A German series Murder Mindfully (Achtsam Morden) plays with a premise so strange that it shouldn’t work — and yet it mostly does. The story follows Björn Diemel, played wonderfully by Tom Schilling, a tired lawyer constantly juggling a mafia boss client, a collapsing home life, and his own frayed nerves. Hoping to get his act together, he signs up for a mindfulness course. What he definitely doesn’t expect is that he’ll start applying those peaceful breathing exercises to murder clean-ups and other criminal disasters.
The result is a dark comedy that swings between calm self-help philosophy and pure chaos. YouCine has the full series now, so if you enjoy crime shows with a very weird twist, this one is worth checking out.
Murder Mindfully: A High-Concept Idea That Works Better Than It Should
What makes the Murder Mindfully click is the way it blends mindfulness clichés with the structure of a crime thriller. Björn starts out rolling his eyes at meditation, but as soon as he gives it an honest try, he turns into someone who can keep a clear head while handling situations nobody should ever be calm in. Watching him breathe deeply while figuring out where to hide a body is equal parts absurd and strangely satisfying.
The early episodes are especially tight, showing how Björn stumbles into bigger and bigger problems simply by trying to follow his therapist’s advice. It’s like a gentler, European cousin of Breaking Bad — not as brutal, but still exploring what happens when an ordinary man takes one step too far and keeps going.
Tom Schilling Holds the Whole Thing Together
Schilling is easily the show’s biggest asset. He plays Björn as someone who’s constantly two seconds away from a breakdown, which makes his sudden moments of zen-like clarity even funnier. His transformation from frazzled lawyer to unexpectedly competent criminal is believable because he never stops looking like he’d rather be anywhere else.
The supporting cast adds a lot, too, although the show sometimes spreads itself too thin. Characters like the mindfulness coach — played with eerie calm by Peter Jordan — deserved more space. And a few of the villains drift into cartoon territory, which occasionally lowers the stakes the series tries to build.
Ambition That Sometimes Trips Over Itself
The first half of the season is sharp and focused, but around the middle, the show tries to juggle too many plotlines at once. Rival gangs, police investigations, petty power struggles — it’s entertaining, but it gets messy. There are moments that pull you out of the story, like an assassin casually tossing a grenade without checking if his target is even nearby. Scenes like that feel more like shortcuts than deliberate choices.
Still, when the Murder Mindfully slows down and lets Björn’s personal life collide with his criminal side — especially in the episode where he elbows his way into a prestigious kindergarten for his daughter — the writing shines again.
Mindfulness: Helpful Tool or Terrible Temptation?
Underneath the jokes and the bloodshed, the show makes an interesting point: mindfulness is just a tool. It can help someone find peace… or, as we see here, help them become very efficient at doing the wrong things. The satire of corporate “wellness culture” lands well, though at times the thematic threads get lost in the louder, more chaotic story beats.
Verdict: Sharp, Funny, Flawed, But Absolutely Worth Watching
Murder Mindfully won’t please everyone, but it’s refreshing to see a crime series that actually tries something new. Schilling’s performance alone makes it worth the time, and the show’s strange mix of calm advice and violent misadventures gives it a personality that most thrillers simply don’t have.
There are bumps — rushed subplots, a few head-scratching decisions — but the series remains a fun, clever ride from start to finish. If you want something that feels both familiar and totally off-beat, this is a great pick.
You can stream it now on YouCine.
Final Score: 7.5/10