Learning German isn't all about text books, pronouns, causal sentences and getting the dativ correct.
Watching and listening to German is a tried and tested way of learning the language, and there are some great German movies and German TV shows on Netflix. I've watched a few myself and found they helped me in a few ways.
It's great to watch German movies and TV Shows for 3 reasons:
1) Motivation
They are good motivation when you're learning German. Learning German is tough, and there are lulls in your learning journey - sometimes you want to stop altogether! It happens to everyone. So by watching a film or TV series in German you can get a fix of German while also relaxing on the couch.
2) Understanding Accents
A good deutscher Film auf Netflix is a great way to hear different accents and differences in pronunciation. The actors will also use colloquial and informal terms that are used by Germans in everyday life. You won't hear these in your typical German class. How much exactly you will pick up form watching one series alone is questionable, but if you watch enough then you are sure to get your ear used to new Germanic sounds. Watching shows in English is how a lot of English learners learn, and I think this can apply to German as well.
3) They're Good!
3) They are enjoyable! The standard of German shows and TV series on Netflix is excellent, so they are enjoyable irrespective of the language. The shows listed below are all either crime or mystery so apparently that is my thing, but the range of shows available there is huge.
I've only listed the TV Shows and Films on Netflix that I've seen myself and enjoyed. For any German show I watch on Netflix I use German subtitles so I can follow along if I miss anything. This is more necessary for some shows than others, as sometimes the characters use a wide range of words, or when their accents are tricky, or when they don't use Hochdeutsch.
Let's get on with the list:
1. Skylines
IMDB 7.6
A drama based in Frankfurt, it's about a young producer trying to make it in the local hip hop scene and get signed by a record label. The crime world is only a step away from his newly discovered world of music. It's really exciting and has a good pace to it. There is only 1 season and it looks like it will stay that way. Netflix is being sued by Skyline Records, the Frankfurt music label that is show is based on, for damaging their reputation. It seems like Netflix don't want the headache and are backing off on renewing production.
2. Bad Banks
IMDB 7.9
This is set in Frankfurt again, in the financial sector. There is a mix of white collar crime and also some grittier action as well. The story follows three young bankers looking to rise through the firm, where their morals and ambition frequently collide. It's more difficult to understand than Skylines as a non-native speaker, so even the subtitles won't totally save you. But the acting is great. There is no word yet on season 3.
3. Dogs of Berlin
IMDB 7.6
This is similar in vibes to the more well-known "Four Blocks" - a gritty crime drama based in Berlin. Gangs and corrupt police officers are intermingled in the storyline. It's violent and exciting. I found the accents pretty tough to understand - subtitles were an absolute necessity. There has only been one season so far, but season 2 will be released December 2021.
4. Dark
IMDB 8.8
The most famous and critically acclaimed of the four shows here, and also the spookiest. It is a supernatural drama kicked off by the disappearance of two children in a small town in Germany. I enjoyed it, but the pace is much slower than the other shows here, so the other-worldly shenanigans only kept me hooked until season 1. I didn't watch it after that. There are 3 seasons to dig into.
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