A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES
Ms. Suchanow!
Please! You've got to help me!
I did something! I don't know what to do!
It is the middle of the night.
I know, but it's terrible!
What did I tell you about dealing with a crisis?
Make no decisions, go home, sleep.
- Exactly. - But I...
I'll see you tomorrow morning. Good night.
MAKES A PERFUME
Nadja Simon.
PERFUME
THE HEART NOTES
That's all you can tell us?
What will happen with me and Magda now?
They say perfume unfolds linear in time,
and consists of the sequence top note, heart note and base note.
Quite an error.
It's been a long time.
Since I was 13.
Good perfume is far more complex.
It's a process creating tension through the reaction of the substances,
setting high and low points,
playing with variations of intensity.
When the togetherness of the substances creates its own sound,
that's the real heart note of the perfume.
You won't have to wait. He's a friend of mine.
I'm not a person who should raise a child by herself.
No.
Look, the heart is beating.
See? Here? There, really tiny.
You're not sure if you'd like to keep it.
Maybe you should take some time off while you think about it.
There's not much time left.
Is she here?
Morning.
Morning. Is she here, your sister?
She won't be back until tomorrow evening.
What?
But she said that today she would...
There's no one here. My mother isn't here either.
There's no one home?
Can I help you in any way?
Do you hate me?
I kept them all.
I looked at them sometimes.
That's him.
Hey! What's going on here?
You like that?
That really gets my mother going.
Wait, what?
She likes you licking her? Your mother?
That was a joke, dude.
Tell me everything about your mother.
Okay, I'm off.
Sorry.
- Good morning, - Morning.
Excuse the delay.
Okay. What do we have?
This came from dispatch.
Christ, that fucking file is stuck again.
I hate this damn technology! Wait. Now.
Come to the airport hotel, room 212. There is a woman screaming.
This time we have a witness. Sadly, anonymous and from a prepaid phone.
Equalize the voice.
Elena Seliger said she had a fight with her husband and moved out.
And here we have photos from surveillance cameras
from the surroundings of the hotel.
Daniel Sluiter was near the hotel around the time of the crime.
The manhunt is on, and we're watching his apartment and his therapist's.
Police protection for mother and daughter is on.
Good. Very good.
Ms. Simon, any new findings?
I'm wondering what this case is really about.
Okay. Let's focus on whether Daniel Sluiter could be responsible
for the other murders.
Let's hope he'll get caught soon.
If there are no more questions, please go back to work.
Please put me through to the University Hospital,
Center for Smell and Taste.
RED-LIGHT KING HIMSELF VICTIM OF SEXUAL EXPLOITATION?
"All about my mother."
What disgusting trash.
It's the most disgusting attempt to avoid expulsion I have ever seen, Butsche.
"Dear Principal Dr. Verhoeven,
when I was small, I enjoyed Nutella and my mother enjoyed lovemaking.
She smeared Nutella on her pussy.
Somehow, I lost my appetite for Nutella.
Later, I could earn money for computer games.
She said I had an advantage over other boys
because I knew how to spoil women..."
I'm fine. How are you?
"...and have lots of money.
Somehow, I still developed an aversion.
At home, with her sagging tits at the table, I'll die of disgust.
Please keep me in the boarding school. I don't want to go back.
I'll even become a priest if you want.
Please. Thomas Butsche."
The principal is kicking me out.
I'm sorry, Butsche.
I can thank your scumbag friend for that.
But I'll pay him back.
How?
Through you.
Come on.
Butsche. Leave her alone, please.
Of course, odor rules us more than we think.
There are interesting experiments about this.
For example, women prefer sitting on chairs
that have been sprayed with male sex hormones.
I do that at home as well, by the way, with my wife.
I take my T-shirt that I sleep in, which is slightly sweaty,
and rub a chair with it.
In the evening, my wife will sit on that chair
and I get the arm chair.
Well, okay, it won't work all the time. Doesn't work when things are tense.
Speaking of things that don't work all the time,
did you know a man's libido will dwindle when he smells a woman's tears?
A woman doesn't even need to be in the room.
Her tears hidden in the room are enough.
When we fall in love, our nose tells us exactly who is a genetic match.
Meaning, which person is genetically most unlike us.
Unlike us. Exactly. Yeah. Unlike us.
In order to avoid congenital disorders and for a wide variety of genes, you see?
For Süskind's Grenouille,
redheads were the most desirable creatures.
Why do you think that is? Why redheads?
