Fall Harvest of International Series
Gathered from the rich tapestry of international programming, this selection of noteworthy shows spans the spectrum from the delightfully whimsical — where former German Chancellor Angela Merkel immerses herself in solving quaint small-town murders in “Miss Merkel” — to the profoundly poignant, as survivors of the harrowing Oct. 7 attacks share their narratives a year later in the Israeli series “Picture This.”
‘The Tower’
This British crime drama, imbued with a gray and understated tone, presents itself as a more serious, less sensationalized alternative to “Line of Duty,” while also echoing some of the simpler emotional beats found in “Unforgotten.” Positioning it between two of the most gripping British crime dramas of recent years may seem unfair, yet this unpretentious series (its four-episode third season recently wrapped up on BritBox) stands its ground as a character-driven narrative cloaked in genre conventions.
Gemma Whelan, known for her role as the seafaring Yara Greyjoy in “Game of Thrones,” takes center stage as Sarah Collins, a principled detective sergeant navigating the complexities of a working-class, racially diverse district in south London. The title refers to the apartment building from which a Muslim girl and a police officer tragically fall to their deaths in the inaugural season. Collins finds herself in a web of alliances and conflicts with a brash inspector (Emmett J. Scanlan), a jittery rookie (Tahirah Sharif), and a stoic, resilient constable (Jimmy Akingbola), as they tackle agonizing dilemmas surrounding personal integrity and professional ethics; all four actors deliver outstanding performances.
‘Miss Merkel’
In a refreshing twist, Angela Merkel, now liberated from her responsibilities as Germany’s chancellor and enjoying retirement in the fictional village of Klein Freudenstadt (Little Happy Town), sharpens her wits by unraveling the occasional local murder mystery in two German television films that premiered recently on MHz Choice. Katharina Thalbach, a seasoned stage actress and director, embodies this version of Merkel, portraying her as a gossipy, evidence-gathering, and somewhat smug septuagenarian whose stern East German upbringing equips her with the cunning to outsmart inept local law enforcement in the former West.
This intriguing reimagining of the cozy village mystery genre (the films are adapted from novels by David Safier) does not fully compensate for some uninspiring direction and a distinctly German tendency to deliver even the most cleverly penned comedic lines with minimal expressiveness. Nevertheless, Thalbach’s continuous stream of political quips and satirical jabs at Merkel’s contemporaries and successors remains consistently entertaining, even though many references may elude American audiences. “How do you manage to exploit me for your own goals against my beliefs?” plaintively asks Mike (Tim Kalkhof), her youthful bodyguard and reluctant partner in crime-solving, reflecting the frustrations of a generation of European politicians.
In another thrilling entry, Matilda De Angelis stars in “Citadel: Diana,” portraying an operative ensnared in a web of rivalry between competing spy organizations, further expanding the narrative landscape of international television.