History Series / AlarmFurCobra11

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Germany's ''[[GermanPeculiarities Autobahnen]]'' are the safest superhighways in the world (despite not having a mandatory speed limit), but [[RealityIsUnrealistic you'd never know it from watching this show.]]

German-language [[BuddyCopShow Buddy Cop]] PoliceProcedural ActionAdventureSeries about plainclothes detectives working for the ''[[TheSixteenLandsOfDeutschland Nordrhein-Westfalen]] Autobahnpolizei,'' a police agency responsible for patrolling the ''Autobahn'' superhighways in North-Rhine Westphalia.

Think about it. A petrol-exploding, collaterally-damaging, bullet-spurting take on the legendary hardcore profession of... writing traffic tickets[[hottip:* :and this is about as "hardcore" as it gets on German motorways]].

A GuiltyPleasure that combines the dead-serious tone and high production values of the ''{{CSI}}'' franchise with car stunts worthy of MichaelBay or ''TheDukesOfHazzard''. Nearly every episode has at least two or three frenzied chase sequences and at least one multi-car pileup. It's said that the producer had it added to his contract that he could make ''at least'' one pileup and ensuing explosions in ''each'' episode.

During Germany's version of Cash for Clunkers, this show was happy to help you, deliberately paying your for your car so that you could later see it being blown up or crashed spectaculary.

tl;dr version: German ''{{CHIPs}}''. With CarFu.