Redheads are genetically unlike most of us in these parts.
But humans aren't that sensitive to odor.
Of course, they are.
They do absolutely notice odors, they just keep claiming they were feeling.
Rubbish. Feeling...
Feeling is nothing. Here.
Wait a second.
Yeah. Exactly.
For example, when you smell this, what do you feel?
Most would feel good about the smell of freshly baked cake,
even if they can't tell what it is they're smelling.
It reminds them of the past, security, childhood, their mother...
Okay, then I'll bring in a bigger gun.
Now, please, don't get a fright.
Don't put your nose right over it. Just wave it a little, okay?
I see. Anosmia.
Give my regards to your boyfriend.
Homework.
I...
Now, Elsie, I'll show you a few photos
and you tell me whether you've seen any of these men at Mom's work, okay?
And this one.
Him?
No, the one in the back.
He was with Mom?
He was at the brothel.
Right. He was investigating there. You're a great witness, Elsie. Thanks.
Thank you. Goodbye.
My regards to Ms. Simon. We read she was working on this case.
- You know Ms. Simon? - Yes.
Maybe she'll come visit sometime.
We're all very proud of her.
I see.
- Is she on any of these? - No. These are just the last five years.
- Right. Thanks again. Goodbye. - Goodbye.
THE DOGS ARE UNLEASHED!
Look. They killed the dog and extracted her scent.
The principal has confirmed she had puppies
just before she disappeared.
They applied the scent of the mother and the puppies followed them.
Ever had a dog?
Puppies follow everyone around. It's their nature.
No. This shows they were really trying to manipulate behavior,
like this Grenouille.
This is a bizarre mix of people manipulation and sex crime,
just like in the book.
We know Daniel Sluiter was the last person Elena Seliger was on the phone with.
The manhunt is on full speed.
With a bit of luck, the case will be solved by tonight.
Did you get any sleep last night?
We need the youth welfare files for all five.
Many sexual offenders with severe sexual perversions
have a highly dysfunctional relationship with their parents.
In that case, Thomas Butsche would be our main suspect according to the paper.
I suspect them all, even Elena Seliger.
Even though severe attachment disorders in women
usually don't lead to sexual crimes.
But?
Infanticide and child abuse. That's the specialty of women.
It's the same for apes. If they grow up in isolation,
they neglect or abuse their young. They don't know about bonding.
Ms. Simon...
take a few days off sick. We'll manage.
I'm fine, thanks.
I'll talk to Grünberg about the youth welfare files.
Just forget about the dog.
Yes, of course.
I understand.
If possible, the whole year. Thank you...
Thank you for the effort. Thanks, bye.
They'll check if the files still exist.
Thank you.
One minute. Wait.
I have something for you, too.
What's this?
The appointment for the pregnancy counseling.
There's not much time left.
You need to get advice.
You don't go there for advice.
That's where you get the abortion referral.
But you said yourself that you can't raise a child on your own...
I want to raise it with you!
I've been having an affair with your husband for two years
and I'm pregnant.
Is everything okay?
We've traced Sluiter. He had his phone on for a minute.
Down! Get down! Hands up!
This way.
- Hello. Brodmann. - Nadja Simon.
- Can I see him? - Once the coroner is done.
Thanks for finding him.
Merten was... rather resourceful.
He dared to do things. Run away at night or...
find his own way to the airport at the age of 11.
He preferred spending time with adults to his peers and...
sought out older kids.
Do you know any names?
No. He was at the boarding school for just nine months.
Because he was so homesick, the principal advised us not to phone
or visit him as often.
I'm relieved you found him.
All these years, I was thinking that maybe he was still alive
and someone was torturing him...
I'm glad he's dead.
I only survived the years after
because I fostered a child.
I thought I loved her as much as Merten,
but when she was grown up, sooner actually, 17,
she became a stranger to me.
I may have just used her.
Children lead us into corners where rats live.
Do you remember the puppies following us around?
Because we smelled like their mother?
It works the other way, as well.
How, the other way?
Think about it.
We keep the surveillance.
There are indications he's the perp, but it's still possible that...
To success!
Boss.
Thank you.
You were working hard. Cheers.
- Holy shit, I showed him. - What did you do?
- That pig. - Did you attack him?
You shouldn't be drinking.
The latest report from the area.
The assault on a 33-year-old woman in a hotel in Weeze has been solved.
A police task force arrested a suspect at the border of a residential area.
The alleged offender is 35-year-old Daniel S.
