The Austrian crime series “Tatort” has long been a Sunday night institution, but its Vienna-based team of Moritz Eisner and Bibi Fellner is now approaching the conclude of an era. With Harald Krassnitzer and Adele Neuhauser set to depart after two more episodes, the latest installment, “Der Elektriker,” aired on December 14, 2024, serves as the third-to-last case for the beloved duo. The episode unfolds largely within a Vienna senior citizens’ home, where the death of a resident triggers an investigation that blurs the lines between certainty and doubt.
According to verified sources, Krassnitzer, who has portrayed Eisner since 1999, and Neuhauser, who joined as Fellner in 2011, have confirmed their exit will conclude by the end of 2026. Their departure was officially announced by ORF in spring 2025, with both actors stating the decision was personal and mutually agreed upon. Over their tenure, Eisner and Fellner have appeared together in approximately 40 joint “Tatort” episodes, with Eisner having accumulated 25 more solo cases than his partner since his debut in “Nie wieder Oper” in January 1999.
The web search results confirm that after their exit, the Vienna “Tatort” will transition to a new investigative team: Charlotte “Charlie” Hahn and Alex Maleky, portrayed by Miriam Fussenegger and Laurence Rupp, introduced in December 2025 as half-siblings taking over the unit. This marks the first major cast change for the Vienna edition since Eisner and Fellner became the central partnership over a decade ago.
Krassnitzer has described the decision to abandon as the “absolutely right time,” emphasizing that the creative journey with Neuhauser had reached its natural conclusion. Neuhauser echoed this sentiment, noting that after 15 years on the series, she wishes to pursue new challenges. Their final two episodes are scheduled for broadcast in 2025 and 2026, completing a farewell arc described by media outlets as an “Abschied auf Raten” — a gradual goodbye spread across multiple installments.
The atmosphere of “Der Elektriker” reflects this transitional mood, presenting a narrative set in a shared housing environment filled with troubled youth and an unsettling, dreamlike tone where clear answers are scarce. Critics have observed that the episode leans into ambiguity, mirroring the real-world uncertainty surrounding the series’ evolving identity. This stylistic choice reinforces the theme of dissolution — not just of a criminal case, but of a long-standing television partnership that has defined Vienna’s contribution to the “Tatort” franchise for over two decades.
As the longest-running German-language crime drama, “Tatort” continues to rotate regional teams across Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, with each city producing its own episodes under the shared banner. The Vienna edition, yet, has consistently ranked among the most popular, largely due to the chemistry between Krassnitzer and Neuhauser. Their portrayals of Eisner, a methodical Oberstleutnant in the Austrian interior ministry, and Fellner, his pragmatic Major counterpart, have garnered acclaim for balancing procedural rigor with emotional depth.
Looking ahead, the arrival of Hahn and Maleky signals a shift toward younger protagonists and potentially new storytelling dynamics. Fussenegger and Rupp, both established figures in Austrian cinema and television, bring fresh perspectives to the role. While no official plot details for their debut case have been released, the transition is expected to maintain the series’ commitment to socially relevant themes grounded in realistic police work.
For fans of the Krassnitzer-Neuhauser era, the remaining episodes offer a chance to reflect on a partnership that has endured cast changes, evolving formats, and shifting viewer habits across nearly three decades of Austrian television. The final acts of Eisner and Fellner will not only conclude their individual arcs but also close a chapter in “Tatort” history defined by loyalty, consistency, and a quiet brilliance that resonated far beyond its Sunday night slot.
The next confirmed checkpoint in this narrative is the broadcast of the second-to-last Vienna “Tatort” featuring Eisner and Fellner, scheduled for 2025, followed by the ultimate finale in 2026. Until then, audiences can revisit the duo’s extensive catalog, knowing that their legacy is secured not just in episode counts, but in the trust they built with viewers who came to witness them not just as detectives, but as constants in a changing world.
To stay updated on the conclusion of this era and the debut of the new Vienna “Tatort” team, follow official announcements from ORF and trusted entertainment news sources. Share your thoughts on what Eisner and Fellner have meant to the series — and where you hope their successors will take the story next.
