Vienna Blood (TV series)

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Vienna Blood
A distressed cream colored background to the logotype "Vienna Blood"
Title card
GenrePsychological thriller
Based onThe Liebermann novels by Frank Tallis
Written byStephen Thompson
Starring
ComposerRoman Kariolou
Country of originUK, Austria
No. of series2
No. of episodes6
Production
Producers
  • Stephen Thompson
  • Oliver Auspitz
  • Andreas Kamm
Cinematography
  • Andreas Thalhammer
  • Xiaosu Han
Running time90 minutes
Production companies
  • Endor Productions
  • MR Film
Release
Original networkBBC Two
Original release18 November 2019 (2019-11-18) –
present

Vienna Blood is a 2019 British-Austrian psychological thriller television series set in Vienna, Austria in the 1900s. Based on the Liebermann novels by Frank Tallis, the series follows Max Liebermann (Matthew Beard), a doctor and student of Sigmund Freud, as he assists Police Detective Oskar Rheinhardt (Jürgen Maurer). By providing psychological insights into the subjects’ motives, they investigate disturbing murders with success. A continuing sub-theme is the growing anti-Semitism against the Liebermann family.

On 6 July 2020, Endor Productions and MR Film announced that a further series had been jointly commissioned by ORF, ZDF, BBC and PBS.[1]

Cast[]

Main[]

Recurring[]

Episodes[]

Series 1 (2019)[]

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateU.K. viewers
(millions)
1"The Last Seance"Robert DornhelmStephen Thompson18 November 2019 (2019-11-18)1.8[2]
When a medium is found dead in mysterious circumstances, Dr Max Liebermann is called upon by Inspector Oskar Rheinhardt of the Vienna Police to assist in finding her murderer.
2"Queen of the Night"Umut DagStephen Thompson25 November 2019 (2019-11-25)N/A
A grisly series of murders in Vienna's slums leads to a speedy arrest, but Oskar and Max disagree over a suspect.
3"The Lost Child"Umut DagStephen Thompson2 December 2019 (2019-12-02)N/A
Max's nephew suffers a breakdown after the drowning of a fellow cadet at a military academy. However, Max suspects foul play.

Series 2 (2021)[]

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date [3]U.K. viewers
(millions)
1"The Melancholy Countess"Robert DornhelmStephen ThompsonDecember 10, 2021 (2021-12-10)TBD
A widowed countess dies in an apparent suicide but later it is found she was murdered. She had consulted Max. Why was she so unhappy?
2"The Devil's Kiss"Robert DornhelmStephen ThompsonDecember 17, 2021 (2021-12-17)[a]TBD
A young pickpocket discovers a badly mutilated body which leads Oscar on the trail of an anarchist determined to disrupt the signing of a treaty.
3"Darkness Rising"Robert DornhelmStephen ThompsonDecember 24, 2021 (2021-12-24)[b]TBD
Following an altercation at a lecture, a monk is killed. A suspect is arrested, the brother of Clara’s fiance. Max doesn’t think he killed the monk and goes undercover to find out what happened.
  1. ^ "The Devil's Kiss" was released on December 10, 2021, on BBC iPlayer.
  2. ^ "Darkness Rising" was released on December 10, 2021, on BBC iPlayer.

Production[]

The series was filmed on location in Vienna and Lower Austria, beginning in October 2018.[4] Locations included the Vienna State Opera house,[5] as well as Schloss Grafenegg, the Vienna University Archive, the Natural History Museum, the Riesenrad, Palais Pallavicini, the Burggarten park, the Arsenal, Café Sperl, and Café Bräunerhof.[6]

The series was a co-production of Endor Productions and MR Film (Austria).[7]

Broadcast[]

The series of three ninety-minute episodes was broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC Two between 18 November and 2 December 2019.[8] Austrian channel ORF 2 aired the show beginning 20 December 2019.[9][10]

In the United States, PBS showed the series in six forty-five-minute episodes; broadcast began on 19 January 2020.[11][12]

Reception[]

Vienna Blood received a 53% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus reading, 'Though it rarely rises above 'watchable,' fans of period crime series may enjoy passing time with Vienna Blood's charismatic cast anyway.'[13] The Guardian's Emine Saner, giving three out of five stars to the first episode, remarked that the series was similar to Thompson's prior work on Sherlock, particularly in its leads' dynamic and the presentation. However, she did praise the two lead actors.[14] Sean O'Grady of The Independent gave it five out of five stars, praising the direction, recreation of the period and storytelling.[15]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "'Vienna Blood' Gets Season 2 Order". The Hollywood Reporter. 6 July 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  2. ^ "Vienna Blood scores high ratings on BBC Two in the UK". Red Arrow Studios. 19 November 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  3. ^ "Vienna Blood - BBC Two". BBC. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  4. ^ "Endor Productions, MR Film and Red Arrow Studios International announce major new drama Series "Vienna Blood"" (PDF).
  5. ^ "Where was Vienna Blood filmed? Filming locations in Austria for the BBC Two drama series | inews". 27 May 2020.
  6. ^ "Vienna Blood film locations". Visiting Vienna. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  7. ^ "BBC – BBC Two acquires major new crime series Vienna Blood – Media Centre".
  8. ^ "Vienna Blood air date | cast, plot, review, trailer for BBC Two drama - Radio Times".
  9. ^ "Internationaler ORF-Krimievent "Vienna Blood – Die letzte Séance" - tv.ORF.at".
  10. ^ ""Vienna Blood – Die letzte Séance" als deutschsprachige Free-TV-Premiere - tv.ORF.at". tv.ORF.at (in German). Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  11. ^ "PBS gets taste for Vienna Blood | News | C21Media".
  12. ^ "Vienna Blood | PBS". PBS.org. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  13. ^ "Vienna Blood". Rotten Tomatoes.
  14. ^ "Vienna Blood review – so much like Sherlock it seems like a spoof". TheGuardian.com. 18 November 2019.
  15. ^ "Vienna Blood is as rich and textured as the finest apple strudel – review". Independent.co.uk. 19 November 2019.

External links[]

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