For some the roaring twenties are still in full swing, dripping with gold and glamour, for others the Great War (WW1) wasn’t that long ago. Its effects felt both in those who are missing, to minds who have never left the battlefield, and most evidently in the case of the shows lead character, police detective Gereon Rath (Volker Bruch), in the tremors of post-traumatic stress.
The series opens with Gereon being lulled into a trance, the words leading him to find “the source of your fear, I will guide you, step by step, step by step, all the way to the source of your fear. To the truth.” And in this we’re shown glimpses of a dark and troubled past, that’s both complex and riveting – you won’t be leaving your seat any time soon, so you’d best get the snacks ready.
It’s Berlin 1929, and Gereon is keeping many a secret from his counterparts in the force, one of which is to find a hidden film that’s links to an important and influential person back home. But the real tension for Gereon is in keeping his tremors concealed, knowing that in this world of prejudice it can mean the end of his career, and frighteningly as he learns in the first few scenes it can also lead to a desperate one; with an ex-cop forced to become involved with the criminals he once sought.
Alongside Gereon’s story, is Charlotte Ritter (Liv Lisa Fries) a young woman clawing to survive; moonlighting in various roles to support herself and her family as they live in dirt, grime and extreme poverty, all the while seeking her dream to become a police officer. Then there’s the kingpin of crime, who wouldn’t be out of place in a George R. R. Martin novel, becoming more villainous with every second.
Babylon Berlin is also a political thriller, with communist divisions of Stalin versus Trotsky, its supporters trapped in a hail of gunshots often seen in mafia movies, not to mention there’s the political judgement of those far outside of communism, their inclination also being that of violence. Then there’s a highjacked train that glitters not just with the toil of sweat and….actually you know what, I’ll stop there before your head explodes with information, but suffice to say the series is full of intrigue, and the further the entanglements go the more you might need a notepad to keep up.
The budget for this show must have been pretty much a blank cheque; the sets realistic and expansive, leaving you only to feel that you’re living in the 1920s-30s, with the costumes magnifying this strange sensation. However, and I hate to add a however, there was a moment that really pulled you out from the series – a dance scene in a club that didn’t look too far from the design of today, the music contemporary to begin with before turning into a poetry slam that becomes a mob flash-dance, and one led by a cult leader/singer. We’re not supposed to know the identity of this singer, but their slender figure and dainty arm movements make their big reveal pointless, you knew who it was and surely everyone did.
Aside from a very slight criticism, this is one of the best detective shows, being not just one thing but many, showing a time in Germany that has never been captured on such an intimate scale before; showing glitz and glam against depravity, corruption, trauma, poverty and self-serving ambitions. You’ll find the show as hypnotic as its opening credits.
Creator: Henk Handloegten
Other notable works:
- Love in Thoughts 2004
Creator: Tom Tykwer
Other notable works:
- Supa Modo 2018
- Sense8 2015-2018
- Cloud Atlas 2012
- Nairobi Half Life 2012
- Run Lola Run 1998
Creator: Achim von Borries
Other notable works:
- Love in Thoughts 2004
