Making Eyes at Dulcinea

S4E6 - Making Eyes at Dulcinea

We open to a prison camp and I’m assuming it’s Gereon once again, but no. The title card “Frauengefangnis Oranienburg Aussenlager” leads google to an X rated movie “Barbed Wire Dolls” but that’s probably not it. Women shoveling dirt into wheelbarrows opens the scene as a familiar face pushes hers to a truck. A fellow inmate makes an awkward distraction as the familiar one dashes under the tarp of a dump truck when the guards aren’t watching. Slick. IMBD fails me again on who she is, but my best guess is Dr Volcker who is listed as appearing last season. Doc dismounts awkwardly from the truck receiving poor scores from the judges “3, 2, 2, 3” But then she scurries to a very cool motorbike waiting with a sidecar. They arrive at a safe house in the woods. The driver removes his helmet to reveal himself as Oscar Kulanin. That was fast. It seems it was not long ago when Kulanin promised Abe Gold he was going to get someone out of prison and now that’s done. 

Doc Volcker berates Oscar’s driving as “barbarian” which he cops to. Inside the house Volcker changes clothes unabashedly and the camera scans to a black & white photo of General Seegers and MaLu holding up pheasants or turkeys or the like, anyway - feathers. It’s not the best photoshop work I’ve seen but it suffices. But what we take from the photo is that they are in General Seeger's hunting cabin and this is MaLu’s contribution to the Doc's rescue. Doc asks Oscar for a hunting rifle and we’re both thinking she has scores to settle. Oscar replies with a look that says “barbarian, indeed. . . “ And credits . . . 

“Iris opens . . . ” to a crowded bar/public house where dozens seem to be crashing overnight elbow to elbow in cheap shelter out of the elements. Pasha from the Street Urchin Gang looks coldly at Peter who's throwing back a shot of schnapps to go. Now outside, Peter lets loose a steaming stream of pee as two thugs bash him from behind and empty his pockets. They’re disappointed until they get to the negatives, and still disappointed as they toss the negative down next to unconscious Peter.

Moritz and Gereon look sad and I’ve totally fubar'ed last episode's close. I thought Moritz was sobbing because Benni was dead. Nope, it's unlikely they even know each other. So I finally figured that Moritz was sobbing to Gereon because he knew he was in deep merde with the police and not because he got hit on by a guy he knew. Gereon hands Lotte the keys to his flat which surprises both of us considering how they agreed to keep Gereon’s cover. They agree to meet there later to debrief, then Moritz and Gereon leave.

Gereon surrenders Mortiz to Buddha and Bohm. Moritz claims self-defense & that Arndt was lying to pin the murder on Toni. Gereon wants to follow up with Arndt, but Buddha over-rules then directs Bohm to chase him down instead. Czerwinski politely hauls Moritz away so it’s good to have friends at cop HQ. Ever the gracious host, Buddha offers his detectives some luscious looking 5” thick berry pie as we're reminded of his pastry sweet tooth. Bohm won’t turn down those carbs as that’s likely lunch and dinner. The three spitball on what Naumann was up to and Gereon mentions a lot of street urchins were dying in Section 14’s district.

I can’t help but note how Buddha raises his wrist to shield his desk from pie crumbs while forking food into his mouth as I’ve done the exact same gesture and I now pride myself in having at least one thing in common with him. Buddha doesn’t care if the victims were “trash” as Bohm terms them and Gereon now name drops our cop cabal Naumann, Lanke, Hagedorn and Kuschke and wants their arrest. Buddha counters that even he would have to run that by the Chief of Police. Gereon explains about Rudi’s autopsy report carbons as well as his no-show while Bohm licks his plate clean and they all leave.

Henning and Czerwinski pop into Station 14 and speak to Lanke so I can finally label his headshot, thanks guys. It seems there are some contradictions in Lanke’s report about the Department Store Gang. Next, Kuschke is seen hauled into cop HQ scowling and I guess Buddha got his approval tout suite. Gereon scans Hagedorn, Lanke and Kuschke all lying their asses off to Henning, Czerwinski and Bohm, sighs, and it feels like just like another day at the office so he leaves. 

