1. The Weimar Republic
First of all, the historical background of this drama is quite unfamiliar to me, and it tells the story of the Weimar Republic. The Weimar Republic refers to Germany, which adopted a republican constitutional government from 1918 to 1933, that is, Germany between World War I and World War II. The story of "Babylon Berlin" begins in 1929, which is a relatively sensitive time. After all, the head of state came to power almost two years later.
In 1929, the situation in Berlin was already precarious, with serious class divisions and various political parties. The unprecedented seriousness of unemployment has shaken the foundation of society at that time, and a huge number of unemployed people can be easily manipulated to subvert the current pattern. At this time, the secret checks and balances of the various forces barely maintained the calm on the surface of Berlin, but any small move would affect the nerves of all parties. The male protagonist, Grian, came to the Berlin police station from Cologne to investigate a roll of film, but he ended up entangled in it, entangled with various forces, and it was difficult to get out.
2. The Social Democratic Party, the Fourth International, the Black Defense Forces and the Local Snake Gangs
Next, let's sort out the forces surrounding the male protagonist in the first season, there are roughly four.
One is the German Social Democratic Party, represented by the Jewish police chief Benda and the father of the male protagonist, which is the party currently in power. The male protagonist came to Berlin because he was entrusted by his father to dispose of the film that was unfavorable to them, and the purpose of his trip was also supported by the chief Benda. At present, the male protagonist should be the faction of the Social Democratic Party.
The second is a Fourth International force lurking in Berlin, led by Kadakov, a former tenant of the male host's residence, aiming to overthrow the Stalin regime in the Soviet Union. Although only one person from the Fourth International was wiped out in the first few episodes, he successfully disrupted the situation in Berlin with the bait of a carriage of gold. And the male protagonist fell into this whirlpool created by the Fourth International because of tracing the cause of death of the Soviet driver who strayed into his room.
The third is the force behind the male protagonist's partner in the police station, Walter - the "Black Defense Forces" mainly composed of members of the military. In fact, this force is the most inconspicuous among them. It seems that they only used the steel merchant Nyssen to smuggle poison gas. However, the appearance of this group of people in the last few episodes is very scary. Most of them are veterans of the First World War, gathering in the name of missing their comrades, but trying to start the war again to regain lost ground. And he is very similar to the Fuhrer in his fondness for instilling the idea of war in little boys. This faction also threw an olive branch to the male protagonist, and the male protagonist seemed to be a little shaken because of the impact of the videotape.
The fourth is the local gangster who owns the film and tries to blackmail the politicians. This group of people also joined the race for the train because of the lure of gold. And the doctor who studies PTSD seems to be trying to use the psychological trauma of the male protagonist to control him. I don't know if he is with them. I don't see it very clearly here.
3. Film and trains
Again, let's sort out the cases of the first season, mainly around the two things film and trains.
The film was the original reason why the male protagonist Grian came to Berlin, and in the last episode the male protagonist successfully took the film from the gang and destroyed it. This line seems to be very simple, but it does not rule out that the subsequent influence is far-reaching. For example, the content of the film has a huge impact on the male protagonist, which may shake his position; and the gang can't let it go, and it is very likely that they will continue to investigate.
The train was more involved, with the military fighting for the smuggled gas, while the Fourth International and the gangs coveted the gold in one of the carriages. Because of the relationship of the Fourth International, this train also attracted the forces of the Soviet embassy. In the end, because of the heroine's investigation, he was successfully controlled by the police station. It can be said that this train affects the contradiction between the army and the Social Democratic Party authorities, and because the involvement of the Soviet embassy may cause diplomatic problems.
4. Charlotte Ritter
finally wants to talk about the heroine privately. Although there have been many excellent female lead TV series in recent years, Charlotte in this series is my favorite female character recently. The exterior is pale and slender, but the heart is firmer than ordinary people. There seemed to be a vigorous upward force in her body, so that the thick dark circles under her eyes couldn't hide the light in her eyes. I especially like the way she walks, the low heel taps on the ground gives an unmistakable feeling, as if she has been moving firmly and powerfully towards a definite destination.
I really hope that Charlotte can get into the police station as she wishes, not only because of her talent for investigating cases in the first season (which I personally think is far better than that of the male lead), but also because of her energy, It is the only part of this depressing and dark drama that is full of life and beauty. Personally, I really like the episode of the heroine swimming with her friends on Sunday. A few sunny scenes swept away the depression brought by the previous episode, which is very beneficial for adjusting the tone of the entire TV series.
The above are all personal opinions, just summarize it and you can start chasing the second season comfortably.
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