Inspector Rex

Inspector Rex
Created by	Peter Hajek Peter Moser
Starring	see Characters
Country of origin	Austria
Original language	German
No. of episodes	118
Production
Producer	Peter Hajek
Original release
Network	ORF, Sat. 1
Release	November 10, 1994 – October 19, 2004

Kommissar Rex (English Inspector Rex) is a popular Austrian-made police television drama, aired from 1994 to 2004 even though new series are being released.

The series is set in Vienna and focuses on the three-man staff of an office of the Kriminalpolizei - the Austrian Crime Squad - specifically a Mordkommission, or Homicide Commission. In addition to the three policemen, the office is staffed by a German Shepherd called Rex who functions variously as a cadaver dog, a sniffer dog (for both contraband and narcotics) and as another pair of eyes and ears for his team.

The original team at the office consisted of Richard Moser, Ernst Stockinger and Peter Höllerer. This team was also assisted by forensic expert Dr Leo Graf and retired policemen Max Koch. Later arrivals included Christian Böck replacing Stockinger, Alexander Brandtner replacing Moser and former statistics officer Fritz Kunz replacing Höllerer. An even later incarnation of the series featured a male-female duo of the clumsy Marc Hoffmann and Nikki Herzog working alongside Kunz. Dr. Graf is the only character not to have departed the show.

The show is scripted entirely in German, most characters speak with Austrian dialects and is shot on location in Vienna and its surroundings, though the usage of areas in production is often geographically incorrect. Subtitles are used for some international markets, while in others the series is dubbed.

Many actors play different characters in different episodes of the series, with one of the more striking examples of this being Gedeon Burkhard playing a villain who thought he was infected with HIV, in an early episode before returning as Brandtner.

Characters

Rex

A trained police dog, Rex (revealed in one episode to be registered as "Reginald von Ravenhorst") is the legitimate star of the show. Establishing shots frequently show him demonstrating a new trick - unlatching doors, pushing trolleys, pointing to drugs or corpses - which then turn out to be useful in the course of the episode.

Rex was stolen by criminals as a pup, but managed to escape and befriend a boy, where he helped to solve his first case with the boy.

Initially, Rex and Moser share an apartment at Marrokanergasse 13, Wien-Landstraße, however the pair go house-hunting quite early in the series. The house they eventually find is owned by a man who does not want dogs there, however Rex is able to alert him to a gas leak and in gratitude he allows Moser and Rex to stay.

Rex is frequently called upon to resolve difficult situations, including helping a young girl in shock, preventing a woman from committing suicide and helping to get Moser's mobile phone when a crime has been committed. One famous episode features Moser using Rex to resolve a hostage situation by telling him to creep up behind the criminal and "frighten him" (following Rex's earlier success at frightening Stockinger by jumping on him from behind).

There is also a considerable element of humour in Rex's activities. He constantly annoys Stockinger by pulling on his coat and stealing his shoes. Later, Höllerer keeps a running score of Böck's success against Rex - not a flattering result for the officer.

Rex reacts particularly well to words like "Frau" (woman) and, later, "Tierarzt" (vet). During a scene in which Stockinger claims that Moser "doesn't understand women at all now", Moser tells Stockinger, "Don't say that word. Every time you say 'woman' he [Rex] runs off with my laundry". Stockinger asks him what Rex does with it, to which Moser replies, "He washes it". Later, after the departure of the vet, Moser is working undercover and needs to ensure Rex won't greet him. He tells Stockinger, "You only need to say 'vet' to him and he'll stop whatever he's doing", a statement which results in a memorable scene involving Stockinger walking after Rex at a crime scene calling out "Vet! Vet!"

Rex has an uncanny penchant for ham rolls, or "Wurstsemmeln" in the local dialect. He is introduced to them by Moser, who tells him, "I practically live on these".

Rex's partners

Richard Moser (Tobias Moretti)

The first "team leader", Richard "Richie" Moser is a hard-bitten cop who, as the first season begins, is going through a bitter divorce from his wife Gina, who takes all their furniture. Moser is also attempting to quit smoking, due to medical problems to do with his circulation. An ex-truck driver, Moser credits Max Koch with keeping him from a life of crime, at one point telling Koch that "I'd be on the wrong side of the law too, just like him", referring to a young pickpocket he has just chased through central Vienna.

Moser befriended Rex after Rex's former police trainer Michael was shot and killed by an escaping suspect and, in order to save the dog from being put down, "adopted" him without ever filling out any of the official paperwork. He famously declares at one point that "My taxes pay for this dog, so why can't I give him a better home?"

