We all love to spend a day lounging around in front of a gripping new series.
So if youâve run out of inspiration for things to watch, here are some great German television series to satisfy your appetite for binge-worthy shows.
1. Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980)
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We kick off with a German classic. Based on Alfred Döblinâs book of the same name, this 14-part West German series will have you questioning humanity, love and depression.
The series begins in 1928 and follows Franz Biberkopf after he is released from prison following a 4-year sentence for murdering his prostitute girlfriend Ida. He now swears to lead a new, honest life, but after being thrown back into Berlin in the roaring '20s, his journey wonât exactly be all sunshine and rainbows.
Released in America in 1983, the series garnered a cult following and is often considered as the great director Rainer Werner Fassbinderâs masterwork. While maybe not the easiest watch of this list, Berlin Alexanderplatz offers you an in-depth look into the chaos of Weimar Germany.
Where to find it online: Maxdome (for viewers in Germany)
2. Unsere MĂŒtter, unsere VĂ€ter (Generation War) (2013)
This 3-part miniseries is just fantastic! The series follows the lives of five 20-something friends from 1941 to 1945 in Germany.
Thereâs the brave soldier proud to be fighting for his country, his sweet and sensible love-interest, the inexperienced younger brother, the aspiring singer, and their one Jewish friend. Their naive outlooks on war are dramatically turned upside down through the reality of the Second World War.
It may fall victim to some slightly implausible plot lines, but its head-on portrayal of the themes of friendship, betrayal and family will definitely make this series memorable.Â
Where to find it online: Netflix, or for viewers in Germany: Amazon Prime and Maxdome
3. Babylon Berlin (2017-)
This German series, also set during the Weimar Republic, has been touted multiple times as Netflixâs âmost bingeable new dramaâ.
Morphine-addicted Inspector Gereon Rath, who has just moved to Berlin from his industrial hometown, begins an investigation that gives you front-row seats through Berlinâs seedy underworld backed by a landscape of political and economic turmoil.
Babylon Berlinâs hedonistic party scenes and retro-jazz soundtrack will have you thinking of The Great Gatsby and Chicago, but with a hell of a lot more grit. This is the most expensive non-English television series to this date, costing a whopping âŹ40 million.
Where to find it online: For UK viewers NowTV and Sky Go, for US viewers Netflix and for viewers in Germany Sky Ticket and Sky Go
4. Dark (2017-)
Dark is Germanyâs answer to Stranger Things, but well⊠a lot darker and at times damn-right disturbing.
Set in small-town Germany, this science fiction thriller series has missing children and the supernatural, all while refusing to hold your hand through the process, exposing viewers to a community enveloped in loss.
Dark is a Netflix Original that explores the secrets of a town spanning generations, set in both the near-future 2019 and the past.
Where to find it online: Netflix
5. 4 Blocks (2017-)
Guns, drugs and hip hop - what more could you want from this new German series about a German-Arabic drug cartel in Berlinâs hip Neukölln district?
After trying to become a respectable real estate broker Ali âToniâ Hamady has found himself at the head of his familyâs crime syndicate. This gritty series highlights the dynamics of the close-knit family and at times its destructive qualities.
4 Blocks occupies a rather different space than the usual tropes of German television and offers a pretty authentic view of todayâs Berlin.Â
Where to find it online: Amazon Prime
6. You Are Wanted (2017-)
You Are Wanted is a Berlin-based thriller about a man whose world is turned upside down when he falls victim to a cyber attack. In a world so reliant on technology the sweet, doting husband and father Lukas Franke, played by Matthias Schweighöfer, must convince his friends and family that his personal data has been hacked and that he is being framed for crimes he hasnât committed.
This series is particularly eerie in todayâs world of data-privacy disputes and makes you want to stay far, far away from the nearest computer⊠except maybe to watch the next episode of this binge-worthy series.Â
Where to find it online: Amazon Prime
7. Deutschland 83 (2015-)
Deutschland 83 focuses on young Martin Rauch, a soldier from East Berlin who goes undercover to impersonate one of his Western counterparts.
Finally a gritty Cold War spy series!⊠well not quite. This series has already received international acclaim for its authentic, and somewhat nostalgic, depiction of life in Cold War Germany. The young Martin Rauch is coaxed into his undercover role and serves as a very likeable protagonist but a pretty rubbish spy. The series is more a coming-of-age story than one of shadowy espionage.
While Deutschland 83 doesnât shy away completely from the oppressive state often associated with the GDR, it instead prefers to present the time period in a more playful light. This can be seen most notably in its wonderful synth-pop soundtrack, with some great 80s tunes from New Order, David Bowie and Eurhythmics.
Where to find it online: For UK viewers Amazon Prime and All 4, for US viewers Hulu and viewers in Germany Amazon Prime
8. Stromberg (2004-2012)
If youâve seen both the British and American versions of The Office and are still craving more then Stromberg is the show for you.
Stromberg is a German mockumentary series set in the fictional insurance company Capitol Versicherung AG. The departmentâs head Bernd Stromberg is up there with Ricky Gervaisâ David Brent and Steve Carellâs Michael Scott as an incompetent and attention-seeking boss who you cannot help but laugh at.
Where to find it online: Netflix and Amazon Prime for viewers in Germany
9. Im Angesicht des Verbrechens (In Face of the Crime) (2010)
Full of cigarette smuggling, prostitutes and human trafficking, Im Angesicht des Verbrechens is another gangster series set in Berlin.
This cop-thriller follows the struggle between the police and the Russian mafia in Berlin. Constructed as a series of plot lines that only fully come together in the finale, this series is definitely not for light-hearted viewing.
This is the dark world of Russian organised crime that demands to be seen.
Where to find it online: Netflix for viewers in Germany
10. Der Tatortreiniger (2011-)
Der Tatortreiniger is a laugh-out-loud cult comedy series about crime scene cleaner Heiko âSchottyâ Schotte.
Schottyâs job is to clean up after murders, suicides and violent crimes when the police and forensics teams are finished with their investigations. But the series focuses less on the murder itself and more on the humourous tasks of a crime scene cleaner and the interaction between Schotty and one of the bereaved.
Each 30-minute episode is packed full of witty dialogue, some hilarious pop culture references and surprising social critiques. This high-school dropout turned cleaner will have you in stitches in no time.
Where to find it online: For viewers in Germany, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Sky Ticket, Sky Go and Flimmit
11. Hindafing (2017-)
Welcome to Hindafing, the fictional Bavarian town with some serious issues.
The mayor Alfons Zischl wants to revamp the image of the town but his crystal meth habit isnât exactly helping. The series deals with serious themes like corruption, the refugee crisis, dementia and the Panama Papers , all while using dark humour to take you inside the world of provincial politics.
Hindafing has been called the Bavarian Fargo by Die Zeit and Bavariaâs answer to Breaking Bad by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
Where to find it online: For viewers in Germany, Netflix and Flimmit
12. Charité (2017-)
CharitĂ© is a big-budget German historical drama set in Berlinâs CharitĂ© research hospital in 1888.
The series follows the real-life doctors and nurses at this hospital as they embark on finding a cure for tuberculosis. Packed full of romance, forbidden love and frustrating social hierarchies, this period-drama will leave you wanting more.
This show explores the roles of the leading scientists of the time and attempts to capture their incredible breakthrough as well as their own internal struggles. Forget Downtown Abbey, Charité will give you your period drama fix and wow you with its mesmerising production⊠not to mention you may learn something at the same time!
Where to find it online: Netflix
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