Being a Dutchman living in Hamburg, I am not a big fan of German TV-Drama. In many cases it means strange and artificial dialogs, "overacting" and a lot of melodramatic scenes. Bad Banks however is a fantastic series, I am truly amazed how good this German production is. Everything seems to fit: the acting, the scenario, the story in itself, the production design. And what is best, is that they skipped the crazy German synchronisation and let the actors speak in their own mothertongue or dialect. This series is just as good as comparable English or American TV-drama, like recently Billions or (some years ago) Damages, both with similar topics in the financial world. Desiree Nosbusch is great, so is Paula Beer and of course Barry Atsma, with an intensity and authenticity that I have rarely seen before. A good thing that ZDF immediately offered all 6 episodes on their website, because you should simply enjoy a terrific series like this in one long session. 10 out of 10. Excellent!
36 Reviews
Disappointing second season
albert-balvers8 February 2020
I rated the first season as 10 out of 10, but unfortunately I am not so enthusiastic about the second season. The basic setting has changed from Frankfurt to Berlin and also from traditional banking to the startup scene, but it appears a bit over the top. The dialogues are poorly written and loaded with clichés, the actors limit themselves to stressful looks in the camera, and directing is chaotic. I know the financial world quite well and it is almost funny to see how most extras have been cast: they need to have colorful hair, strange habits, big piercings and tattoos, whereby the reality is that people who are looking like normal human beings also can work in the startup scene. I am under the impression that the writers and producers wanted to do their utmost to provide a realistic view of banking in the year 2020, but this is simply too much. It is really a pity, because the first season was excellent.
Interesting characters
mingsphinx23 July 2019
If you are familiar with international finance then you will know that the setting is unrealistic but the characters are all too recognizable. The twists and turns that swirl around the plots and counter plots can be dizzying but very fun to watch. There are no good or bad people, just winners and losers.
Another excellent German TV series in recent times
Zaman9834 March 2018
When my friend suggested me Bad Banks knowing I'm a finance professional who might like it, I reluctantly started watching it thinking of another traditional German TV-Drama; ended up binged all six episodes eventually! Bad Banks is another addition to the excellent German TV productions in recent times along with 'Dark', and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The acting is great, along with a perfectly paced story without stretching it too much like other TV shows. The production quality is top notch and one of the best in recent times, even better than 'Dark' IMHO. My only issue was the lead actress who appeared to be too young sometimes for this role (she's just 23 IRL), even though her acting was great. Overall, a highly enjoyable show and it's a 9.5/10 from me!
Great show
studymommy14 April 2018
I binge-watched Bad Banks because it was THAT good. It's pretty high-brow i.e. I feel that you need to concentrate to follow what is going on if you are unfamiliar with the banking world; however, you come out of every episode feeling as though you've learnt something. Also, the suspense is great.
Absolutely amazing, thrilling binge worthy show
boself22 December 2018
Totally hooked from the first minute. Great acting, fantastic story line and inside look into the big bad banking industry.
As a Dutch female I love to see our amazing and good looking Dutch actor Barry Atsema in this role.
The strong female lead characters I absolutely love as well. Very well played.
I am currently at the start of episode 5 and just can't stop myself from watching.
It's the intensity of the show I like and the actors portray in a magnificent and authentic manner.
The casting is very well done and I believed every character in his or her specific part.
If you would like to spend your day or night binging an amazing mini series like this one and you don't mind sitting on the edge of your chair, this is for you!
A must watch!
hadrianupload0126 March 2018
Fantastic first season, period.
kikkula10 July 2020
I really liked the first season 8/10. It had a nice concept, a beginning, an end and somewhat ironic moral and it can be taken seriously. The second season is completly different show 5-6/10. It feels like an after thought and desperate attempt to creat something new by borrowing heavily from the first season. It's completly ignoring what made the first season special and how audience was drawn into the exciting world of Bad Banks in a first place. It's more like a really bad remix of an original song that has no idea why it is remixing it in a first place. Basiclly the second season is a soap opera.
