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Dogs of Berlin
Dogs of Berlin
Dogs of Berlin
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Dogs of Berlin
GenreCrime drama
Created byChristian Alvart
Directed byChristian Alvart
Starring
Country of originGermany
Original languageGerman
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes10
Production
ProducerSigi Kamml
Camera setupSingle-camera
Production company
  • Syrreal Entertainment
Original release
NetworkNetflix
Release7 December 2018 (2018-12-07)

Dogs of Berlin is a television series and the second German series produced for Netflix after Dark.[1][2][3][4][5] First pictures of the ongoing production were shown in April 2018,[6][7] after production started in November 2017.[1]

The first season was released on Netflix on December 7, 2018.[8]

Plot

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Police officers Erol Birkan and Kurt Grimmer investigate the murder of the fictional Turkish-German football star Orkan Erdem. The act sends Berlin into a frenzy, and the list of potential suspects is long: Neo-Nazis from the Marzahn borough of Berlin, the Arab Mafia from the same neighborhood as the footballer, Turkish people who are angry with the superstar playing for Germany instead of Turkey, football fans, and the Berlin Mafia. The chain of evidence may even lead to the highest offices of the capital. In order to uncover the truth, the two police officers have to venture deep down into the Berlin underworld.[8]

Cast

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  • Fahri Yardım as Erol Birkan, an ethnic Turkish German police officer who is transferred from his drug investigation to co-head the task force investigating the murder of a celebrity Turkish-German footballer
  • Felix Kramer as Kurt Grimmer, a homicide detective who has a severe gambling problem that creates several work-related problems. He co-heads the task force alongside Birkan.
  • Urs Rechn as Gert Seiler, Grimmer's immediate supervisor
  • Katharina Schüttler as Paula Grimmer, Kurt's wife.
  • Anna Maria Mühe as Sabine 'Bine' Ludar, as a Girlfriend of Kurt Grimmer
  • Kais Setti as Kareem Tarik-Amir
  • Mohammed Issa as Murad Issam, a young teenager
  • Deniz Orta as Maïssa Issam
  • Katrin Sass as Eva Grimmer, Kurt's deeply racist mother
  • Sebastian Zimmler as Ulf Grimmer, head of a white nationalist gang
  • Alina Stiegler [de] as Petrović
  • Hannah Herzsprung as Trinity Sommer
  • Antonio Wannek as Hans Kuscha
  • Mišel Matičević as Tomo Kovač
  • Ivan Vrgoč as Stipe
  • Jasna Fritzi Bauer as Nike Strack, an employee who beats and urinates on Paula after she is fired for stealing
  • Constantin von Jascheroff as Robert Fucht, another homicide detective who is both suspicious and jealous of Grimmer
  • Imad Mardnli as Wahid
  • Branko Tomović as Dario
  • Samy Abdel Fattah as Raif Tarik-Amir
  • Giannina Erfany-Far as Kamila
  • Sinan Farhangmehr as Hakim Tarik-Amir
  • Sebastian Achilles as Guido Mack
  • Hauke Diekamp as Wachtmeister
  • Lena Schmidtke as Mandy Klink
  • Langston Uibel as Raphael Bou'Penga
  • Yasin El Harrouk as Fahd
  • Robert Gallinowski as Johann Henkenmaier
  • Renato Schuch as Murathan Canavar
  • Paul Wollin as Gregor Munn
  • Seyneb Saleh as Rafika Masaad
  • Jan Bülow as Tom Kriftel
  • Deniz Cooper as Aykut Kubat
  • Eray Egilmez as Pusat Erdem
  • Anne Müller as Gesine Kramer
  • Yung Ngo as Karsten Nguyen
  • Niels Bruno Schmidt [de] as Bruno Przybylla
  • Aram Tafreshian as Lars Niedermann
  • Dora Zygouri as Emilia Grimmer
  • Markus Boysen as Walther Laubach
  • Werner Daehn as Hardy Kranz
  • Tyron Ricketts as Leon Bou' Penga
  • Leonas Sielaff as Thor Ludar
  • Malte Thomsen as Eckard Meiser

Episodes

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Season 1 (2018)

