A family of a German linguist lives with an indigenous tribe in Papua New Guinea.
The summer break is over and the twins returned to Lindenhof. That has now changed a lot. Because Mrs Theobald had to travel, Mademoiselle Bertoux has taken the lead.
Ann Berg, in her late twenties, is an ambitious intern in the Forensic Medicine department. While investigating a crime scene she is shocked to find evidence of a crocodile attack. She turns to the expert Mitch "Croc" McDearie for help.
Seventeen-year-old Thomas and his father Niels spend their summer holidays at the Spanish coast. But their father and son time out takes a turn when a boat with African refugees sinks close to their hotel. One of them is 20-year-old Djamile. On a motorbike tour Thomas runs into Djamile and quickly decides to hide her from the Spanish authorities and the smugglers who brought her to Europe. When Niels and Angelica, Thomas’ teacher and his father’s love affair, learn about Thomas’ secret the situation is getting even more explosive. Niels does not support his son’s plans at all. Naive but passionate Thomas struggles to find a way to save Djamile. Deeper and deeper, he explores an unknown world of desperation, hope, greed, violence, betrayal, sorrow and... love.
Arne comes into the family of an old friend of his father as a foster child. He hopes to find closeness and security with Harald, his wife Elsa and their children Hans, Wiebke and Lars. But he finds it difficult to integrate - his trust in the community has been shaken by his great misfortune. However, he feels attracted to Wiebke, even though she keeps distancing herself from him. After Arne's clumsiness causes the sailing boat that the young people had restored together to be wrecked during the launch and he is supposedly a traitor after a joint theft, a rift occurs with Wiebke and her brothers. Harald is also deeply disappointed in his foster son.
Christa is unperturbed by her son's game: The boy is a fan of "Starship Enterprise". The two of them cheerfully communicate as Kirk and Spock. It is therefore hardly noticeable that Christa develops the first signs of paranoia, especially as deep mistrust is spreading throughout the country: the story is set in the spring of 1986, when a nuclear disaster has just occurred in Chernobyl. Christa's husband has to watch helplessly as his wife drifts into madness.
Architect Alexander Beck has just won an architecture prize. He wants to modernize GDR building blocks in Thuringia. Alex travels to the heart of rural Eastern Germany where he grew up and where people remember him as Alex from the Free German Youth, a pro-GDR youth organization.
Vacation in Mauritius! Frank Kowalski simply treats himself to one with his wife Sandy and son Jochen. When the Ossi happens to save the blasé Renate von Zangenheim from a purse snatcher, her husband Hubertus wants to return the favor with a dinner. But the subsequent trip on the Protzwessis' yacht ends fatally in a fiasco. Shipwrecked, both families end up stranded on an uninhabited island...
At Christmas, the young Mary receives a wonderful nutcracker that takes life. She becomes witness to his fierce struggle against the mouse king.
Since the Americans gave up their military training area near Endlingen / Ostalbkreis, the region has been going downhill: Maslow, a jack of all trades, is working on a UFO so that the dump will be mentioned in the press. Meanwhile, Ben - reluctantly entrusted with the care of his demented grandfather - falls in love with Lena, who has ended up in the town ...
Building contractor Stefan has messed up, now his villa belongs to the bank.
Oliver von Bodenstein and Pia Kirchhoff determine in the environment of a wind turbine company and their opponents - each of which has its own motive. A storm of revenge, greed and betrayal brews together.
Entrepreneur daughter Anna Maillinger wants to start a new career in New Zealand after the divorce. Shortly before leaving, she learns that the family business is facing bankruptcy. Anna's oldest brother Vince leads the company meanwhile. He asks Anna to come to the emergency meeting on the father's hunting lodge, where on the weekend, the wedding of her father Karl with his Moldovan housekeeper Dina is to be celebrated. Gritting her teeth, Anna agree
When Anja is finally ready to start a new life, her husband Thomas is released from a psychiatric ward. He had set fire to the house years ago and threatened his family. Just as Anja enters into a new relationship, she learns that Thomas is healthy. She is now supposed to help him find his way back to normal life. Somewhat taken by surprise, she agrees to do so - on the condition that Thomas doesn't "mess things up". At first, everything seems to go well: Thomas is very nice and reserved, and is able to win over the children and even Anja again with his charm.
In the Austrian first broadcast: For his life he said to others where to go. That shouldn't change on the 70th birthday. The screw manufacturer Karl Mailinger asked his four children. In his mountain hut in the Bavarian Alps, the eager Anna, eco-fan Tom, the coke addicted broker Vincent and the unsuccessful artist Miriam learn that her father wants to marry his maid. When Karl suffers a collapse, the conflicts in the family open. All suffer from the defiant patriarch ...
DIE WOLKE (The Cloud) is about a breakdown of a nuclear power station in Germany and the story of two teenager-lovers Hannah and Elmar who take refuge. 38.000 people die and Hannah unfortunately becomes contaminated.
Berlin couple Eva and Peter are planning a trip to Bavaria with their children to visit Eva's parents. But there is trouble brewing behind the idyllic family façade. Father-in-law Anton and Peter can't smell each other, and the relationship between Eva and Anton is also fraught with accusations. With this baggage, the family goes on a day trip hiking in the Bavarian Forest. But before all the conflicts can be resolved, they fall into the hands of a brutal gang of smugglers - only Eva is able to escape. When the first shot is fired, the horror trip and a merciless hunt through the national park begins...
The graduation ceremony of their son Max is no longer a big excitement for Sabine and Bernd Schröder - after all, they have already successfully brought two older sons through high school. Nonetheless, when the youngest offspring moves out, a new chapter in life begins: They finally have plenty of time for each other and common dreams. At least that's the beautiful theory. Sabine and Bernd have to face the truth: unnoticed by the hustle and bustle of the family, they have drifted apart. Where the offspring once provided common ground, there is suddenly a yawning emptiness. The fact that other couples feel the same way after their children have moved out gives little consolation. And while Bernd continues to bury his head in the sand and hopes for the success of the "sit out" principle, Sabine gets serious. She gives Bernd an ultimatum. Because one thing is clear to them: just continuing like this is out of the question.
The second part of the series sheds light on the Winters' marital problems. Tanja Winter moves out and enters into a relationship with a work colleague, Marie Winter moves into a shared flat in Berlin, and while Matthias Winter tries to save his marriage, he also meets someone.
After her son moves out, single mother Katrin Busche finally wants a partner again - and unsuspectingly plunges another woman into a marital crisis.
Since a few years the violinists Ari and Ron are a couple. As they both get the invitation of an orchestra to audition for the solo part they get into direct competition . Their mutual trust is put on a hard test when Ron gets an temptating offer from the conductor of the orchestra.