Observed Signal · Jul 17, 2026 · Cancellation · Source: Horizont · Impact: 1/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
ZDF ends 'Ein Fall für zwei' after nearly 50 years
ZDF will end its long-running Friday crime series Ein Fall für zwei after 46 years. The current incarnation starring Antoine Monot (Leo Oswald) and Wanja Mues (Benni Hornberg), which has produced 46 episodes since May 2014, will air its 12th season in September 2026—bringing the current run to 50 episodes—and a four-episode final season plus a 90‑minute concluding film will be filmed and broadcast in 2027. ZDF said the decision was made "after careful consideration," thanked the production team and principal actors, and confirmed the Friday crime timeslot will be retained while programming is refocused on fewer formats.
A programming and content decision by a public broadcaster with limited direct impact on the broader AdTech/MarTech ecosystem; relevant mainly to TV scheduling, content owners and linear-TV ad inventory but not industry-shifting.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- ZDF announced it will end Ein Fall für zwei after 46 years.
- Antoine Monot and Wanja Mues have starred since May 2014 and have produced 46 episodes through July 2026.
- Season 12 is scheduled to air in September 2026, bringing the current run to 50 episodes.
- A four-episode final season and a 90-minute concluding film are planned to be filmed and broadcast in 2027.
- ZDF thanked the production and cast, will keep the Friday crime slot, and will refocus programming on fewer formats.
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One announces two final series before closure
German broadcaster One has announced two series as its final programming before the channel is folded into the joint ARD/ZDF offering 'Neo' at the end of the year. One will air the free-TV premiere of the eight-episode Sherlock drama 'Sherlock & Daughter' (already on MagentaTV) starting 2 September, with episodes also available in the ARD-Mediathek. The second announcement is season two of the British family saga 'The Hardacres', with the ARD-Mediathek availability and linear airings around 29 September and 6 October. The moves follow a reform treaty requiring ARD and ZDF to reduce their niche channels.
ZDF Brings Back Three Early-Evening Series
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ZDF Cancels 'Die Maiwald' After Weak Ratings
ZDF has decided not to commission a second season of the recently launched drama series 'Die Maiwald', the broadcaster confirmed to DWDL.de. While both new Thursday-evening series tested in March drew audiences, ZDF chose to continue only 'Einfach Elli' (starring Klara Deutschmann) and is producing four new episodes of that show. 'Die Maiwald', produced by Polyphon Film and starring Doris Schretzmayer as a rural veterinarian, will not be renewed despite each of its two films drawing more than three million viewers; 'Einfach Elli' at times attracted over four million viewers. The decision was confirmed by a ZDF spokesperson and reported by Alexander Krei on DWDL.de on 2026-08-12.
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