Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten

Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten
Genre	Serial drama
Created by	Reg Watson
Based on	The Restless Years
Written by	Joscha Valentin
Country of origin	Germany
Original language(s)	German
No. of episodes	5950+ (as of 7 March 2016) [1]
Production
Producer(s)	Marie Hölker Guido Reinhardt Rainer Wemcken
Location(s)	Berlin; Potsdam, Germany
Running time	25 minutes (without commercial break)
Production company(s)	UFA Serial Drama
Release
Original network	RTL
Picture format	1080i (16:9 HDTV)
Audio format	Stereo Dolby Digital 5.1
Original release	11 May 1992
Chronology
Related shows	Großstadtträume Hinter Gittern – Der Frauenknast Alles was zählt
External links
Official website (German)

Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten (English: Good Times, Bad Times) is a long-running German television soap opera, first broadcast on RTL in 1992. The programme concerns the lives of a fictional neighborhood in Germany's capital city Berlin. Over the years the soap opera tends to have an overhaul of young people in their late teens and early twenties, targeting a young viewership.

Based on the Australian format The Restless Years, which first was successfully adapted in the Netherlands as Goede tijden, slechte tijden, the German version took the scripts of the first 230 episodes, even though heavily rewritten, from the original. After the first year, Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten started using original material.

The programme started off with low ratings and was panned by critics. However the network believed in the success of the show and by the autumn of 1993, a serial killer storyline helped to improve the ratings, making GZSZ a success. It not only won its time slot but became also one of the highest-rated programmes, normally ranking in the Top 10 ratings of the day. In 2002, the soap opera reached its peak with over seven million viewers turning in for the 2500th episode.

Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten has tackled with issues like homosexuality, incest, rape, drug addiction, various crimes, breast cancer, bulimia, underage drinking, adoption and mental illnesses.

Frank-Thomas Mende and Lisa Riecken were the last original cast members when leaving the show in 2010. Wolfgang Bahro, who joined the show in February 1993, has become the longest-serving actor on the show since. Other long-serving actors are Daniel Fehlow, who joined the show in 1996 but has since taken several breaks, and Felix von Jascheroff, who's part of the programme since 2001. Ulrike Frank is currently the longest-serving female cast member, being part of the soap opera in her current role since 2002.

GZSZ launched several successful careers in the music industry. The first being original cast member Andreas Elsholz. The most successful ones were Jeanette Biedermann and Yvonne Catterfeld, who both left the soap opera at the peak of their careers.

Production

The idea to establish a daily soap opera in Germany first came in late 1991. Production company Grundy UFA adapted the Australian format The Restless Years from Reg Watson. The programme was successfully launched in the Netherlands one year earlier. Production on the German adaption, officially now called Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten, started on 23 February 1992.^[2] The first episode aired almost three months later, on 11 May 1992.

The programme was filmed in a studio in Berlin-Tempelhof for the first three years. In October 1995, production of the show moved to the Filmstudio Babelsberg. This required several set changes. In the beginning it wasn't certain where the show was set. However, in its second year it was established that Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten is set in Berlin. The city has since been used to identify with the format; using several skyline settings in an episode.

Rainer Wemcken and Guido Reinhardt have the primary responsibility over the production, with Marie Hölker controlling the day-to-day production and overseeing the writing of the programme. The writing is controlled by a team of writers who are known to shift between the other Grundy UFA soaps Alles was zählt, Verbotene Liebe and Unter uns. Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten uses a darker setting than the other three soap operas with sets appearing in modern, mostly dark, colors.

Cast

Current cast members

Actor	Role	Since
Wolfgang Bahro	Prof. Dr. Dr. Hans-Joachim "Jo" Gerner	1993
Daniel Fehlow	Leon Moreno	1996
Felix von Jascheroff	John Bachmann	2001
Ulrike Frank	Katrin Flemming, née Gabriele "Gabi" Galuba	2002
Anne Menden	Emily Badak, née Höfer	2004
Jörn Schlönvoigt	Philip Höfer	2004
Janina Uhse	Jasmin Flemming, accepted, adopted Nowak, née Melanie "Melli" Galuba	2008
Tayfun Baydar	Tayfun Badak	2008
Thomas Drechsel	Max "Tuner" Krüger	2009
Clemens Löhr	Alexander Cöster #2	2009
Eva Mona Rodekirchen	Maren Seefeld	2010
Iris Mareike Steen	Liljane "Lilly" Seefeld	2010
Vincent Krüger	Vincent "Vince" Köpke	2011
Mustafa Alin	Mesut Yıldız	2011
Elena García Gerlach	Elena Castillo	2013
Linda Marlen Runge	Andrea "Anni" Brehme	2013
Philipp Christopher	David Brenner	2014
Lea Marlen Woitack	Sophie Lindh	2014
Nadine Menz	Ayla Höfer, née Özgül #2	2014
Felix van Deventer	Jonas Seefeld	2014
Eric Stehfest	Chris Lehmann	2014
Valentina Pahde	Sunny Richter	2015
Rona Özkan	Selma Özgül	2015
David Meier	Luis Kramer	2016