[edit]
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
11"V.I.P."Christian AlvartChristian Alvart7 December 2018 (2018-12-07)
Off duty Berlin police officer Kurt Grimmer is at his mistress, Bine's, apartment in the impoverished Marzahn borough when he notices police activity nearby. A murder has occurred, and Grimmer finds out the victim is Germany's top soccer player, Orkan Erdem. Tomorrow is the qualifying match for the soccer world cup, with Germany v. Turkey, and tensions are running high. Before revealing the victim's identity, he obtains permission to head the investigation and frantically borrows money to place a bet against Germany for the game, including from his neo-nazi brother Ulf. Bine successfully places the bet. Meanwhile, Erol Birkan, a German-Turkish police officer, is performing a sting against drug kingpin Hakim Tarik-Amir, but it fails when he finds out that Tarik-Amir knew they were coming. However, he makes contact with Murad, a teen-aged aspiring rapper who is trying to find success through Tarik-Amir. Birkan enlists him as an informant, and Murad's first assignment from Tarik-Amir is to monitor the bookie with whom Bine placed Grimmer's bet. At the end of the evening, Grimmer returns to his comfortable home and family, adopting a stray dog along the way. Birkan also returns home to his male partner.
22"Mannschaft"Christian AlvartChristian Alvart & Ipek Zübert7 December 2018 (2018-12-07)
After the police commissioner finds out that Grimmer, who has neo-nazi ties, is leading the investigation into Erdem's death, she demands that a Turkish-German officer is put into the leadership of the task force. Grimmer's boss hopes that Erol Birkan can fill this role, but Birkan isn't interested. He is making progress with Murad and buys him and his sister tickets to the qualifying match. Meanwhile, the Grimmer's new dog coughs up Erdem's missing finger-- the dog was his. At the station, one witness claims that he saw four Arabs fleeing the murder scene in Erdem's distinctive Lamborghini. One of the investigators notes that Erdem might have not planned to play in the first place, but the German team could win without him. Panicked, Grimmer wants to guarantee the success of his bet, so he obtains an all-access pass for the stadium. Before the game starts, he bursts into the locker room and informs the German team that Erdem has been murdered, upsetting the players. At the same time, Grimmer's wife Paula fires a troubled employee, Nike, who beats her up. Paula retreats to the bathroom, forgetting her children at school. Grimmer's neo-nazi mother, Eva, secretly picks them up instead and takes them to her neo-nazi organization, the Marzahn Brotherhood's, clubhouse. When she finds them, Paula, enraged, tells Eva she never wants to see her again. Bine is also having difficulties. She misses an appointment for her social assistance, so it is fully cancelled. Desperate, she throws herself in front of her social worker's car.
33"Begegnung"Christian AlvartChristian Alvart & Erol Yesilkaya7 December 2018 (2018-12-07)
Grimmer's plan works, and the German team plays a weak game. Halfway through, they're losing 0-1. In the VIP box, Hakim Tarik-Amir's little brother, Kareem, boasts that he has bought the German team, eager to establish relations with kingpin Tomo Kovac to usurp his brother. Even though he had only bought Erdem, his claims seem to be substantiated. In the second half, Rafael Bou'Penga, a young German player, takes to the field, evening the game. In the deciding penalty kick, he coincidentally misses, and Turkey wins the game. Kareem's claims are nevertheless substantiated by Turkey's win, and he secretly goes into business with Kovac. Because Grimmer owes Kovac money due to his gambling, he sets up Kovac for investigation in Erdem's murder. The supposed connection between Tarik-Amir, Kovac, and Erdem's murder convinces Birkan to finally enter Grimmer's task force. Later, Grimmer checks up on Bine, who is ok. He promises her help her, but warns her that Paula is his true love. After the game is finished, Birkan notices his estranged father in reveling Turkish-German crowds and goes to confront him, but is met by masked men, including Grimmer, who beat him up and warn him against joining the task force.
44"Heimspiel"Christian AlvartChristian Alvart & Michael Proehl7 December 2018 (2018-12-07)
As Grimmer tries to get his winnings from the game to pay off Kovac, he finds that the bookie has been murdered. He tries to remove proof of his bet from the crime scene, but only succeeds in finding his own papers, not Bine's. A despondent Bou'Penga, holed up in a hotel, asks the team's "entertainment director", Lukas Schmaus, to set him up with an escort at an apartment. Bou'Penga travels to the apartment, but he cancels the escort. At the apartment, he finds his friend Qays, who is high and has removed the many security cameras in the apartment. Bou'Penga deduces that Schmaus has been gathering dirt on the players in the apartment through the cameras. Elsewhere, Kareem, who is in charge of security for the Tarik-Amir clan, is disgraced when a clan member has his jaw broken by a rival club's bouncer. To make up, he has the club shot up and the bouncer responsible thrown off a building. Desperate to cover his tracks, Grimmer has the bookie's murder transferred to his own task force. Birkan, who is recovering from his injuries and is on the task force anyway, is suspicious of Grimmer's activities. News of Erdem's murder goes public.
55"Schiebung"Christian AlvartChristian Alvart & Henner Schulte-Holtey7 December 2018 (2018-12-07)
A brick is thrown into Grimmer's house, and Kovac threatens his family if Grimmer won't pay up. Kurt receives a call from Bine's son's school, where Bine's son has turned up in pajamas and barefoot. Grimmer finds Bine sleeping off a hangover, and tells her to get her act together. She dumps her alcohol into a sink. News of Erdem's death complicates Kareem's plans. When he finds out that Bou'Penga missed the penalty shot by chance and not because Kareem owned him, he scrambles to attain Bou'Penga's cooperation when Kovac asks for proof of their collaboration. In order to ensure this, Kareem blackmails him with illicit photos presumably attained via Schmaus. Meanwhile, Birkan is approached by a journalist who is onto Grimmer's past and offers him his contact. When Grimmer makes Murad falsely incriminate Kovac in the bookie's murder, prompting a raid on Kovac's betting houses, Grimmer is able to pocket money from the raid and pay off Kovac, but Birkan sees him. Paula is asked out by a member of the protection mafia, whom she initially declines. When she returns home, the Marzahn Brotherhood is waiting, threatening her because of Grimmer's debts. Meanwhile, Trinity Sommer, a fixer from the German Soccer Association, is onto Schmaus, disposing of incriminating material against players.
66"Abseits"Christian AlvartChristian Alvart & Jan Cronauer7 December 2018 (2018-12-07)