Being a bachelor, Moser exchanges glances with many of the attractive women featured in the storylines. However, with the exception of a brief and work-interrupted relationship with his local vet (of which Rex thoroughly disapproves), he forms no permanent romantic attachment.

As Moser's personal life resolves from its original state, his sense of humour returns. This is noticeable in the general lightening in the tone of the show from the initial episodes ("Diagnosis Murder" being a prime example) to ones with more light-hearted banter among the officers.

In the final scene of the movie Inspector Rex: Moser's Death, Moser was unfortunately killed in duty by an escaped 'border-line psychopath' while rescuing his one-time partner (a psychologist) Patricia Neuhold from multiple bullet wounds. The escapee committed suicide just after he had killed Moser and Rex cried over Moser's body at the hospital.

Alexander Brandtner (Gedeon Burkhard)

Alex Brandtner replaces Moser as team leader. Following Moser's death, Rex became depressed and refused to eat, wanting to stay near Moser's house all the time. However, Brandtner succeeds in helping Rex coming out of his depression. Brandtner lost his former dog Arko in a bomb explosion, and did not want to work with dogs again... until he met Rex. The explosion also robbed him of his hearing in his right ear, a fact he confides only to Rex. Brandtner moves into the house that Moser and Rex used to share, apparently because Rex did not want to leave.

Compared to Moser, Brandtner is shown to be more athletic (his living room is filled with boxing gear) and attractive to women, and plays a more active role in field work than his predecessor, going undercover in a prison and as a homeless man, for instance. On one memorable occasion, he dived into the Danube Canal to retrieve a vital piece of evidence, an action that his colleagues don't quickly forget. He also seems to have an uncanny instinct for sensing if a suspect is guilty or innocent, even without evidence.

Marc Hoffmann (Alexander Pschill)

Replacing Brandtner as team leader, Hoffmann is a clumsy but very eager detective. It is during his tenure that any lingering doubts about the centrality of Rex to the team are put to rest, as Hoffmann is often more concerned with his romantic pursuit of Nikki Herzog than solving the case at hand.

Hoffmann studied forensic science under Graf, and the two men share something of a master-student relationship, with Hoffmann often deferring to Graf's judgement (where Brandtner and Moser had previously not always done so).

Kriminalpolizei detectives

Ernst Stockinger (Karl Markovics)

The "straight man" to Rex - and, increasingly, Moser - Ernst Stockinger ("Stocki" for short) is a character who becomes much more likable as his part in the series develops. Stockinger is pencil-thin and always appears to have a very serious demeanour. In later episodes, this is revealed as a cover for his schemes to outsmart Rex, who seems to instinctively want to associate with him. Stockinger is by no means a "dog lover".

Stockinger is married and uses his marriage to jokingly claim expertise over Moser where it comes to the fairer sex. Frequently, when a case hinges on the behaviour of a female witness or suspect, Stockinger gently tells Moser, "Richard, since your divorce, you've lost your touch with women". Stockinger's wife, it seems, is not greatly pleased with her husband's choice of career at times, and Moser often reminds him of this.

Another of Stockinger's idiosyncrasies are his constant references to surgery which was performed on him - most likely for stomach ulcers. He seems to delight in telling stories about this surgery at the most inopportune moments - such as when the others are sitting down to lunch.

Eventually, Stockinger is transferred to Salzburg and leaves the series. Moser, in his farewell address, jokingly tells Stocki that, "You have been a bad cop, a bad man, and not at all a good friend". Stockinger was replaced by Christian Böck, but he later starred in a spin-off TV special Stockinger, featuring him at his new police department.

Peter Höllerer (Wolf Bachofner)

The overweight Peter Höllerer is a constant source of comic relief in the series. Generally found ensconced behind his desk working the phones, his face visibly falls whenever Moser and Stockinger (or, later, Brandtner and Böck) require him to do fieldwork. That said, he is capable of a surprising speed when running and can also demonstrate driving skills the equal of most other officers.

Höllerer tends to take a co-ordinating role where an operation is being planned, rather than actually going undercover or making the bust himself. In these situations, he reveals himself to have a very clear head and to be capable of dealing with the most unusual contingencies which tend to manifest themselves where his partners are concerned.

Höllerer has a soft spot for Rex as the series progresses, after first voicing concern that Moser did not adopt him through the proper channels. This is shown by his keeping score between Böck and Rex in the early episodes featuring the former. Höllerer takes inordinate delight in seeing the man bested by the dog.