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This series provides examples of:
* AbridgedSeries: The comedy show ''FreitagNachtNews'', which was produced by the same network, regularly featured an alternate dub parody.
* ActionFilmQuietDramaScene
* ActorAllusion -- in the opening ChaseScene of "Operation Gemini," Semir commandeers a tanker truck to go after the escaping bad guys. (This being ''Cobra 11,'' it later crashes and [[EveryCarIsAPinto explodes]].) The truck is lettered for a fictional company, "''Atalay'' GMBH". Semir is played by actor Erdogan Atalay.
* ADayInTheLimelight -- the show is pretty generous about featuring the supporting cast members
* AirVentPassageway -- "Das Versprechen" (laundry chute)
* BashBrothers -- Semir Gerkhan and each of his many partners
* BenevolentBoss -- Anna Engelhardt
* TheBerlinRepublic -- set in PresentDay North Rhine-Westphalia
* BigBrotherIsYourFriend
* BigDamnHeroes -- Semir Gerkhan
* BoundAndGagged
* BuddyCopShow
* BusFullOfInnocents -- played straight in "Todesfahrt der Linie 834"; subverted in "Tulpen aus Amsterdam", where the folks on the bus were part of the conspiracy
* ChaseScene -- at least OnceAnEpisode, usually two or three times
** BabyCarriage
** BlindAlley
** CardboardBoxes -- the show is particularly fond of cargo falling off of trucks
** CarFu -- a fine example in "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opV5ferHeWs Lauras Entscheidung]]," with Tom using the door of Semir's speeding Bimmer to wallop a bad guy as they blow past him
** ClimbingClimax
** DarkenedBuildingShootout
** EveryCarIsAPinto -- and so is every truck, bus, trolley, railroad car, and building in the Federal Republic of Germany. Who knew Mercedes-Benzes blow up that easily?
** FruitCart -- "Hasen und Igel"
** HeroStoleMyBike -- "Alte Schule"
** HotPursuit -- the only kind they know
** LemmingCops
** MagicBrakes
** OneDimensionalThinking
** LeParkour
** PursuedProtagonist
** RoadBlock
** RoofHopping
** SheetOfGlass -- "Flashback"
** SloMoBigAir -- a particularly good example [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmVibchpYlQ here]].
** ToyotaTripwire
** TryAndFollow
** UnderTheTruck -- often done with a car
* CoolCar -- Semir's 3-series BMW, Horst & Diether's Porsche 911 patrol car
** CoolTank -- the stolen Leopard 2 main battle tank in "Ein Leopard läuft Amok"
* CorruptCorporateExecutive -- "Außer Kontrolle," "Flashback," and many others
* CuffsOffRubWrists
* DeadStarWalking -- Ingo Fischer
* DemotedToExtra -- Andrea after she married Semir, she reappers only occasionally as a guest star.
* DramaticShattering -- "Black Out"
* DomesticAbuse -- "Zivilcourage," "Hasen und Igel;" Laura in "Lauras Entscheidung" arranged her disappearance to escape this
* DoubleMeaningTitle -- "Alte Schule" ("Old School"). Semir investigates the murder of one of the teachers from his old high school; because his usual partner (Chris Ritter) is in the hospital, he's paired up with an older officer (Diether Bonrath) who does things the "old school" way.
* EmpathyDollShot -- "Außer Kontrolle"
* EverybodyOwnsAFord -- Averted, different makes are used. And to take it literally, the main characters' cars are ''not'' Fords even though they work for the cops in ''the city where Ford of Germany is based''.
* FairCop -- Andrea Schäfer, Petra Schubert, Susanne König, Susanna von Landitz from "Team 2"
* FlashedBadgeHijack -- nearly every week
* GoAmongMadPeople -- Frau Schneider in "Das Versprechen"
* HandyCuffs
* HeroicBystander
* HeyCatch
* HoistByHisOwnPetard -- often happens to the villain in the climactic action sequence
* IHaveYourWife -- "Heldentage", "Kleine Schwester",...pretty much about half the episodes
* ImpressivePyrotechnics -- from all the StuffBlowingUp, with a particular fondness for exploding tank trucks
* IndyEscape
* InnocentBystander
* InstantDeathBullet
* ItsPersonal -- Semir, when pursuing Tom Kranich's killer in "Auf Leben und Tod", and when trying to bring Chris Ritter's to justice in "Auf eigene Faust"
** Also, Tom Kranich in "Doppelter Alptraum"; Horst in "Alte Freunde"
* JurisdictionFriction -- "Kleine Schwester", "Unter Feinden", "Kurzes Glück"
* KilledOffForReal -- Andre Fux, Tom Kranich, Chris Ritter. (Being Semir's partner is a dangerous job!) Also Ingo Fischer, Semir's predecessor, and ''two'' of Tom Kranich's girlfriends.
* TheKillerBecomesTheKilled -- the jewel thief in "Am Abgrund", for instance
* TheLabRat -- Hartmut
* LampshadeHanging -- In nearly every episode, at least one ''Dienstwagen'' (official vehicle)--usually Semir's 3-series BMW or his partner's E-Class Mercedes--is demolished. (See [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgYE4DGzkss this fan-edited video]], which is nothing but three and a half minutes of Semir wrecking one BMW after another.) In later seasons, the show has begun lampshading this.
** In the episode "Im Aus," the new ''Chefin'' (precinct captain), on her first meeting with Semir, berates him for wrecking so many ''Dienstwagen''.
** In an AffectionateParody of CSI and other criminal shows, made by the same program, Semir and his partner are seen at a fast food stand with Semir announcing "Hey, this is the first time we didn´t wreck our car!". Cue the movies ChaseScene to happen right there and subsequently, crashing into their car.
* LandMineGoesClick -- "Unter Feuer"
