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Murder Mindfully (German Language): Achtsam Morden. Netflix 2024 Unassuming Lawyer Bjorn, struggle with pressure, failing marriage, not seeing his daughter enough, guilt over representing local gangland boss etc.

What does he do to resolve this problems he seeks spiritual guidance.

After attending a course of "mindfulness" his life turns around for the better, with added complications,

If you consider Break Bad as the premise these types of programmes you'll get the idea.

It is thoroughly entertaining and very watchable and worth 4 hours of anyone times (8x1/2 episodes)

The only spoiler I will give, I think the maker have left it open to enable a second series, which it does warrant.

This is an 8-ep, 30 mins each, dark comedy thriller that has steadily been gaining some popularity by word of mouth. Call it a...'breezy' crime thriller; which doesn't make sense, because you'd use 'breezy' for something lighthearted and not for shows/films about murder but here we are.

The protagonist is an overworked, undervalued employee at a law firm whose life is beginning to fall apart, and his asks him to sign up for a series of classes on Mindfulness. As expected, he's totally against, as he calls it, 'such BS' but as the plot goes on, he buys into the idea of mindfulness to get rid of his 'problems' in life. Can't reveal anything more without getting into spoilers.

As he attends these classes, you hear everything you've seen/heard/practiced on mindfulness. The writing is so well done that you're likely to take deep breaths and follow along with the class instructor. Wh...how?

While the show isn't mind-blowing, in fact, one may even find several flaws, but if you're looking for something quick and different to watch, I'd totally recommend this show on Netflix. It's surely worth a watch.

The series is very entertaining and diverting. The original book is also about a lawyer, so @keikoyoshikawa seems to have got something mixed up in his review. The lawyer learns how to deal with certain situations from his mindfulness coach. The series is very closely modelled on the book. Only some of the supporting characters are different. I really enjoyed 'Mindful Murder'. It is a fast-paced production. There is not only this series, but also a corresponding theatre play, which I have already seen. The series and the play have the same structure. I'm already looking forward to the second season.

Unexpectedly, I enjoyed this series a lot.

Excellent acting, script, directing, production value. There were some pretty big plot holes, however, but they could be overlooked for the overall engrossing story.

I love that the conceit of the series uses the popularity of mindful meditation in Germany, with many people practicing it during commutes and at work.

The Netflix series is based on a series of novel - and both share the same name - that has a different protagonist and a completely different plot.

In the TV series the main character is a lawyer involved in murders. In the novels the main character is a mindfulness coach solving murders.

Which is better? I don't know, because I have never read the novels. But I do like the TV series.

I recommend watching this in German with subtitles.

It consists of 8 episodes and is based on a bestselling novel following Björn Diemel, a defence lawyer entangled with a mafia boss, who turns to mindfulness to regain control over his chaotic life. However, his newfound serenity leads him down a dangerous path, as he begins to or is involved at eliminating those disrupting his peace and endangering the existence of his own and people close to him. Björn's meditative practices are combined with violent acts, creating a darkly humorous tone reminiscent of shows like Barry and Dexter and depiction elements like in The Office or Alo.

The writing walks a fine line between absurdity and insight, often leading viewers to genuinely reflect on mindfulness techniques while chuckling at the ridiculous situations the protagonist finds himself in. The direction maintains a balance between suspense and character development, with smooth transitions between comedic and dramatic moments: crimes are never funny, but the parties to it can be.

Tom Schilling's portrayal of Björn is central to the series' success. His splendid performance captures the character's internal conflict and descent into moral ambiguity. Several supporting actors provide emotional grounding amidst the chaos, although their presence on screen is often limited. Special mention goes to Peter Jordan as mindfulness coach with an almost hypnotic calmness that's both soothing and comically out of place amid the darker elements.

In short, Achtsam Morden is a fresh, genre-blending surprise that turns out to be both thought-provoking and entertaining. As Season 1 ended in an intriguing manner, I am looking forward to Season 2.