With "SOKO 5113", the first and later eponymous series of the "SOKO" cosmos launched on ZDF on January 2, 1978. From the Munich original, an entire series family developed over the decades: A total of eleven "SOKO" formats were created from Germany and Austria.

How a series became an entire universe

The mother of all "SOKOs" initially bore the title "SOKO 5113" and was broadcast on ZDF for more than four decades. The number sequence referred to the telephone extension of the head of the special commission. Audience favorites like Gerd Silberbauer (73) shaped the original series for many years and became the face of the Munich investigators for numerous viewers. In 2016, ZDF renamed the series "SOKO München" to fit the naming scheme of the newer spin-offs. In terms of content, little changed initially: The new title was primarily a strategic decision for the joint brand.

The foundation for this naming scheme was laid by "SOKO Leipzig". The first spin-off launched in 2001 and bore the name of its setting from the beginning. With Marco Girnth (56), who left after 25 years in February 2026, the series quickly developed into one of the most successful formats of the franchise. All later spin-offs followed this pattern.

"SOKO Leipzig" still holds a special position within the franchise today. Due to consistently high viewing figures, ZDF moved the series from early evening to Friday evening shortly after its launch. There, the new episodes of the seasons air at 9:15 PM. This makes "SOKO Leipzig" the only series in the brand family with a fixed primetime slot.

These teams are currently investigating

New episodes are currently being produced for six or seven "SOKO" series. In addition to "SOKO Leipzig", these include "SOKO Köln", which has been running since 2003, and "SOKO Wismar", which has been investigating on the Baltic Sea since 2004. From Austria comes "SOKO Donau" since 2005, which is broadcast on ZDF under the title "SOKO Wien". With Stefan Jürgens (63), who played investigator Carl Ribarski for many years, it too shaped one of the most recognizable characters of the entire franchise. "SOKO Stuttgart" was added in 2009, later followed by "SOKO Potsdam" in 2018 and "SOKO Linz" in 2022 as the third Austrian spin-off.

However, ZDF withdrew from the Linz format after the third season (2024). As a result, the series is currently not shown on regular free TV in Germany.

These series are history

Four spin-offs have already been cancelled. The cancellation of the mother series was the most significant: "SOKO München" bid farewell at the end of 2020 after 46 seasons and 675 episodes, with the last episode airing on December 29, 2020. ZDF program director Norbert Himmler called the series "a piece of German television history."

Also concluded are "SOKO Kitzbühel" (2001 to 2021), the short-lived "SOKO Rhein-Main" (2006 to 2007), and "SOKO Hamburg", which ended in 2024 after six seasons. "SOKO Rhein-Main" was a special case anyway: At launch, the series was called "Die Spezialisten: Kripo Rhein-Main" because it differed from the other "SOKOs" in its investigative techniques. After poor ratings, it ended again in 2007.

A spin-off and major crossovers

In addition to the regular series, there were some special cases. It started in 1997 with "Solo für Sudmann", a twelve-part spin-off about a retired commissioner from "SOKO 5113" who opens a private detective agency in Munich.

In 2013, ZDF brought together several teams for the first time with "SOKO - Der Prozess". The five-part crossover connected "SOKO 5113", "SOKO Köln", "SOKO Wismar", "SOKO Stuttgart", and "SOKO Leipzig" and created the first narrative connection between the series. In 2019, "Der vierte Mann" followed, a German-Austrian crossover between "SOKO Donau" and "SOKO Leipzig". The plot was based on a true story about Viennese businesswoman Rudolfine Steindling.

New addition to "SOKO Leipzig"

The most successful spin-off is bringing fresh wind: In the 27th season of "SOKO Leipzig", Simon Böer (51) takes on the role of Chief Inspector Dirk Trebbe. He will make his debut at the season premiere in October 2026 alongside Melanie Marschke, Amy Mußul, and Johannes Hendrik Langer.

For Böer, this comes full circle. After his acting training, he had at times toyed with a career in criminal police before his first film role intervened. Now he is at least pursuing the old career idea in front of the camera.