Helgoland 513

On the windswept German isle of Helgoland a tiny group has sealed itself off after an apocalypse wrecked the mainland. Life there is organized by a brutal system that ranks each of the 513 residents according to usefulness, and that score decides who eats, who works, and who is expendable. Marek Storbeck and other leaders try to keep a fragile order, while specialists like the island doctor occupy high positions and those with fewer skills scramble to survive. Outside threats keep arriving from the sea, and the community tightens its defenses as moral choices and scarce supplies force people to make cold calculations about value and belonging.

Created by Robert Schwentke, Helgoland 513 premiered in 2024. The German-language series is anchored by Alexander Fehling, Martina Gedeck, Samuel Finzi, Kathrin Angerer and Maja Schöne, and it stages its drama on the real offshore island setting.

As of its release there are no reports of major international awards or high-profile nominations for the series. It hasn’t been cited in Emmy or Golden Globe coverage, and most recognition so far comes from local press and early festival screenings, rather than headline prizes.

Early cultural conversation has focused on the show’s stark ranking system and the claustrophobic island visuals. Online threads and German outlets have debated its ethical questions about worth and resource allocation, and the image of a numbered community of 513 people has become a common shorthand in those discussions.

Critical and audience response has been mixed, reflected by a 5.6/10 average from 24 votes. Many viewers comment on the series’ bleak moral core and careful production design, while opinions split over pacing and plot development. Performances, especially by Fehling and Gedeck, are often highlighted as central to its emotional weight.