📺 10 Best German Shows on Netflix (with Subtitles) — Perfect for German Learners!
- Jens Olesen
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
Learning German doesn’t have to mean burying your head in a textbook for hours. One of the most enjoyable (and effective!) ways to improve your listening skills, pick up everyday phrases, and tune your ear to natural speech is to watch German TV shows — and Netflix has plenty to offer!
But not every show is equally helpful for learners. So, I’ve handpicked 10 of the best German shows on Netflix that strike the perfect balance: engaging plots, clear pronunciation, and realistic dialogue — all with subtitles to help you follow along confidently.
Whether you’re a beginner wanting exposure or an advanced learner polishing your comprehension, you’ll find something here to binge-watch guilt-free.
🎓 Learn German Properly — And Understand Every Episode!
Watching shows is brilliant for immersion, but if you really want to speak and understand German confidently, pair it with expert guidance.
✅ Weekly German Classes (A1–C2) — steady progress, real-life topics, and clear explanations.
✅ Intensive German Courses for Adults & Children — perfect for quick results before a trip, exam, or move abroad.
✅ GCSE German Revision Classes & A-Level German Revision Courses — ace your exams and understand German TV with ease.
💻 All our lessons are online, so you can study from your sofa — maybe right before your next episode!
✨ New students get 15% off their first trial lesson — use code EARLYBIRD at checkout!
🍿 The 10 Best German Shows on Netflix — For Learners
Here’s your ultimate watch list for all levels of German, with my tips on what makes each show great for language practice:
🎬 1️⃣ Dark
Level: Upper-intermediate to Advanced
Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller, Mystery
Why watch: Widely known as “Germany’s Stranger Things,” Dark is a mind-bending series about time travel, family secrets, and a missing boy. It’s perfect for hearing everyday speech and complex storytelling — just be ready to pause and rewind!
Pro tip: Start with German audio and English subtitles, then switch both to German as you get braver.
🎬 2️⃣ How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast)
Level: Intermediate
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Why watch: This clever, fast-paced show follows a nerdy teen who builds an online drug empire from his bedroom. The slangy dialogue is brilliant for hearing how young Germans really talk today.
Pro tip: Great for picking up modern idioms and social media expressions.
🎬 3️⃣ Biohackers
Level: Intermediate
Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller
Why watch: Short seasons and clear speech make Biohackers very learner-friendly. It’s about a medical student who discovers shocking biotech secrets. Good balance of everyday student life and technical vocab.
🎬 4️⃣ Dogs of Berlin
Level: Upper-intermediate
Genre: Crime, Drama
Why watch: Gritty, modern crime drama set in multicultural Berlin. Strong accents and street slang are authentic — so expect some challenge, but it’s amazing practice for real urban German.
🎬 5️⃣ Perfume (Parfum)
Level: Upper-intermediate
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Why watch: Inspired by Patrick Süskind’s novel Das Parfum. Modern crime twist with atmospheric storytelling. Clear narration and lots of standard German — good for understanding detailed storytelling.
🎬 6️⃣ Criminal: Germany (Criminal: Deutschland)
Level: Intermediate
Genre: Crime, Police Procedural
Why watch: Each episode is an interrogation in one room — so the dialogue is intense but slow enough to follow. A great way to tune your ear to standard German and legal phrases.
🎬 7️⃣ Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo
Level: Upper-intermediate
Genre: Drama, Biography
Why watch: A raw, modern remake of the iconic German story about Christiane F. and Berlin’s drug scene. Authentic youth slang, Berlin dialect, and very emotional speech — excellent for advanced listening.
🎬 8️⃣ Charité
Level: Intermediate
Genre: Historical Drama
Why watch: Dive into 19th-century Berlin at its famous hospital. Slower, clear speech and historical context help learners catch vocabulary about science, society, and culture.
🎬 9️⃣ Barbarians (Barbaren)
Level: Intermediate
Genre: Historical Action, Adventure
Why watch: Think Vikings but German — tells the story of Germanic tribes resisting the Roman Empire. Some scenes use Latin and old dialects, but the main German dialogue is simple and clear. Great for history buffs!
🎬 🔟 Kleo
Level: Intermediate
Genre: Action, Thriller, Dark Comedy
Why watch: A stylish, darkly funny thriller about a former East German spy seeking revenge after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Excellent mix of spy slang and everyday banter — and the short episodes make it easy to digest.
✅ How to Make German Shows Work for YOU
Don’t just watch passively — try this:
👉 Start with German audio + English subtitles.
👉 Later switch subtitles to German too.
👉 Write down new phrases and repeat them out loud.
👉 Re-watch scenes — repetition locks it in!
👉 Discuss your favourite shows in your lessons with us — we love turning TV into practice material!
🎓 Learn German Properly — And Actually Understand What You Watch
Streaming is brilliant for your ears, but you need proper lessons to speak confidently and understand all those idioms, slang, and accents. That’s what we’re here for:
👉 Weekly German Classes (A1–C2)
👉 Intensive German Courses
👉 GCSE & A-Level German
✨ First-time student? Use code EARLYBIRD for 15% off your first trial lesson!
💻 All courses are online — so you can learn, then chill with your next episode.
📚 Keep Building Your Real-Life German
For more practical tips, check out our German language blog ‘Auf Deutsch, bitte!’ — with 500+ free posts on vocabulary, grammar, culture, and smart study hacks.
Viel Spaß beim Binge-Watching — und beim Deutschlernen!(Enjoy your binge-watching — and learning German!)
✨ Ready to understand every plot twist? Book your first class now! 🎬🇩🇪📚
Comments