Berlin Station

Daniel Miller arrives at the CIA station in Berlin posing as a routine foreign service officer, but his real work is quiet, methodical espionage. The show follows his assignments to unmask leaks, recruit sources, and manage rivalries inside the station. Relationships with colleagues and foreign contacts complicate what starts as strictly professional work, and the series shows how small choices ripple outward in intelligence work. Episodes balance field operations with office politics, revealing the emotional cost of undercover work without giving away major plot twists or endings.

The series premiered in 2016, created by Olen Steinhauer and starring Richard Armitage, Rhys Ifans, Richard Jenkins, Michelle Forbes, and Leland Orser, produced for the Epix network and filmed across Europe.

It didn't become a major awards contender, and there were no high-profile wins, yet reviewers often singled out Armitage and Ifans for the depth they brought to their roles. The show maintained a steady profile across its seasons rather than sweeping annual television prize lists.

Berlin Station made a mark for its focus on modern tradecraft and a tangible sense of place, with Berlin itself feeling like an active character. While it never spawned viral catchphrases, the series found a loyal audience among viewers who prefer realistic spy dramas and detailed procedural plotting over glamourized action.

Critics gave the show generally positive marks, reflected in a vote average around 7.2 out of 10 from viewers. Themes include loyalty, moral ambiguity within bureaucracies, the fog of intelligence work, and the personal toll of secrecy. Pacing and tone lean toward measured tension rather than nonstop thrills, and performances, production design, and a grounded approach to geopolitics were commonly praised.