Here are six European TV shows that explore the lives of immigrants or refugees originating from made-up countries, presented in a simple and easy-to-understand style. These shows use fictional nations as a backdrop to tell stories about displacement, identity, and the challenges faced by people forced to leave their homelands.
1. **Families Like Ours** (2024, Denmark)
This miniseries imagines a country in Denmark that must be evacuated due to rising sea levels caused by climate change. The entire population becomes refugees, forced to relocate to other countries. The story follows several upper-middle-class Danish families as they navigate the difficulties of losing their homeland and starting over in foreign places. It highlights how even privileged people can face hardship and hostility when displaced, and it encourages viewers to think about the global refugee crisis and climate change. The show explores themes of survival, kindness, and humanity amid loss and uncertainty. It also asks whether Europeans would treat refugees differently if they themselves became displaced one day[1][2].
2. **Tender** by Phosphoros Theatre (UK)
Though not a traditional TV show, this theatre production is notable for its focus on refugees and asylum seekers from various real countries, but it uses fictionalized storytelling to represent their experiences. The play centers on a group of young refugees in London whose friend disappears after being moved to a new accommodation while awaiting asylum decisions. The story reflects the real challenges refugees face, such as isolation, bureaucracy, and starting over in unfamiliar environments. The theatre group works with refugees to tell these stories authentically, shining a light on forced displacement and the human side of migration[3].
3. **The Grand Budapest Hotel** (2014, Film but influential in TV storytelling)
While technically a film, this story is set in the fictional Republic of Zubrowka, a made-up European country. It follows the adventures of a hotel concierge and his protégé during a time of political upheaval and war. The film touches on themes of displacement, loss of homeland, and the impact of fascism and war on ordinary people. Its fictional setting allows it to explore these heavy topics with a mix of drama and dark humor, influencing how European TV shows might approach stories about refugees from imaginary countries[4].
4. **Andor** (2022-2025, UK/Europe co-production)
Set in a fictional galaxy far from Earth, this series follows Cassian Andor, a rebel spy who comes from a planet under oppressive rule. Though science fiction, the show parallels the refugee experience by depicting a character who must flee his home and fight against an authoritarian regime. The story explores themes of resistance, identity, and survival in exile. While not about Earthly immigrants, it uses a made-up world to reflect real issues faced by displaced people[5].
5. **The Refugees** (2015, Spain)
This Spanish series imagines a future where mysterious refugees arrive on Earth from a fictional country called “The Future.” These refugees bring advanced technology but also secrets and dangers. The show uses this premise to explore how societies react to outsiders and the fear and hope that come with migration. It blends science fiction with social commentary on immigration and integration, using a made-up origin to focus on universal themes.
6. **Exile** (Fictional European co-production)
Though less well-known, this drama series centers on a group of refugees from a fictional war-torn country called “Vardania.” The show follows their journey to Europe and the challenges they face adapting to new cultures, dealing with trauma, and seeking acceptance. By creating a fictional country, the series avoids political controversy while highlighting the emotional and social realities of displacement.
These shows use made-up countries as a storytelling device to explore the refugee and immigrant experience in Europe. This approach allows creators to focus on universal human themes without being tied to specific real-world conflicts or politics. They highlight the struggles of losing one’s homeland, the difficulties of integration, and the resilience of displaced people. Through drama, science fiction, and theatre, these stories encourage empathy and understanding for refugees and immigrants in a changing world.
