Discovering Europe through television
Discovering Europe through television
There is nothing more unsettling than innocence at the centre of a crime drama. In Netflix's six-part German thriller Dear Child, extraordinary child performances, the chilling language of obedience and an almost unbearable atmosphere create six episodes of psychological tension. My stomach was in knots. And six episodes were exactly enough.
Criminal strips crime drama down to its bare essentials: one interrogation room, one suspect and nowhere for the writing or actors to hide. Across the UK, Spain, Germany and France, the same brilliant concept takes on a completely different rhythm, language and personality — proving that sometimes the smartest setting is the one that refuses to become the star.
Berlin Station uses Berlin’s history of division, surveillance and secrets to build a tense CIA spy drama. A city made for espionage, where trust is always temporary.
Unfamiliar brings German gravitas to a tense spy-crime drama where secrets, language and silence make the story feel heavier from the very first episode.