Babylon Berlin

Babylon Berlin is based on the novel "Der nasse Fisch" by Volker Kutscher, but the production changed the story and the characters quite a bit, so much so that I wonder if further seasons can still be based on Kutscher's books. Since I had read the books not too long before watching the series, I got confused because of those differences, mixing up the images in my head and on screen, so make sure to leave some time between reading and watching. I can really recommend the books, they are well reasearched, they are historically accurate and give many nice details about the Berlin of that period. I'm not expert enough to say if the changes and additions made in the series are still as accurate, but the production team consulted a historian while producing it.

Babylon Berlin is the most expensive German production so far and you can see it. Where cheaper productions have to go with 3-4 takes to get it done, here each scene was shot until the director was finally satisfied (I was an extra in this series, so I know). Productions of such magnitude were not new to the team, many "Hollywood" movies and US series were shot entirely or in part in Berlin and Studio Babelsberg, so they had an experienced crew, headed by Tom Tykwer.

So is it any good? I'm not quite neutral, since I was there on set, and I dislike it when a good book gets altered too much in filming, but the images alone are worth it, you can see the extra money spent, so give it a try!

Edit: Review of season 3 (which is based on book #2 by Kutscher). Again I was there as an extra and got a look behind the scenes. I couldn't find any numbers, but I had the impression that this season was done on a smaller budget than the first two, e.g. we didn't take quite as many shots on the same scene and seemed to be more in a hurry. Still, the sets, the costumes and some other things that cost money were already there and build upon. After watching the series on TV, I didn't really notice much of a difference when it comes to production value. In this season, Gereon and Charlotte are undergoing some changes, thus becoming more like the characters from the books, to me these changes make them more amiable. Also, the plot follows the one from the book more closely than the first 2 seasons did, but there is still an entirely new sub plot. Basically, if you liked the first 2 seasons, you will also like the third. It's a bit less glamorous, instead we get more detective story parts and you won't get as many history lessons, but you will get to see how movies were made 90 years ago. One of the great things is that the scenes that play at the Babelsberg Film Studios were actually shot there, they have survived a war, the GDR and the changes that came with the fall of the Berlin Wall.

I was quite aware of the history of German film making which excelled up until the 40's. Babylon Berlin has shown me that the German film industry is not in limbo anymore, but is now making a major comeback with such wonderful mini-series as this one.

The cinematography, acting, set designs are just superb.

I can not get enough of this great series.

To the directors, actors and film crews I want to thank you all for this masterpiece and keep up the good work.

What a tremendous series this is. So well made with superb performances from all the cast. It all seems period correct. I keep scanning the backgrounds in the scenes to see if i can spot errors like modern street lights etc but to no avail.

This period in German history is not very well known to a lot of people, the politics, the strife, the decadent nightlife, they all come to the fore in this excellent series.

I'm currently in the middle of the fourth series and it still keeps on delivering quality entertainment of the highest level.

As others have said you must watch it in German with English subtitles, that way the quality acting shines through, i imagine dubbed would sound horrendous.

I'm now hoping for a fifth series.

A novel. Impressive at whole.Inspiring a serie fascinating episode by episode. The result is just seductive. as guide of a world, as example of high craft, as images of good performances and atmosphere. A serie ignoring taboos for a large and precise picture of a reality not very comfortable but useful for understand the events after it. Crimes, secrets, politics,sex, violence . A remarkable contribution has Volker Bruch, giving the precise character - interpreter of a Berlin out of limits.And impecable characters. So, great work

This is an exceptional TV series. It has all the elements to make it an award winning piece. Great complicated characters that work well with each other, mystery, intrigue, excitement, shell shock, suggestive, authentic and genuine. Who new that Germany had the ability to produce a show like this that would compete with BBC period series. It is well written and the cinematography and sets really take you back to what it could have been in Berlin 1920s. The poverty, life, rich, poor, politics, morality, ethics and corruption are all part of the story. I have the benefit of being able to watch this with English subtitles or I would have missed the opportunity to really enjoy this show. Unfortunately, whom ever translated it, their English is not the first language and at times the sentences are backwards in English which is normally when someone is translating verbatim but I get the gist of it. If you like time pieces and or like shows such as Endeavor, George Gently, Trapped, Modus and similar then you are likely to enjoy this program.