Finished ‘Maxton Hall’? These 5 similar German series will ruin your sleep schedule next

If Maxton Hall—The World Between Us has taken over your watchlist while Ruby and James Beaufort dominate your Instagram feed, you’re definitely not alone. The 2024 German series recently released its highly anticipated second season, and fans are already demanding a third one. It looks like they can’t get over the steamy romance, palpable chemistry, elite-school glamour and slow-burn tension that can power a small city. The series is undoubtedly every young adult’s newest binge-watch obsession. But what happens when you binge all the episodes in one day? You build a mood board of equally gripping best German series like Maxton Hall to take over your mind till the third season drops.

From a nerd-turned-kingpin drama of How to Sell Drugs Online (fast) to the heart-wrenching drama of Club der roten Bänder, we have curated a list of the best German series like Maxton Hall to keep you busy. Think posh hallways, secrets that could break friendships, plans to take over the school and alliances that will be tested on every turn.

These titles might not be able to replicate the burning, slow-burning romance between Ruby and James, but they feature similar themes to become your next guilty pleasure.

Best German series to binge-watch if you loved Maxton Hall

1 /5

Similar themes: Teen drama, tragedy and friendship
Cast: Tim Oliver Schultz, Damian Hardung and Luise Befort
IMDb rating: 8.2

Synopsis: The emotional drama follows a group of young patients who meet at the hospital. They instantly trauma bond to form an unlikely friendship, finding solace in each other’s suffering. With each teen battling a different condition, they start calling themselves the “Red Band Society”. The series balances emotional depth, moving scenes and light humour while touching upon the kids’ incredible strength to battle their illnesses.

2 /5

Similar themes: Teen drama, friendship and love
Cast: Lea Zoë Voss, Touka El-Fawwal and Lilly Dreesen
IMDb rating: 7.8

Synopsis: The German adaptation of the global hit Skam, the series is set in a modern high school where each student is navigating their complex feelings towards love, friendship and adulthood. It is known for showcasing the turbulence of a teenage mind in the most raw and authentic form, while the cast is appreciated for their grounded performances.

3 /5

Similar themes: Coming-of-age and high-school setting
Cast: Maximilian Mundt, Danilo Kamperidis and Damian Hardung
IMDb rating: 7.8

Synopsis: The dark-humour drama follows a socially awkward high schooler with a brilliant mind who comes up with a “genius” idea to win his ex-girlfriend back. He launches an online drug business from his bedroom and accidentally builds one of Europe’s biggest illegal drug empires. Inspired by real events, the series blends humour, friendship, coming-of-age and ambition to depict his turbulent and wild journey while still worrying about test scores and homework.

4 /5

Similar themes: Thriller, revenge and young adult drama
Cast: Luna Wedler, Jessica Schwarz and Thomas Prenn
IMDb rating: 6.8

Synopsis: The slick sci-fi thriller follows Mia Akerlund, a first-year medical student who takes admission at the prestigious University of Freiburg. While students go there for its elite education, Mia goes undercover for a hidden mission involving high-tech experiments, biohacking secrets and underground science. The series is filled with twists, secrets, revenge and a fight to uncover the truth.

5 /5

Similar themes: Teen drama and rebellion
Cast: Ludwig Simon, Luise Befort and Michelle Barthel
IMDb rating: 6.2

Synopsis: Inspired by the real-life social experiment The Wave, the series follows Tristan, a new student with rebellious charm. He decides to rebel against society’s injustices and convinces his peers to revolt against the system with him. The seemingly harmless activism spirals into far more dangerous territory as they blur the line between revolution and extremism.