Forget ‘Dark’: These 10 German Thrillers Will Ruin Your Sleep

✦ Edited and fact-checked by Mike Strayer, our Managing Editor with over 11 years covering entertainment and TV.

Whether you’re still reeling from the mind-bending twists of “Winden,” or you’re just looking to expand your linguistic horizons beyond “guten tag,” German TV is having a massive moment. We’ve seen a surge in high-quality storytelling coming out of Deutschland, and Netflix has become the ultimate hub for these gripping dramas and irreverent comedies.

If you love complex narratives, atmospheric cinematography, and stories that aren’t afraid to get a little weird, we’ve got you covered. From gritty historical thrillers to sleek sci-fi, here are the best German series on Netflix to add to your watchlist right now.

10. “Dark” (2017–2020)

The show that started it all for many international fans. When two children go missing in a small German town, its sinful past comes to light along with the double lives and fractured relationships that exist among four families. But “Dark” isn’t just a missing persons case; it’s a sprawling time-travel epic that asks when instead of who. You’ll want to keep a notebook handy for the family trees—trust us, we needed one.

9. “How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast)” (2019–2025)

Inspired by true events, and boasting one of the best show titles ever, this series follows a nerdy teenager who starts an online drug empire from his bedroom to win back his ex-girlfriend. As you might suspect, “Drugs” is fast-paced, colorful, and hilariously self-aware about internet culture. Watching Moritz juggle exams with international drug trafficking provides a stressful yet comedic rush that you won’t find in your average teen drama.

8. “Babylon Berlin” (2017–2023)

Step back into the roaring twenties in Weimar-era Berlin, a city of glamour and grit (and ascendent Nazis). A police commissioner is transferred to Berlin to investigate a porn ring run by the mafia, but he quickly finds himself entangled in a web of political conspiracy and murder. The production value is staggering, capturing a civilization on the brink of collapse with haunting beauty and jazz-fueled energy.

7. “Kleo” (2022–present)

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, a former East German spy is released from prison and sets out on a revenge rampage against the people who betrayed her. Think “Killing Eve” meets 1980s Cold War aesthetics. Kleo is a lethal yet quirky protagonist, and the show balances high-stakes action with a uniquely dark sense of humor that kept us binge-watching.

6. “Barbarians” (2020–2022)

History buffs, this one is for you. “Barbarians” centers on the famous Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, where Germanic warriors clashed with the Roman Empire. It’s a brutal, visceral look at loyalty and betrayal, told from the perspective of three childhood friends whose lives are torn apart by the war. The Roman characters even speak Latin, adding a layer of immersion that we truly appreciate.

5. “The Empress” (2022–present)

If you’re craving a period drama with high-stakes romance, “The Empress” delivers. It follows the rebellious Elisabeth (“Sisi”) as she falls in love with Emperor Franz Joseph and enters the suffocating world of the Viennese court. It’s a lavish production filled with political maneuvering and family drama, perfect for anyone who finished “The Crown” and needs a new royal obsession.

4. “1899” (2022)

From the creators of “Dark,” this mind-bending mystery unfolds aboard a migrant steamship en route from London to New York. When the passengers discover a second ship adrift on the open sea, their journey turns into a horrifying nightmare. “1899” moves like a multilingual puzzle box of a show where nothing is as it seems, and every frame packs another set of clues about the characters’ true reality.

3. “Biohackers” (2020–2021)

Mia enters medical school to get close to a professor she suspects was involved in her past family tragedy, only to find herself pulled into the world of illegal genetic engineering. “Biohackers” twists and turns like a techno-thriller that feels frighteningly plausible in today’s world. The fast-moving plot and scientific ethical dilemmas make it an easy binge for fans of “Black Mirror.”

2. “Dogs of Berlin” (2018–present)

This gritty crime drama follows two archetypical detectives—one with a questionable past and the other obnoxiously straight-laced—as they investigate the murder of a high-profile German-Turkish soccer star. The case forces them into a confrontation with Berlin’s underworld, including neo-Nazi gangs and Lebanese mafia. If what you seek is an unapologetic look at the social tensions bubbling beneath the surface of Berlin, “Dogs of Berlin” might be right for you.

1. “Crooks” (2024–present)

A retired safecracker is forced back into the game when his past catches up with him, leading to a high-speed chase across three different countries. Who doesn’t love an adrenaline-fueled heist thriller that explores the lengths a person will go to protect their family? Not only that, but the chemistry between the mismatched leads provides some great lighter moments amidst the constant gunfire and car chases.

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