If you haven't seen it already, this new Netflix series Skylines is worth checking out. Unfortunately, Netflix has done little to promote the series to its US audience. I only became aware of Skylines after reading a review in the FAZ. Skylines takes place in the corrupt underworld of Frankfurt. I've spent a lot of time in Frankfurt, but mostly in the gleaming bank towers that dot the skyline, so this was something new. Also, the drama revolves around the highly successful rap music company Skyline Records. I never thought of Frankfurt as a center for entertainment - compared to Berlin or Cologne. Skyline Records is at the center of the drama. Founded by the rap star Kalifa - in part with drug money from his brother Arden - Skyline Records has grown into a hip-hop empire in the German music scene. Kalifa is on top of the world, but trouble surfaces when his brother Arden shows up after a long absence and threatens to destroy everything with his criminal activity. Another principal character is a talented young producer and beat artist named Jinn who is recruited by Kalifa's organization and sees that Skyline Records can turbo-charge his career. But Arden's team of gangsters threaten to derail Jinn's aspirations.
Unfortunately, the first couple of episodes of Skyline are pretty confusing; the writers try to weave too many characters and plot strands into the drama. If you can stay with Skylines, things begin to make sense by the third episode. And just as we begin to care deeply about the fates of Kalifa and Jinn season one ends with the sixth episode (most Netflix series have at least eight episodes?).
Despite the sometimes convoluted writing, I enjoyed Skyline. The street dialect (with a heavy does of Denglish) sounded authentic to my ears. The acting is outstanding - I was familiar with a couple of the actors from Tatort but otherwise they were new to me. Especially the Austrian actor Murathan Muslu as Kalifa (or is it Kadir?) is very charismatic. I'm not a fan of rap music, but I enjoyed the music as well as the behind-the-scenes showing how it's made.
Most of the plot lines are left hanging at the end of season one. Here's hoping that Netflix greenlights season two.
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