The third and final season of the Sky Originals “The Passport” lives up to its name as a thriller series. Terrible murders by a serial killer keep the police in suspense. The directors Christopher Schier and Thomas W. Kiennast create images with their star ensemble around the German actress Julia Jentsch (45) and her Austrian colleague Nicholas Ofczarek (51) that are not easily forgotten.
After Ellie Stocker (Jentsch) and Gedeon Winter (Ofczarek) became bitter opponents at the end of season two, events bring them together one last time in season three. A series of mysterious murders on both sides of the Bavarian-Austrian border rocks the region. While in the case of the Krampus murderer Gregor Ansbach (Franz Hartwig, 37) in season one and the murdering heir and would-be piano virtuoso Alexander “Xandi” Gössen (Dominic Marcus Singer, 30) in season two, a crime pattern became apparent, the motives of the new series of murders for the investigators initially in the dark.
The case demands everything from Stocker and Winter and confronts them with their own story. The latter goes in search of the tormentor from his childhood. Despite all resistance, the former tried to convict the colleague Winter of corruption, which she accused him of in connection with the murder of her colleague Yela Antic (Franziska von Harsdorf, 27) in season two.
The first season ended with a dramatic surprise. Unidentified motorcyclists shot Commissioner Winter as he was waiting in his car at a closed level crossing. Whether he survived remained open for the time being.
By season two it was clear that he survived but suffered permanent damage. Because of his health problems, Winter actually made a deal with the killer’s mother. He removed the gun from the evidence room – so Elli’s assumption is true, but she can’t prove it.
When the German-Austrian Sky production appeared on the scene in 2019, first on Sky 1 and then on ZDF, the enthusiasm was huge. The series has received several prestigious awards such as the Grimme Prize and the Golden Camera. Season two (2022) also met the high expectations.
And what about the eight new episodes? For long stretches, the third season is a bloody treat for thriller and horror fans – hallucinations included. In between there is the gripping thriller about Gedeon Winter’s search for his childhood tormentor.
It’s a lot about policing. In this context, the perpetually depressed Ellie Stocker explains during an internal interrogation: “I don’t know how much you know about real police work, but you don’t find a perpetrator by Googling the word perpetrator. It’s like a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle , but you only have 250. You still have to be able to put a whole picture together.”
How dark, gloomy and depressing the scenario is is also shown by the fact that an actor Frederic Linkemann (42) with his friendly face almost seems like a small ray of sunshine – and that, although he plays a highly unsympathetic former police officer and today’s free citizen, who deals in weapons.
Johannes Zirner, Martin Feifel, Lucas Gregorowicz, Felix Kammerer, August Diehl, Linde Prelog, Peter Miklusz, Stefan Hunstein, Victoria Mayer, Matthias Hack, Claudia Kainberger and Christian are also part of the brilliantly performing cast on the complex set – unfortunately without snow Bauman.
“Der Pass 3” will be broadcast from May 4th, every Thursday at 8:15 p.m. There will be a double episode at the start, followed by a weekly 45-minute episode on Sky One. At the same time, the new season can be seen on demand via Sky Q and the streaming service Wow. Seasons one and two are also available on-demand.
