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Top 10 German TV Shows You Must Watch

TV Shows

German TV Shows
22 Jan, 2025

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German television is breaking boundaries and grabbing the attention of global audiences. The rich storytelling and unforgettable characters have made indelible marks in the industry. For anyone looking to dive into the culture, watching German TV shows is not only entertaining but also an excellent way to gain cultural insights. However, finding the right series can be a challenge.

Whether you’re drawn to high-octane spy thrillers or sweeping period dramas, this guide is here to help. We’ve curated a selection of the best German TV shows that have gained acclaim both domestically and internationally.

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List of Top German TV Shows

1: Babylon Berlin

Date of Release: October 13, 2017 – Present

Genre: Neo-noir, Thriller, and Period Drama

Number of Seasons: 4

Number of Episodes: 40

Cast: Volker Bruch, Liv Lisa Fries, Peter Kurth, Matthias Brandt, Leonie Benesch, Severija Janušauskaitė, Ivan Shvedoff, Lars Eidinger, and Anton von Lucke

Babylon Berlin masterfully combines gripping mystery with meticulously crafted historical drama, making it one of Germany’s standout TV productions.

Babylon Berlin follows Gereon Rath, Charlotte Ritter, and Bruno Wolter as they navigate a tangled web of corruption, forcing them to choose between loyalty and uncovering the truth behind Berlin’s dramatic transformation.

Premiering on Sky 1 in 2017, Babylon Berlin quickly earned acclaim as one of the best German television shows. By 2018, it reached audiences in Australia, Canada, and the United States through Netflix, solidifying its global success.

It has garnered numerous awards, including:

  • Adolf Grimme Awards
  • Bambi Awards
  • Bavarian TV Awards
  • German Television Academy Awards
  • German Television Awards

2: Pagan Peak

Date of Release: January 25, 2019 – May 27, 2023

Genre: Thriller, Crime Fiction, and Drama

Number of Seasons: 3

Number of Episodes: 24

Cast: Julia Jentsch, Nicholas Ofczarek, Lucas Gregorowicz, Rony Herman, Matthias Hack, Martin Feifel, Sibylle Canonica, and Michael Fuith

Pagan Peak (or Der Pass) is an Austrian-German crime drama that follows detectives Ellie and Gedeon as they investigate a mysterious body found in the Alps. Their search for answers unravels chilling clues tied to pagan rituals and local customs. Inspired by the first season of the Danish-Swedish series The Bridge, this gripping show blends eerie mythology with tense investigative drama.

Premiering on Sky Deutschland in 2019, Pagan Peak earned widespread acclaim for its compelling storyline and atmospheric crime scenes. With its snowy alpine setting and intricate exploration of myths, it’s a must-watch for fans of methodical serial killers and captivating detective tales.

3: Perfume

Date of Release: November 14, 2018

Genre: Drama

Number of Seasons: 1

Number of Episodes: 6

Cast: Friederike Becht, Wotan Wilke Möhring, Juergen Maurer, August Diehl, Ken Duken, Natalia Belitski, Christian Friedel, Trystan Pütter, and Marc Hosemann

Perfume is a German drama series produced for ZDFneo and released in 2018. Loosely inspired by Patrick Süskind’s iconic novel and Tom Tykwer’s 2006 film adaptation, the series reimagines the story in a modern setting. The plot revolves around the chilling murder of a singer whose scent glands have been surgically removed, unraveling a dark investigation that implicates a close-knit group of friends.

Netflix acquired the global streaming rights for Perfume outside of German-speaking Europe, bringing the series to an international audience. Praised for its stylish combination of noir crime and dark erotic thriller elements, Perfume has earned widespread acclaim for its bold storytelling and haunting atmosphere.

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4: Deutschland 83

Date of Release: June 17, 2015 – August 5, 2015

Genre: Spy Thriller

Number of Seasons: 1

Number of Episodes: 8

Cast: Jonas Nay, Maria Schrader, Ulrich Noethen, Sylvester Groth, Sonja Gerhardt, Ludwig Trepte, Alexander Beyer, and Lisa Tomaschewsky

Premiering in 2015 on SundanceTV, Deutschland 83 made history as the first German-language series to air on a US network. The show was an instant critical success, praised for its compelling blend of family dynamics, love, and Cold War politics. This remains a fan-favorite and one of the best German TV shows to date.

Deutschland 83 follows Martin Rauch, a young and inexperienced spy recruited by the HVA (East Germany’s foreign intelligence agency) to infiltrate the West German army. As Martin navigates a world of deception, his actions repeatedly jeopardize his cover, forcing the agency to resort to drastic measures to protect their mission.

It received numerous awards, including:

  • International Emmy Award
  • Peabody Award
  • Grimme Prize Award
  • Golden Nymph Award
  • Metropolis Award

5: Das Boot

Date of Release: November 23, 2018 – Present

Genre: War

Number of Seasons: 4

Number of Episodes: 32

Cast: August Wittgenstein, Ben Münchow, Clara Ponsot, Fleur Geffrier, Franz Dinda, James D’Arcy, Joachim Foerster, Julius Feldmeier, and Kevin McNally

Premiering on Sky One in Germany since 2018, Das Boot quickly garnered attention for its impressive casting, stunning cinematography, and authentic locations, capturing the tension and realism of wartime Europe.

Set in the fall of 1942 during World War II, Das Boot follows an inexperienced U-boat crew on a perilous secret mission while a young German woman faces a difficult conflict between loyalty to her homeland and her involvement with the French Resistance. Based on Lothar-Günther Buchheim’s novel Die Festung, the series serves as a sequel to the iconic 1981 film Das Boot.

