Featured Image Credit: Channel 4/ZDF
Topics: Channel 4, TV, TV and Film
Brenna Cooper
Fans of psychological thrillers listen up, as Channel 4 has just added a new German language series which is full of 'twists and turns'.
From Netflix's mind-bending series Dark to shows such as Deutschland 83 and Babylon Berlin, Germany has been doing a good job of exporting tense and nail-biting thrillers over the years.
And anyone who doesn't mind watching their television with subtitles should be adding this mini-series to their 'to watch' list right away.
Recently made available for free on the streaming platform, it is adapted from Melanie Raabe's 2021 book of the same name and is packed full of psychological suspense.
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The series stars Swiss actor Deleila Piasko as Norah Richter, a journalist who has relocated from Berlin to Vienna with the hope of leaving her old life behind her.
Before Norah can settle into her new life she is approached by a mysterious woman who delivers a decisively chilling prophecy: she will soon meet a man named Arthur Grimm and in six weeks time she will murder him.
The encounter obviously leaves Norah feeling freaked out and she tries to brush off the message, until she ends up crossing paths with a man named Arthur Grimm (Christoph Luser).
When Norah realises the six weeks will be up on a day which coincides with a previous tragedy which had befallen her many years ago, she begins to wonder who exactly Arthur is and what he would do to drive her to commit murder?
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The six-part series - called The Shadow (originally titled Der Schatten) - came out in 2023 on German network ZDF and had previously been available on Netflix in certain countries, meaning the addition to Channel 4 will be the first time Brits are able to watch the thriller for free.
Although the reaction to the series has been more mixed than the book, reviews for The Shadow are mostly positive, with it receiving an overall score of 6.7 out of 10 on IMDb.
"The finale delivers a powerful conclusion that resonates without relying on conventional twists. Der Schatten is a testament to the potential of television as a medium for nuanced, character-driven narratives," one person wrote, adding that The Shadow diverges from the original source material, which means you can watch the series without having the book completely spoilt.
"Der Schatten unfolds as a meticulously crafted psychological thriller, distinguished by its atmospheric storytelling and compelling performances," the review adds.
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A second viewer penned: "The story is gripping, thrilling, full of twists and turns, many facets, and surprises. Excellent entertainment, as tense as the daily heat in Vienna."
While a third added: "Great series. Germans can do things differently."
The Shadow is available to stream in full on Channel 4 now.