With me writing about many different pieces of media around the globe, I rarely talk about Germany, the country I was born and live in. I’ve had some people ask me what German TV series I can recommend, either to learn and get a feel for the not-so-easy language, or to check out the culture and media landscape.
So, I compiled this list to present a few German TV series that are good and worth watching! A first draft of this list I had made available as a PDF on social media, but such things often get buried very quickly in the sands of time, so have an extended version here as an article!
(Some of those have English subtitles, others don’t, I will recommend all of them nontheless, one might never know if an international/digital release comes around.)
Stromberg („Stromberg“ / lit. „Current/River Mountain“)
5 seasons, 46 episodes and 1 film, ProSieben 2004-2012, 2014
This is Germany’s „The Office“, while it doesn’t share the name with the UK original, it certainly is an adaptation, they even got sued after their second season for being too similar to The Office.
This series leans more towards the hard-hitting cringe comedy of the UK version instead of the surreal and lighter US version. But it is more than just a carbon copy. We have the eponymous Mr. Stromberg, who is the boss of a little office branch, and he wants to be accepted as „The Papa“, the helper for everything and a person of respect, but constantly fails. „Ernie“, a bumbling co-worker, portrayed as a character from the old GDR gets a lot of love from fans, and character constellations differ from other international adaptations. Mr. Stromberg is insanely quotable and honest, this is some of Germany’s finest comedy.
In Germany, it is available under Amazon Prime. I have no information on English subtitles.
Der Tatortreiniger („Crime Scene Cleaner”)
6 seasons, 27 episodes, NDR, since 2011, ongoing
Heiko “Schotty” Schotte is crime scene cleanup. After a murder has happened and the police is done with their gathering of information and evidence, he cleans the place professionally. Middle aged and a calm Northern lad, he normally just wants to do his job. And of course, everything escalates always in a different way.
Either he is called to a pub and starts a discussion there, or is at a magicians house, where he doesn’t know how to deal with the whole tricky furniture. He always meets colourful people, from caring grandmas, to strange kids, to friends mourning, or evil exes.
This is often considered to be the crème de la crème of German TV. Surreal, black humour and unpredictable, every episode plays out completely differently. And very often just in one room, like a theatre play.
“Der Tatortreiniger” won an important culture award for one of its episodes that plays out in a Neonazi party house, where a member was killed. The dialogue is always sharp and hilarious, but this one was pure brilliance. Shotty is fun and honest chill character, and this TV series is a must watch for anyone who wants to look at German TV.
This series is available on German Amazon Prime, I have no information on English subtitles.
Generation War („Unsere Mütter Unsere Väter“ / Our Mothers Our Fathers)
1 season, 3 episodes, ZDF 2013
A miniseries on WWII. While there are certainly a lot of films and series about the topic, this one is special and caused a lot of discussions in Germany.
It shows the war period from a civilians point of view, and how they lived their lives during the Third Reich. Five friends meet for one last night, and swear to come back, excited by the war and the new age that is upon them. This series shows the cruelty of the military, but also the propaganda, misdirection and guilt of the common people. A perspective not often found in such media.
Productionwise, this is first class. Special effects, cruelty of war, four intertwining storylines and an intense presentation. This one should have German subtitles and be available, as the BBC localised it and broadcast it on TV.
KDD – Berlin Crime Squad (Kriminaldauerdienst / “24h crime investigation service”)
3 seasons, 28 episodes, ZDF & arte, 2007-2010
The KDD, the 24h Crime Squad, are the guys who first arrive on a crime scene, and do the initial work, but also follow up on it, if necessary. They are the tough guys who always have to be ready for the worst. And it certainly is consuming them mentally.
We follow 7 different main characters, and see their shift changes over 24h day and night. Everyone has their own problems, from drug-taking kids, to losing their partners, to freshly building a family, to dealing with grief. Basically: everyone is severely screwed up. And it’s not getting better.
This series got overwhelmingly positive reviews, but was considered “too dark” by the general public, who wanted lighter police action, not hard drama.
It therefore became a cult classic, and moved to the “artsy channel” arte in it’s third season. This feels far more akin to a Scandinavian series, with a dark mood, broken characters and depressing storylines. Cleverly written with shifting perspectives with a diverse cast of different ethnicities, genders and ages, this is an often overlooked gem.
This series is available in German on DVD and Bluray, but I have no information on subtitles. As an English version of the title exists, there should be some somewhere.
Tatort: Münster (Crime Scene: Münster)
31 episodes, all over the place, WDR, Das Erste, since 1970, but Münster since 2002-ongoing
The “Tatort” series is a great classic in German TV, every Sunday, ever since 1970, there is a new episode, but, here is the kicker: While they are all called “Tatort”, there are different teams of investigators in every big major city. Berlin, Cologne, Stuttgard, Saarbrücken… Over 15 teams are out there, each with their own city, own team, and own feeling and writing.
