Vienna Blood S1 (2019) [BBC Two]

Vienna Blood is a three-part period crime drama that slipped into the BBC Two schedules last autumn while Taking The Short View was treating itself to an impromptu six-month nap. Not having heard of the original series of novels by Frank Tallis I didn’t have particularly high expectations, and the first 15 or 20 minutes led me to the snap conclusion that this was just another Sherlock wannabee – perhaps not surprising as the showrunner and lead writer is Steve Thompson, who worked on that show along with Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss and who also contributed a number of Doctor Who scripts during Moffat’s tenure on that show.

Something kept me watching through that first 90 minute episode, however, and I found myself being slowly won over. So much so that I made a point of watching the next two stories as well, and ultimately my only regret was that I hadn’t given the series my full attention from the start. I ended up buying the original novel, and resolved to give the series a proper second full chance on BBC’s iPlayer at some point in the future. And as luck would have it, the BBC has now handed me the perfect opportunity by selecting Vienna Blood for a rapid rerun to the screen, presumably as a stopgap to bolster its lockdown-hit schedules.

The series principally revolves around the character of Dr Max Liebermann (a stand out performance from Matthew Beard), a brilliant young medical student in 1900s Vienna who is a particular devotee of the controversial work of Sigmund Freud in the fields of psychoanalysis and neurology. While his views are frowned upon by the stuffy and staid hospital establishment, they make him an ideal pioneer in the field of forensic psychology and criminal profiling – and consequently an asset to the work of senior police detective Oskar Reinhardt (played by Jürgen Maurer, a familiar face on Austrian television) who is immersed in some particularly complex and baffling murder cases.

On the face of it, Vienna Blood could hardly be more of a cookie cutter ‘mismatched cop buddies’ format, the sort of thing that has been a tired television trope for decades now. Max’s razor sharp intelligence and undisguised arrogance immediately grates on Oskar, who is a solid but unimaginative sort of policeman who is still reeling from the recent death of his infant daughter and consequent breakdown of his marriage. Meanwhile, with his superhuman powers of observation, Max can give a suspect’s life story from a single glance at a frayed cuff or the way he stands which makes him a clear Sherlock Holmes type figure, admirable perhaps but certainly not very likeable. It means we immediately take to Oskar as his more relatable Watson, and whose surly gruffness gradually shifts into a something more closely resembling a cynical but droll world weariness.

Initially Max is taunting in the way he addresses the detective: when Oskar finally gets the point Max has been making for the last five minutes, Max triumphantly responds with a gloating “Welcome to the case, Inspector!” It’s a wonder Oskar doesn’t punch him in the face there and then. But he recognises the younger man’s talents, and later on – when his own years of experience finally give him the upper hand over Max’s still-unworldly intellect – he’s able to throw the line right back in his face with a retort of “Welcome to the case, Doctor!” It’s the moment when both characters first seem to accept that that they each have mutual worth to the other, and the first inkling that they could be not only sparring partners but possibly even friends.

So far, so unremarkable. But after those first 20 minutes or so the series does start to distinguish itself, not least by the way that Liebermann’s character is slowly unpicked and his flaws made apparent to all – including himself. In sharp contrast to Sherlock’s implacable invincibility, Max’s arrogance is that of an impatient youth desperately wanting to prove his theories. He’s simply too gauche and naive to be able to hide that ambition from those around him. Pushing too hard, too fast leads to escalating problems both at home and in his professional life. His relationship with fiancée Clara (Luise von Finckh) is strained by his fascination with an unusual mental patient at the hospital named Amelia (Jessica De Gouw) and by his insistence on getting involved with Oskar’s dangerous and gruesome cases, while his support of Freud’s theories and repugnance of then in-fashion treatments such as electroconvulsive therapy see him at odds with his hospital superiors. His mother Rachel (Amelia Bullmore) and sister Leah (Charlene McKenna) are also less than happy with Max’s increasingly aberrant behaviour, and just want him to toe the line and be successful, wealthy and married as soon as decently possible.

Another aspect of the series which sets it aside from so many others is its setting of turn-of-the-century Austria. It was a gilded period for the nation which still saw itself as being at the height of its imperial power despite having been long eclipsed by the rise of Britain and Germany. The glittering production splendidly evokes the sense of hollow wealth and unbridled entitlement still felt and exemplified by the aristocracy and upper classes. Directors Robert Dornhelm and Umut Dag ensure that the production shines as brightly on screen as any modern drama about billionaires, avoiding too much of the usual distancing effect of being presented as a period drama.

That’s particularly appropriate here, as everything in Vienna is about appearances: scandal, disgrace and losing face are tantamount to committing social suicide, while broiling under the surface is the rising tide of virulent and violent anti-semitism that Hitler will soon carry with him to neighbouring Germany. It is particularly felt by the Jewish Liebermann family as Max’s father Mendel (played by Game of Thrones star Conleth Hill) struggles to build his business and climb the social ladder by cultivating friendships with the rich and powerful, only for them to sneer and demean him behind his back while happily helping themselves to any money he might be able to make for them in the meantime.

It’s an unusual milieu for a TV series to take as its context, one that I can’t recall seeing in any other drama. The closest tend to focus on Germany in the 1920s and 1930s with the collapse of the post-war Weimar republic and the rise of fascism, while TNT’s The Alienist (from the book of the same name by Caleb Carr) has obvious similarities but is situated in the altogether different New York City and set a decade earlier. Watching the peeling back of all the Viennese society duplicity and artifice becomes genuinely compelling and is one of Vienna Blood’s strongest cards. There are also some strong and unusual well-structured stories which fully deserve their 90 minute running time (and could even do with longer), rather than so many contemporary police procedurals which seem to cycle through an endless series of shapeless suspect interviews simply to fill up the time until they can announce whodunnit and roll the end credits.

The first story “The Last Seance” features the murder of a famous high society medium and is set in the then-fashionable world of fortune tellers and spirits. It also goes on to feature a climax set on the Giant Ferris Wheel in the Prater which will doubtless delight fans of The Third Man (and possibly even The Living Daylights) even if the insertion of Max into the all-action situation is one of the show’s most obvious lurches into over-the-top melodrama. Despite that, it’s a satisfying resolution.

The second story “Queen of the Night” continues the intelligent exploitation of local Viennese colour, featuring a serial killer whose inspiration appears to be Mozart’s greatest opera “The Magic Flute”, while also exposing Max to some of the unintended deadly consequences of his involvement with the investigation. And finally “The Lost Child” sees Max and Oskar investigating the suspicious death of a young bullied cadet at the city’s most respected military academy, with the duo making some powerful enemies as the rich and powerful elite’s underbelly of greed, entitlement and ruthlessness is fully exposed.

The final episode ends on something of a cliffhanger, which is slightly unfortunate as there’s no word yet whether there will be a second series commissioned by the BBC from independent producers Endor Productions and MR Film (Austria). I’m hopeful there will be, and there are still several original novels by Frank Tallis to adapt that would be good to see on the screen. In the meantime, I’m grateful to BBC Two for offering an early opportunity to give the series a proper rewatch from the very start. Why don’t you join in?

Rating: ★ ★ ★ 1/2

Vienna Blood is available to buy on DVD in the UK. All three episodes are being repeated on BBC Two from Wednesday May 13 2020, and are available to view on BBC iPlayer.