Truley outstanding
wgwense24 February 2020
Beforehand I was very pessemestic when reading the storyline. Dealing with banking business in my business life is enough and so i was not interested spending my free time watching a story like this. But in German this reallly is entertaining. the mixture of German and English reflects the typical "artifical" banking language, which often seems rediculous, but is pretty exactly like it is in reality. The characters are outstanding, nearly all of them, very nice acting. The story is very thrilling as well. I was very surprised by this show, so I decided to write my first review in years. looking forward to season 2.
stop watching after season 1
chiricaprim12 November 2020
Excellent series
kees_10029 July 2018
The series gives an interesting picture of how the elite divide the jobs and how they go to their limits to achieve their goal. The first episode was exciting until the end.
Viewed in the Dutch version. No problems with the dubbing. It just seemed like a Dutch series, only the acting was of a higher level.
Viewed in the Dutch version. No problems with the dubbing. It just seemed like a Dutch series, only the acting was of a higher level.
Solid production, interesting with German series
DagRos2 March 2020
This is a solid production about the immoral whereabouts in the financial industry in Frankfurt. In a way it could be seen as a German variation of the US series Billions. The plot is interesting and is a quite believable powerplay in high finance. Still it is not that very engaging and quite predictable. The characters are quite diverse and interesting. Still they appear a bit flat and shallow in the portrayal. They didn't really engage on an emotional level. But, it could also be a reflection of the German culture which can appear as squary and reserved.
Anyhow it is still solid entertainment and if you are interested in the financial industry you should absolutely watch this. The series is also quite manageable in length, each season is just 6 episodes.
Anyhow it is still solid entertainment and if you are interested in the financial industry you should absolutely watch this. The series is also quite manageable in length, each season is just 6 episodes.
Second season is horrible
tanujisha4 December 2020
I really enjoyed season 1. It was pretty interesting and very thrilling. 2nd season is just...well...meh. Super boring, super weird and just "off". The topic is - at least for me - quite boring and the characters are soooo annoying. I can't quite put my finger on what exactly put me off but I just didn't enjoy watching it. So if you make the same mistake like me as in having high hopes on season 2 you'll surely need to scale down your expectations.
Brilliant, despite the unappealing subject matter
BaronVonKolisch31 August 2020
A tale of espionage, ruthlessness and one-upmanship in the finance sector.
Disenchanted employee, Jana Liekam (Paula Beer), has been sacked from her role in one of Luxembourg's top banks, after having corrected a mistaken fact uttered by her sales partner in a high level meeting with important clients. The correction made him look foolish and he is petty enough to use family connections to have her fired.
So begins her quest for a new job. It will involve a precarious ride through the most corrupt parts of the German banking sector. A journey that proves to be even more cutthroat than Jana's experiences thus far.
There are a few moments when the financial jargon can leave you cold, but generally, the drama is layperson-friendly and the real story revolves around aspects of the human condition; loyalty, betrayal, and greed. And by greed, we mean the lust for more money, more influence, more power, and ultimately, more control.
Jana has entered a world of secret underhand deals, barefaced lies, male machismo, and dangerous opportunism.
Season One is a complete delight. Violent, sexy, fast paced, and with great acting throughout. Season Two leaves things in a state of limbo, and perhaps dwells in the banking world's technicalities a little too much, but is still highly watchable. 8.4/10
Disenchanted employee, Jana Liekam (Paula Beer), has been sacked from her role in one of Luxembourg's top banks, after having corrected a mistaken fact uttered by her sales partner in a high level meeting with important clients. The correction made him look foolish and he is petty enough to use family connections to have her fired.
So begins her quest for a new job. It will involve a precarious ride through the most corrupt parts of the German banking sector. A journey that proves to be even more cutthroat than Jana's experiences thus far.
There are a few moments when the financial jargon can leave you cold, but generally, the drama is layperson-friendly and the real story revolves around aspects of the human condition; loyalty, betrayal, and greed. And by greed, we mean the lust for more money, more influence, more power, and ultimately, more control.
Jana has entered a world of secret underhand deals, barefaced lies, male machismo, and dangerous opportunism.