And the team from “Münster” is the most beloved and a fan favourite. You got a team of two guys: Frank Thiel, a hard Northern police investigator who loves football and is divorced, and pathologist Karl-Friedrich Boerne, an elitist opera goer and high society man.
The amount of bickering and banter between the two is legendary. They are friends, even living in the same house opposite each other, but they very often behave like an old couple. Boerne being especially fun, since he always wants to be where the action happens, but very often reality catches up with him: he is not a cop, neither mentally nor physically. The whole “Elitism vs. Proletariat” is strong in this one, and super fun.
The supporting cast is what makes this series perfect. Valkyrie chainsmoking prosecutor Klemm, who is constantly mistaken for a man on the phone due to her deep voice, Nadeshda, cute slav policewoman sidekick who is often smarter than the two and has to help out, and Thiel’s dad, 70 year old weed-smoking hippie, who drives a taxi and is always informed when something is going on in the city.
The perfect blend of comedy and crime series, this version of Tatort always has the highest ratings and is beloved by all. Always keep an eye out if a “Münster” episode is on!
This series is available on DVD, but I have no information if English subtitles exist.
Tatort: Hamburg (Crime Scene: Hamburg / Cenk Batu: Undercover Agent)
6 episodes, Das Erste, since 1970, but Hamburg 2008 – 2012
Before Til Schweiger took over the Hamburg “Tatort” and turned it into a very self-congratulatory Hollywood spectacle show about himself and his real life daughter, there was another man guarding the city of Hamburg: Cenk Batu.
Mr. Batu was the first investigator of Turkish decent (a very important step, as the biggest migrant minority in Germany is from Turkey, with 14,6%) and his run was dark and intense. Only 6 episodes long, but nearly ever single one of them stood with me.
He is an undercover agent, having to go deep into gang warfare and terrorism plots, and thus, his private life suffers. He is depressed, has no friends, and is always in hiding. There are no police meetings, no cosy offices, he is always on the front line.
Together with the dark waters of Hamburg as a setting, this series was one of the shining ones on German TV, but it sadly ran too short, even with its conclusive ending.
Cenk Batu’s run received an international release, under the name of “Cenk Batu: Undercover Agent” and is available on DVD with English subtitles. (Although it seems out of print.) The episodes seem to be also available for purchase on Youtube.
Lerchenberg (Lark Hill)
2 seasons, 8 episodes, ZDFneo, 2013
This series is a self-deprication and ironic outlook on German TV landscape itself, playing in the institution of the ZDF. (Comparable to BBC Two, license fee funded as well.)
We follow Billie, a young female junior producer who wants to make it at the ZDF, but soon notices that this whole institution is bonkers. She gets teamed up with Sascha Hehn, an older actor who lives in his car and is only doing schmaltzy cheap romance films. Her job: Get this guy back on track. And thus, the mayhem starts. People stealing projects, funding running out, live broadcasts going wrong, you name it.
Very real and often full of dark humour, this is a fun and sharp series. Although it is pretty short, it manages to parody a lot of the German TV landscape.
The name “Lark Hill” is where the real studios of the ZDF are, so it also gets an added bonus of showing how the real studios look. A lot of actors play themselves, thus this series could be compared to the UK series Extras, just from more a production kind of view.
My DVD copy of Lerchenberg had English subtitles on it, so you should be fine with the German release, if you wish to import that one.
Ijon Tichy Raumpilot (Ijon Tichy: Space Pilot)
2 seasons, 14 episodes, ZDF 2006-2011
Now here we have a cult classic, a sci-fi satire series, based on Stanislaw Lem’s “Space Diaries”. Ijon, a slav chill space hero, rides through space with his hologram friend in a “three-bedroom-rocket” and is looking for adventure. An episodic space series, full of fun and madness, that is insanely cheap produced and not hiding it – with great success. Spaceships look like household appliances, and everything is cardboard or tin foil. And yet, it has a lot of fun with its world of cheapness.
I have only caught a few episodes here and there, but the low production value and serious passion make this one a lovely little gem to look at.
According to Wikipedia, only the second season has English subtitles on its DVD.
Alarm für Cobra 11 (Alarm for Cobra 11)
22 seasons, 317 episodes, RTL, 1996-ongoing
Ok. Listen here.
German Autobahn without speed limits.
Meets.
Michael Bay-like EXPLOSIONS.
That’s it.
This show has been going on for 20 years now, with great success. It’s popcorn TV, and it has been exported all over the world. “Cobra 11” are the special unit for highway crime. It’s fast, it’s a spectacle, stuff will explode. A lot will explode. Like BIG EXPLOSIONS AND CAR PILEUPS AND PEOPLE JUMPING OUT OF CARS AND-
Here is a Japanese trailer with the VA Fumihiko Tachiki. Yes, Gendo Ikari from Neon Genesis Evangelion or Kaiji’s narrator.