Höllerer's departure from the series is brought about by his retirement to care for his ailing mother, a woman about whom he often speaks. He is replaced by Fritz Kunz.

Of all the recurring characters in the series, Höllerer's accent is the thickest. The viewer familiar with standard German will often be at a total loss to understand the Viennese dialect of the officer.

Christian Böck (Heinz Weixelbraun)

Böck is first introduced as a somewhat suspicious-looking character, a member of a borderline-illegal car club who is not even trusted by his club mates. During the course of his investigation into this club, Moser begins to suspect Böck, who turns out to be an undercover policeman making similar investigations.
The two eventually combine to solve the relevant case, and Moser convinces Böck to transfer to his team. Böck's undercover skills largely go unremarked following the transfer, but his personable manner proves an advantage when it comes to interrogations (particularly as against the somewhat dour Moser). By the time of Brandtner's arrival, Böck's youth and athleticism have resulted in his frequent use in chases of criminals on foot.

The dynamic between Böck and Kunz forms an almost constant source of comic relief. Most notable in this is their dialogue when trying to establish the angle from which a witness would have seen a certain event - each man speaks at cross-purposes to the other and both end up totally confused.

Fritz Kunz (Martin Weinek)

Replacing Höllerer after the latter's retirement to care for his mother, Kunz is drawn from the statistics section of the force and is initially very much out of place in the slightly freer atmosphere of Brandtner's office. A running gag in his early appearances deals with his fetishistic placement of desk stationery in precise positions, only to have Rex or one of the other officers move everything around.

Kunz' background in statistics is also often the source of amusement, as he is seemingly able to deliver obscure statistical information about activities of criminals from memory. He tends to be used manning the phones during investigations, rather than on active duty. However, he is also occasionally required to go undercover (once as a kitchen hand, another time as a stable hand and another as an entertainer in a street market), much to his chagrin.

Nikki Herzog (Elke Winkens)

The only female officer in the history of the show, Herzog is paired with Hoffmann (Kunz is almost entirely desk-bound in this incarnation of the series), and sexual tension frequently results. The pair spent the night together, before starting their new jobs, without realising that they were both police officers. They share a house (with Rex) and are often disturbed in the middle of a romantic moment with news of a case.
In contrast to Hoffmann, Herzog tends to be more level-headed and capable of performing physical acts. Her physical appearance also serves the team well in relating to suspects, as she is frequently underestimated.

Other

Dr Leo Graf (Gerhard Zemann)

Dr Leo Graf is the forensic pathologist consulted by the detectives. On occasion, he is found at the crime scene itself, however he is normally to be found in his pathology lab. Gerhard Zemann is the only actor to appear throughout the long-running series as the same character.

Dr Graf is a prickly personality, but underneath this exterior he has a very dry wit - frequently regaling the detectives with the gruesome details of a murder against their will.

He also seems strangely at home in his lab, surrounded by dead bodies. Many of the earlier episodes play off the contrasting reactions of the policemen (especially Moser and Stockinger) and Graf to the death all around them.

At times, however, Dr Graf clearly resents the pressure put on him by the policemen. One memorable telephone exchange involves Moser agreeing on a number of Cuban cigars to pay Dr Graf for working on the weekend. Another time, Graf's car is towed while he is investigating a murder scene. The resulting invective he uses towards the authorities responsible is startling, to say the least.

Where Graf is very amiable towards Moser's team, this relationship progressively changes as Brandtner arrives. Early episodes featuring Brandtner also feature very formal dialogue between policeman and forensic scientist - generally involving the German "Sie" form of address (the polite form). Eventually, this exterior is broken down and the new team are invited to call him Leo - a sign of considerable familiarity in German or Austrian society. Accordingly, Brandtner's greeting of Graf alters to the more familiar "Servus" from the formal "Guten Morgen".

With Hoffmann and Herzog, however, the relationship is more of a teacher-student one. It emerges early that Hoffmann was lectured in forensic techniques by Graf, and it is clear that much of the awe felt by the considerably younger policeman for his august mentor is still present. Graf also assumes a much more advisory role with this team, appearing only once per investigation as opposed to being constantly on call.