Grimmer promises Ulf that he'll pay back the money to the Marzahn Brotherhood to avoid torture. Grimmer also publicly announces that the Kovac clan is not involved in Erdem's murder, after being bribed by the German Soccer Association to keep match-fixing out of the investigation. Grimmer's colleague picks up the bribe money, but is photographed. Meanwhile, a war starts between Kovac and Tarik-Amir due to Erdem's death. Tarik-Amir sends a hit squad to one of Kovac's betting houses, but a little girl is killed in the process. Grimmer and Birkan are both outraged, and Birkan wants to stop the war. Murad successfully performs at a club, but is told he's not "gangster enough" to become a gangsta rapper. Instead, his friend Raif, Tarik-Amir's cousin suggests they get money from Tarik-Amir to start their own record label. Bine's wealthy ex-husband comes to pick up the kids, and she is left alone. Jealous, she sneaks into Grimmer's house and injures herself escaping when Grimmer comes home. Birkan's dad refuses to reconcile with him, and Birkan's suspicion of Grimmer grows, even though his attempts at catching him are unsuccessful. As Paula is threatened by Nike's gang, the protection mafia member saves her, and they become enamored. Back at home, Grimmer won't tell his wife the truth about his troubles.
77"Derby"Christian AlvartChristian Alvart & Ron Markus7 December 2018 (2018-12-07)
Grimmer's task force is humiliated by the press because of the lack of leads. Grimmer leaves a meeting of the task force discussing possible leads such as the location of the lamborghini because he needs to go to the Marzahn Brotherhood's punishment for his debts. He is beaten until his mother, Eva, arrives with her own money, claiming that it was Grimmer's and he was hiding it, which saves both her sons. The police arrive and Grimmer is relatively unharmed, but more questions arise due to his connections. Elsewhere, Birkan plans on entering the Tarik-Amir controlled no go zone for police, but is advised against it by his mentor, Canberk, who is already brokering a peace. In the no go zone, he sees Kamila, Hakim Tarik-Amir's fiance and Birkan's girlfriend before he came out as gay. They chat for a few minutes, and this interaction is photographed by Kareem. Bou'Penga struggles with his blackmail. Bine wakes up in the hospital with alcohol poisoning and is mistaken for a homeless woman, and plans to commit suicide. However, Eva appears and advises against suicide, and Bine acquiesces. Paula dances with Murathan, the man from the betting mafia, and a romantic relationship blooms. Pursuing Schmaus in Chile, Trinity Sommer subjects him to torture and he reveals that he was working for the German Soccer Association. Acting on a tip from a task force member who's leaving, Grimmer discovers Erdem's Lamborghini in the garage of the man who told him that four Arabs had sped away with it.
88"Länderspiel"Christian AlvartChristian Alvart & Georg Hartmann7 December 2018 (2018-12-07)
Orkan Erdem's funeral begins, bringing together several rival factions. There, Tarik-Amir and Kovac trade threats, and a Muslim biker gang, the Death Daggers, shows up after rumors spread in the media that neo-nazis are responsible for Erdem's death. They prepare themselves for a battle with the Marzahn Brotherhood. Birkan gets a call and speeds to a murder scene: his mentor, Canberk, has been gruesomely tortured to death. Grimmer comforts him, saying that if they can connect Canberk's murder with Erdem's, the task force's resources can be dedicated to Canberk's murder. Grimmer manipulates Murad in order to again incriminate Kovac, orchestrating a raid but warning Kovac beforehand. Elsewhere, Raif sells Birkan out to Tarik-Amir so that he can get money to start Murad's label. Meanwhile, Grimmer refuses to divulge his discovery of the Lamborghini, but finds Erdem's real murderer: an elderly civilian. The Brotherhood and Death Daggers start a huge brawl over Erdem's murder. Back at Paula's, Nike comes back and asks for forgiveness, but Paula refuses and puts up a "Help Wanted" sign. Bine answers the inquiry.
99"Verlängerung"Christian AlvartChristian Alvart7 December 2018 (2018-12-07)
The huge brawl eventually is stopped by the police, and the leader of the Brotherhood, wounded, escapes. Eva offers him her garage to recuperate, but secretly kills him, hoping to install her son, Ulf, as leader. Grimmer interrogates the elderly civilian who murdered Erdem, and finds out he was killed because Erdem's dog defecated on his lawn. He can't arrest him because of his backhanded tactics, but detains him. At the police headquarters, Birkan recognizes his colleague's cough from the night he was beaten. Birkan follows him to the murderer's apartment, where he is also detained by Grimmer. Grimmer sits him down with a proposition: they keep the murderer's identity secret and use the task force's resources to take down the clans. Birkan wants to report Grimmer instead, has no choice to do this: if he does the entire task force will collapse and his career will be ruined along with Grimmer's. Birkan disagrees with Grimmer's plans, so Grimmer gives him an hour to consider his answer. Birkan goes to check on Murad, but is chased by the hit squad, who he narrowly escapes. He agrees to Grimmer's plans. Meanwhile, it is revealed that Kamila has been sleeping with Kareem Tarik-Amir and they are collaborating to take Tarik down. The German Soccer Association admits to Trinity that Schmaus was their employee, he was gathering dirt on players to keep them in line.
1010"Siegerehrung"Christian AlvartChristian Alvart & Arend Remmers7 December 2018 (2018-12-07)
Raif goes to Tarik-Amir's safe room to gather the money he was promised for selling out Birkan, but is only given a fraction because Birkan survived. Birkan's raids on Tarik-Amir's warehouses turn up empty, Tarik-Amir knew-- but not because of a mole, but because the area is constantly surveilled by Tarik-Amir's watchdogs. The police commissioner is frustrated by the lack of progress on the case, and threatens to take Grimmer off the case if he doesn't find something out soon. At the same time, Kareem contacts him and threatens to release the betting slip unless Grimmer meets him. Grimmer shows up at an abandoned factory, where Kareem reveals his plans for takeover, and forces Grimmer to orchestrate a raid on Hakim's wedding in the no-go zone, where he will find Hakim's safe room and send Hakim to jail. This would enable Kareem to take over. It needs to happen today, or he'll release the slip. However, desperate for results for the commissioner, Grimmer plants Kareem's discarded baseball bat in Erdem's Lamborghini and takes it to police headquarters, presenting it as proof of Kareem Tarik-Amir's guilt and orchestrating an immediate raid on Hakim Tarik-Amir's wedding in the police no-go zone. Birkan reluctantly agrees. Soon after, a huge police force, including helicopters and armored vehicles, descends on the no-go zone, sparking a riot. In the commotion, Raif steals thousands of Euros from Tarik-Amir's safe room for Murad's record label. Hakim and his soldiers fire on the police and the police are attacked by rioting civilians. However, Hakim and Kareem are captured, and they will both be imprisoned. Enraged, Kareem says he'll release Grimmer's betting slip. Ulf is made leader of the Marzahn Brotherhood.

