This was a highly enjoyable series. There was a really good balance between the depiction of the growth and ideological development of the group alongside an exploration of the various relationships that developed within the group. The balance between these two elements was masterfully controlled so that we did not get neither a rather soapy and emotional angsty teen drama nor a mere thriller where the politics and drama were at the expense of character drawing and development.
There was also a smartly nuanced approach to all characters; the police chief who became something of an attempted nemesis to the group was not a mere representative of unfeeling law and order but a real and quite rounded person - although his troubled home life was rather suddenly, albeit not ineffectively, more centre stage in the last episode.
Within the group there was a wide ranging mix - the rich young girl (but again, whose parents were sympathetically and intelligently drawn), tow outsiders (Hagen and Zazi) whose developing relationship was one of the best and most touching aspects of the series, young Muslim Rahim who was also dealing with his parents imminent eviction from their apartment to make way for luxury flats. All these elements were smartly woven together and this meant that the central events were always seen in a wider context where the political protests sometimes had to take second place to personal or family issues - a nice thoughtful and realistic depiction which helped to make the whole experience very involving.
The ending was both very satisfying and slightly surprising - and certainly not as dark as it could have been. the door has also been left open for further development, both of the characters and their relationships and the wider political questions that are being dealt with. hopefully there will be another series!