Past cast members

Actor	Role	In	Out
Andrea Höhne	Claudia Löpelmann, née Wedemeier #1	1992	1992
Bernhard-Heinrich Herzog	Oswald Löpelmann #1	1992	1992
Dirk Borchardt	Bertram Köhler	1992	1992
Viktoria Voigt	Denise Köhler	1992	1992
Matthias Hinze	Peter Becker #1	1992	1992
Christiane Christiani	Gerda Becker	1992	1992
Suzanne Ziellenbach	Lilo Gottschick	1992	1993
Natascha Pfeiffer	Marina Geppert-Richter, née Geppert	1992	1993
Thomas Gohlke	Karsten Richter	1992	1993
Marie-Christine Herriger	Julia Backhoff	1992	1993
Johannes Baasner	Dr. Frank Ulrich	1992	1993
Fenja Rühl	Barbara Graf, née Wiebe #1	1993	1993
Stephan Meyer-Kohlhoff	Martin Wiebe #1	1993	1993
Mirjam Köfer	Diana Richter †	1993	1993
Timmo Niesner	Tommy Walter †	1993	1993
Andrea-Kathrin Loewig	Iris Gebauer-Gundlach, née Gebauer †	1993	1994
Marcus Ulbricht	Tobias Gericke †	1993	1994
Michael Trischan	Jürgen Borchert	1993	1994
Neelesha Barthel	Manjou Neria	1993	1994
Andreas Arnstedt	Lukas Haitz	1994	1994
M.O. Rüdiger	Matthias Zimmermann	1993	1995
Hannelore Minkus	Beatrice Zimmermann	1993	1995
Matthias Matz	André Holm	1992	1995
Dagmar Sitte	Rita Sahmel	1994	1995
Sali Landricina	Peter Becker #2	1992	1995
Udo Thies	Dr. Michael Gundlach	1993	1995
Andrea Höhne	Claudia Löpelmann, née Wedemeier #2 †	1993	1995
Alexander Kiersch	Patrick Graf †	1992	1996
Julia Gerke	Jennifer Gruber Jessica Gruber	1994 1994	1996 1996
Victoria Sturm	Camilla "Milla" Engel	1993	1996
Alexander Eisenfeld	Oliver Engel	1994	1996
Jan Sosniok	Thomas "Tom" Lehmann	1994	1996
Andreas Elsholz	Heiko Richter	1992	1996
Saskia Valencia	Saskia Rother	1993	1996
Mey Lan Chao	Harumi Shimiza	1993	1996
Irene Neuner	Dr. Rebecca Scheele	1994	1996
Denise Zich	Daniela Zöllner	1995	1996
Alexandra Finder	Kim Scheele	1995	1996
Sandra Keller	Tina Zimmermann, née Ulrich #1	1992	1996
Claudia Weiske	Elke Opitz-Graf, née Opitz	1992	1997
Angela Neumann	Vera Richter	1992	1997
Kea Könneker	Christiane "Chrissie" Lehmann †	1996	1997
Norbert Hülm	Robert König †	1995	1997
Julian Scheunemann	Karl-Heinz "Charlie" Fiereck †	1993	1998
Daniel Enzweiler	Jörg Reuter	1996	1998
Tina Bordihn	Sonja Wiebe #1	1997	1998
Anne Brendler	Vanessa Richter, adopted Moreno	1996	1998
Inka Loewendorf	Astrid Seiter †	1997	1999
Torsten Stoll	Frank Richter	1997	1999
Mona Klare	Barbara Graf, née Wiebe #2	1996	1999
Alexander Schäfer	Alexander "Alex" Hinze	1997	1999
Alexandra Neldel	Katja Wettstein	1996	1999
Simone Hanselmann	Anna Meisner	1998	1999
Oliver Petszokat	Ricky Marquart	1998	1999
Raphael Schneider	Andreas "Andy" Lehmann †	1995	2000
Laurent Daniels	Philip Krüger	1997	2000
Nadine Dehmel	Nataly Jäger	1996	2000
Maren Thurm	Barbara Graf, née Wiebe #3	1999	2000
Cathrin Vaessen	Franziska Bohlstädt	1999	2000
Rainer Meifert	Dr. Jan Wittenberg	1998	2000
Franziska Dilger	Inka Berent	1999	2001
Jan Hartmann	Christopher "Chris" Bohlstädt †	1999	2001
Stefanie Julia Möller	Charlotte Bohlstädt	1999	2001
Patrick Harzig	Peter Becker #3	1999	2002
Tokessa Möller-Martinius	Sonja Wiebe #2 †	1998	2002
Tim Sander	Kai Scholl †	1999	2002
Anna Frenzel-Röhl	Sandra Ergün, née Lemke #1	1999	2002
Rhea Harder	Florentine Spirandelli "Flo Spira" di Montalban	1996	2002
Norman Kalle	Martin Wiebe #2	2000	2002
Hendrik Borgmann	Moritz Demand	2000	2002
Mia Aegerter	Xenia di Montalban	2000	2003
Christin Baechler	Patrizia Bachmann, née Biedermann	2001	2003
Peer Kusmagk	Ben Bachmann	2002	2003
Roman Roth	Tim Böcking #1	2002	2004
Ralf Benson	Fabian Moreno	1996	2004
Jeanette Biedermann	Marie Balzer	1999	2004
İsmail Şahin	Deniz Ergün †	2002	2005
Raphaël Vogt	Dr. Nico Anton Weimershaus	1996	2005
Yvonne Catterfeld	Julia Blum	2001	2005
Dominic Boeer	Jonas Vossberg	2003	2005
Nina Bott	Cora Hinze	1997	2005
Uta Kargel	Lena Bachmann	2004	2006
Natalie Alison	Isabel Eggert †	2003	2006
Katharina Ursinus	Cornelia "Nele" Wenzel	2005	2006
Hanne Wolharn	Senta Lemke, née Biedermann †	2000	2007
Klaus-Dieter Klebsch	Johannes "Hannes" Bachmann †	2002	2007
Stefan König	Sebastian Winter	2005	2007
Robert Lyons	Vincent Buhr	2004	2007
Jasmin Weber	Franziska "Franzi" Reuter †	2005	2008
Maike von Bremen	Sandra Ergün, née Lemke #2	2002	2008
Arne Stephan	Marc Hansen Victor Hansen †	2006 2006	2008 2006
Josephine Schmidt	Paula Rapf	2002	2009
Pete Dwojak	Henrik Beck	2005	2009
Oliver Bender	Tim Böcking #2	2004	2009
Nik Breidenbach	Alexander Cöster #1	2007	2009
Hans Christiani	Agamemnon Rufus "A.R." Daniel	1992	2009
Jessica Ginkel	Caroline "Caro" Neustädter	2006	2009
Alexander Becht	Leonard "Lenny" Cöster	2007	2010
Felix Isenbügel	Carsten Reimann	2008	2010
Sarah Tkotsch	Lucy Cöster	2007	2010
Frank-Thomas Mende	Clemens Richter	1992	2010
Lisa Riecken	Elisabeth Meinhart-Richter, née Meinhart	1992	2010
Kristin Meyer	Iris Cöster	2007	2010
Susan Sideropoulos	Verena Koch †	2001	2011
Lena Ehlers	Dascha Badak, née Petrova	2010	2012
Samia Dauenhauer	Jacqueline "Jacky" Krüger	2012	2012
Björn Harras	Patrick Gerner, accepted, né Graf †	2009	2012
Senta-Sofia Delliponti	Tanja Seefeld	2011	2013
Sıla Şahin	Ayla Höfer, née Özgül #1	2009	2014
Merlin Leonhardt	Till "Bommel" Kuhn	2012	2014
Raúl Richter	Dominik Gundlach, adopted, né Felix Löpelmann †	2007	2014
Jascha Rust	Zacharias "Zac" Klingenthal	2011	2014
Isabell Horn	Pia Koch	2009	2015
Franziska van der Heide	Mieke "Mieze" Lutze	2013	2015
Ramona Dempsey	Nele Lehmann	2013	2015

