Opening sequences

[Huntress]

Which one do you mean? The last one to be seen in both versions?

That's Letizia, played by Jennifer Dessin-Brasching. She's been added to the opening with this update along with Joscha, Lukas, Julia, David and Can. Melanie's also been re-added, but her scene is the same as in the 2011 opening. Gone are Zoé, Rüdiger, Marco and Sarah.

Before this update, the last scene featured Katja, Ben and Isabelle but their triangle storyline ended almost two years ago. Katja received a new shot, while Ben is now paired in a scene with Richard.

[MKA]

Updated Hotel Cæsar opening (after the summer break):

The only difference is that Janne Langangen (Birgitte Victoria Svendsen) is gone, having left the show prior to the summer break, while Jenny Augusta Anker-Hansen (new actress: Camilla Aanonli) is added on the opening again. Jenny was on the show from her birth in 2005 to 2011, and she was in the opening sequence in 2011. Back then, she was played by Madeleine Blom, but she has now been SORASed two years and is now 13 years.

The new order are: Pelle Krogstad | Juni Anker-Hansen | Arnfinn Lycke & Storm Liland Anker-Hansen | Willy Wang | Vanessa Nyman & Monica Nyman | Mie Andersen | Albert Lunde Anker-Hansen | Jenny Augusta | Jens August Anker-Hansen & Eva Rosenkrantz

[MKA]

I really can not stand the "picture-slides-into-the-background" effect they use in the VL opening (seriously, it's just not good), but otherwise the opening works, I guess.

What is your favourite German soap opening, Huntress?

[Huntress]

Of the current ones, I like AWZ best. UU looks like a comic, and GZSZ hasn't been properly updated in ages.

Meanwhile, the two remaining telenovelas are still attracting a massive audience.

Rote Rosen – Cycle 9

http://youtu.be/_jeiJtA1_R4

Sturm der Liebe – Cycle 9

http://youtu.be/YiF9M-jzV5U

[Huntress]

Verbotene Liebe presented its new opening today. From now on there will be two different versions, rotating daily (like GZSZ, UU and AWZ also do).

The new opening looks like a scrap book. The theme song has also been re-recorded.

Version A

Order: Verbotene Liebe - Tanja, Ansgar & Sebastian - Elisabeth & Charlie - Rebecca / Tristan - Caro / Thore - Olli & Jessica - Marlene - Kim - Dana / Jessica / Ricardo - Sascha, Andi & Bella - Olli

http://youtu.be/qYl0rKFyzNM

[Huntress]

And here is the second version.

Version B

Order: Verbotene Liebe - Tanja - Sebastian, Tanja & Ansgar - Jessica - Caro & Thore - Rebecca, Kim & Thore - Thore & Jessica - Emilio - Wolf family - Biggi - Thomas - Marlene - Dana - Emilio & Kim

http://youtu.be/6ksDRm8OMYc

[DRW50]

Thanks! I don't love the song (it's very Daughtry), but it's better than the other version.

Who is the guy with Olli at the end?

The guy with the motorcycle helmet that the girl with the glasses has a crush on seems like he'd be better suited for Olli...

Was that real fur Jessica and Olli were wearing? I just wondered if there are any outcries in Germany over fur in fashion the way there are (or were) in the US.

I like the idea of credits that show storylines, but you'd think they'd have to update these quite a bit.

[MKA]

For VL, I like each "shot" of the characters (especially the first one in both versions), but I don't like the scrapbook effect. I guess the new recording of the theme is better - well, I don't really know which one I prefer.

