ZDF cancels Friday crime series "Ein Fall für zwei" after 46 years

Since 2014, Wanja Mues and Antoine Monot have taken over the lead roles. Mues plays private detective Leo Oswald, while Monot plays lawyer Benni Hornberg. From May 2014 to today, there have been 46 episodes featuring this team.

The penultimate, twelfth season of the current team launches in September. The 13th and final season, consisting of four episodes, will air next year. A 90-minute feature film is then planned to bring the story to a worthy conclusion.

The Current Team and the Conclusion

Lead actor Wanja Mues commented on the end: "Ein großes Kapitel deutscher Fernsehgeschichte findet sein Ende. Das tut mir leid für die vielen Millionen treuer Fans, die uns am Freitagabend regelmäßig begleitet haben."

Antoine Monot also shared his thoughts. He announced that the "ganz persönliche ‚Fall für Mues und Monot'" is not yet over. Both will appear together on stage with the live radio play "Pater Brown" and will film the concluding movie in 2027.

ZDF emphasized that "Ein Fall für zwei" had significantly shaped the Friday crime slot for more than four decades and had accompanied generations of viewers. The Friday crime format will continue with a stronger focus on a few select programs.

Reactions and the Future of the Friday Crime Slot

The new series is intended to expand the Friday crime slot and ZDF's previously predominantly urban crime offerings with a landscape-driven facet. Despite sharing the same title, ZDF spoke of a "vollkommen neue Serie" (completely new series).

The Friday crime slot once included series such as "Der Kommissar" and "Derrick," as well as "Siska" and "Der Staatsanwalt." Other current formats include the Munich-set series "Der Alte" and the crime series "Die Chefin."

The series "Mordufer," set in the tri-border area around Lake Constance and starring Franziska Weisz and Maria Wördemann, has also been part of the lineup since early 2026. It depicts investigative work by criminal police and customs.

ZDF's decision marks the end of one of the longest-running crime series on German free-to-air television. The series enjoyed a loyal viewership over the decades.

Significance for German Television

For fans, the final season and the concluding film remain to be anticipated. ZDF promises a worthy conclusion to the story of the two investigators.

The production of the concluding film is scheduled for 2027. It will then be broadcast on ZDF as a 90-minute feature film.

With the end of "Ein Fall für zwei," the Friday crime slot loses one of its flagship series. However, the channel plans to continue the format with new content.

Outlook and New Projects

The series was a fixture of the German television landscape for decades. Its end is perceived by many viewers as the end of an era.

ZDF thanked everyone involved and all viewers for their many years of loyalty. The decision was not an easy one, but was made after careful consideration.

The future of the Friday crime slot on ZDF is now to be shaped with new formats and stories. The channel is focusing on a more concentrated approach.

New opportunities are opening up for the actors. Wanja Mues and Antoine Monot have already announced further joint projects.

The end of the series marks a turning point in the history of German television. "Ein Fall für zwei" was synonymous with exciting Friday evening entertainment for decades.