FX’s The Americans might be the best spy drama of the decade, but it ended for good back in May. Fans of that series — and anyone else looking to add more TV espionage to their lives — ought to try 2015’s Deutschland 83 and its brand-new follow-up, Deutschland 86. SundanceTV’s pair of German miniseries imports follow a young East German man who is asked to infiltrate West Germany and steal state secrets in the 1980s; his story begins in Germany in 1983, then slowly expands to encompass much of the globe.
Deutschland 86
Sundance’s nail-biting German spy drama returns for more.
SundanceTV
Emily St. James was a senior correspondent for Vox, covering American identities. Before she joined Vox in 2014, she was the first TV editor of the A.V. Club.
Deutschland is suspenseful, as you’d expect of a spy drama, and it has a great soundtrack, as you’d expect from a show set in the ’80s. But it’s also blissfully funny, as our hero realizes just how little he knows about being a spy — while he’s on the job.
“The series’ narrative and sociological ambition is admirable, even if its ultimate goal is to be a fun and fast-paced yarn.” Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone
Metacritic score: 82 out of 100
Where to watch: Deutschland 86 aired its final four episodes on Thursday, November 15; Friday, November 16; and Saturday, November 17. Watch previous episodes from this season on SundanceTV’s website. Deutschland 83 is streaming on Hulu.
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