Hotel Cæsar

Seems like I haven't posted the current Hotel Cæsar opening sequence - which has already been used in it's last episode, following the 13 June season finale, and there'll be a new opening sequence when the show returns 18 August. Hence, this opening was used from January 2014 to June 2014:

Order: Pelle Krogstad | Storm Liland Anker-Hansen | Mie Andersen | Hilde Eriksen | Vanessa Nyman - Sigrid Uldal - Monica Nyman | Birte «Bitten» Lillevik | Arnfinn Lycke | Eva Rosenkrantz - Jenny Augusta Anker-Hansen - Jens August Anker-Hansen | Edvin Holte | Juni Anker-Hansen

Rather more changes in this opening sequence compared to the previous one, than it was when they last changed opening sequence back in August 2013 (which sa only one old character removed and one new character included). Both Albert and Willy are removed from the opening - even though both characters appeared for one and two months respectively after the change of the opening sequence, while Bitten, Edvin, Hilde and Sigrid is now included in the opening (increasing the number of characters included in the opening from 12 to 14, which is something I really like). Edvin and Sigrid was new characters as of respectively December 2013 and January 2014, while Hilde has been on the show since March 2013, but new on the opening. Bitten has been on the show multiple times - in 2000, 2002, 2012 and 2013 - before being included in the opening for the first time. The characters has also been moved around to reflect their new positions/new relationships:

• Pelle "opens" the opening, which have been standard since early 2012 (the original portier, Åge, used to "open" the opening this way while he was on the show from it's premiere in 1998 until 2003, and they re-introduced this tradition in early 2012)
• Storm has been moved away from Arnfinn to reflect the end of their business relations, and he has also been given a little more "rough" look to indicate his new career - drug dealing...
• Mie is moved to the front, and doesn't need to look at Albert any more (since he has left the show), but is perhaps seen as a more independent woman.
• Hilde is new on the opening, and I guess she's trying to show her a bit "bossy" attitude, even though she's "Sous chef" and not the real chef at Restaurant Cleo.
• Then we see the Nyman-Uldal family (Sigrid Uldal is Monica's mother). Vanessa looks rather happy having her grandmother in the middle between her and her mother, while the reuniting of mother and daugther becomes rather though for both Monica and Sigrid - which can be seen clearly be their facial expressions in the sequence).
• I guess it's rather straigth forward what Bitten wants.... Arnfinn!
• And Arnfinn, now moved away from Storm, doesn't seem to reject Bitten...
• Eva's focus lays on her daugther, Jenny, finally back home from Paris, but Jens August is as usual busy with other stuff like fixing his suit... I assume it is a symbol for the fact that he mostly focuses on work and not so much on family, as usual.
• Edvin just comes up from nothing - who's this mysterious man? Oh, you Anker-Hansens should've prepared, this man is evil, manipulative and - at times - almost psychopathic! This family will never be the same after dealing with Edvin...
• Juni is back where she belongs, in the grand finale of the opening!*

"Funfact": Since it's premiere in 1998, the show has had 22 different opening sequences, and Juni has been the last characters in the opening 9 times - and she's been included in all the openings, she hasn't missed a single one. This doesn't mean she hasn't had breaks from the show, but they've never removed her from the opening. This has given some strange results, for instance, Juni was included in the 20th opening last year even though she did't appear in one single episode where the sequence was used. In addition: the finale character has been a woman during all the years from 1998, sometimes accompanied by a man (but mostly on her own).

[Ben]

So, is Juni an original character? What's so special about Juni that they keep her in the opening credits even when she's not on the show? Seems a strange practice. Unless she's been contracted to the show during these breaks?

Does HC revamp its opening credits every season? Not many soaps do that as it isn't cost effective, and not always necessary.

[Huntress]

Both versions of the new Gute Zeiten, Schlechte Zeiten opening have been unveiled.

Version A will first air at the beginning of tomorrow's (July 1st) episode.

The new opening features single cast shots once again, paired with modern visuals of Berlin. The show's logo has also been slightly modernized and now looks as if it has been made of glass.

The re-recorded theme song is sung by German synth-pop duo "Glasperlenspiel".

This is the first opening to feature Mesut, David, Sophie, Bommel, Mieze, Anni and Nele.

The only current contract cast member not included is Nadine Menz as Ayla Özgül. This is due to the fact that the character received a recast after the new opening had been filmed.

Because of copyright reasons, there is no youtube video.