Doc Schultz is helping himself to a huge dose of “Odol” which I’m guessing is the 2022 equivalent to Maalox? - Eh, he gargles it so maybe I’m projecting since it’s likely Listerine. Gereon doesn’t care what it is either as he enters and asks for Mr Malzig. Schultz takes his sweet time to expectorate, perhaps getting his story straight, bottom line Malzig’s not here. Oh before you leave, Schultz adds, please drop this off to Buddha. It's from a street scamp found suspiciously dead this morning. Gereon raises some negatives to view with zero hint of recognition so they're not his airplane pics of the military base. Don’t even think of RIP'ing Peter, that disgusting scumbag. I was looking forward to hating on him a bit longer but I’ll take the win.

Lotte mutters away at the 5 folios discovering a name in common, “Judge - Dr F. Voss”. She leaves to visit Hans Litten and over Schnapps, Hans bemoans the “beginning of the end of the German rule of law.” Lotte explains a suspicious number of urchin death reports certified by one particular judge and Litten correctly guesses “Voss.” Ferdinand Voss is described as a hanging judge with a penchant for brief 150 second deliberations. Litten promises to look into it.

Drone shot earthward shows a foggy barge canal. Abe walks over to the hatch and needles Helga for information on the gem so Helga rats out her favorite mother-in-law. Her screams for release close the scene.

Lotte’s next stop is a court building I don’t recognize. She asks the distracted front desk cop about Judge Voss. He's busy knifing a box of chocolates on his desk. Lotte hilariously speaks something vulgar to get the desk cop's attention. Lotte presses on for the Judges' office as another man steps up asking for "key 13". The cop turns away to retrieve it as Lotte steals a chocolate square then offers one as a flirtatious bribe to Key 13. It works to get him to escort her to Voss’s courtroom. Resourceful girl!

In Voss’s courtroom we actually see two students with stop watches clocking Voss’s 150 second rulings. It’s Willie’s turn to be ground to dust by the cruel wheels of justice while a Social Worker, Rosa Helfers,  rationalizes Willie’s theft. I recognize Voss as Mr Chairman of the White Hand club so this doesn’t look promising for Willie. Helfers pleads passionately for a sympathetic roof over Willie’s head but Voss harshes it’s going to be children’s detention center at “Sonnenborn” instead. 126 seconds might be a record as the two students look impressed. 

Lotte knows Rosa Helfers from the prison where Greta was locked up last season. They chat about the Department Store gang and Lotte wants to see records as Judge Chairman Voss walks past. They’re introduced and Lotte pretends to still be an police investigator and asks to see records which Mr Chairman scoffs at. Lotte name drops “Kriminalrat Gennat” which gets his full attention. “Shall I tell him you refused to cooperate and that you would love to receive a call from him?” I hi-5 the empty air and can’t wait for Buddha to work out that Lotte hasn’t actually quit her job in spite of being fired. 

Her gambit works. Chairman Voss calls over to the Key 13 guy to allow Lotte her 15 minutes worth of record viewing. Key 13 is really impressed with Lotte because Voss usually yells everyone to f- off on all records requests. He hands over 16 inches worth of files and starts the countdown at 15 minutes when Lotte perkily bargains for 25. Spunky Lotte is certainly on a hot streak pushing her luck today! Good to see she’s back in the swing of things.

Gereon walks a hallway to see our Station 14 crime cabal in handcuffs being led away. Henning, Czerwinski, Buddha and Bohm have convo over the completed interview reports that Gereon scans. “Blame it on the dead, old scam.” No-one is buying the crime cabal’s pack of lies but they can’t hold them for more than a few days. The calendar on the wall shows us January 13, 1931. The law is the law, Buddha points out and we cut to . . .

“Beppo Schmitz” Lotte mutters and sees a key in it’s desk box and decides to explore. She prys open a locker door and scans another name “Theodore Kroll” and another penny drops because that's the executed child molester from the White Hand trial. Hmmm. She hears p*ssed off footsteps and bolts to the desk just in time when Voss enters snarling. Lotte departs, then Voss ominously picks up a very heavy lamp base thingie that looks like a big chess piece and exits, possibly looking for Key 13 to thank him for letting Lotte go into overtime, and we cut to . . . 

