Professional diver Sven has a guilty conscience: his job means he has too little time for his family. He even almost misses the cruise ship on which he is supposed to look after their daughter while his wife does research for an article about the ship. But then terrorists take over the MS SeaStar and take Sven's wife and daughter hostage. They threaten to blow up the entire ship.

Paula Semmelrogge's little store is under threat. But a blow with a frying pan turns the old, withered and stingy retired lawyer and landlord Riemer into the youthful lover he has always suppressed within himself. Compulsions now fall off him like chains, and he finally gives in to the urge to get into bed with his tenant Paula and abandons the plan to sell the house. Much to the chagrin of real estate agent Suhr, whom he thus deprives of his business.

After the Nazis take over political power in Germany, the father of Rosi and Hansi, a member of the communist party, must hide from the police. One thing he left behind is a watch which might contain a message.