Beat

Robert Schlag, nicknamed "Beat", is a Berlin club promoter who lives for the excesses of sex, drugs and the city nightlife. His connections to the underworld lead the police to use Beat to try and infiltrate a notorious organ smuggling ring.

Beat (2018) is a German crime drama series created by Marco Kreuzpaintner for Prime Video. Jannis Niewöhner plays Robert Schlag, the Berlin club promoter nicknamed Beat, a man who lives for the excess of sex, drugs and the city's nightlife. His connections to the underworld make him useful to the police, who coerce him into infiltrating a notorious organ smuggling ring. Carlo Ljubek and Karl Markovics add further principal weight to the cast, as Miss Sundström and Dr. Brandt, with Nina Gummich, Christian Berkel and Alexander Fehling in supporting roles. The engine of the series is Beat's precarious double life, where every club night risks exposing him to the criminals he is betraying. The show runs for a single season of seven episodes, a tightly serialized limited run with a dark, edgy tone that keeps viewers on edge. Its atmosphere is grimy, nocturnal and morally compromised, set against the neon-lit underground of contemporary Berlin. Viewers who enjoy Narcos, Gomorrah and Berlin Station will find a similar appetite for dangerous undercover work and seedy urban power. The series was canceled after its first season, leaving its central story unfinished.

Viewers find it a dark, edgy thriller with interesting characters and depth, though some episodes are weaker than others.

• Narcosdark urban crime thriller, underworld infiltration by an undercover protagonist, gritty drama tones
• Berlin Stationnightlife-driven European crime drama with morally compromised lead and dark tone
• Gomorrahgritty criminal underworld drama with a reluctant protagonist drawn into dangerous police work

Created by

Marco Kreuzpaintner

Release Date

2018-11-09

Episode runtime

61 min

Rating

7.3 / 10 (60)

What is Beat about?

A Berlin club promoter with underworld ties is coerced by police into infiltrating an organ smuggling ring.

What is Beat like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Beat as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.

Is Beat violent?

Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Beat as moderate.

What did critics think of Beat?

Viewers find it a dark, edgy thriller with interesting characters and depth, though some episodes are weaker than others.

Which shows are like Beat?

Shows with a similar feel include Narcos, Berlin Station, and Gomorrah.

How long is Beat?

Beat: 1 season, 7 episodes.

Is Beat still running?

No, Beat was canceled.

Where can I watch Beat?

In United States, Beat streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.