Created by Paul Coates.
Unfamiliar premiered on February 5, 2026.
Distributed exclusively by Netflix.
Unfamiliar TV Series Review
Unfamiliar is a German spy series streaming on Netflix.
It follows Meret and Simon, former agents trying to live a normal life while secretly running a safe house.
When a wounded stranger appears, their quiet world is pulled back into danger.
The story focuses on trust, family, and hidden secrets from the past.
The show moves at a steady pace and builds tension through suspense rather than action.
Susanne Wolff and Felix Kramer give strong, believable performances.
With only six episodes, Unfamiliar is easy to watch and keeps you interested.
It is a good choice for viewers who enjoy serious spy stories and emotional drama.
CR Rating: 6.8/10.
Unfamiliar Actors
Susanne Wolff as Meret Schäfer
DOB: May 1, 1973.
Bio: Award-winning German actress with a strong background in theatre and a career spanning arthouse cinema and high-end television.
She gained international recognition for her lead performance in Styx and has since appeared in acclaimed European films and prestige streaming series.
Role: Meret Schäfer is a former intelligence operative who now lives in Berlin with her husband, running a discreet safe house far from her past life.
Calm, disciplined and emotionally guarded, Meret is the practical and psychological anchor of the household.
Episodes: 6 eps.
Interesting facts: Wolff’s recent award-season profile (notably Sisi & I and arthouse films) gives her this role a quietly intense screen magnetism.
Notable works: Styx, Sisi & I, European television dramas and theatre productions.
Felix Kramer as Simon Schäfer
DOB: March 23, 1973.
Bio: German stage and screen actor known for intense, grounded performances in contemporary television drama.
Trained in theatre, he built a reputation in German film and TV before gaining wider international attention through Netflix’s Dogs of Berlin.
Role: Simon Schäfer is Meret’s husband and former intelligence operative who now helps run a discreet safe house in Berlin.
Outwardly settled into domestic life and fatherhood, Simon struggles to fully disengage from his past.
Episodes: 6 eps.
Interesting facts: Kramer’s recent TV work made him a natural casting pick for a series that wants realistic, lived-in spy characters rather than pulpy archetypes.
Notable works: Dogs of Berlin, German television dramas and feature films, extensive theatre work.
Samuel Finzi as Josef Koleev
DOB: January 20, 1966.
Bio: Bulgarian-born, German-based actor with a distinguished career spanning theatre, film and television across Europe.
Classically trained and highly respected on stage, Finzi is known on screen for his ability to project intelligence, unpredictability and quiet menace.
Role: Josef Koleev is a senior intelligence operative whose reappearance connects directly to the Schäfers’ past lives.
Calculated, patient and unnervingly calm, Koleev represents the long shadow of former missions and unfinished business.
Episodes: 1 ep.
Interesting facts: Finzi’s long theatre pedigree and international career make him one of the series’ most credible on-screen threats.
Notable works: Wide European filmography, theatre laurels and numerous TV roles.
Andreas Pietschmann as Jonas Auken
DOB: March 22, 1969.
Bio: German stage and screen actor with decades of experience across theatre, television and film.
International audiences widely recognize him for his roles in Dark and 1899, where his grounded intensity and emotional restraint helped anchor complex ensemble storytelling.
Role: Jonas Auken is a recurring intelligence and operations figure whose involvement brings institutional scrutiny into the Schäfers’ carefully managed life.
Pragmatic and controlled, Jonas operates within official structures but is willing to bend boundaries when necessary.
Episodes: 6 eps.
Interesting facts: Pietschmann’s Dark fandom recognition helps the series anchor its espionage milieu for international audiences.
Notable works: Dark, 1899, extensive German television and theatre work.
Henry Hübchen as Gregor Klein
DOB: February 20, 1947.
Bio: A veteran German actor with a career spanning more than five decades across film, television and theatre.
Highly respected in German cinema, he is known for portraying intelligent, morally complex men whose authority often masks personal compromise.
Role: Gregor Klein is a former intelligence operative whose past connections intersect with the Schäfers’ earlier life in covert work.
Now removed from active service, Gregor serves as a repository of institutional memory.
Episodes: 1 ep.
Interesting facts: Hübchen’s award for Go for Zucker and his decades on screen lend credibility to scenes that require gravitas and moral reckoning.
Notable works: Go for Zucker!, extensive German film and television credits.
Maja Bons as Nina Schäfer
DOB: 2003 (year).
Bio: Young German actress building her career with TV and film appearances.
She is recognized for bringing authentic adolescent vulnerability, emotional nuance, and growing resilience to her roles.
Role: Nina is the teenage daughter of Meret and Simon Schäfer.
She navigates the tension between ordinary teenage life and the dangerous legacy of her parents’ past in intelligence work.
Episodes: 1 ep.
Interesting facts: Reviews highlight the family dimension as the show’s human anchor; Nina’s scenes often crystallize the costs of the spy life.
Notable works: Emerging TV/film credits.
Seyneb Saleh as Julika Ritter
DOB: December 25, 1987.
Bio: A multilingual German actress with strong theatre training and a growing international profile.
