Pagan Peak

A gruesome body staged in a ritual-like fashion surfaces on the border between Germany and Austria, kicking off a cross border investigation. Ellie Stocker, a determined detective, teams up with the wary Gedeon Winter as they chase a killer who seems to be drawing on ancient rites. The boxy steel towns and snowbound valleys of the Alpine frontier become more than a backdrop as new victims surface in similar patterns. Clues point toward a secretive circle operating in the shadows, where belief and violence blur. With each lead, the case pushes the two investigators into a harsh landscape and a web of loyalties that tests trust and nerve. The case also tests how far investigators will bend rules when lives hang in the balance.

Created by Cyrill Boss, Philipp Stennert and Brian Percival, Pagan Peak premiered in 2019 as a cross border crime drama shot against the Alpine wilderness, led by Julia Jentsch and Nicholas Ofczarek. Shot across rugged locales the production leans on stark weather and restrained pacing that suits the material.

Critics praised the chilly mood, stark Alpine visuals and the chemistry between Stocker and Winter, though the series has not secured major nominations at the big awards circuit. Its reception remains solid among fans of Nordic style crime. If it earns more recognition, it would deepen its standing among genre dramas.

Pagan Peak's stark Alpine setting and ritualistic premise sparked conversations about crime across borders and the role of tradition in modern policing. Viewers noted how the environment acts as a character, shaping decisions and highlighting isolation in border towns.

On the page and screen, the show blends procedural tension with themes of boundary crossing, grief and moral ambiguity. The partnership between Stocker and Winter anchors a mood of quiet dread as secrets simmer beneath community ties for viewers seeking gritty, grounded crime.