References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Dogs of Berlin

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Dogs of Berlin is a German-language crime drama television series created and directed by Christian Alvart, consisting of a single 10-episode season that premiered globally on on December 7, 2018. The plot centers on two contrasting detectives, veteran cop Kurt Grimmer and his partner Erol Dogan with personal connections to the Turkish underworld, who investigate the politically charged murder of a rising Turkish-German soccer star, entangling them in match-fixing scandals, neo-Nazi elements, and institutional corruption within the city's diverse underbelly. Produced as 's second original German series following , it received mixed to positive critical reception for its gritty portrayal of urban crime and societal tensions, earning a 7.5/10 rating on from over 15,000 users and an 80% approval on , though it did not lead to renewal for additional seasons.

Development and Production

Announcement and Pre-Production

Netflix announced the development of Dogs of Berlin, a 10-episode German-language crime drama series, on April 28, 2017, positioning it as the streaming service's second original production in following Dark. The series was created by Christian Alvart, a filmmaker born in 1974, who served as , , director, and for all episodes through his Berlin-based Syrreal Entertainment. Alvart conceived the project as his company's inaugural idea, drawing on Berlin's multicultural subcultures and criminal underbelly for a thriller narrative involving corrupt detectives confronting . Pre-production formally commenced around April 30, 2017, encompassing script development and initial planning under Alvart's oversight. The series emphasized authentic depiction of Berlin's diverse ethnic enclaves, including Turkish and Eastern European communities, with Alvart handling the full creative vision to maintain narrative cohesion. Casting and logistical preparations preceded , which began on November 2, 2017, reflecting a streamlined timeline typical of Netflix's international originals aimed at a 2018 global launch. Early production images were released in April 2018, signaling progress toward completion.

Filming and Technical Aspects

Principal filming for Dogs of Berlin occurred in , , capturing the city's urban landscapes, including neighborhoods like , to reflect the series' setting in the German capital's criminal underworld. was handled by Christoph Krauss and Frank Lamm, who employed Alexa 65 and ARRI Alexa Mini cameras paired with ARRI Prime DNA lenses, enabling high-resolution large-format capture suited to the series' gritty, atmospheric visuals. The production utilized a 2.00:1 , for a realistic urban palette, and sound mix to enhance the immersive tension of investigative sequences and action scenes.

Cast and Characters

Principal Characters

Kurt Grimmer, portrayed by Felix Kramer, is the lead homicide detective in the department, heading the task force investigating the murder of Turkish-German soccer player Murad Issam. An native with a volatile temperament, Grimmer contends with personal corruption, gambling debts, infidelity, and familial links to neo-Nazi networks, complicating his professional objectivity. Erol Birkan, played by Fahri Yardim, partners with Grimmer as co-lead of the investigation after transfer from narcotics enforcement targeting the Tarik-Amir crime syndicate. Of Turkish immigrant descent from Berlin's district, Birkan represents a contrasting liberal viewpoint within , navigating cultural clashes and institutional biases amid the case's ethnic undercurrents. Gert Seiler, enacted by Urs Rechn, oversees the detectives as a senior police official, providing strategic direction while managing political pressures from the high-profile killing. Seiler's role underscores bureaucratic entanglements in Berlin's hierarchy. Paula Grimmer, depicted by , is Kurt's estranged wife, whose domestic strife amplifies his personal unraveling and highlights strains in the detectives' private lives against the backdrop of the probe. Raif Tarik-Amir, brought to life by Samy Abdel Fattah, leads a powerful Arab implicated in organized rackets, serving as a central whose operations intersect with the inquiry and expose underworld-ethnic dynamics.

