Deutschland 83

Introduction: Reviews and features

Read the following reviews and features on Deutschland 83:

The Guardian - Your next box set: Deutschland 83
The Guardian - Deutschland 83 Pity the Germans don't like it

1) Find one positive aspect and one criticism of Deutschland 83 in the reviews.

Deutschland 83’s first episode of eight was the most-watched foreign-language drama in UK history. With the least ambiguous title ever, American-German husband-and-wife team Anna and Joerg Winger created an irresistible export: a funky exercise in pop nostalgia underpinned by actual events – crucially, the Nato war game codenamed Able Archer, deliberately misconstrued by a paranoid east as a cover for an actual preemptive strike that almost sparked World War III.

By focusing the story around Martin Rauch, a young East German border guard going undercover in the west, it doesn’t just make the viewer empathise with a Stasi agent on a human level – in the way The Lives of Others did – it makes us engage with the socialist regime’s worldview, in which a military exercise in West Germany poses a potentially existential threat.

2) Why does the second Guardian article suggest the Germans didn't like the show?

By focusing the story around Martin Rauch, a young East German border guard going undercover in the west, it doesn’t just make the viewer empathise with a Stasi agent on a human level – in the way The Lives of Others did – it makes us engage with the socialist regime’s worldview, in which a military exercise in West Germany poses a potentially existential threat.

3) Find three 'below-the-line comments from either of the Guardian articles. What did the audience think of Deutschland 83? Do you agree with the comments?

BobD777

17 Feb 2016 16.41

27

Deutschland 83 was great, and I also hoped it was a sign of things to come on German TV. "See; Germany can do it".
Only then to find out that it was an American writer...

I agree - an American writer takes away from the German pride of making the film

Lastwordsusie

17 Feb 2016 16.49

22

Started well, flagged in the middle, and ended with less Pershing missile and more damp squib.
I'm with the German audience on this.
The new Scandi- Noir Drama- "Trapped" in the Saturday 9pm slot on BBC4 is doing its job of making me feel very cold though!

I have no opinion as I have not watched the full series

Lasiio

17 Feb 2016 23.14

0

Maybe they will dub it into English so the 98% can enjoy it too?

Subtitles are exceptionally annoying and pretentious, but not as annoying as hearing German and not understanding it.

I managed 2 mins before it become too irritating. I have ears and eyes, and I usually like to use both when watching TV, was it really too hard not to speak English?

I disagree as watching a show dubbed is irritating especially when the mouth movement doesn't match up

Promotional interview

Channel 4 News: Matt Frei interviews Jonas Nay

1) What does Jonas Nay say about growing up in a united Germany? 

There are no more east/west Germans, everyone is the same

2) The Channel 4 News interview is conducted in German with English subtitles. How does this reflect Channel 4's remit as a public service broadcaster and its target audience? (Clue: revise your work on Channel 4 and Public Service Broadcasting here!)

Channel 4 has a mainly UK-based English-speaking audience

3) Interviewer Matt Frei asks about the current political situation in Germany. Why might this interest the Channel 4 News audience?

To compare the political system of the UK to Germany

Textual analysis: Audience pleasures and representations

We need to consider the audience pleasures of Deutschland 83 alongside various representations created in the first episode.

Type up your analysis from the lesson using the headings below. You may want to watch the key scenes again and develop your notes in further detail - the more specific and memorable your analysis, the better it will serve you when writing an essay on a TV drama. Here's a Google doc we have worked on in past Media lessons on this topic - feel free to use these notes alongside your own. You'll need to use your Greenford Google login to access this.

Scene 1: Garden/BBQ scenes (East & West Germany)

4.58 – 8.20 and 34.00 – 37.20

Make notes under the following headings:

• Technical codes – particularly mise-en-scene
• Representation of East & West Germany / Family / Gender

• 
  
• 360-degree camera movement circling Martin when talking to Edel and his sister created a sense that things are closing in on Martin.
• The contrast in East - camerawork seems to accompany Martin to his mum’s birthday party rather than threaten him.
• Several shots in the East German party of key characters shot over-the-shoulder or through other guests. It Emphasises family and friends' presence and a welcoming atmosphere.
• The huge contrast in mise-en-scene between East and West - two houses.

• Western family (Edel family) is shown to be dysfunctional and unhappy. The BBQ scene feels awkward and forced.
• Strong contrast in the East German party scene with close family, and friends enjoying themselves, a relaxed atmosphere.
• Perhaps an example of fetishisation of the working class in the media - it makes East German life seem appealing and positive which is arguably historically inaccurate.
• 
  

Scene 2: Martin/Moritz first sees the West German supermarket 

14.30 – 20.25

Make notes under the following headings:

• Technical codes – particularly mise-en-scene
• Audio codes – particularly music
• Representation of East & West Germany / Communism & Capitalism / Historical accuracy
• Audience pleasures

• 
  
• Mise-en-scene - use of colour and costume. Iconic Puma logo red T-shirt as a colourful contrast to the dull East.
• Supermarket shelves are full of colour and stacked high. Almost an example of postmodern art and is designed to emphasise the difference between East and West.

