German Television Ratings: Crime Dramas Dominate Evening Viewership
Table of Contents
German television viewership on January 5,2026,was largely dominated by crime dramas,with ARD’s “Morden im Norden” and ZDF‘s “Taunuskrimi” attracting critically important audiences. The evening also saw strong viewership for the start of RTL’s “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? – 3 Million Euro Week.”
“Morden im Norden” Leads in Viewership
A 90-minute episode of the crime series “Morden im Norden” (“Murder in the North”) captivated 5.83 million viewers on ARD Das Erste, securing its position as the primetime winner. This represented a market share of 23.1 percent. The start of the new season of the series had previously drawn 3.56 million viewers .
ZDF’s “Taunuskrimi” Attracts Nearly Four Million Viewers
ZDF’s tenth installment of the “Taunuskrimi” series, titled “In Eternal Friendship,” garnered 3.93 million viewers, achieving a 15.6 percent market share. This continues the popularity of the “Taunuskrimi” franchise among German television audiences.
“Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” Launches New Week
RTL kicked off its “3 Million Euro Week” of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” with 2.79 million viewers, representing a 14.2 percent market share. This indicates a solid start to the special week of the popular game show.
Top Programs of the Evening (January 5, 2026)
| Rang | Sender | title | start time | Sehb. (Million) | MA (%) |
| 1 | ARD Das Erste | daily news | 20:00 | 6.317 | 25,5 |
| 2 | ARD Das Erste | murder in the North – Because you are evil | 20:15 | 5.827 | 23,1 |
| 3 | ZDF | In eternal friendship – A Taunus crime thriller, episode 1 | 20:15 | 3.938 | 15,6 |
| 4 | ZDF | today | 18:59 | 3.735 | 18,2 |
| 5 | ZDF | today journal | 21:44 | 3.701 | 16,8 |
| 6 | ARD Das Erste | Murder in the North Episode 176 | 18:50 | 3.560 | 17,3 |
| 7 | ZDF | SOKO Potsdam | 18:05 | 3.539 | 20,4 |
| 8 | ARD Das Erste | Who knows something like that? Episode 1350 | 17:58 | 3.343 | 20,0 |
| 9 | ARD Das Erste | The zurich crime thriller: Borchert and murder without atonement | 21:44 | 3.261 | 17,3 |
| 10 | RTL | WHO WILL BE A MILLIONAIRE? THE 3 MILLION EURO WEEK Episode 1 | 20:14 | 2.796 | 14,2 |
| 11 | RTL | RTL ACTUELL | 18:44 | 2.699 | 14,0 |
Source: AGF video Research; AGF SCOPE 1.14; January 5, 2026; Market standard: moving images; Evaluation type TV; Usage data provisional
The continued success of crime dramas like “Morden im Norden” and “Taunuskrimi” highlights the enduring popularity of the genre with German television viewers. The strong start for “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” suggests a promising week for RTL.
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