In April 1929, a train bound for Berlin has to make a stop near Novorzhev due to a burning tree lying on the rails. The engine driver and a train worker get ambushed by several armed men who speak Russian. The men connect an additional car to the train, two Russians replace the Germans who get killed via headshots.
Meanwhile, Gereon Rath, a morphine addict and World War I veteran who works as an inspector in Cologne gets transferred to Berlin. He and his new partner Bruno Wolter visit a photographic studio which is actually a pornographic film studio. While they arrest Johann König, the owner, another man tries to flee and shoots at Gereon, but gets subdued by Bruno. Bruno lets him go since the man is Franz Krajewski, one of his informants. He fought in World War I and got fired from his job as a policeman because he overreacted in a shoot-out due to his PTSD. Franz goes to a therapist and tells him that the police arrested König and that they are looking for "the film". The therapist later meets with a mysterious man, only referred to as "The Armenian". The Armenian says he will take care of the film.
At the police station, Gereon bumps into Charlotte Ritter after getting out of a Paternoster. She works as an archivist at the homicide division because she has to provide for her family who lives under pitiable conditions. She and Gereon part ways after gathering up their respective files they had dropped. At the end of the episode, two Trotskyists named Kardakow and Swetlana get a telegram at a printery telling them the train will arrive soon.
Tropes:
- Aspect Montage: A montage of a chef preparing a leg of octopus at the Moka Efti kitchen.
- As You Know:
- In the opening hypnosis session, the doctor tells Gereon that he is back in Cologne, his home town.
- The Armenian explains his business partner the nature of their business together which is obviously meant for the audience.
- Dying Candle: At the end, Charlotte blows out a candle as we see images of characters getting assassinated.
- Chekhov's Gun:
- The bullet that almost killed Gereon is passed to him by Bruno. It will become important later.
- At Kardakov's, the shot lingers on a painting of a noble family.
- Crash-Into Hello: Gereon and Charlotte meet for the first time when they collide while getting out of the paternoster, and spill their respective departments' evidence photos all over the floor. As they try and figure out which of the scattered pictures feature grisly murders and which depict perverted sex crimes, they use the chance to make introductions.
- Familial Cannibalism Surprise: It's heavily implied that the Armenian served his business partner his own brother as "octopus". Two seasons later, it's revealed to have 'just' been his brother's tongue, while the brother's life was spared.
- I Ate WHAT?!: The Armenian's business partner is horrified when the Armenian heavily implies that he just fed him his brother's tongue.
- Leave No Witnesses: After the new tanker car is attached to the train, the former crewmen are executed by the infiltrators.
- Raging Stiffie: Charlotte's brother-in-law ask her to touch his morning wood when they are in the bathroom together.
- Roof Hopping: Gereon chases Krajewski across rooftops.
- Rule 34: The porn scene they are shooting seems to retell the story of the conception of Jesus by Marie and God.
- Smoke Out: Severija exits the stage this way after her performance of "Zu Ache, Zu Staub".
- Spiteful Spit: Johann König, the director of the porn movies, spits Gereon in the face when their production is being raided. Gereon reacts by nonchalantly wiping the spit off his face in König's scarf.
- Theremin: Svetlana plays the theremin during musical rehearsal at the Moka Efti.
- You Have No Idea Who You're Dealing With: As Bruno roughs König up doing his interrogation, demanding to know what he knows about Gereon and why he has it out for him, König eventually responds to Bruno's abuse by spitefully telling he has no idea who he is messing with. Puzzled, Bruno asks if he refers to Gereon, but König just cryptically assures him that he isn't. Although he clams up afterwards, he is actually talking about the Armenian.
