maybetomorrow

Soap Ratings 2012&2013 Unter Uns (RTL); 5.30pm 2012: 1,69 Mio (all); 12,0% / 0,81 Mio (14-49); 17,0% 2013: 1,49 Mio (all); 10,6% / 0,73 Mio (14-49); 15,5% Verbotene Liebe (ARD); 6pm 2012: 1,31 Mio (all); 7,9% / 0,29 Mio (14-49); 5,3% 2013: 1,18 Mio (all); 6,9% / 0,26 Mio (14-49); 4,6% Alles was zählt (RTL); 7.10pm 2012: 2,60 Mio (all); 11,3% / 1,18 Mio (14-49); 15,1% 2013: 2,46 Mio (all); 10,8% / 1,10 Mio (14-49); 14,7% Gute Zeiten, Schlechte Zeiten (RTL); 7.40pm 2012: 3,36 Mio (all); 12,8% / 1,86 Mio (14-49); 20,2% 2013: 3,25 Mio (all); 12,5% / 1,79 Mio (14-49); 20,3% RTL had a really bad year overall, their soaps even lost comparatively few viewers. But UU is in a total slump right now. Yesterday, they had only 1,50 Mio viewers and a share of 8,9%. That's quite bad. I wonder if RTL is planning another revamp or something.

B&B had the 11.15am to midday slot. So ZDF either had to show two B&B episodes or edit Y&R if they wanted to air Y&R and B&B episodes back to back. No idea why they never tried to alternate them in the slot. I suppose it worked for them. The reruns of their crime shows in B&B's slot have pretty good ratings and are probably cheaper with no dubbing and not having to acquire the rights. ZDF also got rid of their other telenovela/soap slot at 4.15pm where they had a series of successful telenovelas and then tried and failed to establish a medical daily. They replaced it with...surprise...reruns of their crime shows. Thank you.

ZDF really didn't cover itself in glory when they dropped B&B. I only watched it occasionally but it was interesting to see what an American soap was like (style, storylines, structure, dialogue, etc.) and compare it to the German soaps. And of course now they are repeating one of their many many crime shows in B&B's slot. So we had the first episodes of 2014... not exactly a very promising or exciting start I think. Except maybe for the beginning of this Katrin/Bommel story on GZSZ. The stuck-up workaholic recovering from a stroke and the leftie philosophy student 20 years her junior? It's so absurd and weird that it could be good again. At least it's a small surprise and not the usual formula with the huge signposts that we have on VL with their new telenovela 'super' couple.

True. VL also seems to be shooting their 'Barno' scenes around there. You can see some of these ominous blue doors in all three soaps. But yeah, I think RTL must have given them some more money because AWZ now regularly features this 'random' street and I think they are using a real apartment for Isabell/Richard. GZSZ is all over Berlin and thankfully they have toned down those 'random' subway meetings. They must have realized that Berlin's subway system doesn't rely on one wagon alone. I wonder why GZSZ insited on this swift change, portraying urban 'reality' now. Hasn't it always been the most successful soap anyway? I think all of the soaps followed the lead a bit and have toned the typical soapy and whacky elements a bit. No more Alien-dream-episodes.

The shows might not be on a break during summer but I recall that every year some fans complain about a 'Sommerloch' with slow storylines that are basically prolonged until autumn. Caro and Thore had their debut on VL last friday. Meh. However, I do like that neither seems to have a Lahnstein connection (other than the obligatory desire to work for them) or a Wolf connection. I wonder if they'll move Caro to the flatshare and have Olli as her support... Even though I'm only watching GZSZ sporadically (it just lacks a certain character I'd watch it for) I have to say that the show's look is pretty fabulous. On top of having the best and biggest outside set they seem to be shooting a lot on location in Berlin these days. I guess RTL also spent some money on AWZ and UU because I feel they also are allowed out of Cologne Ossendorf more than they used to but not nearly as much as GZSZ.