Oderbruch

Rare quality show on ARD with international cast

Without spoiling where this is going: I recommend watching the whole series either in one go or split into two.

Definitely watch the first 3 or 4 episodes back-to-back, since the first episode alone is not a good representation of what the show is like on the whole.

Those of us who live in Germany know better than to expect good writing, direction and cinematography on top of okay acting.

We do have a number of extremely talented actors here, but more often than not, the production around them fails them completely.

Not the case with "Oderbruch".

It starts benignly enough with a flood situation of the river Oder near the German border to Poland, but the flood is, like many things in this wildly ambitious series, merely a metaphore.

I mentioned DARK in the title. This series has nothing to do with DARK in terms of content or plot. It's totally different in every single way except one: like a folded piece of paper, both Oderbruch and DARK unfold bit by bit. And every time a new information is added, the nature of the series is changed forever.

This makes this series not only watcheable, but rewatcheable. Even the first episode, which as I said does not represent what the show is like, gives you more the second time around.

Not only is Oderbruch twisty, different and interesting. It is also ambitious. If a second season gets made, I am sure the story will expand even further in its scope. I am very willing to sacrifice the Fernsehgarten for that, even though the bosses at ARD would disagree with me.

Truly a standout series, a rarity in German television. The way it grabs your attention and refuses to let go is remarkable. Christian Alvart has long been known for his expertise in creating suspense, but what he and his team have achieved here goes beyond expectations. The tension is perfectly balanced and sustained throughout, making every scene compelling. The show's mix of crime and mystery is executed with such finesse that it's no surprise it received international recognition, even winning the Best Fiction Series Award at the South International Series Festival in Cádiz. Its popularity is undeniable, with nearly 7 million views on ARD Mediathek within just ten days of its release. "Oderbruch" is a prime example of how German productions can deliver world-class storytelling and unforgettable moments. It's a rare gem that raises the bar for what German television can achieve.

A series that isn't great in every aspect, but it's great that it's now possible in Germany to realize such a series with ARD. Of course, there's also something like Dark, and that's great too, but as a Netflix production, it's still something different and not comparable. Oderbruch is a very good, exciting mystery series that is best approached without any prior knowledge and given a chance, even if there may initially be aspects that seem poorly executed at first glance. Just wait and enjoy; it's definitely worth it. I'm a bit worried about the second season, tho, since the major twist is already known.

Most critics are hyped up about this series. Finally, a German public broadcaster produces something that can compare with Netflix and the likes. True, there is a lot of worse stuff on Netflix. True, Karoline Schuch is a great actress. But pacing is awkward and slow, the characters are mostly repulsive and there is no redeeming point in sight. I do not mind supernatural twists and a high body-count, if an interesting story is told and it keeps me interested. This does not qualify by any means. The finale hints at a sequel. I could live without that happening. BTW: There are better series and movies from Germany streaming nowadays. Even on Netflix. And even from public broadcasters. So what?

What an interesting and unusual development

I was thrilled with the season - how carefully and excitingly the story was developed, by the actors and especially by the main characters. The story is really unusual, the atmosphere terrific and the ending makes me hope for a second season.

I'm very surprised about the extremely bad reviews (some of them). Someone zaps in, sees some strange-looking vampire stuff (without having seen the whole prequel) and has perhaps read a bad review in time (like me ;-)) and then spontaneously knocks in a star. I felt the other way around. But then I was delighted with what I saw.

One-star ratings come (so far) exclusively from Germany itself. There are also no 2-star and 3-star ratings in other countries.

This shows how badly the Germans treat their own productions.