Save the best for last! Sequel to Deutschland 83 & 86, 89 takes up the story with the events leading to the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Probably like 'The Crown', what with my lack of historical knowledge I'm never quite sure if what I'm seeing is a 'recreation' or 're-imagining' of history? Whatever, creators Anna & Jörg Winger again impressively combine drama, history and old news archive footage of the time to show the unravelling of the East German State (DDR) and its infamous Stasi and spy agency HVA in what is obviously a critical moment in German history. For the last installment of the trilogy, new characters appear alongside the regulars, like the excellent Svenja Jung playing Nicole, Martin's latest love interest, and Raul Casso as Valdez an underhand CIA agent in Berlin trying to recruit Martin. The series remains pretty faithful to its origins, so clear 'threads' run throughout this 3 year update. Spy Martin Rauch played by Jonas Nay, Maria Schrader as Lenora Rauch his cousin and HVA handler and Sylvester Groth her boss Walter Schweppenstette are outstanding as usual, and well supported by the rest of the cast, no weak links really. The production qualities make Deutschland exciting to watch, exquisitely shot mostly in and around Berlin with some lovely attention to detail like the typically garish & kitsch 80s decor and quaint ancient-looking computers, all of which add up to a wonderful hit series.
Deutschland 89's remembered history looks rather dated admittedly, but isn't that the point as it loses nothing of the power and dynamism that gripped the first 2 series? This one has the odd quirks of characters adjusting to the new realities, intelligence agencies aware of what's coming down the tracks who then try to disappear into civilian life and not leave any trail behind them. There are some quite funny moments, for example where leaders of HVA relocate to a villa in Sorrento, Italy, and plot their re-entry into capitalist society, hilarious. Other agents try to infiltrate Western Germany and prepare for unification, Martin & Nicole even find themselves in Timisora, Romania, on the cusp of revolution. Lots of good 'moments' in amongst its 8 episodes.
At heart though, there's a darker side to Deutschland 89 with its impending social upheaval, terrorist threats and the undoubted soul-searching of a country about to reinvent itself for the 4th time in the 20th Century. Which might explain why a German series took off in other countries before it became a hit at home. Originally relayed by Sundance TV and Germany's RTL, it was picked up by Amazon Prime for 86 and 89 and is now rightly one of the most popular foreign language spy dramas ever. Paula Milne & Oliver Hirschbiegel mini-series 'The Same Sky' follows a similar storyline of an agent being posted in West Berlin, and is also worth a look.
And doesn't Deutschland 89 have one of the best endings in a drama series ever, even if it's a bit make believe? Particularly, with the timely reminders that the end of the Cold War, or 'The End Of History' as it came to be known, doesn't mean the end of the world's problems. We can but dream ... highly recommended.
Deutschland 89's remembered history looks rather dated admittedly, but isn't that the point as it loses nothing of the power and dynamism that gripped the first 2 series? This one has the odd quirks of characters adjusting to the new realities, intelligence agencies aware of what's coming down the tracks who then try to disappear into civilian life and not leave any trail behind them. There are some quite funny moments, for example where leaders of HVA relocate to a villa in Sorrento, Italy, and plot their re-entry into capitalist society, hilarious. Other agents try to infiltrate Western Germany and prepare for unification, Martin & Nicole even find themselves in Timisora, Romania, on the cusp of revolution. Lots of good 'moments' in amongst its 8 episodes.
At heart though, there's a darker side to Deutschland 89 with its impending social upheaval, terrorist threats and the undoubted soul-searching of a country about to reinvent itself for the 4th time in the 20th Century. Which might explain why a German series took off in other countries before it became a hit at home. Originally relayed by Sundance TV and Germany's RTL, it was picked up by Amazon Prime for 86 and 89 and is now rightly one of the most popular foreign language spy dramas ever. Paula Milne & Oliver Hirschbiegel mini-series 'The Same Sky' follows a similar storyline of an agent being posted in West Berlin, and is also worth a look.
And doesn't Deutschland 89 have one of the best endings in a drama series ever, even if it's a bit make believe? Particularly, with the timely reminders that the end of the Cold War, or 'The End Of History' as it came to be known, doesn't mean the end of the world's problems. We can but dream ... highly recommended.