Ms Helfers with an officer and others ascends stairs and knocks on Renate’s door. Renate is afraid and grabs a knife as the officer pries the door open. Renate tries to flee as Rosa gags on long dead Aunti's aroma since she's ripened a bit. The Social Worker is aghast and takes fake names.

We view the side of Alfred’s excellent mansion as we watch and listen to a fun orchestral video montage of  – AnnMarie playing records, opening a flute case, Alfred playing chess, Abe driving thru a forrest, sheet music, mom playing flute with the record, and Abe creeping silently up the stairs. The string section thrums heartily as Alfred squeezes a full lemon’s worth of juice in his mouth, pours salt on the chessboard then licks it. So tequila was a thing in 1930’s Germany. Mom’s wailing away on that flute while Abe sneaks in unobserved behind her. The musical tone is really fun & cheeky here. Alfred is swilling away as if his hours were numbered. Abe splashes ether on a handkerchief. Mean-mom catches a glimpse of him in the mirror and swings a well timed blow at him with her flute. Abe goes down heavily. Alfred baptizes himself with the last of his tequila. In slo-mo, Abe grabs fleeing mom’s ankle tripping her to the floor. Mom fights vainly but that ether soaked hankie meets her face and she’s out.

Abe’s museum piece motors rapidly thru the forest and the rope ladder descends the barge hold once again. Helga thought things couldn’t possibly get any worse for her, and I have to laugh as AnnMarie has now joined her. Yikes. Neither are particularly happy to see each other.

Alfred sprawls on his bed, sleeping it off alone.

A figure walks to the safe-house at night and pounds the door. Oscar opens it gun in hand just in case and lets in his gf. Oscar introduces “Comrade Volker” (thanks!) to MaLu who is now taking her security shift from Oscar. They sit and chat and Doc Volker asks about Wendt.  MaLu confesses the two have been undercover (heh) for a year. They plot to kill Wendt directing Malu to lure him to the safe-house.

Speaking of Wendt, Buddha comes across him at HQ and waves some folders at him. He’s thinking of handing off this particular case to the Political Police because frankly, he's got a lot on his plate right now with dead urchins.  Important photo negatives were found near a dead body. I continue to flounder here because Gereon would have recognized the negatives of the military base he risked his life to get. So these negatives were different ones. Maybe before the 5 days are up, those negatives will somehow pass thru the Moka Efti before being presented to the appeals court to get Katelbach out in time for his spring wedding. Anything's possible.

Buddha points out to Wendt that the files are from the Command Staff of the Ministry of Armaments. Buddha speculates disingenuously that because Peter had the negatives on him that he might be a spy. Buddha happily dumps the folder & negatives in Wendt’s lap then saunters off.

Back at Chez Al, one solitary window is lit brightly. Someone knocks at a door asking for “Mrs. Nyssen.” Wegener slithers into her room at this odd hour as I gaze longingly at the beautiful glass light fixture on the bed stand. It was chloroform, not ether, we view the spilled bottle on the floor. The broken flute gives Wegener another data point, so he rushes the 200 yards to Al’s living room to report mom missing. Wegener suggests that Alfred will be the next kidnapping victim to which Al reacts violently and stalks out.

It’s casting time at the Moka Efti! Sadly, yodeling is still unfairly discriminated against as a popular art form, so that poor guy is definitely out, thanks. Esther is spinning PR at reporters there of how avant guarde the Moka Efti has always been.  She announces a new “Cabaret of the Nameless” night which is an obvious precursor to “Dancing with the Stars.” A girl holding up a tall squid costume has definitely piqued my interest. Esther explains the need to keep costs down so amateur performers means cheaper admission, but full houses means booze sales will save the day.

Fuch is loitering outside the Moka, checking his watch when Deigo opens the car door for Walter. After Walter wanders off, Fuch signals to a car parked across the street and out comes our favorite non-binary mobster Else carrying a box to drop off in Walter’s car. I’m guessing it has wires and maybe a clock inside.

