In a generational conversation, actors Ingo Naujoks and Jonas Minthe from the ARD series 'Morden im Norden' discuss the challenges of exciting young people for traditional television. They criticize prejudices against public broadcasters and advocate for more sensitization and youth-relevant topics. The current season of the series achieves high ratings among youth.
Actors Ingo Naujoks (63) and Jonas Minthe (36) star in the ARD evening series 'Morden im Norden'. Naujoks has played Detective Lars Englen since 2012, while Minthe has portrayed investigator Gregor Michalski since 2019. The current season focuses on teenagers and young adults and airs Mondays at 18:50 on Das Erste. On January 5, 2026, the channel will broadcast the second feature film 'Weil du böse bist' at 20:15.
In the conversation, both emphasize the importance of attracting young viewers. 'Winning over younger people is very important because they can stick around longer,' says Naujoks with a laugh. Minthe adds: 'When I point younger friends to a TV format that might interest them, they're totally into it, but then they often say: "I didn't know you could still watch good linear TV."'
They attribute the preference for streaming services like Netflix to prejudices. Naujoks: 'ARD and ZDF are seen as outdated – whether that's true or not.' Minthe speaks of 'mental laziness' because public broadcasters are associated with old shows. Both call for educational efforts and direct encouragement to watch the content.
Behind the scenes, they advocate for a mix of experience and young talent. Minthe criticizes 'adultism': 'I know 16-year-olds who are more reflective than many 90-year-olds.' As an example, he cites the series 'Schwarze Früchte', which receives no sequel despite high on-demand views. The current season of 'Morden im Norden' has achieved high ratings among youth. The upcoming film aims to appeal to families and teenagers without pitting age groups against each other.