Season One is a complete delight. Violent, sexy, fast paced, and with great acting throughout. Season Two leaves things in a state of limbo, and perhaps dwells in the banking world's technicalities a little too much, but is still highly watchable. 8.4/10
Exciting drama - bad pronunciation: mumbling actors
WinstonNoCGI22 June 2021
This show is a thrilling fiction based on the financial districts of Germany.
I've been working for several banks in recent years and I very much feel at home when I watch the show. From my perspective, people in Frankfurt - despite the fictional story - behave very much like the characters depicted in Bad Banks.
Camera, lighting, post-edit, costumes, dialogs, screenplay, actors ... all crafts have been performed excellently by great staff members.
However, from my perspective, for some of the main cast members I suggest to further attend acting school soon or to go performing on a live stage to drastically improve their pronunciation. Being a native speaker for decades I often find myself rewinding the show because I didn't understand a word.
I've been working for several banks in recent years and I very much feel at home when I watch the show. From my perspective, people in Frankfurt - despite the fictional story - behave very much like the characters depicted in Bad Banks.
Camera, lighting, post-edit, costumes, dialogs, screenplay, actors ... all crafts have been performed excellently by great staff members.
However, from my perspective, for some of the main cast members I suggest to further attend acting school soon or to go performing on a live stage to drastically improve their pronunciation. Being a native speaker for decades I often find myself rewinding the show because I didn't understand a word.
I second albert-balvers
lobkyit3 March 2018
As @albert-balvers said, this serie is excellent. I though I'd see some of the "overacting" and weird dialogs like he says but not so much.
Oh, and Paula Beer, she blinks too much !
Other than that, I recommend that serie.
Oh, and Paula Beer, she blinks too much !
Other than that, I recommend that serie.
A Welcome Change From German Obsessions
velvet_zoo24 September 2019
Great art and stage direction, well structured plot, fine acting.
A welcome change from this German obsession with murder mysteries and feel good romances for retired citizens. Paula Beer sometimes plays her character as if she does not know how investment banking actually works.
I hear she did her research, so it must be intentional.
That's the only part that did not work for me.
Good for German TV, but otherwise mediocre
muellerflo9 October 2019
Watched the series after it was recommended to me. Bad Banks has got me at first by having an otherwise seldom setting in the world of high finance. Even if it kept being interesting till the last Episode the tension wasn't as high as possible and appropriate.
I often had the feeling of artificial dialogues, as you fell so often as a native speaker in German productions.
Also the story falls sometimes short of logical behavior of the characters but was overall entertaining.
Some characters, especially Luke and Fenger were well acted, while I wasn't such a big fan of Jana for being to hysterical and fulfilling all cliches you can have of successful business woman.
All in all Bad Banks is good for a short and quite entertaining series and in comparison to the typically less ambitious and uninspiring German series, it's a bright spot.
Bankrupt Characters (Season 1)
Warin_West-El13 March 2023
The main character is described as "ambitious" but she's really just extremely needy. Throughout the entire 1st season she is virtually NEVER satisfied. Actress Paula Beer does a tremendous job of portraying the character Jana Liekam. Her face is a canvas upon which we can vividly see the rapidly shifting emotions of Jana. I hated the character, but the acting was incredible.
Another top notch performer was Désirée Nosbusch, who portrayed Christelle LeBlanc, the femme fatale of the series. She's Paula's dark, materialistic Yoda.
Truly, I cannot recall any wooden performances in this series. Overall, the acting was top notch. However, none of the characters in this series are likeable.
Season 1 was essentially a morality play. Although it was not written in a form which makes that clear to the viewer. Some people have complained about the unstable camera work. But I think those criticisms are misdirected. What was TRULY unstable was Jana, the lead character. Bad Banks is a gruelling 300 minutes of non-stop narcissism and psychopathy.
The story was interesting enough for me to finish the first season. And although there was plenty of gratuitous sex, I didn't fast-forward through it like I normally do. The filmmakers found a way to integrate the sexuality in such a way that it never appeared clunky or staged.
I hated the main character. And when Jana cries (which seems like at least once every 10 minutes), it's hard to take because she's either done something dangerous or stupid. IOW: whatever she's crying about is always self-induced. Instead of taking responsibility for her atrocious actions, she cries. It's hard to bear after awhile.
