolution 28: Stockis letzter Fall

Sob. The end of Rex as we know it (until now). Stockinger's off but the disappointment will be shortlived because, at the start of series 3, Rex gets a new plaything. der Boeck!

So, out with the old and in with the new. A common thing with Inspector Rex.

This episode starts with a good example of how not to complain. A man goes ballistic in the unemployment office but it seems venting is not sufficient and it's off to buy a good old-style cut-throat razor. You'd think his menacing countenance and testing of the knife on the paper wrap would alert the shop assistant to his unstable nature but, hey, then we'd have no story.

He certainly attracts interest when he next uses it to slash the throat of a judge. Moser and Stocki are immediately on the job, looking at all the cases the judge has been involved with. It seems like a hefty amount of work is required but then the perpetrator considerately slashes the throat of a doctor, allowing the team to isolate cases in which both the judge and the doctor were involved. When Dr. Graf also identifies that he must be a left-hander, the team are soon trailing the suspect.

Out for revenge against his ex-wife, who he feels neglected him in favour of their child, he locks up his mother in law in a cupboard (now how many people have always wanted to do that?) and sets out for the kindergarten to attack his wife when she shows to collect the kid.

Of course, the team turns up to save the day, although Stockinger almosts makes a much messier exit, when the cut throat blade narrowly misses him.

Servus Stockinger. We'll miss you.




Other players include Herbert Trattnig as Egon, Hilde Sochor , above, as Johanna Reichel, Isabella Muckenhuber, not listed with IMDB, and Susanne Draxler, above, not credited with IMDB for this episode.

Recycled Rexers Elisabeth Lanz, uncredited with IMDB for this episode but also appearing as Frau Stein in 'Lebendig begraben' (1998), Claudia Martini, uncredited with IMDB for this episode but appearing as Gerti in 'Blutspuren' (1995) and Hannes Fretzer, not credited for this episode with IMDB but also appearing in 'Tod im Museum' as Hubmann (1996).