“A charming village doctor”: Hellground is the “sinister” Channel 4 crime drama where nothing is as it seems

Calling all lovers of eerie, atmospheric crime dramas - we’ve got something we think will be right up your street! Channel 4’s Walter Presents has snapped up a gripping new series called Hellground and it centres around some rather sinister goings on. When a charming village doctor settles into his new role a new location, a spate of deaths happen to coincide with his arrival - and it's safe to say that nothing is quite as it seems.

The series is set in a sleepy German forest village where the arrival of Dr. Fabian Lambert, a charismatic doctor, should be exciting. Only it comes at the same time as a strange string of gruesome murders that shake up the village. Steely police officer Tanja jumps on the case, sensing that something isn’t quite right - and what she uncovers is darker than you can probably imagine.

While we await the arrival of Hellground on our screens later this month, here’s everything you need to know about it, including plot, cast and release date and where to watch it.

What is Hellground about?

The eight-part series first aired in Germany in 2022 and is set in a peaceful village in Germany’s Schwarzwald (‘Black Forest’) - or at least it was once peaceful. Charismatic doctor Dr. Fabian Lambert arrives in town to take u p a new post and his arrival coincides with a string of strange, brutal murders. As you’d imagine, it immediately arouses suspicion. But, as with all good twisty thrillers, things are not as clear-cut as they might first seem.

Young - and stern - police officer Tanja Hartholz launches an investigation, digging into the village’s past, but encounters a strange resistance from its inhabitants. We won’t give away any spoilers here, but it turns out. that all the deaths are connected to one event that happened decades ago. Mysterious indeed!

The official synopsis reads: “Welcome to Hellground, where country doctors aren’t heroes, they’re suspects. In this eerie Black Forest village, a routine house call can have deadly consequences, and a police investigation threatens to unravel the entire community.

"When a string of mysterious deaths strikes the peaceful town, local officer Tanja is the only one who senses something sinister beneath the surface. Battling silence and suspicion, she begins to dig, and all clues lead to the charming young village doctor, Fabian, whose healing hands may be hiding deadly secrets.”

Who’s in the cast of Hellground?

The cast of Hellground includes:

• Lou Strenger as Tanja Hartholz
• Nicki von Tempelhoff as Josef Hartholz
• August Wittgenstein as Dr. Fabian Lambert
• Andreas Anke as Werner Freischütz
• Ulrike Tscharre as Moni Freischütz
• Heiner Lauterbach as Dr Hajo Armbruster
• Jakob Gessner as Max Freischütz
• Guido Renner as Siggi Zenner
• Alissa Atanassova as Theresa
• Joy Maria Bai as Birgit Decker

Is Hellground any good?

Yes! When it first aired in 2022, this eight-part series was highly praised by viewers for its brooding atmosphere and chilling storyline. It’s been hand-picked by Channel 4’s Walter Presents - a collection of international dramas curated by TV connoisseur Walter Iuzzolino, too - which also means it ticks a lot of boxes.

How can I watch Hellground?

There’s not long to wait! Hellground will arrive on Channel 4 on Friday 15th August. Happy binge-watching!

What other Walter Presents shows can I watch?

If you love watching brilliant dramas from overseas, then you’re in the right place! Walter Presents has curated some of the most thrilling shows that are available to watch on Channel 4, including French-Candian spy thriller Classified, “unnerving” father-daughter series The Devil’s Leap, and the haunting yet deliciously addictive The Shadow.