Filming for the 14th season of the crime series “Murder in the North” (Morden im Norden) began on April 22. Twelve new episodes of the ARD early-evening series are being shot in Lübeck, Hamburg, and the surrounding area, marking a very special milestone: the investigative team is taking on its 200th criminal case.
In the new crime dramas, Lübeck homicide detectives Finn Kiesewetter (Sven Martinek), Lars Englen (Ingo Naujoks), and Gregor Michalski (Jonas Minthe) investigate cases alongside medical examiner Dr. Henning Strahl (Christoph Tomanek). A breath of fresh air arrives with the new Chief Detective Khira Rahman (Tabita Johannes). She takes over for Detective Nina Weiss (Julia E. Lenska), who—in the series as in real life—is on parental leave.
Set against the distinctive backdrop of Lübeck, “Murder in the North” tells the stories of highly topical cases that reflect the social realities of our time. In addition to their investigative instincts, the detectives must once again demonstrate great empathy, psychological insight, and a strong team spirit. To kick things off, two girls disappear after a secret meeting with an online acquaintance—a kidnapping? In another episode, the investigators are confronted with voyeurism and the sexualization of women in public. The detectives also investigate at a police academy. There, the pressure on trainee Leyla is mounting: the sister of a left-wing activist known to the police is having an affair with her instructor. When he is murdered, the young policewoman becomes the focus of the investigation. And in a very personal case, Inspector Gregor Michalski is confronted with his past. His old teenage sweetheart becomes a murder suspect.
“When we started, I never would have thought the series would become such a long-running hit. I’m really happy that we’re still gaining new fans—including many younger ones—to this day,” says Ingo Naujoks. Sven Martinek adds: “Nearly 200 murders in 14 years—and no end in sight. A team that has become a family, a recipe for lasting success, and a steadily growing audience—all of this fills me with great gratitude.”
The recently aired 12th season of “Murder in the North” set a new record: On average, around 3.4 million viewers tuned in for each episode, representing a market share of 16.7 percent. This season makes “Murder in the North” the most successful series currently airing in the 6:50 p.m. time slot (Monday through Thursday) on Das Erste. The feature film “Murder in the North – Because You Are Evil” (Morden im Norden – Weil du böse bist) drew nearly 6.15 million viewers on January 5, 2026, at 8:15 p.m., with a market share of 23 percent.
The early-evening series “Murder in the North” is produced by ndF Berlin on behalf of ARD-Werbung and ARD for Das Erste. The producer is Hans-Hinrich Koch, and the executive producers are Marion Klann and Anna Neudert. The executive producer is Diana Schulte-Kellinghaus (NDR), and the editor is Karsten Willutzki (NDR).