3 out of 5

Created by: Benito Mueller, Wolfgang Mueller

covers seasons 1 and 2

As most viewers of the streaming era are likely aware, there are degrees to hatewatching something. On the lower degree of that scale are shows which are perhaps actively dumb or frustrating in many ways, but… competent. But still not good. It’s not exactly a guilty pleasure, as that suggests enjoying the material, whereas these, er, dislikewatches are moreso tolerated, perhaps with some curiosity of: “maybe there’s a reason the show is like this?” and maybe such a reason is even provided… though by the time you realize that that was also just an actively dumb dodge, you’re almost done with the season.

And so: Woman of the Dead, or the much better original title in German: Totenfrau, which likely was interpreted correctly, but directly reads as Dead Woman or Death Woman, depending on which digital source is doing the translating.

With its wintry setting, muted lead, and smalltown-mystery-that-goes-to-the-top! vibes, the show radiates with Scandi / Nordic noir vibes, but rather appreciably twists that formula and goes for the guts: after funeral director Brünhilde Blum’s (Anna Maria Mühe) cop husband is struck and killed in a hit-and-run, a slow moving investigation has Blum – universally called by her last name – looking into the matter on her own, leading down a dark path of revenge.

“Muted” is a bit of an understatement: part of what’s off / frustrating about the series, at least initially, is the mismatched reaction Mühe gives to events – as she finds out more about her husband’s death; as things escalate. A more favorable reading of this is due to some character revelations later on, and that is part of it, but there’s also some speedrunning being done in plotting, bog-standard editing, and (at least as translated) some pretty forced dialogue to get us from A to B in the “mystery” that suggests the series’ directors / writers had some hands in the tone, or lack of it; notably, when those players change in season 2, Mühe gets much more engaging, even while the overall story retains some of its dumber vibes.

Which is where / why “mystery” is in quotes there, as even the very first clues we get as to the MacGuffins of what’s-going-on are, like, hard to believe as missed by even incompetent cops – and the cops in Totenfrau have other issues, but incompetence isn’t necessarily meant to be one of them. After that, it’s a series of giant assumptions, and utterly bizarre Next Steps for Blum, as she works her way through a food chain of suspects. As I’ve also complimented the way this structure sidesteps usual noir plodding, it’s tempting to take some of this bizarreness as purposeful subversion, and I do think there’s some very bleak comedy of an American Psycho variety in there – perhaps also seen in a shtick where Blum can talk to her on-the-slab “clients,” which I imagine was something more useful in the book series that is the basis for this, but is rarely used with purpose in the show – however, as the material is otherwise treated with grim and gritty sincerity, viewing this as smart, dark humor is a stretch.

The side characters are also a mixed bag, generally underutilized until the second season – which becomes legitimately enjoyably, I’ll say, but as mentioned above, you’re naggingly reminded that it’s built on the shaky ground of the first season. That said, I’d call out Michou Friesz’s evil ski lodge tycoon Johanna Schönborn as a fun, well-balanced villain; and Robert Palfrader’s police chief similarly gets to juggle dual sides of his character to good effect. Yousef Sweid, playing Blum’s confidant, Reza, is indicative of the show’s writing: ultimately, he doesn’t have much to say, nor does he have much character, but you dribble some background into the dialogue and then can plug him in in any scene as needed. As to Mühe, whether playing the sociopath of season 1, or the more emotive variant in season 2, is very watchable throughout – again, it’s the odd disconnect with the material that almost keeps you watching, and I’d say that is actually a skill of hers, as she’s not playing the part poorly, rather just playing it… differently – but passing off the actress as a 19 year old in flashbacks is, I’m sorry, a laugh. She looks great; and I won’t even say she doesn’t look 19, more that I don’t feel like the makeup team did all that much except maybe straighten her hair, and boom, it’s twenty years ago y’all! (This might be a spoiler, as it’s possible you’re not supposed to realize these are flashbacks, but maybe this will feel less silly if you know that going in, so… I’m helping.)

The whole show is a mixed bag, I suppose. And it leans towards being a bit too off in important categories like “story” and “characters” to really allow me move it out of the hatewatching category into which I’ve placed it, but the initial caveat I carved out very much applies: I was intrigued to understand if it’s offness was purposeful, and short, 6-episode seasons made that not a chore, carrying me at least to a much more effective second season.