Supporting Roles

Katharina Schüttler portrays Paula Grimmer, the wife of lead detective Kurt Grimmer, depicted as a social worker grappling with the personal fallout from her husband's investigations and associations. Anna Maria Mühe plays Sabine "Bine" Ludar, Kurt Grimmer's girlfriend and a who becomes drawn into the probe through her connections. Urs Rechn appears as Gert Seiler, a colleague in the force assisting with the case amid internal tensions. Samy Abdel Fattah embodies Raif Tarik-Amir, a key figure in the powerful Tarik-Amir criminal and older brother to the murdered soccer player, navigating family rivalries and power struggles. Mohamed Issa depicts Issam, an associate tied to illicit activities that intersect with the investigation's ethnic and criminal dimensions. Deniz Orta plays Maïssa Issam, a young woman linked to the Issam family and entangled in the broader web of Berlin's multicultural conflicts. These roles highlight the series' exploration of personal relationships, institutional colleagues, and antagonistic members central to the narrative's tension.

Plot Overview

Central Narrative Arc

The series' central narrative arc revolves around the murder of Orkan Erdem, a prominent Turkish-German national soccer player, whose body is discovered in a park on the eve of a pivotal international match against , scheduled for 2017. This assassination, amid heightened national anticipation, immediately escalates into a politically charged , with public outrage and media scrutiny pointing to possible neo-Nazi perpetrators or retaliatory ethnic violence, threatening to ignite broader communal clashes in the city. Berlin police assign the case to an unlikely duo: Kurt Grimmer, a veteran from burdened by debts, , and lingering associations with far-right elements from his past, and Erol Birkan, a disciplined officer of Turkish descent pulled from an ongoing drug trafficking probe involving Lebanese syndicates. Their partnership, strained by cultural differences and mutual distrust, drives the investigation into Berlin's stratified underworld, where Turkish clans, neo-Nazi groups, and corrupt officials intersect in a web of match-fixing schemes, rackets, and arms dealing. As Grimmer and Birkan pursue leads—from forensic traces linking the to graffiti, to interrogations revealing Erdem's off-field ties to rings and illicit affairs—the arc exposes systemic graft within and political spheres, compelling the protagonists to navigate personal vendettas and institutional cover-ups. The narrative culminates in a convergence of warfare and internal betrayals, underscoring the detectives' ethical dilemmas as they race to unmask the killers before urban unrest spirals into full-scale anarchy. This progression across the 10-episode season resolves the core murder inquiry while highlighting the entrenched divisions in Berlin's multicultural fabric.

Key Events and Twists

The investigation into the of Turkish-German footballer Orkan Erdem unfolds amid heightened ethnic tensions in , with Kurt Grimmer discovering the body at a shortly before a pivotal qualifier match against on October 10, 2017. Grimmer, burdened by gambling debts exceeding €8,000, places a high-stakes bet on Turkey's victory through his mistress Bine, using funds borrowed from his neo-Nazi-affiliated brother, and later disrupts the German team's preparation by prematurely announcing Erdem's death to sway the odds. A specialized named "Red Card" is rapidly assembled under Grimmer's lead, incorporating Erol Birkan—a of Turkish heritage—to mitigate perceptions of given Grimmer's controversial past associations with far-right groups. Early leads point to involvement by the Tarik-Amir Kurdish clan, prompting surveillance operations and a botched sting that exposes strategic countermeasures by clan leader Hakim Tarik-Amir. As the probe deepens across 10 episodes, key developments reveal intersecting underworld dynamics: witnesses describe four young and two vehicles, including Erdem's , at the scene, while forensic evidence like a severed finger regurgitated by Grimmer's newly adopted stray ties personal spheres to the crime. Interrogations and raids implicate enforcers and expose Grimmer's dual family life and financial entanglements, paralleling Birkan's strained relationships amid cultural pressures. Escalating confrontations with neo-Nazi elements and operatives culminate in territorial skirmishes, forcing the detectives to navigate betrayals within their ranks and the broader Berlin underbelly. The narrative arc builds through revelations of manipulated evidence and informant unreliability, highlighting institutional frailties in a multicultural prone to ethnic flashpoints. Major twists subvert initial assumptions of straightforward retaliation, unveiling Grimmer's bet as a that inadvertently amplifies the murder's fallout and implicates police complicity in outcome rigging. A pivotal surprise emerges in the unmasking of the perpetrator's motive, tied not merely to ethnic vendettas but to entrenched permeating , where officers' personal vices enable underworld leverage. The finale's confrontation with Tarik-Amir exposes layered deceptions, including internal divisions and fabricated narratives, culminating in a partial resolution of Erdem's killing while leaving broader systemic rot unresolved, underscoring causal links between individual failings and institutional decay.

