By Miranda Murray
BERLIN, Oct 22 (Reuters) – The cast of Apple TV’s dark comedy “Where’s Wanda?” says streaming platforms have given German-language television productions international reach and challenged perceptions that the country’s entertainment industry has only national appeal.
“Where’s Wanda?”, which launched its second season on Wednesday, centres around the Klatt family, whose daughter Wanda finds herself caught up in her picturesque town’s criminal underbelly while her parents and brother investigate the neighbours in an attempt to clear her name.
The show’s distinctive blend of family drama, mystery and offbeat humour makes it stand out in a crowded streaming market, members of the cast said before the first episode of the new season premiered on October 21.
“I think the audience finds this particular combination, which you don’t really see anywhere else, quite interesting,” actor Leo Simon, who plays Wanda’s brother, told Reuters.
For actors Axel Stein and Heike Makatsch, who play Wanda’s parents, the show’s balance of comedy and drama, achieved largely through its tone, is central to its appeal.
“When there’s that slight sense of heightened reality, everything comes together to form a cohesive whole,” Makatsch said.
German-British actor Nikeata Thompson, who plays Detective Michelle Rauch, said the increased access to German productions made possible by streaming was introducing audiences around the world to Germans’ often overlooked sense of humour.
“People know British dark humour, but they don’t always know German humour,” Thompson said. “We’re very dry, and that balance of comedy and drama is something audiences are discovering.”
Apple does not release audience figures for its streaming shows, and declined to share metrics for “Where’s Wanda?”.
It also does not disclose subscriber numbers for Apple TV, though industry reports have estimated the service has around 45 million subscribers worldwide.
(Reporting by Miranda Murray; editing by Barbara Lewis)
