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New Six-Part Crime Drama VIENNA BLOOD Premieres Sunday, January 19

Posted on: Saturday, January 11, 2020

New Six-Part Crime Drama VIENNA BLOOD Premieres Sundays, January 19-February 23, 2020 on PBS

Police Detective and Student of Sigmund Freud Form an Unlikely Duo To Solve a Series of Murders in Turn of the 20th Century Vienna

A thrilling new murder mystery series set in the first decade of the 1900s in Vienna from acclaimed screenwriter Steve Thompson (Sherlock, Deep State, Jericho) and based on the best-selling novels by Frank Tallis, VIENNA BLOOD premieres on six consecutive Sundays, January 19-February 23, 2020, 10:00-11:00 p.m. on WOUB, pbs.org and the PBS App.

Two detectives inspect a murder scene — Oskar and Haussmann inspect a murder scene [Actors –left to rightAlma HasunJuergen Maurer, Erni Mangold, Josef Ellers]

1900s Vienna: a hotbed of philosophy, science and art, where cultures and ideas are espoused in the city’s grand cafes and opera houses. Yet beneath the genteel glamour, nationalism and anti-Semitism are on the rise. Max Liebermann is a brilliant young English-born Jewish student of the controversial psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud. Eager to study actual criminal activity, he is paired with the skeptical Detective Inspector Oskar Rheinhardt, who is struggling to solve a series of particularly gruesome murders. Between Max’s extraordinary understanding of human behavior and deviance, and Oscar’s practical experience, the two become an unlikely detective duo, called on to solve Vienna’s most baffling cases.

“At PBS, we love bringing dramas, rich in texture and intrigue, to our audiences, and we’re delighted to add this series to our lineup,” said Maria Bruno Ruiz, Vice President of Program Scheduling at PBS. “VIENNA BLOOD is a compelling whodunit that captivated us from the start. Our viewers will find themselves transported to turn-of-the-century Vienna, working to uncover the mystery alongside Max Liebermann and Oskar Rheinhardt, at a time when conventional thinking is being challenged and new discoveries are being made. We think VIENNA BLOOD will become a new audience favorite.”

man and woman looking stunned visiting a hospital — Clara and Max are stunned at the hospital. [Actors–left to right Luise von Finckh, Matthew Beard]

Filmed on location, VIENNA BLOOD stars Matthew Beard as Max; Beard is best known for his performances in The Imitation Game, And When Did you Last See Your Father?, and for his Tony-nominated Broadway performance in Skylight. The series also stars Austrian actor Juergen Maurer as Detective Inspector Oskar Rheinhardt. Episodes are directed by Academy Award® and Emmy® nominee Robert Dornhelm (Anne Frank: The Whole Story) and Umut Dağ (Cracks in Concrete). VIENNA BLOOD is produced by Endor Productions and MR Film in co-production with Red Arrow Studios International, ZDF Germany and ORF (Austria), with the assistance of Fernsehfonds Austria, Film Fonds Vienna and Kultur Niederöesterreich.

VIENNA BLOOD will stream concurrent with broadcast and be available on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS Video App, available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Chromecast. WOUB station members will be available to view all episodes via Passport. Click here to join WOUB Passport and have access to streaming content today!

EPISODE DESCRIPTIONS

VIENNA BLOOD: THE LAST SEANCE (Part 1) – Sunday, January 19

Inspector Oskar Rheinhardt teams up with Dr. Max Liebermann, a student of Freud, to investigate the murder of a beautiful young medium. The mysterious circumstances of the case suggest a supernatural power is at work.

man jumping off stone fence — Oskar chases a suspect and just manages to hold onto his hat. [Actor –Juergen Maurer]

VIENNA BLOOD: THE LAST SEANCE (Part 2) – Sunday, January 26

Max employs his psychoanalytic training to probe murder suspects’ minds. Eventually, a thread emerges that takes Max and Oskar throughout Vienna. Solving the supernatural conundrum will threaten Oskar’s career and, ultimately, Max’s life.

VIENNA BLOOD: THE QUEEN OF THE NIGHT (Part 1) – Sunday, February 2

Oskar asks Max to help investigate a grotesque series of murders in Vienna’s slums, where the victims seem chosen at random. The killer’s gruesome calling cards are vicious mutilation with a military blade and a penchant for arcane symbols.

VIENNA BLOOD: THE QUEEN OF THE NIGHT (Part 2) – Sunday, February 9

Their latest investigation draws Max and Oskar into the sphere of nationalistic groups who despise Vienna’s immigrants. Max’s fiancée is provoked into taking daring risks before the murderer’s shocking rationale is finally revealed.

VIENNA BLOOD: THE LOST CHILD (Part 1) – Sunday, February 16

When his nephew, a student at a military school, suffers a breakdown after a fellow cadet’s death, Max calls on Oskar for help. The school prepares a new generation of military officers, but its barbaric traditions are hidden from the outside world.

VIENNA BLOOD: THE LOST CHILD (Part 2) – Sunday, February 23

Suspicion at the military school falls on an elite group of cadets with a penchant for sadism and dangerous games. Solving the case will have a devastating impact on both Oskar and Max’s professional lives.