It received various awards, including:

  • Bavarian TV Award
  • German Camera Award
  • Golden Nymph Award
  • Hollywood Music in Media Award
  • Romy Award

6: The Same Sky

Date of Release: March 27, 2017

Genre: Drama and Thriller

Number of Seasons:

Number of Episodes:

Cast: Tom Schilling, Sofia Helin, Friederike Becht, Ben Becker, Jörg Schüttauf, Hannes Wegener, Stephanie Amarell, Godehard Giese, and Anja Kling

Produced by UFA Fiction, Beta Film for ZDF, and Czech TV, in collaboration with Rainmark Films, the series captivated audiences with its compelling narrative and realistic portrayals. Its gripping story makes it a must-watch for those interested in the intricacies of Cold War espionage.

The Same Sky, set in 1970s Berlin, delves into the Cold War and the fates of two families living on opposite sides of the Berlin Wall. The story centers around an East German “Romeo agent,” a spy who uses seduction to extract secrets and the women he targets in the West.

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7: Generation War

Date of Release: March 17, 2013 – March 20, 2013

Genre: Period Drama, Action, History, and War

Number of Seasons:

Number of Episodes: 3

Cast: Volker Bruch, Tom Schilling, Katharina Schüttler, Miriam Stein, and Ludwig Trepte

Generation War is a German TV show that follows five friends as they go off to fight in World War II, each vowing to return by Christmas. First airing in Germany and Austria in 2013, the series was commissioned by the public broadcasting organization ZDF and produced by UFA subsidiary TeamWorx.

When it premiered in Germany, each episode garnered around 7 million views. It quickly gained international acclaim for its realistic portrayal of characters and intense, well-crafted storyline. Generation War has since secured a significant place in television history.

It has received numerous awards, including:

  • Bavarian TV Award
  • German Television Award
  • German Television Academy Award
  • Goldene Kamera Award
  • International Emmy Award

8: Dark

Date of Release: December 1, 2017 – June 27, 2020

Genre: Science fiction, Thriller, Mystery, and Tragedy

Number of Seasons: 3

Number of Episodes: 26

Cast: Jonas Gerzabek, Louis Hofmann, Andreas Pietschmann, Dietrich Hollinderbäumer, Maja Schöne, Lisa Vicari, Moritz Jahn, Daan Lennard Liebrenz, Oliver Masucci, Jördis Triebel, and Gina Alice Stiebitz

Dark is widely regarded as one of the best German TV shows. Set in the small town of Winden, Germany, it follows a group of dysfunctional characters as they unravel a chilling time travel conspiracy that spans generations, exploring the complex connections between four estranged families.

Premiering on Netflix in 2017, Dark became the platform’s first German-language original series. The show received critical acclaim for its stellar acting, direction, writing, visuals, themes, musical score, and intricate narrative. It earned a spot on numerous publications’ lists of the best TV shows of 2017, 2019, and 2020. In 2021, the BBC even ranked it as the 58th greatest television program of the 21st century.

Dark has gained various awards, including:

  • Grimme Awards
  • German Television Awards
  • German Television Academy Awards
  • The Webby Awards

9: Biohackers

Date of Release: August 20, 2020 – July 9, 2021

Genre: Techno-thriller, Science Fiction, and Drama

Number of Seasons: 2

Number of Episodes: 12

Cast: Luna Wedler, Jessica Schwarz, Thomas Prenn, Adrian Julius Tillmann, Jing Xiang, Caro Cult, and Sebastian Jakob Doppelbauer

Biohackers is a thrilling series that follows medical student Mia Akerlund as she uncovers advanced biohacking technology in her university town. The show delves into the ethical limits of scientific experimentation and the boundaries researchers are willing to cross.

Premiering on Netflix in 2020, Biohackers garnered positive reviews for its realistic portrayal of laboratory scenes and insightful discussions on gene therapies and antidotes. The series’ unpredictable plot and shocking twists will keep viewers on the edge of their seats until the very end.

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10: Bad Banks

Date of Release: February 22, 2018 – Present

Genre: Drama

Number of Seasons: 2

Number of Episodes: 12

Cast: Paula Beer, Barry Atsma, Desiree Nosbusch, Mai Duong Kieu, Albrecht Schuch, Tobias Moretti, Jean-Marc Barr, Marc Limpach, Germain Wagner, Jörg Schüttauf, Jeff Wilbusch, and Utsav Agrawal

Bad Banks is a 2018 German-Luxembourgish television series that follows Jana, an ambitious woman navigating the cutthroat world of finance, where egos clash, and the pressure to succeed is relentless. As she faces mounting challenges, she is forced to define the boundaries of her career.

Airing in 2018 on ARTE, Bad Banks is also available on Netflix in Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and France. The series was praised for its compelling storyline, standout performances, and its gripping portrayal of financial collapse, securing its place as one of the best German TV shows.

FAQs

What are the most popular TV shows in Germany?

Babylon Berlin, Pagan Peak, Perfume, Deutschland 83, Das Boot, and The Same Sky are some of Germany’s most popular TV shows.

What genres are most popular in German television?

German television’s most popular genres include thrillers, dramas, crime fiction, action, and science fiction, which attracted audiences both in Germany and internationally.

What is the longest-running German TV show?

Tatort is the longest-running German TV show, having been on the air since 1970. It’s a police procedural series with feature-length episodes, and around 30 episodes are produced each year across various German regions.

What are some recent German TV hits?

Babylon Berlin, Deutschland 83, Das Boot, Generation War, and Dark are all popular and successful German TV shows that have garnered attention both in Germany and internationally.

What German TV shows have won international awards?

Shows like Babylon Berlin, Deutschland 83, Das Boot, Generation War, and Dark have won numerous international awards or received critical acclaim at international festivals.