Episodes

Season 1 (2018)

Season 1 of Dogs of Berlin premiered on on December 7, 2018, with all 10 episodes released simultaneously. The season, directed by Christian Alvart, follows off-duty Berlin police officer Grimmer, who stumbles upon the of Turkish-German soccer Orkan Erdem on the eve of a crucial qualifier match. Grimmer is paired with Erol Birkan, a of Turkish descent, to investigate amid rising tensions between neo-Nazi groups, Turkish clans, and illegal betting rings in Berlin's . The narrative explores , ethnic conflicts, and , culminating in raids and revelations tied to the killing. The episodes build a serialized plot, with Grimmer's personal ties to extremists complicating the case and forcing confrontations with clan leaders and blackmail schemes. Key developments include a second , searches for evidence like Erdem's , and incursions into no-go zones controlled by criminals. The investigation exposes institutional pressures, such as assigning Birkan due to Grimmer's neo-Nazi connections, and personal stakes like family traumas and betrayals.
No.TitleOriginal release datePlot summary
1"V.I.P."December 7, 2018 (Netflix)Off-duty cop Grimmer discovers a and is shocked by the victim’s identity on the eve of ’s qualifier.
2"Team"December 7, 2018 (Netflix)Grimmer’s neo-Nazi ties lead to a search for a Turkish partner; his wife faces trauma affecting their children.
3"Clash"December 7, 2018 (Netflix)A Tarik-Amir member bets on a match to gain an ally; Erol ensures the clan sees him with .
4"Home Game"December 7, 2018 (Netflix)A second murder forces Grimmer to cover his tracks; Bou’Penga hides and visits a late teammate’s lair.
5"Foul Play"December 7, 2018 (Netflix)A reporter pressures Erol for dirt on Grimmer; blackmails Bou’Penga; Grimmer leads a raid on betting shops.
6"Offside"December 7, 2018 (Netflix) performs onstage; Bou’Penga plays against under blackmail; Bine sneaks into Grimmer’s home.
7"Derby"December 7, 2018 (Netflix)Police search for Erdem’s ; Bou’Penga makes an offer; Erol ventures into the no-cops zone.
8"National"December 7, 2018 (Netflix)Clans and cops attend Erdem’s funeral; Erol receives a horrifying message; Bine finds a job.
9"Overtime"December 7, 2018 (Netflix)Erdem’s killer is revealed; tracks down Schmaus in ; confesses to his sister.
10"Victory Ceremony"December 7, 2018 (Netflix)Grimmer and Erol use shady tactics for a raid in the no-cops zone based on a tip about Hakim’s .

Themes and Social Commentary

Crime, Corruption, and Underworld Dynamics

The series portrays Berlin's criminal as a fragmented dominated by ethnic enclaves, including Turkish-German clans specializing in match-fixing, illegal betting syndicates, and drug operations that infiltrate legitimate sectors like professional soccer. These groups, such as the Kovac betting network and Tariq-Amir family enterprises, maintain power through familial loyalty, violent enforcement, and economic leverage over vulnerable communities, often exploiting immigrant labor and cultural insularity to evade detection. Inter-group dynamics emphasize brutal turf wars and opportunistic alliances, particularly between immigrant-led mafias and neo-Nazi outfits, where ideological animus fuels escalations into public violence and assassinations. Neo-Nazi factions, depicted as ideologically driven terror cells with structures, contest control of drug routes and rackets against Turkish syndicates, underscoring a zero-sum competition that transcends mere profit for elements of ethnic supremacy. Corruption within forms a critical layer, with protagonists Kurt Grimmer and Erol Birkan embodying personal failings—Grimmer's and family ties, Birkan's blurred boundaries from prior undercover work—that compromise investigations and enable underworld infiltration. The narrative reveals institutional rot, including politically motivated assignments and cover-ups tied to sports corruption scandals, where officers prioritize or external pressures over , eroding public trust in policing.

Ethnic Tensions and Multiculturalism Realities

The series Dogs of Berlin portrays ethnic tensions in Berlin through the investigation of a Turkish-German soccer star's murder, implicating powerful clans like the Tarik-Amir family, which dominate organized crime networks involving drug trafficking, extortion, and violence within immigrant communities. These clans, often of Turkish or Arab descent, are depicted as operating parallel power structures that resist integration and exploit multicultural enclaves, fostering conflicts with native German law enforcement and rival groups such as neo-Nazis from eastern districts like Marzahn. One protagonist, Erol Birkan, a detective of Turkish heritage, embodies the internal strains of divided loyalties, as his quest to dismantle the Tarik-Amir clan intersects with personal ties to the underworld, illustrating how ethnic solidarity can perpetuate criminal insularity. This narrative arc underscores multiculturalism's realities in Berlin, where large-scale immigration from and the —numbering over 200,000 Turkish residents alone—has led to persistent societal frictions rather than seamless assimilation. The show highlights failed integration dynamics, such as clan-based economies that prioritize familial allegiance over civic norms, mirroring real-world patterns where Middle Eastern and Turkish-origin groups account for a disproportionate share of investigations into drug-related offenses and violent turf wars. In 2022, reported clan crimes comprising 0.2% of total offenses but involving high-impact activities like and , straining resources in districts with concentrated immigrant populations. Broader thematic commentary in the series reflects empirical evidence of multiculturalism's challenges in , including Chancellor Angela Merkel's 2010 assessment that multicultural policies had "utterly failed," necessitating greater immigrant efforts toward and cultural adaptation to avoid parallel societies. Foreign nationals, particularly from non-EU migrant backgrounds, are significantly overrepresented as suspects in criminal statistics, with reports from the Bundeskriminalamt (BKA) documenting clan structures' resistance to disruption due to intergenerational entrenchment and cross-border ties. While the show dramatizes these elements for narrative tension, it aligns with causal factors like uneven integration outcomes, where cultural incompatibilities and welfare dependencies exacerbate ethnic enclaves' isolation from mainstream .

