IT'S been a long three years for fans of surprise TV hit Deutschland 83. The German thriller was not only critically lauded but also seemed to strike a chord with viewers with its brilliantly realistic recreation of life behind the Iron Curtain and the creeping paranoia inherent in Cold War Eastern Europe.

Centred around the exploits of East German secret agent Martin Rauch (Jonas Nay), the drama successfully blended fact and fiction with enough playful pop culture references and use of music and fashion to lighten the tone when the frequent violence and constant threat of nuclear war got a bit much.

Now in a weird, real-time timeline it's 1986 and the series (subtitled in English) begins in Cape Town, which is something of a shock after the grey and brown drabness of East Germany. There's no sign of Martin, but was reunited with his aunt Lenora (Maria Schrader) who almost stole the first series with her irresistable combination of chain smoking, Communism and shoulder pads. She's working with Rose Seithathi (Florence Kasumba) an African National Congress (ANC) operative planing for revolution in South Africa, but also making time to help East Germany raise some much needed cash by selling arms to the apartheid government despite them being their notional enemies

With its Soviet sponsors beginning to abandon them in favour of Glasnost, the old GDR got itself into all manner of business activities in order to earn hard currency and it's this grubby world in which we find ourselves both in Africa and back in Berlin, where the Stasi are discussing selling off their paintings and starting the medical experiments which will culminate in the state selling blood abroad without testing it for HIV. It's fascinating stuff and the kind of historical accuracy which made Deutschland 83 so good.

When we're finally reintroduced to Martin, we find the former border patrol guard living in hiding in Angola (you may remember he prevented a pre-emptive nuclear strike by the Soviets against NATO in the first series - a punishable offence apparently) where he is reluctantly pressed back into service by his scheming aunt. "East, West - who are the good guys?" asks Martin at one point. It's going to be fun finding out.