She is known for precise, intense performances in thrillers and drama, bringing measured emotional depth and credibility to complex supporting roles.
Role: Julika Ritter is a BND analyst who becomes entwined in the Schäfers’ renewed crisis.
She serves as a procedural and institutional counterpoint, providing access to intelligence, resources, and bureaucratic tension.
Episodes: 6 eps.
Interesting facts: Saleh has won German acting awards and brings authenticity to the analyst/operational beats of the show.
Notable works: Mute, Munich Games, other German TV.
Genija Rykova as Vera Koleev
DOB: January 19, 1986.
Bio: Russian-born German actress and singer known for her nuanced performances in film, TV, and theatre.
She often portrays complex, emotionally layered characters, bringing depth and authenticity to roles that explore moral ambiguity or personal conflict.
Role: Vera Koleev is connected to Josef Koleev, either as family or a close associate, and provides a personal, humanized perspective on the antagonist side of the story.
Her decisions influence motives and loyalties, adding emotional complexity to the series’ espionage narrative.
Episodes: 1 ep.
Interesting facts: Rykova’s multilingual background and Eastern European heritage help sell the series’ cross-border espionage texture.
Notable works: German film/TV credits and theatre.
Natalia Belitski as Katya Volkova
DOB: 1984 (year).
Bio: German actress of Russian descent with extensive film and TV credits.
She is known for her strong dramatic presence and has become a recognizable figure in German television and festival films.
Role: Katya Volkova is involved in the series’ Russia/GRU storylines, adding tension and complexity to the Schäfers’ past missions.
Her actions and loyalties raise the stakes of the international espionage plot, serving as a key link to Eastern European intrigue.
Episodes: 1 ep.
Interesting facts: Casting of Russian-heritage actors like Belitski and Rykova gives the show an authenticity when it moves into Eastern European plotlines.
Notable works: TV and festival films in Germany.
Laurence Rupp as Ben
DOB: August 10, 1987.
Bio: Austrian actor with extensive theatre training and a growing screen presence.
Known for nuanced supporting performances, he brings subtlety and layered characterization to every role.
Role: Ben is a supporting character whose loyalties and motives unfold gradually over the season.
He serves as a bridge between the Schäfers’ domestic life and the wider intelligence network, moving key plot threads and complicating the protagonists’ decisions.
Episodes: 6 eps.
Interesting facts: Rupp’s theatre pedigree (Burgtheater, Berliner Ensemble) contributes discipline to his screen craft.
Notable works: Theatre mainstay and screen roles in European film/TV.
Aaron Altaras as Mark Sinclair
DOB: November 21, 1995.
Bio: German actor who gained recognition through TV and streaming projects.
Known for grounded, emotionally resonant performances, he has established a strong presence among young adult audiences in European drama and thriller series.
Role: Altaras portrays a supporting character involved in the intelligence or street-level side of the plot.
His role contributes to a key subplot that intersects with the Schäfers’ main storyline, providing tension and context to the unfolding mystery.
Episodes: 1 ep.
Interesting facts: Altaras first drew international attention with roles in Unorthodox and Mario, making him well-suited for contemporary European thriller narratives.
Notable works: Unorthodox, Mario, and various German TV productions.
Sina Martens as Alice
DOB: May 26, 1988.
Bio: German actress with a strong track record in TV and film.
She frequently plays pragmatic, grounded supporting characters that add texture, realism, and emotional depth to ensemble stories.
Role: Alice is a supporting character connected to the Schäfers’ social circle or operational network.
Her scenes, though compact, are crucial in showing both the everyday pressures on the family and the logistics of running a safe house, providing key context for the main storyline.
Episodes: 5 eps.
Interesting facts: Martens’ extensive TV experience allows her to bring subtle nuance and authenticity to small but important roles.
Notable works: Various German TV and film credits.
FAQ – Unfamiliar TV Series
What is Unfamiliar about?
Unfamiliar is a German spy thriller on Netflix about ex-BND agents Simon and Meret Schäfer, who run a secret safe house in Berlin.
Their quiet life is disrupted when a wounded stranger appears, forcing them to confront threats from their past while trying to protect their family and marriage.
How many episodes are there in Unfamiliar Season 1?
Season 1 consists of six episodes.
What genre is Unfamiliar?
It is a spy thriller with mystery and dramatic elements, focusing on espionage, family tension, and secrets.
What language is Unfamiliar in?
The original language of Unfamiliar is German, though subtitles and dubbed versions are available.
Where can I watch Unfamiliar?
The series is available exclusively on Netflix and can be streamed in all regions where Netflix carries it.
Conclusion
Unfamiliar is a well-crafted spy series that focuses more on character and tension than nonstop action.
Strong performances, especially from Susanne Wolff and Felix Kramer, help ground the story in realism and emotion.
The short episode count keeps the plot tight and engaging, making it easy to binge.
While the themes may feel familiar to fans of the genre, the personal stakes and quiet suspense set it apart.
Overall, Unfamiliar is a solid choice for viewers who enjoy thoughtful espionage dramas with a human touch.