Agree, this series incorporate a multitude of well-researched characters and subplots.
To the credit of the creative team - the portrayal of east and west is quite balanced without dismissing the dehumanizing effects of communist dystopia. Unquestionably the portrayal is astute and brilliant of the grotesque distortion of human dignity forced by the system. In some ways this series remind me of Dante's inferno - I want to see who will have dignity in the face of adversity, how will they survive? In that respect these series are brilliant!
*Spoiler alert* In contrast some other reviewers, I do not believe in being spoon fed overdigested characters. One does not have to be a genius to understand that Sabine and Lars are twins (the same picture in Gregor Weber and Dagmar Cutter apartments). I am eager to see season 2 - one should lobe eager to see whether Lars will become a double agent. How will Lars figure out that Dagmar is his mother - will he discover his picture from Dagmar's secret chest? Gregor Weber will be in precarious situation - his petty "spying" for the system is his mandatory benevolence for his wife defecting to the West. The overzealous factory worker will likely to start reporting on Lars' father - the same way this youngster started reporting on his own family members (Stazi has converted him to a psychopath social climber, eager to please his masters). I am sure some people in the West can relate to this character.
A separate moral predicament in the subsequent season should relate to Dagmar Weber - she will regret not disclosing to her daughter Sabine their origins from East Berlin. If Sabine would have known, perhaps she would have figured and would have not committed incest with Lars. Emil Faber was the only one who have seen that Lars was seducing his mother Lauren (in the photo booth pictures from his mother's wallet).
The most surprising to me was the question by reviewer "Who are the "loosers" digging the tunnel?" It does not take a genius to notice that socialism "encase" people - a paint-red haired teenager does not fit in the predetermined ideal of socialist youth. His father (Barmann baker) would sacrifice his life to allow his son to live (otherwise his son would be in the psychiatric system or alcoholic in this environment). They are not losers - they are outcasts of socialism, who have courageous personalities (unlike sleazy insecure coward Tobias), they have a dream, Just like Axel has - they are talented personalities with dignity. What is not to understand?!
*Spoiler alert* In contrast some other reviewers, I do not believe in being spoon fed overdigested characters. One does not have to be a genius to understand that Sabine and Lars are twins (the same picture in Gregor Weber and Dagmar Cutter apartments). I am eager to see season 2 - one should lobe eager to see whether Lars will become a double agent. How will Lars figure out that Dagmar is his mother - will he discover his picture from Dagmar's secret chest? Gregor Weber will be in precarious situation - his petty "spying" for the system is his mandatory benevolence for his wife defecting to the West. The overzealous factory worker will likely to start reporting on Lars' father - the same way this youngster started reporting on his own family members (Stazi has converted him to a psychopath social climber, eager to please his masters). I am sure some people in the West can relate to this character.
A separate moral predicament in the subsequent season should relate to Dagmar Weber - she will regret not disclosing to her daughter Sabine their origins from East Berlin. If Sabine would have known, perhaps she would have figured and would have not committed incest with Lars. Emil Faber was the only one who have seen that Lars was seducing his mother Lauren (in the photo booth pictures from his mother's wallet).
The most surprising to me was the question by reviewer "Who are the "loosers" digging the tunnel?" It does not take a genius to notice that socialism "encase" people - a paint-red haired teenager does not fit in the predetermined ideal of socialist youth. His father (Barmann baker) would sacrifice his life to allow his son to live (otherwise his son would be in the psychiatric system or alcoholic in this environment). They are not losers - they are outcasts of socialism, who have courageous personalities (unlike sleazy insecure coward Tobias), they have a dream, Just like Axel has - they are talented personalities with dignity. What is not to understand?!