Unfamiliar
What’s it rated? TV-MA
When? 2026
Where’s it showing? Netflix
I’m generally not a fan of dubbed films or shows, so even though I was a little put off at first, this German series sucked me in. Created by Paul Coates, the story follows former intelligence agents Meret (Susanne Wolff) and Simon Schäfer (Felix Krammer) who now run a secret safe house in Berlin. They’re celebrating their daughter Nina’s (Maja Bons), 16th birthday when they get a call from an injured man needing their assistance.
They decide to take him in, but not all is as it seems. Soon, their cover is blown, they’re being pursued by Russian agents, secrets from their daughter’s past return, their marriage is under strain, and their entire world is imploding.
Intelligently written, the series’ first episode gives us just enough of the couple’s story to set the hook while keeping us in the dark about their complicated past and the decisions that have defined them. The reveals from one episode to the next keep us engaged.
They’re both very capable operatives, and the action sequences and spycraft feel authentic. They’re also complicated, no-nonsense characters who harbor regrets but also swallow their emotions. Spy thriller fans, this one’s for you. (six approximately 50-min. episodes)
—Glen Starkey
This article appears in February 26 – March 5, 2026.