Deutschland 83

In 2015, the television landscape witnessed a groundbreaking moment as "Deutschland 83" emerged as the first-ever German-language series to grace American screens. Starring Jonas Nay as a 24-year-old from East Germany sent undercover to West Germany in 1983, the show weaves a tale of espionage, political tension, and personal dilemmas against the backdrop of the Cold War.

Why did Americans watch a German TV show?

The show starts with the English version of a German eighties-pop song: Major Tom by Peter Schilling. And if you are a connoisseur of English or American TV series, Deutschland 83 might not even stand out that much, except for the language and the setting, of course.

Maybe that's the reason it is the first German series to ever be broadcast in U.S. Television. On top of that, it received widespread critical acclaim. The show was co-founded by Robert Redford but has no direct ties to his Sundance Institute or the Sundance Film Festival.

Fun fact: even though Deutschland 83 is a German production, set in Germany, with German actors, in German language, SundanceTV actually broadcast the full 8-episode miniseries long before its German release in Autumn 2015.

What is Deutschland 83 about?

As can be taken from the show's title, it is set in Germany in the 1980's, in the last chapter of the Cold War. Although the fall of the Berlin wall was not too far away, the times were volatile and Germany was a powder keg.

Intelligence at the East German HQ is convinced the USA and NATO are planning a preemptive strike using the Pershing missiles they aim to deploy all over Europe. The plot is based on historical events and spans to the infamous NATO maneuver Able Archer, which is nowadays viewed as one of the times the world came closest to a full on nuclear war.

A young GDR soldier, Martin Rauch - played by Jonas Nay - finds himself reluctantly thrust into the world of espionage when his aunt promises life-saving surgery for his ailing mother in exchange for his compliance. Given a new identity, Martin is sent to infiltrate the office of a West German general.

In subsequent episodes, Martin faces increasingly complex challenges. He steals a NATO analyst's report, encounters a mysterious adversary, is ordered to seduce the head security analyst's secretary Linda, and ultimately the tension reaches its peak as Martin races against time to convince his superiors that a war game is not a cover for a surprise attack.

Why should you watch it?

In a very powerful way the first episode shows how overwhelmed Rauch is by the capitalist manifold of a western German supermarket and thus draws a clear picture of the vast differences between the two countries that used to be one. Deutschland 83 even shines a light on today's differences between the "old" and the "new" federal states.

Set design and costumes are beautifully crafted and look frighteningly realistic to everyone who remembers the 80's in Germany. It is no bright or nostalgic retrospection. Everything looks rather dull - supported by the frequently used original news footage - and is contrasted by the booming and happy 80's music that often makes its way into the foreground.

The story grants you a look into life in the GDR that is seldom seen, even on German TV.

Is Deutschland 83 good for learning German?

The show's language is clear and straight without being "unrealistic," thus it is perfectly suitable to improve your German skills just by watching it. Weniger ist mehr - less is more. You get more than suspense and adventure. You get a glimpse into life in Germany under the fading experience of a nuclear threat.

The Scorpions wrote "Wind of Change" about this era. Deutschland 83 shows you what it actually felt like to live through it.

Why did Deutschland 83 flop in Germany?

On Rotten Tomatoes, the show boasts over 90% from both critics and audiences. But in Germany it's a different story. Viewers on RTL saw ratings drop nearly in half from the first to the last episode.

Jonas Nay himself reflected on a peculiar experience: in his small German hometown, he went unrecognized, while in London he felt like a star.

Some commentators argue that RTL - known for reality TV, romantic comedies, and police series - was simply the wrong channel. Television expert Luckerath blamed RTL for promoting the show in an outdated way, criticizing the overabundance of posters across German cities as excessive and out-of-touch. A pay TV channel like Sundance with its cooler trailers might have been a better fit.

After the lackluster ratings on RTL, the production company secured continuation with Amazon Prime Video. Before the second season even aired online, Amazon had already greenlit season 3.

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