{"id":682,"date":"2010-08-18T10:00:48","date_gmt":"2010-08-18T10:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/german\/?p=682"},"modified":"2017-11-14T10:30:22","modified_gmt":"2017-11-14T10:30:22","slug":"gute-zeiten-schlechte-zeiten","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/german\/gute-zeiten-schlechte-zeiten\/","title":{"rendered":"“Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every day \u2013 from Monday to Friday at 7:45 pm \u2013 about 4 Million people in Germany turn on their TV sets to watch Germany\u2019s most popular Seifenoper<\/strong><\/em> (soap opera) \u201cGute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten\u201d (Good times, bad times). I wonder why this show is so successful nowadays because when the first episode was broadcasted on 11 May 1992 no one would have believed in those days that this series would ever attract such a broad audience.<\/p>\n

Originally, the show was an adaption of the Australian series \u201cThe Restless Years\u201d, which was produced in Australia from 1977 to 1981. The Australian show did not only serve as a Vorbild<\/em><\/strong> (model) for the German TV show, but also supplied the Drehb\u00fccher<\/strong><\/em> (scripts). Although the Dialoge<\/strong><\/em> (dialogues) were translated into German the Schauspieler<\/strong><\/em> (actors) were not very convincing regarding their authenticity and credibility. I guess the lacking persuasiveness of the actors, based on the dialogues, was one major reason why the program did not draw people\u2019s attention. Obviously, Germans could not identify with the dialogues\u2019 content.<\/p>\n

This changed a long time ago. After a year on air the Produktionsfirma<\/strong><\/em> (production company) had decided that German Drehbuchautoren<\/strong><\/em> (script writers) should write the scripts from then on. This was undeniably a good Entscheidung<\/strong><\/em> (decision). In 1999, the series won the Bambi Award and, in 2003, the \u201cDeutsche Fernsehpreis\u201d (\u201cGerman Television Award\u201d).<\/p>\n

\u201cGute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten\u201d tells stories about the everyday life of a group of young people, their friends and families. Although some Handlungsstr\u00e4nge<\/strong><\/em> (storylines) appear rather unreal, the Serie<\/strong><\/em> (series), however, tries to refer to prevalent social issues, which first of all young people have to face such as schulische<\/em><\/strong> Probleme<\/strong><\/em> (school problems), Berufswahl<\/strong><\/em> (choice of occupation), \u00dcberschuldung<\/strong><\/em> (indebtedness) of young people as well as, of course, Liebeskummer<\/strong><\/em> (pangs of love) and Trennungsschmerz<\/strong><\/em> (pain of separation). Further, now and then the show even picks up taboo subjects such as homosexuality, Drogenmissbrauch<\/strong><\/em> (drug abuse), Spielsucht<\/strong><\/em> (gambling), and alcoholism.<\/p>\n

While initially the story was set in a fictitious place, now the Handlungsort<\/strong><\/em> (setting) is unmistakably Berlin. Districts of Berlin are often eingeblendet<\/strong><\/em> (slotted in) as transitions between the scenes. This may contribute to the fact that people can easily identify with the characters. Sometimes I can even overhear people discussing the characters\u2019 actions, developments and intentions as if they were real friends or acquaintances.<\/p>\n

Although there is a high fluctuation of actors, three of them are part of the team since the very first Folge<\/strong><\/em> (episode). These are Lisa Riecken, who plays the role of Elisabeth Meinhart, Frank-Thomas Mende, who portrays the character Clemens Richter, and Wolfgang Bahro, who plays Joachim \u201cJo\u201d Gerner.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

die Seifenoper – soap opera<\/p>\n

das Vorbild – model<\/p>\n

das Drehbuch – script<\/p>\n

der Drehbuchautor – scriptwriter<\/p>\n

die Produktionsfirma – production company<\/p>\n

der Dialog – dialogue<\/p>\n

die Entscheidung – decision<\/p>\n

die schulischen Probleme – school problems<\/p>\n

die Berufswahl – choice of occupation<\/p>\n

die \u00dcberschuldung – indebtedness<\/p>\n

der Liebeskummer – pangs of love<\/p>\n

der Trennungsschmerz – pain of separation<\/p>\n

der Drogenmissbrauch – drug abuse<\/p>\n

die Spielsucht – gambling<\/p>\n

der Handlungsort – setting<\/p>\n

einblenden – slot in<\/p>\n

der Handlungsstrang – storyline<\/p>\n

die Serie – series<\/p>\n

die Folge – episode<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

Every day \u2013 from Monday to Friday at 7:45 pm \u2013 about 4 Million people in Germany turn on their TV sets to watch Germany\u2019s most popular Seifenoper (soap opera) \u201cGute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten\u201d (Good times, bad times). I wonder why this show is so successful nowadays because when the first episode was broadcasted on…<\/p>\n

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