Extremism and Institutional Failures

The series Dogs of Berlin portrays right-wing extremism primarily through neo-Nazi gangs entangled in the investigation of a high-profile murder, using such as tattoos and aesthetics to symbolize persistent ideological threats in post-reunification . These groups are depicted as leveraging ethnic tensions around football culture and , reflecting documented concerns over neo-Nazism's resurgence, with German authorities reporting over 24,000 right-wing extremists active as of 2018. One , Kurt Grimmer, grapples with familial ties to such elements, including a brother involved in neo-Nazi activities, underscoring how extremism infiltrates personal and communal networks in Berlin's underbelly. Institutional failures are illustrated through systemic within the , where officers accept bribes and prioritize personal loyalties over impartial enforcement, as seen in Grimmer's own compromised ethics amid a broader culture of graft. Bureaucratic elites are shown as detached and image-obsessed, obstructing policing efforts and exacerbating failures in managing multicultural frictions, such as clashes between immigrant clans and far-right factions. This narrative echoes real-world critiques of German law enforcement's handling of , including documented infiltration by right-wing elements in police ranks—over 400 cases of suspected reported by 2020—highlighting causal lapses in vetting and oversight that undermine public trust. While the series emphasizes right-wing threats, it avoids glorification of counter-extremisms like anti-fascist activism, presenting them as youthful but ineffectual, which aligns with a balanced avoidance of partisan idealization amid Berlin's polarized street dynamics. Such portrayals critique institutional inertia in addressing root causes like failed integration policies, where empirical data from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees indicates persistent segregation in urban enclaves fueling parallel societies and violence. Mainstream reviews, often from outlets with progressive leanings, commend this focus on and but underplay comparable risks from clan-based among immigrant communities, potentially reflecting selective narrative priorities in media coverage.

Reception and Criticisms

Critical Evaluations

Critics generally praised Dogs of Berlin for its gritty depiction of Berlin's criminal underbelly and its unflinching exploration of contemporary German social tensions, including ethnic conflicts, corruption in sports, and far-right extremism. The series holds an 80% approval rating on based on 10 reviews, with commentators noting its fast-paced thriller elements and relevance to real-world issues like the of a Turkish-German soccer player amid . Fahri Yardim's performance as the principled yet compromised Erol was frequently highlighted for adding depth to the multicultural dynamics, while the show's willingness to portray institutional failures without sanitization drew commendations for authenticity. However, detractors criticized the series for relying on clichéd rogue-cop tropes and an excessively grim, cynical tone that borders on , rendering it fatiguing for viewers. Some reviews pointed to uneven scripting, with subplots occasionally devolving into , and a perceived misogynistic undertone in female character portrayals that undermines the otherwise complex ensemble. Felix Kramer's lead role as the neo-Nazi-linked cop Grimmer was seen as competent but not innovative, failing to elevate the narrative beyond standard procedural fare. Audience scores on average 7.5 out of 10 from over 15,000 ratings, reflecting divided reception where appreciation for its raw socio-political commentary coexists with complaints about predictability and overemphasis on violence. In broader evaluations, the series was faulted for amplifying stereotypes of Berlin's immigrant communities and right-wing elements without sufficient nuance, potentially exacerbating rather than dissecting causal factors in and . Despite these flaws, its production quality and cultural specificity—rooted in post-2015 migration challenges—positioned it as a notable entry in Netflix's international crime genre slate, though not a standout amid competitors like .

Audience and Cultural Impact

"Dogs of Berlin" garnered a generally positive response from audiences, evidenced by an IMDb user rating of 7.5 out of 10 based on over 15,000 votes. Viewers praised its gritty portrayal of Berlin's criminal underbelly and complex character dynamics, with many reviews highlighting its relevance to contemporary German societal issues such as organized crime and ethnic enclaves. The series achieved moderate demand metrics, measuring 2.3 times the average for TV shows in Germany as of April 2025, indicating sustained interest among domestic viewers despite its single-season run. Internationally, audience engagement was lower, with U.S. demand at 0.2 times the average, reflecting limited breakout appeal beyond German-speaking markets. Culturally, the series contributed to global awareness of Berlin's multicultural fabric and associated challenges, streaming in 190 countries and depicting the city's diverse ethnic communities intertwined with crime syndicates. It underscored themes of urban fragmentation and institutional strains in a post-migrant society, prompting discussions on the realism of clan-based criminal networks prevalent in areas like and . As Netflix's second original German production following "," "Dogs of Berlin" exemplified the platform's push into localized content with international reach, influencing perceptions of as a hub for noir-style storytelling that confronts over sanitized narratives. However, its impact remained niche, fostering niche online discourse rather than widespread cultural shifts, partly due to its cancellation after one season amid mixed production reception.

