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 Germany
Original language(s) Germany 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 (1992-05-11)
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

References

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

External links

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