New ARD series "Naked" shows love in the shadow of sex addiction
With the six-part series "Naked" (now available in the ARD media library, on October 3 and 4 on the first channel), WDR dares to tackle the social taboo subject of sex addiction.
Image: dpa
According to ARD, the script by head writer Silke Eggert is based on her personal experiences.
Image: dpa
With the six-part series "Naked" (now available in the ARD media library, on October 3 and 4 on the first channel), WDR dares to tackle the social taboo subject of sex addiction.
Image: dpa
According to ARD, the script by head writer Silke Eggert is based on her personal experiences.
Image: dpa
A sex-addicted vampire meets St. Mary. What looks like kitsch at first glance is the start of a worthwhile WDR production dedicated to a difficult topic.
05.10.2025, 12:49
05.10.2025, 12:57
dpa
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- The ARD series "Naked" deals with sex addiction and co-dependency in a haunting visual language.
- The story is based on the personal experiences of head writer Silke Eggert.
- The first three episodes will be shown on Friday evening on ARD; the series is already available in the media library.
The vampire and St. Mary lie tightly embraced on his couch, he slowly removes her dress, they kiss, there is a sizzle. What sounds like the climax of a bad romantic comedy is actually the opening sequence of a sophisticated TV production, which the first TV channel announces as a "love noir" psychodrama.
With the six-part series "Naked", the series commissioned by WDR dares to tackle a socially taboo subject: it is about sex addiction, it is about co-dependency and it is about the question of what this disease, which has been recognized by the WHO since 2019, does to those affected. According to ARD, the screenplay by head writer Silke Eggert is based on her personal experiences. The film was directed by Bettina Oberli.
The series is already available in the ARD media library, and three episodes can be seen on ARD on Friday (October 3) from 11.45 pm and on Sunday night (October 5) from 00.55 am.
The dream becomes a nightmare
It all starts with a carnival party in Cologne. Marie (Svenja Jung) and Luis (Noah Saavedra) meet on the dance floor, he dressed as a vampire, she as St. Mary. The choice of costumes gives a foreshadowing of what awaits the audience. "What begins as a dream of great love increasingly turns into a nightmare. Because: Luis is addicted to sex. And Marie is addicted to Luis," reads a statement from ARD.
Just two hours after their first encounter, they are naked in his bed and spend an exciting night of love. Marie is immediately in love. But she senses early on that something is wrong with Luis. It is the first time he is really in love. But the cross-border sex with Marie is not nearly enough for him. He fights his fantasies day and night. As a result, he wavers between distance and closeness, which makes Marie feel insecure.
Only released from the age of 16
The series impresses with its haunting imagery, strong acting performances and a script that approaches the difficult subject with authentically drawn characters without creating the impression of ridiculousness. Some of the love scenes are unusually explicit, which is probably one of the reasons why the series is only rated 16+ in the media library. However, the main character Luis in particular is not overdrawn in a clichéd way, but is shown as a vulnerable person with flaws. This is the great strength of the series.
"Above all, we wanted to tell the face and the truth behind the façade," said WDR editor Caren Toennissen, who was involved in the creation of the series. "In this context, it was also important and challenging to tell the idea of 'healing'. That this is always an option. Certainly a difficult, long, painful path that doesn't always succeed. But definitely one that you can still choose."
