The acclaimed German series Babylon Berlin has concluded filming its fifth and final season, marking the end of a groundbreaking journey that began in 2017. The neo-noir drama, adapted from Volker Kutscher’s best-selling Gereon Rath novels, has captivated audiences with its depiction of life in Berlin during the tumultuous years leading up to the rise of the Nazis. With a total of 48 episodes over its run, the series has garnered a global following, selling in over 140 territories.
The fifth season consists of eight episodes, set during the critical final days of the Weimar Republic, specifically from February 1933 to March 5, 1933. This timeframe encapsulates a pivotal moment in German history, as Adolf Hitler was appointed Reich Chancellor and initiated a violent campaign against his political opponents. The narrative of this season, based on Kutscher’s novel The March Fallen, reunites police detective Gereon Rath, played by Volker Bruch, and former flapper-turned-investigator Charlotte Ritter, portrayed by Liv Lisa Fries, as they confront a series of murders linked to the country’s emerging fascist regime.
The creators of the series, Tom Tykwer, Henk Handloegten, and Achim von Borries, expressed their excitement about concluding the series during such a turbulent historical period. “We now end with the final season during the last days of this crumbling republic, in February 1933, perhaps the most dramatic month in German history,” they noted. They added, “All our characters are now finally called upon to show their true colors in a system that is being turned upside down before their eyes.”
As the plot unfolds, Gereon mysteriously disappears, prompting Charlotte to delve into a series of murders targeting former soldiers. This investigation not only connects to Gereon’s past but also reflects the broader societal changes rippling through the country at that time.
Additional cast members returning for the final season include a range of prominent German actors, such as Lars Eidinger as tycoon Alfred Nyssen, Christian Friedel as police photographer Reinhold Gräf, and Hannah Herzsprung as Helga Rath, Gereon’s former lover. The cast also features Karl Markovics as investigative journalist Samuel Katelbach, Matthias Brandt as police chief August Benda, and Fritzi Haberlandt as the resourceful pension owner Elisabeth Behnke.
Music enthusiasts will be delighted to see British pop star and Roxy Music frontman Bryan Ferry appear in several dance hall scenes. Ferry has reinterpreted some of his classic songs in a 1920s jazz style for the series’ soundtrack, drawing inspiration from his work on the show for his 2018 solo album, Bitter-Sweet.
Having made history as the most expensive German-language series upon its debut, Babylon Berlin has successfully combined elements of crime drama, historical re-creation, and striking period aesthetics. The series’ fifth season is set to premiere on public channel ARD in Germany and will be available in the United States via the streaming service MHz Choice. The anticipation for this final season underscores the series’ significant impact on both national and international television landscapes.