* LawOfConservationOfDetail -- if there's a car pulling a trailer and a tanker truck with hazmat placards in an EstablishingShot of the ''Autobahn,''
** there ''will'' be a crash,
** a vehicle ''will'' crash through the trailer, and
** the tanker truck ''will'' explode
* LetsGetDangerous -- Diether Bonrath in "Zivilcourage"
* [[LicensedGame Licensed Games]]: Under the name "Crash Time"
* LinkedListClueMethodology
* MakeItLookLikeAnAccident -- a common tactic of the bad guys
* MalevolentMaskedMen
* ManOnFire
* MeaningfulBackgroundEvent -- in any in-the-car scene where the camera is looking at Semir and his partner through the windshield, watch the traffic in the rear window. You'll often see a plot development coming up behind them.
* MexicanStandoff -- in "Schmölders Traum", occurred between three cars running doorhandle-to-doorhandle at freeway speed. Watch [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbUzgujhbh4 here]].
* AMillionIsAStatistic -- with all those colossal multi-car pileups and vehicles thrown hundreds of feet in the air, there have to be fatalities
* MistakenForCheating -- "Unter Verdacht," in which Semir is framed for murder ''and'' made to look unfaithful in one fell swoop
* TheMole -- "Todfeinde"
* MonumentalBattle -- Urban action sequences often have the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cologne_cathedral Cologne Cathedral]] or Rhine river bridges in the background. In "Kein Weg zurück", there is a chase sequence involving the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:H_bahn_dortmund1.jpg Dortmund "H-Bahn" monorail]]. Watch [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DomPq5EvpyY here]].
* MrFanservice -- Ben Jäger
* MurderDotCom -- "Begraben"
* NecroNonSequitur
* NoOSHACompliance -- when a factory is abandoned, no one ever bothers to drain the propane tanks or remove the hazmat inventory
* OnceAnEpisode -- the big ChaseScene, with cars crashing and flying through the air and ImpressivePyrotechnics from all the StuffBlowingUp
* OpeningNarration
* OutrunTheFireball
* PerpSweating -- "Rabenmutter" has a particularly good example
* RunawayTrain -- using buses and trucks
* SaveTheVillain -- "Der neue Partner", among several examples
* ScreamingWoman
* ShoutOut -- "Rhein in Flammen" featured what might be called a "''MiamiVice'' tribute montage," complete with the ''MiamiVice'' theme music
* SkeletonKeyCard -- ''Autobahnpolizei'' ID cards seem to be quite useful for this
* SlowMotionPassBy -- "Todfeinde", and many others
* SuicideByCop -- occurs in "Geliebter Feind"; averted at the last possible moment in "Kein Weg zurück"
* SuperWindowJump -- using [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBeKH7NTznw&feature=related cars]]!
* TelecomTree
* TheProblemWithLicensedGames -- at least eight video games based on the series have been made, only three [[NoExportForYou released outside Germany]]. Not that the other countries would have missed much, since their quality is generally poor.
* TimeBomb -- often with a convenient digital readout
* TraintopBattle -- done with trucks and buses
* TraumaInducedAmnesia -- "Flashback"
* TreasureMap -- "Die schwarze Madonna", a charming [[NinjaPirateRobotZombie mash-up]] of ''IndianaJones'' and ''Film/TheMalteseFalcon'' [[RecycledInSpace on the Autobahn]] with [[McNinja ninjas]] and StuffBlowingUp!
* UnknownAssailant -- so many episodes begin with the UnknownAssailant (often a pair of MalevolentMaskedMen) chasing the PursuedProtagonist down the ''Autobahn'' that this could almost be its own trope
* UpToEleven -- the first big action sequence in "Auf eigne Faust." A police convoy carrying a key witness to the courthouse is shot up by associates of the [[TheMafia organized crime]] boss on trial--using attack helicopters.
* UrbanLegends
* VaporTrail -- "Highway Maniac", "Todesfahrt der Linie 834", "Tödliche Bewährung", and many more
* WesternTerrorists -- several examples, most notably "Stadt in Angst"
* WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer -- the resolution to most episodes seems to require a high-speed chase down the nearest ''Autobahn''
* WithMyHandsTied -- in "Hals- und Beinbruch", Semir nearly defeats a bad guy in hand-to-hand combat despite having one leg in a cast
* WordSaladTitle -- Averted. It may look like one without the umlaut, but it merely translates as "Emergency for Cobra 11".
* WrongfulAccusationInsurance -- "Am Abgrund", "Unter Verdacht", and many, many more.
* YouJustToldMe
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* FetishFuel -- the brothel sequence in "Schmölders Traum"; Chris Ritter's [[HospitalHottie hospital stay]] in "Alte Schule"

* TreasureMap -- "Die schwarze Madonna", a charming [[NinjaPirateRobotZombie mash-up]] of ''IndianaJones'' and ''TheMalteseFalcon'' [[RecycledInSpace on the Autobahn]] with [[McNinja ninjas]] and StuffBlowingUp!