Vienna Blood is a British-Austrian procedural drama television series set in Vienna, Austria, in the early 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 Reinhardt (Jürgen Maurer). By providing psychological insights into the subjects’ motives, they investigate disturbing murders with success. A continuing sub-theme is the growing antisemitism against the Liebermann family. Max is a member of a liberal British Jewish family in Leopoldstadt, a traditional Jewish district, while Oskar, a lapsed Catholic, is based at that district's police precinct.
The first series began broadcasting on BBC Two on 18 November 2019. On 6 July 2020, it was recommissioned for a second series, which premiered in 2021. The programme was renewed for a third series, which began broadcasting on BBC Two on 14 December 2022, and a fourth and final series, which began airing on 4 August 2024.
Contents
Cast
Main
Matthew Beard as Max Liebermann
Juergen Maurer as Oskar Reinhardt
de:Luise von Finckh as Clara Weiss
Jessica De Gouw as Amelia Lydgate (Series 1)
Lucy Griffiths as Amelia Lydgate (Series 2)
Amelia Bullmore as Rachel Liebermann
Conleth Hill as Mendel Liebermann
Recurring
Charlene McKenna as Leah Liebermann
Oliver Stokowski as Professor Gruner (Series 1-2)
Raphael von Bargen as Inspector/Commissioner von Bulow
Simon Hatzl as Police Commissioner August Strasser (Series 1-4)
Josef Ellers as Sergeant Haussmann
Harald Windisch as Professor Matthias (Series 1)
Luis Aue as Daniel Liebermann (Series 1)
Miriam Hie as Lisa Linder (Series 2-4)
Florian Teichtmeister as Jonas Korngold (Series 2)
Guest
Ulrich Noethen as Graf von Triebenbach
Michael Niavarani as Herr Bieber
Ursula Strauss as Juno Holderlein
Johannes Krisch as Major Julius Reisinger
Kathrin Beck as Madame Borek
Leonie Benesch as Helena Rieger
Episodes
Production
The series was a coproduction of Endor Productions and MR Film (Austria).
In August 2024, author Frank Tallis said that while the latest episodes covered the last published book in the series, "when you exhaust the books, if you've let the idea develop and gain its own momentum, in a way it doesn't need the novels or the author anymore… but doesn't in any way stop me from writing proposals or plot ideas!" Austrian interviews with the producers, as the fourth season broadcast in Austria in December 2024, left open whether it was the definitive end of the series or whether there could be a continuation in the future. On June 5, 2024, it was announced that production company Endor Productions would close, due to financial difficulties in the television market, leaving any continuation further in doubt.
Locations
The first series was filmed on location in Vienna and Lower Austria, beginning in October 2018. Locations included the Vienna State Opera house and Volkstheater as well as Landstrasse, Hauptstrasse, Herz Jesu church, Votivkirche, St Charles Borromeo Church, Griechengasse, de:Mölker Steig, de:Schreyvogelgasse, Dreimaderlhaus, Schonlaterngasse, Alte Schmiede, the Vienna University Archive, the Billrothhaus (Vienna 9), the Natural History Museum, Palais Pallavicini, the Burggarten park, the Stadpark, the Arsenal, Otto Wagner Hospital, Villa Mauthner von Markhof, Kirche am Steinhof, the Riesenrad (big wheel), Stephansdom, Sankt-Ulrichs-Platz, Palais Pallavicini, National Library, Zentralfriedhof, de:Friedhof der Namenlosen, Museum of Military History, Cafe Morgenstern, Café Sperl and Café Bräunerhof and features the Beethoven Frieze. In Lower Austria the Schloss Grafenegg appears.
Series 2 was also filmed in Vienna and Lower Austria, featuring such locations as Hotel Imperial, the Stadtpark, Kursalon Hübner, Schönbrunn Palace, the Museum of Military History, Traungasse, Lagergasse, Buchfeldgasse, de:Florianigasse, Schulhof, Kirche am Hof, Franziskanerkirche, Michaelerkirche, de:Palais Collalto, Kartäuse Mauerbach (monastery) and the Franzensburg in Lower Austria.
Filming of Series 3 was split between Budapest (including the Párisi Udvar Hotel and the Vígszínház Theatre, Bedo House, Postal Museum, the National Museum of Hungary and the Hazai Bank) and Vienna (including the Loos House, Belvedere, de:Dr.-Ignaz-Seipel-Platz, Jesuitengasse, Michaelerplatz and the Hofburg).
Broadcast
The first series of three 90-minute episodes was broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC Two between 18 November and 2 December 2019. Austrian channel ORF 2 aired the show beginning 20 December 2019 with dubbing.
In the United States, PBS showed the series in six 45-minute episodes; broadcast began on 19 January 2020.
Reception
The first series of Vienna Blood received a 53% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the ‘Critics Consensus’ reading, 'Though it rarely rises above 'watchable', fans of period crime series may enjoy passing time with Vienna Blood's charismatic cast anyway.' Meanwhile, the program's average popcornmeter is 88%. 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. Sean O'Grady of The Independent gave it five out of five stars, praising the direction, recreation of the period and storytelling.
