Deutschland 83

This show is just awesome! They capture the feel of the 80's in a great way. I was not in East or West Germany but the older guys I worked with were and this show is as described. A people on the edge....

I really like the German actors and actresses, but especially the younger ones. The star, Jonas Nay, is awesome. A sense of innocence, youth, determination, and bravery even though he is the EG spy. It is great! Nikola Kastner is really great too. She conveys my memory of an 80's woman, from wherever so well.

The intrigue is great. Reminiscent for me of The Americans...kind of places a stress on you to watch as you get involved with the characters.

I think the only drawback for some viewers would be the subtitles. I don't mind at all.

You know, I want to know the model of that EG car that the mother drives!

I may be biased as reading, movies, and artifacts from the cold war era are a hobby of mine.

They really place you in it.....a good feel for what happened I think.

IF you already like the series "The Americans", remember the 80's and don't mind subtitles.

It is a nice German spy adventure involving the youth in the German states that had been divided since the end of WW2.

I was 28 years old at the time this story takes place so... there were more than a few sentimental moments for me. It can be a lot of fun if, like me you are old enough to remember songs like "99 Luftballons". Or maybe you remember that sensation first time you ever used that "new" Sony Walkman? WOW!

Obviously this is a TV series so it isn't Shakespeare but... I found the writing more than adequate. Actors were good too. I found it easy to follow even while reading subtitles. (I only understand a tiny bit of German).

Watching as a U.S. citizen is a real bonus too. I do remember most of the historical events depicted but... from a much different perspective. It was eye opening to finally consider what it must have been like for the people living in Europe during this period.

I was in the US Army in '83 and intimately involved with the PII deployment and Able Archer. This perspective, from the East and West German point of view, is both reminiscent of my own experience and an enhancement of it. Well acted, produced, and an accurate account of the times. I had many German friends at the time, but due to my position I avoided talking politics as much as possible, but I hear their views echoed here.

Still, I was very aware of my friends reluctance to allow the PIIs and Cruise Missiles into their country. It wasn't until some years later that I discovered how Able Archer was perceived in the East, and this series recounts much of what I learned. It's been said that '83 was on par with the Cuban Missile Crisis in terms of edging toward nuclear war.

So to find a series that takes a piece of my past and twists and supplements it is very interesting. That is very well done makes it a must see for me! There are elements of the plot that get a bit overblown at times, but add to the intrigue and suspense (it is a fictional account, so that's OK). I'm very glad to have found this and would recommend it!!

Like most fiction, there are several logical, factual and dramatic flaws but that does not detract in any significant way from this series.

If you like history, are interested in Germany or specifically Germany in the 80s and most of all, if you need your TV drama to be smart and complex, you will love this series.

Yes it is extremely unlikely that a border guard with a fake identity would be accepted as an assistant to a West German general, but the characters and dramatic themes are extremely compelling. The attention to detail in terms of East v West Germany and early 80s vibe are outstanding.

I only wish that a "season" was more than a mere 8 episodes!

My Brother was is W. Berlin from 1980 to 1983. I was in Kitzingen, Germany from 1984 to 1987. This show is true to the look, feel and emotions of the Cold War at that time. The emotional and psychological tug of Cold War was palpable during the 80's with every step one took, and this show, somehow, surprisingly brings those feelings and emotions down to the minutest detail alive again. The U.S. and the Soviet Union were preparing for war, and the Fulda Gap was where we practiced our maneuvers for a ground assault (this is common knowledge, so don't get your panties in a wad over this information). Everything in this series, especially the use of music, cars, and women is spot on. Bravo! This series deserves to continue.