"Deutschland '83" ~ German spy series on Sundance

[Dr. Seymour Love]

Anyone else watching this one? 2 eps in and I'm digging it. Peeps who can't take subs, look elsewhere, it's all German language with English subs.

DEUTSCHLAND 83 is a gripping coming-of-age story set against the real culture wars and political events of Germany in the 1980s. The drama follows Martin Rauch (Jonas Nay) as the 24 year-old East German border guard that is pulled from the world as he knows it and sent to the West as an undercover spy for the Stasi foreign service. Hiding in plain sight in the West German army, he must gather the secrets of NATO military strategy. Everything is new, nothing is quite what it seems and everyone he encounters is harboring secrets, both political and personal.

[EPlay]

I've only seen the first episode so far off the DVR, but I liked it a lot. Will definitely keep watching.

[hagios]

Have this on our DVR schedule & enjoyed the 1st episode so far.

[Ultra_Violence]

Sounds good, gonna check it out.

[jayembee]

I haven't watched the so-far-aired episodes yet. Comcast -- at least in my town -- doesn't carry Sundance in HD, although their programming is offered in HD on On Demand (go figure). Anyway, two things to note:

(1) Press releases (presumably originating from Sundance) claim that this is the first time a US network has aired a German TV series. I'm sure they'd like to believe that, but it's not true. Back in the late 1980s, I saw Berlin Alexanderplatz on Bravo, and I've heard that it aired on PBS before that. Just sayin'. What is interesting is that Sundance is airing this before it airs on RTL in Germany!

(2) I haven't seen it announced in this site's news section, but according to this article:

Kino Lorber has picked up home video and TVOD rights for the German-language event series Deutschland 83 in the U.S. and Canada.

The eight-part series is a coming-of-age drama set against the culture wars and political events of Germany in the 1980s. Created by American novelist Anna Winger, the title airs in the U.S. on SundanceTV. Kino Lorber will release the entire series on DVD and Blu-ray in the U.S. following its broadcast run, with the series also becoming available for purchase on most transactional VOD services.

[hagios]

Just finished Deutschland 83 & absolutely enjoyed this cold-war spy thriller!



“deutschland 83″ recap: episode 108 (able archer)

[Show spoiler]Posted August 05th, 2015, 11:08 PM by isaiah sherman

Stamm sneaks into the back of a family’s car and crosses the border as a stowaway.

Annett calls Schweppenstette to tell him Ingrid’s missing and Yvonne is at home.

Stamm flees from the family he rode with when they stop for a bathroom break.

Yvonne finds a photo of Annett with Stamm and flees Ingrid’s, but too late: Schweppenstette’s men catch her.

Ingrid visits Schweppenstette’s office, confessing that she knew about Thomas’ secret library and is equally complicit in his crime. Schweppenstette refuses to show leniency to Thomas, and Ingrid retorts that he can explain her own imprisonment to her sister and son. Schweppenstette is furious, asking her to leave her—no, their—son out of it, revealing himself as Stamm’s (Martin’s) father.

Stamm makes it home and warns Annett she has to go into hiding. He races upstairs to tell his mother and finds Yvonne tied up in her room. Stamm asks Yvonne what’s going on, but she won’t answer, except to tell him his mom didn’t come home last night.

Schweppenstette’s man enters to take Yvonne and Stamm knocks him out with a surprise attack. Annett tries to stop Stamm from freeing Yvonne, and Stamm is forced to tie both the man and Annett to his kitchen table.

The internal affairs agent questions Alex, back home on suspension after his insubordinate act with the protestors, about Stamm, whom Alex describes as “loyal” and “honest.” The man reveals that Stamm is a spy, devastating Alex.

Stamm delivers a shaken Yvonne to the West German embassy and apologizes for her trauma.

Ingrid returns home and reprimands Annett for getting involved with the spymasters, telling her she’s secured Thomas’ release. Annett is horrified. Ingrid tells Annett she knew about the books and that Schweppenstette would have prevented her arrest because of his relationship to her son.