Spin-off

In 2000, at the peak of the programmes success, RTL wanted to launch a spin-off, called Großstadtträume (English: City Dreams), of the highest-rated soap opera. Actress Sandra Keller who vacated her popular role as Tina Zimmermann four years earlier was set to return to star in the new format. However negotiations between the network and Keller fell through. The network decided to recast the popular role. Ulrike Frank, who just starred in the canceled Mallorca – Suche nach dem Paradies, was cast. The character of Tina shortly returned to Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten with Frank in the role.

Großstadtträume premiered on 8 May 2000. Next to Ulrike Frank as Tina, the show saw the return of Victoria Sturm as Milla Engel. Laurent Daniels, who played Philip Krüger, switched from GZSZ to its spin-off. The programme was about the launch of a lifestyle print magazine, called POOL. It targeted an older viewership well below the age of twenty.

The network ordered 26 episodes. However the show wasn't a success. After the premiere the ratings dropped dramatically and Großstadtträume was canceled after only seven aired episodes. The programme was never aired again since then.

Parody

In the German comedy series Freitag Nacht News, they had a sketch called Schlechte Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten (Bad Times, Bad Times or SZSZ) which was a parody of the soap opera. The sketch featured four men who lived together in an apartment, and suffered from severe depression. In every sketch, they kill each other but often kill themselves. Although three of the characters were unnamed, the fourth person was named Clive, whose face was never seen. He is always shown dead in every sketch, mostly hanging himself.

See also

• Goede tijden, slechte tijden

References

1. Episode List
2. "Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten". UFA (in German). Retrieved 20 June 2013.

External links

• GZSZ Official website (German)
• GZSZ-Wiki (German)