Beat

If the show maintains this tone and pace, I'll be crying out for more!

There is something about continental European dramas. The writing is often quirkier and there's always a fresh feel to them. When I saw the cast list made up of Niewöhner, Berkel, Koffler and Ullmann I had to watch. Ullmann is fantastic... He looks like he's really enjoying this role.

Update; (possible spoiler) I finished the series and really enjoyed it. It went in a little bit of a different direction than I expected. I thought Ullmann's role was - after seeing the first episode - going to be bigger and that he would be the main antagonist. Probably a little bit of misdirection on behalf of the writers but I'm not complaining.

Definitely worth 7 hours of your time.

Leave your expectations of a club scene exposé at the door with the bouncers, as despite Beat giving the viewer an introductory tour of Berlin's hedonism and his friend Paul's club, a sinister tone quickly descends upon Beat's carefree world. Murder in clubland suddenly drags our drug-addled drifter protagonist into a plot to go undercover to investigate something much bigger afoot and at that point you'd be forgiven for fearing a ludicrous plot lies ahead. However, like a good club track the story builds and builds, adding complex layers then stripping them back with reveals, but always taking you on a journey and this one is a dark thriller.

Watching in German language is the only way to do this series justice, as subtitles really do melt away under the acting power of Jannis Niewöhner as the affable but anarchic Beat and Alexander Fehling as the sociopathic Vossberg, among other convincing performances.

From a critical standpoint, the portrayal of the 'ESI' is perhaps a little unconvincing and at worst clichéd, Jasper's story-line falls somewhat flat of the wider plot and everything happens in a stage-managed environment where the media doesn't seem to interfere and the real police only show up when called upon. However, some suspension of disbelief is always demanded in all storytelling and the story grips hold of you and twists and turns until you feel some of the pain and dread of the characters themselves. This is where 'Beat' succeeds and earns its credibility as a surprisingly compelling and powerful piece of TV/cinema that just happens to be set against an edgy Berlin clubland setting. That it is is no bad thing though, as the setting lends itself to a great music score and gritty backdrop to this original and highly enjoyable epic.

I thought it started off very strong, but then tailed off. One of the central plot threads ended very abruptly around episode five or so (out of seven). And the other central plot thread was a giant cliche. Nevertheless, the characters of Beat and Emilia in particular were quite engaging, as was the music and the Berlin disco scene. And on another note - really, it's not exactly news but what's up with German culture and the German psyche, particularly in the realm of sex???

First of all, Jannis Niewöhner was really good in this as BEAT. At first I thought, oh here we go again another pretty boy to get audience attention BUT as it turns out, the guy's a good actor. He plays a very flawed techno club party promoter that gets mixed up in crime around him of all sorts.

You have sympathy for orphaned as a child BEAT but you come to realize he is one messed up guy with a conscience and a strong sense of right and wrong unless it interferes with his drug taking habit and partying. So in that, Jannis Niewöhner did a pretty good job I'd say of presenting an anti-hero of sorts.

The rest of the cast is pretty good too. The emotionless bad guy that will sell his Mother's organs if had to, Secret Service head and the woman handler that cares about him (when every one else uses him), his well meaning but somewhat clueless best friend, his creepy childhood psycho secret admirer, etc. A lot of variety in characters that kept me interested. And ya, they even threw in your perfunctory Russian Mob gun smugglers and human traffickers...just for good measure.

The show was a thriller from the point of view if he bites it in the end or not as a result of all the dirt he has on the bad guys (and to a lesser extent, if he finally gets to find out who his parents are).

All in all, pretty good. And yes, you hinge on every facial nuance of BEAT through the whole series.

I´m a Berliner myself and even though I´m 54, I can relate to the club scene and the story in this series. Beat is somebody I wouldn´t like to let too close to me but Jannis Niewöhner´s acting is irresistible. He has what an actor needs to make such a character come to life. I immediately fell in love with him, I must admit. The story is gripping and that´s because the whole package works. Acting, directing, camera, lighting, sites, a high production value and unfortunately there is no season 2 yet. I would love to have this series continued, the ending promised such a voyage.