Based on the other reviews, I will stop here and not watch season 2.
Another top notch performer was Désirée Nosbusch, who portrayed Christelle LeBlanc, the femme fatale of the series. She's Paula's dark, materialistic Yoda.
Truly, I cannot recall any wooden performances in this series. Overall, the acting was top notch. However, none of the characters in this series are likeable.
Season 1 was essentially a morality play. Although it was not written in a form which makes that clear to the viewer. Some people have complained about the unstable camera work. But I think those criticisms are misdirected. What was TRULY unstable was Jana, the lead character. Bad Banks is a gruelling 300 minutes of non-stop narcissism and psychopathy.
The story was interesting enough for me to finish the first season. And although there was plenty of gratuitous sex, I didn't fast-forward through it like I normally do. The filmmakers found a way to integrate the sexuality in such a way that it never appeared clunky or staged.
I hated the main character. And when Jana cries (which seems like at least once every 10 minutes), it's hard to take because she's either done something dangerous or stupid. IOW: whatever she's crying about is always self-induced. Instead of taking responsibility for her atrocious actions, she cries. It's hard to bear after awhile.
Based on the other reviews, I will stop here and not watch season 2.
A Flawed But Valuable Show
ClockworkPomegranate7 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Bad Banks is the story of Jana Lieman, an ambitious investment banker working in the dog-eat-dog world of high finance. The show starts off promisingly but quickly deteriorates. It's biggest flaw by far is the lack of sympathetic leading characters. Every single leading character, including Jana, is borderline sociopathic with no redeeming qualities. They are singlemindedly focused on their careers (i.e. making lots and lots of money). They break the law, they engage in deceit and violence, they throw people - including their own young children - under the bus. They are emotionally and spiritually empty people driven only by personal ambition.
The problem is not that the characters aren't perfect; there many shows and movies that revolve around seriously flawed individuals, but even a brutal gangster in a mob drama usually has some redeeming qualities that endear him to the audience. They can see that he's not all bad, that he is conflicted about his role and the actions he engages in. This crucial aspect is absent from Bad Banks. Jana starts off as a relatable character who loves her partner and their daughter but two or three episodes in it's clear that she is abandoning them physically and emotionally for her career.
Everybody she associates with, from her boss to her co-workers, are amoral sociopaths who puts making money literally above everything else in life. So when Jana cries in self-pity (she does this a lot) after throwing away a card her daughter made for her, or her boss has a brief moment of self-doubt, it's impossible to feel any sympathy for them. The character that comes closest to being "normal" is her "friend" (these people don't have real friends) and co-worker who is emotionally abused by her horrible parents at every turn and obviously suffers greatly. But she nonetheless has no problem when it comes to treating people as means to further her career. Then there is Jana's other "friend" and co-worker who regularly explodes with rage and beats people into a bloody pulp. His crying and moping when his wife leaves him and takes their kids with her is not nearly enough to redeem him. Every single main character is like this, completely self-centered and tone deaf to their own amorality and sociopathic tendencies.
The second problem is that it's not clear whether the producers of Bad Banks intended this. I get the sense that Jana, for example, is supposed to be relatable as a modern, career-oriented woman who is "making her own life" rather than being constrained by family obligations and motherhood. She says as much when she pushes her daughter and partner out of her life. There are many scenes of Jana crying and there is a whole episode dedicated to her returning home, only to find out that her partner is seeing another woman, where she sneaks into her daughters bedroom to say farewell to her before leaving her child forever. The "message" it sends is that, sure, Jana has flaws but look at how emotionally affected she is when she does morally and ethically reprehensible things, so she can't be _that_ bad of a person. The problem is that it's always about her. Other people in her life who aren't monomaniacally focused on a banking career are treated as disposable. Crying about it afterwards does not make it okay.
It is one thing to acknowledge that a woman has a right to her own life and career but to present abandoning one's child and engaging in gratuitously selfish and amoral behavior as an acceptable alternative to traditional gender roles - as Bad Banks' producers seem to be doing - is problematic, to say the least. If women's liberation from traditional gender constraints is to mimic the worst of men's behavior where does that leave society?
