Historical fiction has always been a fascination of mine, particularly when all of the “What Ifs?” come into play. I’ve been looking for a variety of stories over the past few months, but none of them have been quite as satisfying as Deutschland 83. While it may be in a foreign language, this show combines a great atmosphere, fantastic acting, and a sense of dread to create one of the best spy thrillers on the market today.
The Cast Deserves Your Applause.
It bears repeating that a great show is largely reliant on a great cast, and Deutschland 83 has one of the best out there.
Jonas Nay stars as Martin Rauch, a border guard on the communist side of Berlin. His journey from soldier to spy to panicked do-gooder is an extremely interesting one, which is aided in part by Nay’s mastery of emotion. There are moments where he’s at the top of his game, but he also stumbles in certain spots, runs the risk of getting caught, and even engages in some Bond-like behavior. Above all, Nay can almost make audiences forget that Martin is supposed to be a “bad guy” in the traditional Cold War mindset, and that’s worth celebrating.
Maria Schrader, Ulrich Noethen, Sonja Gerhardt, and Alexander Beyer stand out among the rest of the cast, partly because their performances add a lot to the overall atmosphere of the story. For instance, Beyer’s turn as Tobias Tischbier points out how spies can influence foreign governments and the next generation. In turn, Ulrich Noethen’s Generalmajor Edel demonstrates a little bit of the classical thinking about Cold War politics in a divided Germany. Maria Schrader and Sonja Gerhardt handle subplots within the East German society and government, which details some of the contrasts between West and East during that time period.
Each of these actors and actresses are worth every second of screen time.
The Horror Of War.
Deutschland 83 also stands out because of its focus on developing a rich and compelling story. The show is set in the Summer and Fall of 1983 during the lead-up to Able Archer 83, a Cold War exercise that accidentally became the closest that humanity has come to nuclear war since the Cuban Missile Crisis. The sheer magnitude of the situation and the moments of apparent insanity in Deutschland 83 may lead viewers to wonder what exactly happened, but it’s frighteningly plausible.
For one thing, the show demonstrates the real paranoia and fear in the Soviet bloc at the time. As Martin attempts to uncover the truth, the bureaucrats inside the HVA begin to lose their minds over the apparent build-up of NATO forces and the deployment of Pershing II missiles in West Germany. Virtually everyone in the East thinks that an attack is imminent, even in the face of evidence to the contrary that pops up at certain points in the series.
Of course, we know that nuclear war didn’t happen, but Deutschland 83 points to the sheer terror of what might have been.
On top of that, this show points out that certain acts of espionage can be a good thing for global security and stability. Sure, Martin’s activities leave behind a small trail of bodies, but it all seems like a necessary sacrifice for the greater good. Like I said above, he’s supposed to be the enemy, but he ultimately helps to save the world from a nuclear bonfire.
Attention To Detail Is Key.
One other laudable aspect of Deutschland 83 is its incredible attention to detail. The show structures itself around real people, places, and events, but it uses the overall atmosphere of the 1980s to make audiences believe that the fictitious aspects of the series are utterly real. To aid in this goal, the show revels in the culture, music, and dilemmas of the time period.
The entire series has a killer soundtrack, featuring The Eurythmics, Billy Idol, Nena, Duran Duran, Queen, Marvin Gaye, and many other artists that you’ve definitely heard of. The filmmakers do a good job of placing certain songs to escalate the drama, but they also work some of them into the environment to give it that 80s feel. It’s a wonderful addition that builds on the story’s rock-solid foundation.
There’s even a small subplot about the encroaching HIV/AIDS epidemic. The story points don’t distract from the bigger picture, but the characters’ responses demonstrate how people thought about the world around them. Some people see the largely unknown virus as a “gay disease,” others panic and scrub their hands when they touch someone, & a supporting character contracts the infection. It’s just another way that the show opens a extremely plausible window into the past.
There are a few goofs here and there, but most of them will be extremely difficult for the ordinary viewer to pick out. An obvious one popped up during the arrival of Major General Jackson (Errol Trotman Harewood). In that scene, he is speaking with Martin and Oberleutnant Alex Edel (Ludwig Trepte), but no one really wore the American flag on their BDUs until after this time period. With that said, it’s such a minor thing that it won’t affect your enjoyment of the story.
Conclusion.
Deutschland 83 may be a damn near perfect spy thriller. The characters are richly detailed, the story sits in the shadow of history, and all of the little cultural bits are worth appreciating. If you’re in the mood for something a little outside of the ordinary and can deal with subtitles, you’ll love this show.
Go watch it!
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