Definitely not ”””Quality Television””””, but a good time and some of the finest practical stunt work Germany has brought out.
As this series has been exported into over 120 countries, there should be one version in your language.
Das Millionenspiel (The Game of Millions)
1 episode, event, “live television”, Das Erste, 1970
To include a classic of German TV, Das Millionenspiel needs to be in there. It was a scripted show, but broadcast and presented as a live show. 14 men are being hunted all throughout Germany, free to kill, by designated “hunters” who wear firearms.
Most of them have been killed already and we follow the last man, Lotz. In order to win the prize, one million marks, he has to reach the live studio. A cruel race begins.
This was presented as a sadistic Live Game Show, with open telephone lines for people to call. It became a scandal and harsh social experiment as many people gave angry calls, but also many wanting to be “hunted” or “hunters”. A lot of people fell for the fictitious show, and it marks an important moment in German TV history.
While the film can be found uploaded on Youtube, I have no information on English subtitles.
Switch Reloaded (Switch Reloaded)
6 seasons, 102 episodes, ProSieben, 2007-2012
Switch Reloaded is a sketch comedy series that parodies all sorts of films and TV series. German ones and US ones as well! From CSI:Miami to Bones, to House MD, to Monk, there are a lot of parodies to be found here!
And even though you might not recognise all of the original TV series, you will have a blast with them. Television formats are the same all over the world, after all.
DVD releases and Youtube channels exist, but I have no information on English subtitles.
Walulis sieht fern (Walulis watches TV / lit. Walulis looks far)
4 seasons, 20 episodes, ZDFneo, 2011-2014
Phillip Walulis analyses the current TV landscape and how it works, all with parody sketches and media satire. His show is a direct adaptation of BBC Charlie Brooker’s ScreenWipe. As it has a bigger focus on German media and its tropes, it is worth looking at. Especially the short skits are fun, with reoccurring characters and a mix of analysis, information and satire, it is a worthwhile show that will make laugh and learn something.
Walulis is now working on Youtube, with weekly analysis videos, even on US media, and has his old episodes online as well. There don’t seem to be English subtitles.
Pastewka
8 seasons, 77 episodes, 2005-ongoing, Sat.1, Amazon Prime
Comedian and writer Bastian Pastewka plays himself in his eponymous series. A comedy slice of life with surreal elements as well as hint of truths here and there, as this series is an exaggerated version of his own turbulent life. Guest actors will play themselves as well, this series gets often compared to Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, and has won several awards, German and European alike.
The series ran from 2005-2014, and recently got a sequel-revival in 2018 on German Amazon Prime. No information on English subtitles.
Game One (former MTV’s Game One)
12 seasons, 307 episodes, 2006-2014, MTV Germany
IMDB | Wikipedia (German only)
Now here we have something beloved, influential, and emotional to many, many people in Germany. Game One was a TV show that combined video game reviews with sketch comedy.
Back in 2006, MTV Germany wanted its own format about video games, and brought over a few nerds from a small show called GIGA Games, and told them to do something fresh and new for a young audience. And so, they did.
This was a weekly show, always airing on Friday evening, and soon became one of the flagships of MTV Germany. The two main hosts, Daniel “Budi” Budiman and Simon Krätschmer, became cult heroes to a new generation of gamers, who would lead the show with fun, charm and lot and lots of laughter. Their usually low budget soon became their own aesthetic, obvious greenscreens, lots of slapdash costumes and a big heart to hold everything together. Their self-proclaimed leitmotif: “Hauen und Pappe!”, meaning “Beatings and cardboard!”, was the peak of what this show was: lots of excellent practical humour and cheap sets.
Throw together “British surreal comedy” and “video games”, and you got Game One. Many sketches and phrases of theirs have entered the popular mindset of Germans everywhere, and when the cancellation of the show was imminent, they came together for one last hurrah: The final episode will bring tears to practically everyone who even remotely knew the show.
However, they would not disappear: They founded “Rocketbeans”, a digital TV channel, and have even revived their show as Game Two, under the new license-fee funded digital branch of ARD and ZDF called “funk”.
Game One will be fondly remembered by millions of people, and Rocketbeans are continuing their adventure to a bright future. Even if they don’t have subtitles, give the lads some love. Here is the library with all their past Game One episodes (which will always be uploaded on Youtube too somewhere), here is their new Youtube channel Rocketbeans, and here is their own presentation in 60 seconds, and it perfectly encapsulates what Game One was all about:
And that concludes the first batch of recommendations, if there is more need, I will be recommend some more, feel free to reach out!
Have fun watching them, and all the best!
Elena DS 