Raghvendra Singh Rana
‘Two Sides of the Abyss’ is a German crime drama series that revolves around police officer Luise Berg. While investigating a string of murders, Luise comes across Dennis Opitz, who murdered her daughter and went to jail for it. But, somehow, Dennis has managed to get himself released early and soon becomes Luise’s prime suspect in Luise’s investigation. But will she be able to keep her duty as a police officer and her rage as a mother apart to bring justice to the victims?
Created by Kristin Derfler, the series features the talents of Anne Ratte-Polle, Lea van Acken, Anton Dreger, Renato Schuch, Dirk Martens, Ann-Kathrin Kramer, Senita Huskić, Claudia Eisinger, and Maximilian Brauer. It delves into the lives of police officers and how they deal with handling horrific crimes on a personal level. The realistic premise of the series would certainly pique the curiosity of the viewers and might make them wonder about the true origins of the story. If you’re wondering about the same, then look no further, for we have the answers for you!
Two Sides of the Abyss is an Original Story by Derfler
No, ‘Two Sides of the Abyss’ is not a true story. The series has been created from an original story by Kristin Derfler herself. WarnerMedia and RTL Deutschland have co-produced the series. It is the first time that the two media giants are partnering to bring a show to life. Kristin Derfler penned the show around broken characters who are seemingly stuck in place — both in terms of their surroundings and in their circumstances. So, while it is very much a character-driven narrative, the location or the setting of the show also plays a major part in the overall storyline.
Speaking about her research methodology, Kristin said, “I knew very early on that this story [Two Sides of the Abyss] does not have to be located in one of the usual metropolises, but in Wuppertal, which is still largely undiscovered on film. I was and am fascinated by the visual radiance and the morbid charm of this former textile industrial city. From the suspension railway that hovers over the valley axis and the river, the stacked house facades that rise steeply on the slopes and the dilapidated factory areas, victims of structural change.”
The place where a story is set in is very important for Kristin during her writing process, as it dictates the kind of influences the character might have had. For each of her projects thus far, she has thoroughly looked into the locality and culture of the area her characters hail from or call home. “It is worthwhile going in search of special locations, where the location of the action is not only pure scenery but sharpens the view of the character in question,” Kristin continued.
The crime drama series also benefits from its experienced and versatile cast members. Anne Ratte-Polle, who is leading the show in the role of Police Officer Luise Berg, has previously worked in the hit science fiction television series ‘Dark (2017-2020).’ She brings the same gravity and zeal to help others to ‘Two Sides of the Abyss’ as she did to the role of Ines Kahnwald.
While not a true story, the series looks into what happens when a police officer’s professional duty intertwines with their own life in a criminal case. It shows that justice, while everyone’s right, sometimes comes at a great personal cost — greater than even the tragedy that took place for somebody to demand justice in the first place.
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