Murder Mindfully: A meditative review of the new Netflix Dark Comedy

Murder Mindfully on Netflix, is indeed, a crime thriller that is not as ordinary as it seems. This German dark comedy highlights the practice of mindfulness—the attempt of just being there, being accepting and free of one's thoughts, and turns it into a criminally wicked series.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the writer's mindul and absolutely personal opinion. There is a lot of murder involved so viewers discretion is advisable.

Picture Dexter meditating, or Barry chanting affirmations every now and then. The outcome? A series that is wonderfully ludicrous, full of sharp wit and weird calm, and one that makes us all relax... and perhaps redirect our stressors (literally).

Breathe in, let go, and maybe Murder Mindfully

At the focus of this mindful massacre called Murder Mindfully, stands a character named Björn Diemel (portrayed by Tom Schilling), a successfull criminal lawyer, whose job of defending criminals is making a mess of his marriage.

His wife, who is on a rescue mission to save their relationship, sends him to a mindfulness retreat. Exactly like a great student of self-improvement, Björn is a careful listener of his coach’s wisdom, is quick to install that software in his life.

Although, his objective for using mindfulness is to get a work-life balance, but instead, he uses it the other way around by actually killing his problems away (literally killing). The outcome was the same, serine experience, just like the new set of ideas that describes his newfound philosophy. One that is about peace of mind as a primary goal of personal growth and well-being. Thus, he sticks to the point that if something irritates your inner tranquility just get rid of it. Permanently.

Björn turns into a criminal mastermind to evade possible rivals and takes it upon himself to become a conscious criminal mastermind. Each and every move is well thought out through deep intention, making sure each killing is in line with his new found philosophy. No intense emotions, no pressure. Just quietly and meditatively killing people. If you want your life to be meaningful, it is better to be fully present, for it even if it means killing someone.

Tom Schilling: The zen master of dark comedy

Just like a mindfulness teacher leading a class through a deep meditation exercise, Tom Schilling has the same calm while acting the series. His portrayal of Björn in Murder Mindfully is masterful—his quiet smirks, composed mannerisms, and deadpan delivery make him the perfect antihero.

In contrast to the typical criminals, who are always in a hurry and feel guilty, Björn is fearless in the face of murder, just as if he were to face a peaceful moment, enjoying a cup of herbal tea. The thing about him is that, he is not evil, but just… centered.

The supporting cast of Murder Mindfully serves as the perfect chaotic contrast to Björn’s Zen-like demeanor. His mindfulness coach, Joschka Breitner, gives out teachings that Björn laughingly misinterprets (or, you take your pick on it). In the meantime, the criminals in Björn’s life seem not to get the fact that they are dealing with a man who fights with his inner peace.

The art of slow, intentional Storytelling (with the occasional brutal killing)

In Murder Mindfully, the storytelling is as accurate as the workouts of Björn. Every scene feels perfect. This is analogous to a well-structured meditation session, where we are asked to look first at the surroundings, and then become aware of the obstacles and finally, learn to solve them.

Comically, the story is sharp, as it delves into the ridiculousness of a man who utilizes mindfulness-related principles to legitimate acts of increasing violence. The scenes are extremely similar: peaceful meditation with brisk, but yet painstaking, deaths that make the series particularly outstanding.

The main question is: Is living in the here and the now actually a reality? Or can such an action take the form of bungling a mafia boss into a suitcase?

Naturally, the Murder Mindfully is not all perfect. While the first few episodes initially roll out as smooth and as a well-structured guided mediation, some of the later tweaks push the boundaries. The police presence is too absent on some occasions, and so is an easy way for Björn to achieve his perfect life.

Aside from this, let’s make it clear this is not a show rooted in realism. It is a show about the concept of acceptance. If you accept that Björn can kill people and not get caught, you'll have the time of your life.

Final thoughts: Balancing criminal activities with your Chakras

I'd definitely give this a 7/10⭐for the shows amazing wit.

Murder Mindfully is a show that isn’t supposed to be good and yet it is. It is dark, it is funny, and, in a strange way, it is also uplifting. I feel like, maybe we could all follow the example of Björn. Besides the randomly murdering part, of course.

This is a show that calls us to slow down, take deep breaths, and be fully present in each moment. Even if such a moment includes storing problem (or, rather, a body) in the trunk of a car.