Babylon Berlin - Série 1

The first half of Gereon Rath's case is truly fascinating. Amidst corruption, and pornography, but also the spectacular world of the jazz club Moka Efti... The late years of the Weimar Republic were never as attractive to the public as they are here. Nothing is black and white. Alongside the problems of ordinary people, there are dramas playing out in high politics, with the poor having fun alongside those at the top. The period realities are great. People on Sunday is screening in the movie theater, and casting for The Blue Angel is taking place in the film studios... The first eight episodes are a gripping blend of period fresco and raw crime drama. (12/01/2020)

Babylon Berlin is the kind of European series that HBO has been hyping since it started airing. And yes, the first season is truly fantastic. It's clear the Germans invested a lot of money into this. Some scenes set during the Weimar Republic are incredibly lavish, and the music is fantastic, even if it does get a bit repetitive. The atmosphere is top-notch, and the performances are stellar. The biggest drawback, though, is the complexity of the interwoven plots. The series doesn't offer one constant storyline but instead depicts life in Germany at the end of the 1920s, with numerous overlapping narratives that can be easy to lose track of. (17/07/2023)

A strong four stars. An awesome film noir (or should I say ‘series noir’?) set in the Weimar Republic, which was a fertile breeding ground for various political factions, as well as a thorn in the side of many Germans. I've always liked interwar Germany, just as much as I like the period of Prohibition in the US. The story was very well written, and I was pleased with the acting performances and the great atmosphere. All in all, I'm very happy with the first season. (09/08/2018)