Sigmund Freud (Robert Finster) is a 30-year-old neurologist fascinated by hypnotherapy, discovered during a recent study trip to France in the well-known clinic of Dr. Jean-Martin Charcot, a fervent advocate of the psychic nature of hysteria.

Sigmund is persuaded by his friend Arthur Schnitzler (Noah Saavedra) to participate in a party organised by Countess Sophia von Szápáry (Anja Kling) under the pretext of expanding the circle of influential acquaintances.

During the party, the countess together with her husband, Viktor von Szápáry (Philipp Hochmair), will stage a séance revolving around the figure of the Hungarian medium Fleur Salomé (Ella Rumpf).

From that moment, Sigmund will find himself in the midst of murders, conspiracies, revenges and supernatural facts that he will have to solve by resorting to his new knowledge and the help of his housekeeper Leonore and war-traumatised police inspector Alfred Kiss (Georg Friedrich).

The titles of the episodes quote Freud's works and concepts.Freud is preparing for a talk in front of the Viennese medical community.

He would like to report on his study trip, during which he visited Jean-Martin Charcot at the psychiatric clinic of the Hôpital Salpêtrière, and demonstrate the effectiveness of hypnosis on his housekeeper Lenore.

Freud's presentation is negatively received by the Viennese medical community, including Theodor Meynert and Leopold von Schönfeld.

Inspector Kiss and his colleague Poschacher find Steffi Horvath covered in blood in Heinz Konrad's house.

Freud and Schnitzler save Clara’s life and they find in her mouth a toe that has been severed from her foot, due to which she almost suffocated.

Under his hypnosis, she can see further details from the vision and identify two dead people and their murderer, the opera singer Frantisek Mucha.

In a flashback, we learn that Otto Kiss, Alfred's son and Fanny's late husband, served in the army together with his father, and was about to be convicted of desertion.

Georg von Lichtenberg forced Alfred Kiss to shoot some prisoners in order to prove his loyalty and to save Otto's life.

Freud tries to find out more about the musician Szpilman from the neighbouring apartment, who was in a mental hospital and who committed suicide after the fire of the Ringtheater.

Oberleutnant Riedl finally comes to the police station to testify for Konrad's murder, but instead bribes Janecek with the support of Franz von Lichtenberg.

The Szápárys prepare themselves for their final blow against the imperial house, with the objective to make the people of the empire free and independent.

The nobility from all parts of its multi-ethnic state, including the Szápárys, gather at the Ball der Völker of the Austrian Emperor Franz Josef in Schönbrunn Palace.

While Freud is finishing his supposed Masterpiece The Power of Hypnosis, Martha Bernays is preparing for her wedding to Sigmund.

[5] Writing for The Guardian, Adrian Horton likened Freud to "other absurd revisions of famous stories" like Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.

[6] The Daily Beast writer Nick Schager made the same comparison, writing that the series' "marrying truth with paranormal nonsense proves reasonably enlivening".