Both sides ready nuclear missiles: NATO as part of the simulation, the Soviets for what they think is a real attack. Rauch continues to try to persuade higher-ups to consider Stamm’s warnings. Schweppenstette’s colleague confronts him about the doctored NATO report, telling Schweppenstette his deceit will be punished.

Stamm heads to Schweppenstette’s office and demands a meeting. When armed guards come after him, he flees and makes it to the conference room where Schweppenstette and Rauch are meeting with their KGB superiors. Stamm makes an impassioned speech to the assembled top brass and finally manages to convince them that Able Archer is just a test, averting nuclear war.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=dmSJN5kuSCA

Edel returns home to find a note from his wife Ursula—she’s left him to live with her sister for the time being.

Alex gets tested for HIV.

Schweppenstette releases Thomas into the West to start over. Tischbier greets him and tells him, “Welcome to the free world.”

Alex goes home, where he stares out the window emptily. A gunshot rings out.

Stamm finds his mother burning leaves back at home. He stares into the fire as his mother goes inside and he prepares to join both her and Annett in the house.

http://www.sundance.tv/series/deutsc...08-able-archer

[Dr. Seymour Love]

Thoroughly enjoyed this one.

[Fiffy]

Great show! According to an interview I just read, they have started working on "Deutschland 86", the second season. The plan is to have 3 seasons leading up to the fall of the Berlin wall in '89.

[SGFfilmfan]

Pre-ordered this on amazon. Great show!! I hope it gets a blu-ray release too.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by SGFfilmfan

Pre-ordered this on amazon. Great show!! I hope it gets a blu-ray release too.

See post #5 above.

[SGFfilmfan]

That was the first press release back in June when a blu-ray release was planned. But the most recent press release only mentions DVD and that's the only format available to order on amazon right now.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by SGFfilmfan

That was the first press release back in June when a blu-ray release was planned. But the most recent press release only mentions DVD and that's the only format available to order on amazon right now.

Yup. I confirmed that with a Kino rep over in the OFFICIAL KINO International/KINO Video Thread. DVD-only. That sucks.

[Fiffy]

If you are not a disc-only guy, it is available for download in HD on iTunes. Looks pretty good.

[hagios]

Originally Posted by SGFfilmfan

Pre-ordered this on amazon. Great show!! I hope it gets a blu-ray release too.

Pre-ordered also!

[Todd Tomorrow]

Recently finished this and what a fun show. I am German and I find most German TV drama terrible, so this came as a pleasant surprise. Much of german TV drama is heavy handed and melodramatic, especially when dealing with historical subject matter, so the lightness of touch of this show was most welcome. It's a little like the Bourne films were made in the spirit of the excellent German comedy Goodbye Lenin.

I don't think there has been a major German TV series considered worth exporting since the days of Heimat, Das Boot and Berlin Alexanderplatz in the 80s.

[Todd Tomorrow]

Originally Posted by hagios

Just finished Deutschland 83 & absolutely enjoyed this cold-war spy thriller!

Good for you, but I don't entirely understand the point of posting a recap of the last episode and a spoilery pic, considering many people will catch up with this series as word of mouth spreads.

[SGFfilmfan]

Second season on the way through Amazon Prime!

http://variety.com/2016/digital/glob...ny-1201888236/

[theusher]

“Deutschland86,” the sequel to hit Cold War thriller series “Deutschland83,” will premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime Video in Germany in 2018.

[EPlay]

"Deutschland 86" will be starting on Sundance TV this Thursday!!!!!!! Wow, that was a long wait, but I LOVED "83"!!!!!

[TsMkLg068426]

Originally Posted by EPlay

"Deutschland 86" will be starting on Sundance TV this Thursday!!!!!!! Wow, that was a long wait, but I LOVED "83"!!!!!

Wow thank god I looked at forums I knew they were working on another season never knew when it will come to the U.S. and Sundance promoted at all?