It is currently not known whether he is also responsible
for the deaths of singer Katharina Läufer or prostitute Paula P.
Duisburg. Pens make girls strong. The World Day of Prayer...
I'm going for a walk.
Would you help me if I was in trouble?
Sure. Anytime.
I have a problem.
Which is?
I think there's something in there.
Pregnant?
It can hardly be mine, can it?
I didn't want it.
Who?
Butsche.
Deal with that yourself. Got it?
Leave me alone.
Roman, just leave me alone once and for all.
Excuse me?
Can I help you?
Elisabeth Grünberg.
I'm looking for my husband.
Come to the airport hotel, room 212. There is a woman screaming.
It wasn't me.
With Elena. That was just to protect her from her husband.
That's... He is...
He's been hitting her. For years.
- You have to protect her. - Have you never heard of women's shelters?
He wants to take Magda away from her and he could.
Why?
Because he knows she's drinking.
I'm begging you, please, don't let that happen. He's vicious.
If you were only faking it with Elena Seliger,
how come your method was exactly the same as the murders?
I saw the corpse.
Roman showed K to us. Everything.
The wounds in her armpits, the cuts from the line.
He said it was a fishing line.
He was the one who found K. You can ask him.
We're also investigating the murder of Merten Brodmann.
Murder?
Did you find him?
You had gone missing, too. Just before Merten disappeared.
Amnesia over five days with no head injury? I don't buy that.
You want us to find a solution for Elena, right?
Yes.
He was spying on us.
To get rid of him, we told him he had to do the same as I did
when I disappeared for five days.
Whoever gets the one with the cross...
is chosen to become the new Grenouille.
I got the cross.
Congrats.
- To Toothless. - Cheers.
Five days in the dark will be enough to sharpen your sense of smell.
The new Grenouille will be born. I'm proud of you.
- We'll bring you food every day. - You'll be able to smell it.
Here, your piss bucket.
Well then, have fun, Toothless.
That's done.
Okay, then.
Elena, come on.
Why did you keep it to yourself?
Fear.
Guilt.
We were children.
Now...
The guilt is still with me today...
that we left him alone.
Maybe, that lead to all of it.
But Elena has nothing to do with that.
You know her. She couldn't hurt a fly.
- Grünberg wants to talk to you. - Coming.
Get in the car.
You called my wife?
No, I didn't do that.
Told her about our affair and your pregnancy?
No.
I know I shouldn't have done that.
I'm a wreck because of all this.
I know.
Of course, you were right about the bubbly.
If you want to keep the baby, you can't drink.
This relationship is over.
If it wasn't before...
I would definitely be determined now.
Let go.
Go. Get out!
Go! Get lost, damn it!
Get lost!
Out! Get out! Get lost!
He nearly let her bleed to death in front of his eyes. How could he not notice?
You can come in today. But your friend shouldn't talk too much.
How are you?
They said I'll go to a home.
I'll die if that happens.
I'm sure of it.
I was in a home...
before my aunt and uncle took me in.
The caregivers were super nice, and we could eat as much as we wanted.
There were just a few older boys...
Please...
help me.
I'll help you.
Moritz said
that with the dogs, it works the other way, as well.
Roman showed K to us. Everything.
The wounds in her armpits, the cuts from the line.
He said it was a fishing line.
He was the one who found K. You can ask him.
I'm listening to it for the fifth time.
We need to confirm Sluiter's story with the Seligers.
After that, I'm out of ideas.
Are you listening to me at all?
You take care of it.
I saw the corpse.
Roman showed K to us. Everything.
The wounds in her armpits, the cuts from the line.
He said it was a fishing line.
He was the one who found K. You can ask him.
Where's the diary?
What?
Young Elena's diary.
I think I know who killed the boy.
This is awful.
If I had a mother, all would be fine. I wouldn't be put into a home.
She would look after me. I would just be her child.
There was something about my wife that...
not many noticed, apart from Moritz and me.
She was like a pervert sneaking around playgrounds.
I don't understand.
- Are you saying your wife's a pedophile? - No.
She wasn't watching the children.
Drink.
Somebody's here.
Roman?
Roman, we're down here. We're feeding him.
You can leave.
You idiots could have told me sooner.
Let's go home.
- Thank you. - You're welcome.
Was the girl you took in back then Elena Seliger?
What's your name, child?
BASED ON THE THEME OF THE NOVEL
"PERFUME: THE STORY OF A MURDERER" BY PATRICK SÜSKIND
Subtitle translation by Britta Boyle