Controversies in Portrayal

The series has been criticized for perpetuating in its depiction of Berlin's ethnic minorities and criminal , often portraying Turkish, Lebanese, and other immigrant communities as predominantly involved in gang and corruption, which some reviewers argue exaggerates real societal dynamics for . German media outlets have highlighted the reliance on clichéd character archetypes, such as the mismatched partners—one a lapsed neo-Nazi, the other a Turkish-German officer grappling with family and cultural conflicts—without sufficiently developing underlying themes of racial tension and into credible narratives. Viewer feedback on platforms like has condemned the treatment of female characters as misogynistic, limiting them to roles involving explicit nudity, sexual exploitation, or graphic deaths, with one prominent example being a strong female figure vanishing dramatically through a floor hole in the premiere episode. Critics have pointed to gratuitous sex scenes as further evidence of reductive , contrasting with the show's male-dominated focus on , , and institutional flaws. Local Berliners have voiced backlash against the overall portrayal of the city as an unrelenting hotbed of neo-Nazi activity, rivalries, and moral decay, accusing it of catering to foreign audiences' preconceptions of urban grit and electronic subcultures rather than reflecting everyday multicultural realities. This has fueled perceptions of inauthenticity, with some German audiences dismissing the series as an " version" of more nuanced predecessors like , prioritizing stylistic excess over grounded realism in addressing extremism and corruption.

Cancellation and Aftermath

Renewal Status

did not renew Dogs of Berlin for a second season after the release of its 10-episode first season on December 7, 2018. The series' viewing performance, analyzed by 's internal metrics, apparently failed to meet the threshold for continuation, a common criterion for the platform's original programming decisions. As of October 2025, no official announcement of renewal or production has been made, and the show remains listed as concluded after one season by television tracking databases. Inquiries to the yielded direct confirmation of non-renewal; a 2021 response from the producer to a fan email stated explicitly that "there will not be a sequel." This aligns with the absence of any subsequent developments, despite occasional speculation in media outlets about potential revival for foreign-language series, which has occasionally pursued years later but not in this case. The lack of renewal reflects broader patterns in 's , prioritizing high-engagement titles amid a vast catalog, rather than extending lower-viewership imports.

Reasons for Non-Renewal

The producer of Dogs of Berlin, Uli Hanisch, confirmed via email response in September 2021 that no second season would be produced, effectively ending prospects for renewal despite no formal cancellation announcement from . This decision aligned with 's data-centric approach to content renewal, where shows are evaluated primarily on global viewing hours, completion rates, and audience retention within the first 28 days of release. A key factor was the series' underwhelming international performance, particularly in major markets. Audience demand metrics from Parrot Analytics showed demand for Dogs of Berlin at just 0.2 times the average for TV series as of recent measurements, indicating limited appeal beyond German-speaking audiences. , demand stood at 2.3 times the average, reflecting stronger domestic interest but insufficient to offset production costs for a high-budget estimated at several million euros per season, given Netflix's emphasis on scalable global hits. Mixed critical and audience reception further diminished renewal viability. While user ratings averaged 7.5 out of 10 on based on over 15,000 votes, some reviewers highlighted the show's excessively grim and cynical portrayal of , which may have deterred broader engagement. As a non-English original, the series faced stiffer competition from Netflix's expanding slate of international content, where only top performers in viewership data—such as Dark from the same region—secure continuations. By 2023, over four years post-release, Netflix's silence on renewal signaled the metrics had not improved, consistent with patterns for underperforming foreign-language acquisitions.

Long-Term Influence

The series contributed to the evolution of Berlin-centric dramas on streaming platforms, integrating elements of local , , and historical legacies into a format optimized for international viewers, as part of Netflix's expansion into German-language originals following . This positioned Dogs of Berlin within an emerging "New Berlin City Genre," where depictions of the city's underbelly— including ethnic clans, neo-Nazi groups, and institutional —served to export a raw, non-touristic image of contemporary to global audiences in over 190 countries. Academic analyses have highlighted its role in revisiting post-World War II processes through modern narratives, portraying persistent influences of far-left and far-right extremism in and society, which sparked discussions on how German media confronts unresolved historical traumas amid current ethnic tensions. The show's unfiltered approach to clan-based criminality and integration challenges, drawn from observable Berlin realities such as Arab extended families dominating certain illicit economies, has been credited with elevating realism in , though critics noted potential reinforcement of without broader policy shifts. Despite its single-season run, Dogs of Berlin endures as a reference point in critiques of under streaming pressures, where director Christian Alvart's insistence on factual depiction—eschewing inverted narratives for direct engagement with dynamics—influenced subsequent productions to balance authenticity against backlash risks from biased institutional reviewers in academia and media. Its legacy remains niche, fostering cult appreciation among viewers seeking empirical portrayals of over sanitized , with viewership sustaining interest via platforms like as of 2023.

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