Not surprisingly Bad Banks' portrayal of late-capitalist society is, perhaps inadvertently, bleak. The fact that the series' producers don't seem to realize how thoroughly unpleasant their leading characters are suggests that the amoral dystopia that western society is becoming has already been internalized by significant numbers of people. This makes the show a valuable snapshot of social attitudes in early 21st century Germany (and the west generally). The acting is also quite good and this helps make the show watchable despite its many flaws and the hopelessly over-the-top finale to Season 2. It will be interesting to see how the characters evolve (devolve?) in Season 3.
The problem is not that the characters aren't perfect; there many shows and movies that revolve around seriously flawed individuals, but even a brutal gangster in a mob drama usually has some redeeming qualities that endear him to the audience. They can see that he's not all bad, that he is conflicted about his role and the actions he engages in. This crucial aspect is absent from Bad Banks. Jana starts off as a relatable character who loves her partner and their daughter but two or three episodes in it's clear that she is abandoning them physically and emotionally for her career.
Everybody she associates with, from her boss to her co-workers, are amoral sociopaths who puts making money literally above everything else in life. So when Jana cries in self-pity (she does this a lot) after throwing away a card her daughter made for her, or her boss has a brief moment of self-doubt, it's impossible to feel any sympathy for them. The character that comes closest to being "normal" is her "friend" (these people don't have real friends) and co-worker who is emotionally abused by her horrible parents at every turn and obviously suffers greatly. But she nonetheless has no problem when it comes to treating people as means to further her career. Then there is Jana's other "friend" and co-worker who regularly explodes with rage and beats people into a bloody pulp. His crying and moping when his wife leaves him and takes their kids with her is not nearly enough to redeem him. Every single main character is like this, completely self-centered and tone deaf to their own amorality and sociopathic tendencies.
The second problem is that it's not clear whether the producers of Bad Banks intended this. I get the sense that Jana, for example, is supposed to be relatable as a modern, career-oriented woman who is "making her own life" rather than being constrained by family obligations and motherhood. She says as much when she pushes her daughter and partner out of her life. There are many scenes of Jana crying and there is a whole episode dedicated to her returning home, only to find out that her partner is seeing another woman, where she sneaks into her daughters bedroom to say farewell to her before leaving her child forever. The "message" it sends is that, sure, Jana has flaws but look at how emotionally affected she is when she does morally and ethically reprehensible things, so she can't be _that_ bad of a person. The problem is that it's always about her. Other people in her life who aren't monomaniacally focused on a banking career are treated as disposable. Crying about it afterwards does not make it okay.
It is one thing to acknowledge that a woman has a right to her own life and career but to present abandoning one's child and engaging in gratuitously selfish and amoral behavior as an acceptable alternative to traditional gender roles - as Bad Banks' producers seem to be doing - is problematic, to say the least. If women's liberation from traditional gender constraints is to mimic the worst of men's behavior where does that leave society?
Not surprisingly Bad Banks' portrayal of late-capitalist society is, perhaps inadvertently, bleak. The fact that the series' producers don't seem to realize how thoroughly unpleasant their leading characters are suggests that the amoral dystopia that western society is becoming has already been internalized by significant numbers of people. This makes the show a valuable snapshot of social attitudes in early 21st century Germany (and the west generally). The acting is also quite good and this helps make the show watchable despite its many flaws and the hopelessly over-the-top finale to Season 2. It will be interesting to see how the characters evolve (devolve?) in Season 3.
Focused on workspace
rbost-7023316 September 2022
There was a lot to see here. I enjoyed to see how the Euros worked, played, etc. The workspaces, esp the Incubator looked like what my bank was striving for before I retired 5 years ago. A lot of silly stand up snacking, folks crammed together for work, weird lighting, architectural angles. I hated it, but I'm a boomer not a millinnial. The dress was close but by 2017 we were much more casual. Can imagine urban Germany being more stark black/white ala "Sprockets". The deviousness didn't surprise me one bit. Big company politics are more or less dog eat dog. Fake airs abound in corporate, maybe more in banking of which I'm familiar. The criminal activity was probably dramatized for the plotline. All in all worth the time to watch.
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