NOT ALIVE AND KICKING

[11.09 - French Time] Quotenmeter.de reports that German private broadcaster RTL will not order new episodes of action concept's Lasko - Die Faust Gottes. The fight for justice of Brother Lasko (Mathis Landwehr) and Brother Gladius (Stephan Bieker) ends after two seasons and 15 episodes.

Lasko - Die Faust Gottes emerged in 2006 as ambitious television movie (doubling as a backdoor pilot) called Lasko – Im Auftrag des Vatikans (Lasko - Death Train), starring martial artist and actor Mathis Landwehr (The Challenge) as Lasko - an ex-soldier retired as a monk. Unfortunately the weaknesses of Death Train were plethoric: an heavy international casting, Arnold Vosloo basically playing 24's Habib Marwan, a script burdened with clichés, etc.

Lasko resurfaced 150% improved three years later as a regular action/adventure series, for seven excellent episodes. Ratings and market shares were impressive enough for RTL to consider the commission of a second season. Nevertheless with a budget estimated around 1 million euros per episode for the first season they asked for a careful development process before greenlighting new episodes and some substantial adjustments were decided.

Apparently tough competion and season 2 ratings, not up to the channel's expectations, were stronger than the first kick ass monk since Kwai Chang Caine and what was (in its first year) one of the best shows produced in Germany. But unfortunate format and cast changes and other problems are certainly to blame as much as the decline of rating numbers.

Fortunately for the faithful fans of action concept, RTL will air new episodes of the company's flagship show Alarm for Cobra 11 (Alarm für Cobra 11 - Die Autobahnpolizeï) in March. The same month Cobra 11 will celebrate its 15th anniversary.

http://www.quotenmeter.de/cms/?p1=n&p2=47566&p3 (In German)
http://www.quotenmeter.de/cms/?p1=n&p2=47566&p3 (In German)