Kiel Tatort crime series cast transition and debut reception

The Kiel-based German crime series ‘Tatort’ is transitioning to a new era following the departure of Inspector Klaus Borowski, played by Axel Milberg, after 22 years. The lead role has transitioned to Inspector Mila Sahin, portrayed by Almila Bagriacik, who is joined by police psychologist Elli Krieger, played by Karoline Schuch.

The relaunch began with a two-part special titled ‘Tatort: Unter Freunden’ and ‘Tatort: Unter Feinden’, directed by Lars Kraume, scheduled to air on October 11 and October 18. These episodes involve investigations into corruption and white-collar crime linked to a tech startup. Following the broadcast of the first installment, the new team received mixed audience reactions. While the debut drew over seven million viewers, surpassing the ‘Tagesschau’ news program, viewer feedback has been polarized. On t-online, approximately 33 percent of surveyed readers gave the episode a grade of 6, with half providing grades of 5 or 6, while 32 percent gave high marks of 1 or 2. Some critics cited a slow pace and an “overly complex plot,” describing the story as tedious.

Additional productions are currently underway, including two cases directed by Hans-Christian Schmid. Upcoming episodes include ‘Tatort: Göteborg’, involving a customs officer, and ‘Tatort: Rettungsschuss’, which investigates the death of a patrol officer. These new productions are expected to broadcast around 2028.