Here's something I can't wrap my head around, and wonder if it is possible at all:
I tried the module Views field view and it does output the first upcoming event for each Series, but it can't be used as a sorting criteria. Are there any other options to achieve this?
Help is greatly appreciated!
Yes, you should be able to handle this using a relationship. You can find these under the 'Advanced' tab on the right side of the Views UI. You'll want to add a relationship to the Series, then add a the date field to your list of sorts. You'll notice a new dropdown option in the options form for relationship. Select your Series here, and save the sort.