• Music - Sweet Dreams Are Made Of These. Diegetic sound but full of meaning to convey Martin’s first experience of the West.
• Dialogue on the bench - emphasises the positives about the East and the dangers of the West. But this scene overall seems to present the West and capitalism in a more positive light.
• 
  
• The shot of two policemen eating ice cream is symbolic of the difference between East and West. Several shots emphasise representation of East and West - close-up of the chandelier, wide shot of luxurious bedroom etc. Gender representation: ‘What does Annett want?’ Does this represent traditional gender roles as they were at the time or should we criticise D83 for a lack of depth in female characters?

• Historical reality - Blumler & Katz U&G theory - surveillance. The danger of WW3, reference to Pershing II missiles. Key elements of D83 based on historical fact.
• Music - 1980s references - nostalgia. A faithful reconstruction of Germany in the 1980s.

• 
  

Scene 3: Training montage scene when Martin/Moritz learns how to be a spy

20.40 – 22.40

Make notes under the following headings:

• Technical codes – particularly camerawork and editing
• Audio codes
• Audience pleasures
• Intertextuality

Fast-paced editing including jump cuts, typical of a montage sequence. Split screen/editing/graphics are used to emphasise the difference between East and West.

Music and SFX: Non-diegetic sound adds pace to the sequence. Dialogue/voiceover - covers a lot of narratives.

East v West - split screen emphasises the brands that are available in the West but not in the East. Also for fruit empty space showed what wasn’t available in the East. Representation of women - female assassin feels like a stereotype?

Intertextuality - similar to a Bond sequence (particularly with the gadgets) German audience - nostalgia in terms of products and brands. International audience - surveillance (U&G theory) - learning about Germany, 80s gadgets etc. Genre pleasures - spy/thriller.

Scene 4: Briefcase scene when Martin/Moritz is stealing the NATO nuclear plans

31.13 – 33.30

Make notes under the following headings:

• Technical codes – particularly camerawork and editing
• Audio codes – diegetic and non-diegetic sound
• Audience pleasures

Close-ups of Martin while picking the lock and photographing the documents. Close-ups of the documents themselves - words like highly classified, actual details of the missiles and Ronald Reagan’s signature. These are recreations of real documents from the time - emphasising the historical aspect of the show and the way it is based on real events; positioning the audience to be on Martin’s side. Shot from behind the blinds continues the recurring motif of shots through windows or from behind objects. Creates voyeuristic pleasure and also fits the genre of a spy thriller. Audiences are given the experience of spying by continually using camera shots that give the impression of observing events from a distance.

Non-diegetic sound - music helps convey the tension of the scene and satisfies genre expectations of a spy thriller. Diegetic sound - deliberately increased volume of Martin’s breathing, lock picking, turning pages in a briefcase. Creates intensity, and tension.

Reality - this is a key scene in establishing D83 as a show based on real events. The close-ups of actual documents from the time help to blur the boundaries between historical facts/real events and fiction. East v West - presents West as a threat to world security, nuclear war.

Blumler & Katz - Uses and Gratifications theory. Surveillance - the use of real documents and genuine moments from the history of the cold war educates the audience about German/American/Russian history. The threat of WW3. U&G: Personal relationships - this scene is effective because the audience is now invested in the character of Martin. We care about what happens to him which creates tension in the scene. The audience has to want Martin/Moritz to escape here for the whole drama series to work. Emotional investment in the character. Action and enigma codes - audience thinks Martin will be caught at any moment. U&G theory - diversion. Visceral pleasure - the scene is tense for the audience to watch, adrenaline. Voyeuristic pleasure - seeing a scene or activity we wouldn’t normally have a chance to see.

You will do the majority of this textual analysis work in class - this section of your case study simply requires typing up your notes easily and memorably (bullet points are fine).

Production and industry contexts

Deutschland 83 was produced by German production company UFA Fiction and distributed internationally by Fremantle International. It was broadcast on RTL (Germany), SundanceTV (US) and Channel 4 (UK) as well as many other broadcasters around the world.

1) What kind of company is UFA Fiction and what shows have they produced? 

UFA Fiction is a German award-winning film and television Company and a unique leader in the German film and television market, offering a remarkable portfolio of films and series which have strongly influenced the German production landscape. Among other successful films and TV series such as "Danni Lowinski", "March of millions" and "The Tower", UFA Fiction is currently producing the domestic crime procedurals "Bella Block", "Donna Leon", "Soko Leipzig" and "Soko 5113". Last year the company released "Bornholmer Straße" a drama about the last night before the Berlin Wall fell.

2) What kind of company is Freemantle and what do they produce?

A world leader in creating, producing and distributing content across our main content pillars – Entertainment & Formats, Drama & Film and Documentaries. We are an independent group of talents, studios and producers, content makers and culture shapers, operating in 27 territories across the world.

3) How does Deutschland 83 reflect the international nature of television production?

Deutschland 83 was made by UFA Fiction and distributed by Freemantle