Max Koch (Fritz Muliar)

Familiarly known to all as Max, Koch is a retired policeman who saved Moser from a life of crime and became something of a mentor to him. Many early episodes feature Moser asking Koch for advice - often in a café or a pool hall. It is, in fact, advice from Koch which is responsible for solving many of the more baffling cases, as his insights into human psychology - particularly female psychology (something he often claims Moser has had no knowledge of since his divorce) - prove correct.

As the series progresses, Koch's role alters to that of being a useful spy for Moser in certain situations where his team are too well-known. It is Koch's visit to a restaurant which provides the breakthrough in one case, while he stumbles upon the solution to a particularly brutal homicide while sitting in a park with Rex. Koch is increasingly reluctant to do Moser's work, although he is always told that this will be the last time. As Stockinger points out, it always is the last time...until the next request. Moser also tries to appeal to Koch's sense of adventure which, as Max famously explains, is satisfied by eating goulash and not knowing if he will suffer from "Rinderwahnsinn" (Mad Cow Disease).

Following Stockinger's transfer to Salzburg, Koch assists the team in reorganising the office. His snide remarks about Stockinger's files result in Höllerer telling him to read through them all (to which Koch responds that he's doing more work since he retired than he did when he worked). He also spreads out his pipe collection on Stocki's old desk and declares that he will "open a pipe shop" while the team attempt to find a replacement for Stocki.

Syndication

Kommissar Rex has been shown in the following countries:

Country	Title	Translation	Network	Type
Austria	Kommissar Rex	Inspector Rex	ORF	Original German language
Australia		Inspector Rex	SBS network	subtitled
Belgium			VTM RTL-TVI	subtitled dubbed
Brazil	Comissário Rex	Inspector Rex	Multishow Band	subtitled dubbed
Bulgaria	Комисар Рекс (Komisar Rex)		BNT	dubbed
Canada (Quebec)			Séries+	dubbed
Chile	Comisario Rex	Police inspector Rex	Chilevisión	dubbed
Colombia			Canal Caracol CityTV The FilmZone	dubbed
Croatia	Inspektor Rex	Inspector Rex	HRT	subtitled
Cyprus			PIK
Czech Republic	Komisař Rex		Prima network	dubbed
Denmark	Komissær Rex		TV 2 Charlie	subtitled
Estonia	Komissaar Rex		Kanal 2	subtitled
Finland	Poliisikoira Rex		Nelonen	subtitled
France	Rex, chien flic		France 2	dubbed
Germany	Kommissar Rex	Inspector Rex	Sat 1	Original German language
Greece	Υπαστυνόμος Ρεξ	Sergeant Rex	Alpha Alter	dubbed
Hungary	"Rex Felügyelő"	Rex Inspector	TV2	dubbed
Iceland	Lögregluhundurinn Rex		Sjónvarpið	subtitled
Italy	Il commissario Rex		RAI1	dubbed
Iran	Bazras va Rex		farsi	dubbed
Israel	Kommissar Rex	Kommissar Rex	#9	Russian multi-voice voice-over
Latvia	Komisārs Reksis	Inspector Rex	LTV1 LNT	dubbed
Lithuania	Komisaras Reksas	Inspector Rex	BTV LTV	dubbed
Mexico	Comisario Rex	Inspector Rex	The Film Zone	dubbed
The Netherlands	Commissaris Rex		RTL Group Netherlands	subtitled
Norway	Rex		TV2	subtitled
Poland	Komisarz Rex			voice-over
Portugal	Rex, o cão polícia	Rex, police-dog	SIC	subtitled
Romania			Prima TV
Russia	Комиссар Рекс	Inspector Rex	RTR, STS	multi-voice voice-over
Slovakia	Komisár Rex		TV Markiza	dubbed
Slovenia	Komisar Rex		RTV SLO	subtitled
Spain	Rex: Un policía diferente	Rex, a different police officer	Antena 3 Telecinco	dubbed
Sweden
Switzerland			TSR DRS	French dubbed German dubbed
Ukraine	Комісар Рекс	Inspector Rex	Novy Kanal	dubbed
United Kingdom			Five
Uruguay			Monte Carlo TV Canal 4	dubbed
Vietnam			VTV	dubbed

DVD Release

In Australia, Region 4 English-subtitled DVDs of Kommissar Rex are currently available for seasons 1 to 7, with season 8 due out June 6, 2007.

A special DVD is to be released later in 2007 which features the 5 favourite Kommissar Rex episodes as voted by fans. Also included will be a 1 hour documentary of the making of Kommissar Rex.

External links

• Kommissar Rex on the website of Sat.1
• Kommissar Rex at IMDb