Tatort to Turncoat: An Inside Look at the Intriguing and Unique World of German TV

This acclaimed World War II drama is about a young German soldier torn between a sense of duty, guilt and conscience, who ultimately defects to fight with the Red Army. Based on the bestselling book by Siegfried Lenz, main character Walter Prosja must make a decision that could alter the course of his life as he begins to question who the real enemy might be. With a gripping storyline that keeps you on the edge of your seat, this four-episode miniseries is unforgettable and a must-watch.

This police thriller revolves around a German father-daughter team, who work with their French colleagues to battle organized crime in the German border town of Kehl. Each of the four episodes features heart-pounding action as daughter Leni goes undercover to derail a gang war between Russian drug lords.

A German Police investigator assigned to his country’s embassy in Algiers engages in an illicit affair with a highly-placed  Algerian Prosecutor. And that’s only the start of the conflict in this exciting four-episode miniseries.

The main action kicks off when the kidnapping of a German arms dealer puts them in direct conflict as they navigate an ever-shifting group of potential allies, factions of officials.  With high production values, a diverse array of exteriors set across North Africa and Europe and high octane action series, this twisty adventure is not one to miss.

The title essentially serves as a plot summary for this popular German crime drama. Disgraced lawyer Thomas Borchert is on a mission to clear his name. Wanted for financial embezzlement, money laundering and other assorted crimes, he sets up shop in his native Zurich as an unlicensed defender. He quickly makes it known that he’s out for revenge on those who turned him in, all while getting closer with the daughter of an old friend who reluctantly assists his mission.

Set during Germany’s Protestant Reformation, the period film Luther and I delves into the tumultuous era led by the renowned historical figure, Martin Luther. While you may already know all about Luther’s infamous exile by the Pope, you might have yet to discover the story of Katharina von Bora, Martin Luther’s significant other.

Stepping into the spotlight as the protagonist of this story, Katharina is a 16th-century nun who broke free from the convent to join Luther’s reformation movement after reading his writings about individual freedom. You can experience this historical drama for yourself by watching it on MHz Choice, and get swept up in the fascinating tale of one of history’s most iconic couples.

Leo Roth is Germany’s most successful media lawyer, shaping popular opinion as she takes on high-powered clients from the world of celebrity and politics. Although the series is fictional, the cases Leo takes on echoes real-life societal debates including the limitations of free speech, media smear campaigns and what qualifies as political satire. All eight episodes of this new series are streaming now on MHz Choice. 

A sweeping story of two families that takes place over several decades, The Weissensee Saga follows the lives of the Kupfers, a well connected-family within East Germany’s 1980’s era communist regime. The youngest son of the family Martin, strikes up a relationship with Julia Hausmann, a young shop worker, which complicates all of their lives as it comes to light that her mother is a singer known for her frequent critiques of the regime.

This four season series explores themes of conflicting loyalties, love, hope, faith and betrayal, in the tumultuous times of 1980s and 1990s East Berlin.