The Best TV Shows on ZDF

Every ZDF Show Ranked From Best To Worst

Icons of ZDF, 4-3-2-1 Hot and Sweet and Derrick made their debut in 1966 and 1974, setting industry standards. Showcasing over 20 shows from 1966 up until 2009, ZDF stands as a beacon of television excellence. As of August 2025, we’ve curated over 20 of ZDF’s premier shows for your viewing pleasure.

  • Cologne P.D.
    Cologne P.D. (2003)6.7

    The SOKO Köln investigates the cathedral city with humor and often with hard work. Their cases take them into a variety of environments, from the Cologne clique to the terraced housing estates on the outskirts of the city.

  • SOKO Stuttgart
    SOKO Stuttgart (2009)6.6

    The SOKO Stuttgart team investigates analytically and with sensitivity in the likeable state capital. The exciting cases of the series lead them to bizarre crime scenes and to different milieus.

  • Die Rosenheim-Cops
    Die Rosenheim-Cops (2002)6.5

    A team of inspectors investigates murders in and around the small Upper Bavarian town of Rosenheim, and they still have plenty of time to see idyllic landscapes and luxurious pre-alpine villas and enjoy sumptuous Bavarian fare with beer.

  • SOKO Leipzig
    SOKO Leipzig (2001)6.2

    SOKO Leipzig is a German police procedural television programme, a spin-off of the earlier German police programme SOKO 5113. It was first broadcast on 31 January 2001, on German television channel ZDF. On 12 November 2008, the first part of a two-part crossover between SOKO Leipzig and British police procedural The Bill was aired, with the same version being shown on both ZDF and British television channel ITV1.

  • Derrick
    Derrick (1974)6.0

    Derrick was a German TV series produced by Telenova Film und Fernsehproduktion in association with ZDF, ORF and SRG between 1974 and 1998 about Detective Chief Inspector Stephan Derrick and his loyal assistant Inspector Harry Klein, who solve murder cases in Munich and surroundings.

  • Der Alte
    Der Alte (1977)6.0

    A police department, lead by an older, experienced detective solve crimes together.

  • Hamburg Dockland
    Hamburg Dockland (2007)6.0

    Shows the interaction between Hamburg police officers and paramedics.

  • SOKO München
    SOKO München (1978)5.5

    SOKO 5113 is a long-running German police procedural television series. It was first aired in 1978 on 2 January. SOKO is an abbreviation of the term "Sonderkommission" in German.

  • Markus Lanz
    Markus Lanz (2008)5.5

    TV presenter Markus Lanz invites prominent guests and experts from all areas of public life to his colourful talk show. As a rule, there are four guests, introduced individually to contribute their personal experiences to the topics.

  • Wetten, dass..?
    Wetten, dass..? (1981)5.3

    A long-running German-language entertainment television show based on the format of the British show You Bet! and the American show Wanna Bet?.

  • A Case For Two
    A Case For Two (1981)5.2

    Ein Fall für zwei is a German television series, which premiered on September 11, 1981 on ZDF. The series, located in Frankfurt am Main, features two main characters who solve crimes: a defense attorney and a private investigator. Josef Matula, a former German police officer, has gone into private business. His method of investigation is very effective and direct, and he sometimes even resorts to dirty tricks. Claus Theo Gärtner has portrayed the role since the start of the series.

  • Leute heute
    Leute heute (1997)4.8

  • Vienna Crime Squad
    Vienna Crime Squad (2005)4.6

    SOKO Donau is an Austrian television series.

  • Das Traumschiff
    Das Traumschiff (1981)4.4

    The series is about a cruise ship that travels to places around the world.

  • Volle Kanne
    Volle Kanne (1999)4.4

  • The Johannes B. Kerner Show
    The Johannes B. Kerner Show (1998)4.0

  • Morgenmagazin
    Morgenmagazin (1992)3.5

  • ZDF-Fernsehgarten
    ZDF-Fernsehgarten (1986)1.5

  • Na sowas!
    Na sowas! (1982)1.0

  • 4-3-2-1 Hot and Sweet
    4-3-2-1 Hot and Sweet (1966)N/A