American TV series are the undisputed leaders in popularity far beyond the US, but this does not mean that the productions of other countries are much worse than them and are not worth attention. We already had a selection of British detective series, and judging by the number of views of that material, this topic is interesting to many. So, today we will recall the most interesting non-English-language series not from the USA or Great Britain.
Alice in Borderland (Japan)
Release years : 2020- | IMDb : 7.8
A fantasy thriller based on the manga of the same name by Haro Aso, Alice in the Borderlands tells the story of a group of young people who find themselves in an alternate version of Tokyo and are forced to participate in deadly games to survive. The series draws attention with its stunning views of a deserted Tokyo and traditional Japanese drama.
Babylon Berlin (Germany)
Release years : 2017-2025 | IMDb : 8.4
A historical neo-noir crime drama set in Germany during the final years of the Weimar Republic, Babylon – Berlin tells the story of a Cologne detective investigating a case in Berlin, the epicenter of political and social change in interwar Germany.
Beforeigners (Norway)
Release years : 2019- | IMDb : 7.7
A fantasy police procedural drama about modern-day Norway, in which newcomers from different time periods begin to appear, and how they try to integrate them into society - a clear allusion to the problems with migrants.
Borgen (Denmark)
Release years : 2010-2022 | IMDb : 8.5
A political drama that tells the story of how a minor centrist politician becomes the first female Prime Minister of Denmark – and how power changes a person.
The Bridge (Broen/Bron) (Sweden/Denmark)
Release years : 2011-2018 | IMDb : 8.6
A crime detective that begins with a body being found on a bridge connecting Sweden and Denmark – and a joint team of detectives from both countries is formed to investigate the crime. The series became so successful that a number of other countries later filmed their "analogues" (the British-French The Tunnel, the American-Mexican The Bridge, the German-Austrian Der Pass, etc.).
The Bureau (Le Bureau des Légendes) (France)
Release years : 2015-2020 | IMDb : 8.7
A spy thriller about the work of the General Directorate of the French External Security Service, whose employees train agents for missions in different countries of the world and create new personalities for them - legends.
The Chestnut Man (Kastanjemanden) (Denmark)
Release years : 2021- | IMDb : 7.6
A police procedural drama based on the detective novel of the same name by Søren Sveistrup. The series follows Danish detectives investigating the murders of several women who piece together brown-haired men left at the crime scenes.
Dark (Germany)
Release years : 2017-2020 | IMDb : 8.7
A dark fantasy thriller about time travel and family secrets, set in a small German town over the course of a century. Dark is a very atmospheric and unusual series, the storyline of which becomes so twisted over time that you have to make a lot of effort not to get lost in the events and characters of the drama.
Deutschland 83 (Germany)
Release year : 2015 | IMDb : 8.0
A spy thriller about a young, naive guy from the GDR who is sent to West Germany by the Stasi foreign intelligence agency in 1983 as an undercover spy. The series did not immediately gain popularity, but later even received two additional seasons - Deutschland 86 and Deutschland 89.
Fauda (Israel)
Release years : 2015- | IMDb : 8.3
A thriller/action film, "Fauda" tells the story of the activities of Israeli special forces fighters and their hunt for Hamas terrorists. The creators and screenwriters created the series based on their own experience serving in the Israel Defense Forces, with one of them, Lior Raz, playing the lead role.
Gomorrah (Italy)
Release years : 2014-2021 | IMDb : 8.6
A crime drama about the life of the Neapolitan mafia through the eyes of its members, based on the novel of the same name by Roberto Saviano. "Gomorrah" was a huge success and was sold in 190 countries around the world.
Home For Christmas (Norway)
Release years : 2019-2025 | IMDb : 7.7
A series for lovers of the romantic comedy genre who are tired of standard American rom-coms. "Home for Christmas" is actually not very different from them, but its Norwegian flavor sets it apart from other series of this kind.
How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast) (Germany)
Release years : 2019-2025 | IMDb : 7.8
A youth series with elements of drama and comedy about teenagers who, trying to get their ex-girlfriend back, start selling ecstasy online and gradually create the largest drug business in Europe. It sounds like a German youth version of Breaking Bad , but the series is inspired by a real story that happened in Leipzig in 2015 (the prototype of the main character, by the way, was seven years old).
The Killing (Forbrydelsen) (Denmark)
Release years : 2007-2012 | IMDb : 8.4
A police procedural drama set in Copenhagen, each season focuses on a different case. The series was a huge success, spawning a literary adaptation of each season, and the US produced its own remake.
Kingdom (South Korea)
Release years : 2019-2020 | IMDb : 8.3
A historical fantasy horror set in medieval Korea, where an epidemic breaks out that turns the dead into zombies. "Kingdom" attracted attention for its unusual combination of a fairly typical historical costume political drama for this country with zombie horror. The series was renewed for a second season, and later received a full-length sequel.
Marianne (France)
Release year : 2019 | IMDb : 7.3
A horror series that can shock even the most seasoned fan of the genre. According to the plot, a young writer realizes that the characters she writes about in her horror novels also exist in the real world.
Money Heist (La Casa de Papel) (Spain)
Release years : 2017-2021 | IMDb : 8.2
A crime drama about an unusual group of criminals who plan and carry out large-scale robberies, La Casa de Papel was originally broadcast on the Spanish channel Antena 3 , after which Netflix acquired the rights, remade it, and began a global release. Additional seasons were subsequently ordered with a significantly increased budget.
The Returned (Les revenants) (France)
Release years : 2012-2015 | IMDb : 8.0
A drama series with horror elements, based on the 2004 French film of the same name, which aired on Canal+. Les revenants tells the story of the return of deceased people to their living relatives and acquaintances and their attempts to reintegrate into society.
Squid Game (South Korea)
Release years : 2021-2025 | IMDb : 8.0
A dramatic thriller about a deadly survival game in which hundreds of financially challenged people participate for a large cash prize. In addition to the cynical cruelty of the game, which attracted the attention of viewers who were tired of typical American TV series, "The Squid Game" also shows the serious economic problems of modern South Korea.
"Trapped" (Ófærð) (Iceland)
Release years : 2015- | IMDb : 8.0
A crime thriller that investigates a murder in an isolated Icelandic town during a snowstorm. The first season became the country's most expensive series, exceeding the budgets of typical Icelandic TV series several times. Trapped was sold to numerous countries around the world and later received two additional seasons.