Esther is still PR-ing “The Cabaret of the Nameless” while Walter and I get a really good look at Squid-girl. I like what I’m seeing but Walter is distracted by the Joker Twins following her. Esther shares details worked out, free first drink and comping hairdressers and taxi drivers for the first week and she wraps up by posing for photos. Deigo (1) hustles the reporters out while Walter approaches Esther. He wants to bury the hatchet so he lights her cigarette as a prelude. He’s proposing date night but she'll want the henchmen gone and Walter conceeds. Walter is namedropping expensive restaurants which definitely softens Esther’s heart as she relents, smiling. 

So, let’s check the wiring in Else's box just in case everyone didn’t get the hint earlier. Yep, the old string-to-the-door-handle technique oughta do it for sure as Else skulks away. Deigo signals to Fuch that the boss is on his way. Deigo has read Don Quixote and tells Fuch that “Don Cabron is making eyes at his Dulcinea.” Heh. Else and friend ride the running boards on their getaway car but sans tommy-guns and trench coats so I’m a little disappointed. Esther and Walter smile in anticipation of a great evening and orchestral music pumps up dramatically. Walter threatens to drive but Deigo will have none of that as he approaches the car. Fuch emits a queasy look as Deigo reaches for the door handle. Hopefully a cheap fake substitute car prop got blown to pieces in a fiery explosion along with poor Deigo. RIP Deigo! I get it, your crime stuff was just so you could send money back home to support your extended family. Kudos for that Don Quixote reference, btw. 

Lotte walks into Gereon’s flat at the appointed time, wanders idly, exploring. A hot bath is really calling to her and she can’t resist any longer – it’s been a while since she’s had the luxury. 

We see Gereon cheering up Moritz in his cell that things aren’t looking so bad for him. He offers advice that Don Draper echos decades later, that it will surprise him how soon he'll get over this, but Moritz is depressed as only a teenager can be. Oddly, Moritz is soft hearted enough to ask if Kunschke had kids and then has Gereon promise to find Toni. Gereon kindly drops his cigarettes on Moritz’s table and exits. 

Gereon parks his car at the curb of his flat and we note Lotte has finished her bath. They greet each other and smile. Lotte confesses to stealing a beer and asks how Moritz is doing. “It’s hard on him.” She quickly counters “He saved my sister’s life!” grabbing Gereon's hand for emphasis. We zoom in to see Gereon pressing to keep her hand in his. 

He asks of her day's progress but barely listens as their longing eyes magnet their faces closer “. . .  Litten knew about Judge Voss . . ."  Only inches apart now, this is pretty hot! One last pause erases all doubt between them. They abandon all debriefing pretense while my heart skips a beat as they kiss. Being a gentleman, now would be a good time to give them some privacy so “Iris close . . .” Credits!

Well, that was certainly a satisfying episode and not just because of that frisky stuff at the end! Thankfully, we seem to be making progress on several fronts. Lotte is connecting the dots on Judge Voss. Thank god, Willie isn’t anywhere near Station 14 anymore and the crime cabal are locked up for now. I dance the famous Merengue on Peter’s grave, happy I won’t have to view his scummy teeth again. Abe Gold has observed, thankfully, that kidnapping is less frowned on in the Torah than murder. Walter and Esther escape a really close call thanks to Deigo and I’ll certainly miss his literary references. It's Thanksgiving as I write this, (hence the  obnoxious overuse of the word) so I’m particularly thankful I didn’t have to blunder thru any more of Katelbach's trial although how those negatives are going to make their torturous way to appeals court in time worries me. Thanks also to zero Dr Anno Schmidt scenes to baffle me. Going forward, I can’t wait to check out Squid-girl during Amateur Night at the Moka Efit! Then there's Oskar’s story where he, the Doc and MaLu plan vengeance. So as per usual, copious proofreads and corrections as I grind my teeth swapping out “Deigo” for “Fuch” for 2 recaps. Just a token number of new headshots this time. And if you’re still reading this far, thanks!

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Footnotes!

1) Uh oh, Walter just now called Mustache-guy “Deigo” and I see several episodes of edits to make. <sigh> Smacking my forehead, "Mustache" looks a heck of a lot more like a “Deigo” than "Fuch" ever did as I now curse the Boxing scene subtitles.