The Best TV Shows on ARD-alpha

Every ARD-alpha Show Ranked From Best To Worst

Peruse our comprehensive roster of ARD-alpha’s top shows, encompassing over 20 distinct series as of November 2026. Leading the pack on ARD-alpha are The Adventures of Long John Silver and alpha Österreich, with their initial broadcasts in 1957 and 2000. Showcasing over 20 shows from 1957 up until 2026, ARD-alpha stands as a beacon of television excellence.

  • Dirty Little Secrets
    Dirty Little Secrets (2023)8.0

  • Deadly Disasters
    Deadly Disasters (2019)7.4

    Deadly Disasters explores some of the most terrifying and destructive natural disasters to ever strike the planet, uncovering fascinating new details and packed with jaw-dropping footage.

  • The Adventures of Long John Silver
    The Adventures of Long John Silver (1957)7.0

    The Adventures of Long John Silver is a family adventure series about the Long John Silver character from Treasure Island. Produced in 1954 in colour in Australia for the American and British markets before the development of Australian television. Long John Silver is the proud captain of his own ship and his own crew. He and his buccaneer cruise around the Caribbean and often stay on the side of the English and fight the French and Spanish. After long and dangerous adventures, he and his crew rest in the tavern of Miss Purity. The series first aired in the United States on syndicated basis in 1956, but irregularly as part of another show. Several episodes were edited together and shown theatrically under the titles: 'Under the Black Flag' and 'South Sea Pirates'. Afterwards, it was sold to the ITV in the UK, and aired in 1957. In 1958, the Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC) screened the series as part of Children's TV Club.

  • Planet Wissen
    Planet Wissen (2002)7.0

  • alpha Österreich
    alpha Österreich (2000)N/A

  • Deutsch Klasse
    Deutsch Klasse (2003)N/A

  • Geist & Gehirn
    Geist & Gehirn (2004)N/A

  • Das Kreuz mit der Schrift
    Das Kreuz mit der Schrift (2005)N/A

  • Denkzeit
    Denkzeit (2007)N/A

  • Vom Reich zur Republik
    Vom Reich zur Republik (2009)N/A

  • Schatten des Todes - Die Geschichte der Seuchen
    Schatten des Todes - Die Geschichte der Seuchen (2010)N/A

  • GRIPS Mathe
    GRIPS Mathe (2011)N/A

  • Alois Alzheimer - Verloren im Vergessen
    Alois Alzheimer - Verloren im Vergessen (2014)N/A

  • Warum bin ich, wie ich bin?
    Warum bin ich, wie ich bin? (2015)N/A

  • Zeuge der Zeit
    Zeuge der Zeit (2017)N/A

  • alpha-podium
    alpha-podium (2018)N/A

  • alpha-retro
    alpha-retro (2018)N/A

  • SMS – Schwanke meets Science
    SMS – Schwanke meets Science (2018)N/A

  • Die Mauer ist weg
    Die Mauer ist weg (2019)N/A

  • Kings of Scam
    Kings of Scam (2026)N/A

    Smishing attacks often begin with fake package notifications that lead to fraudulent links; this is how hundreds of thousands of victims are scammed, their credit card data stolen. The documentary investigates this multi-billion-dollar fraud network, the luxurious lifestyles of those involved, and the software used, "Magic Cat." The BR's investigative team follows leads in an internal Telegram group and reconstructs connections to China, Thailand, and the USA.