Version A

Order: Janina Uhse as Jasmin Nowak Flemming LeRoy (January 2008-present) – Mustafa Alin as Mesut Yildiz (January 2014-present; recurring previously) – Philipp Christopher as David Brenner (March 2014-present) – Lea Marlen Woitack as Sophie Lindh (March 2014-present) – Daniel Fehlow as Leon Moreno (April 1996-May 1999; April 2001-present) – Wolfgang Bahro as Dr. Jo Gerner (February 1993-present) – Ulrike Frank as Katrin Flemming-Gerner (April 2004-present; recurring previously) – Merlin Leonhardt as Till "Bommel" Kuhn (January 2014-present; recurring previously) – Franziska van der Heide as Mieke "Mieze" Lutze (August 2013-present) – Thomas Drechsel as Max "Tuner" Krüger (June 2010-present; recurring previously)

Version B

Order: Raul Richter as Dominik Gundlach Gerner (December 2007-present) – Anne Menden as Emily Höfer Badak (December 2004-present) – Jascha Rust as Zacharias "Zac" Klingenthal (March 2011-present) – Iris Mareike Steen as Lilly Seefeld (December 2010-present) – Tayfun Baydar as Tayfun Badak (December 2008-present) – Linda Marlen Runge as Anni Brehme (July 2013-present) – Clemens Löhr as Alexander Cöster (July 2009-present, 2nd actor in the role) – Eva Mona Rodekirchen as Maren Seefeld (November 2010-present) – Vincent Krüger as Vince Köpke (February 2011-present) – Ramona Dempsey as Nele Lehmann (August 2013-present) – Jörn Schlönvoigt as Dr. Philip Höfer (2004-present)

[Huntress]

And here are the videos (will probably be deleted soon):

http://youtu.be/8YCdkjpsjQc

http://youtu.be/rBiYTzgOO2w

[MKA]

Yes, Juni is an original character, since the show's inception in 1998. She then had a break from September 2005 to January 2006. During this time, Juni was in a coma after a car crash. From April 2010, she had a break and returned in December 2010 (only to find that her own house, Ankerseteren, burns down in her second episode after the comeback...), while Juni was searching for her hitherto unknown half-sister, Rose, in Australia, without succeeding in the search (and that's still a mystery, in my opinion, because Rose hasn't been mentioned after this, and I think it's a shame if they sent Juni away for almost a year only to never mention Rose again). Last year, she had a new break from March 2013 to September 2013, following the discovery that Juni has Parkinson's disease, but in a, IMO, rather strange move she had been cured when se returned. Well, Juni did say on the show that it was odd that she was cured from the disease, but I still find it a bit strange. I do hope they bring the disease back some time in the future, to help the show's credibility, since Parkinson's, as far as I know, is a rather incurable disease.

Since Juni is my favourite character on the show, I guess it's a bit of a conflict of interest , but I would say Juni is a very special character. The normal way of dealing with her breaks is to just not change the opening while she's away, which worked rather well the two first times she had a break, due to small cast changes during this periods so the only strange in opening really was that Juni was in it, even though she wasn't on the show (or, she was on the show in, let's say, half the episodes the opening was used, but not in the other half). However, the last time that wouldn't have worked out just so well, since it was quit a few cast changes during her break so they decided to change the opening, but still include Juni, as stated earlier, even though she didn't appear in one single episode the opening was used.

I guess the reason they have decided to make sure Juni always is included in the opening is because she's the only character who has been included in all the openings since 1998. Juni shared this status with her grandmother, Astrid Anker-Hansen, until Astrid died in April 2010, which btw. saw Juni leaving for Australia the episode after her funeral. I, and other fans, see this as very positive, because Juni has been, and still is, the "largest" and most special character throgh the show's run. She's been around for ever, and has always been a major part of the show - actually even when she has been on break. I think it's a good tradition to keep Juni on the opening, since she is like a "rock" on the show.

The frequence of opening sequence updates have varied very much over the show's run. The first opening was used from 1998 and 2000 in a total of 219 episodes, making it the opening sequence used for the longest period, while the 18th and 21st openings was used in respectively 2012 and 2013, both in only 65 episodes. It has as well varied how large the differences are from one opening sequence tot he next one. Sometimes all the character's "shots" are changed, and this is usually accompanied by a larger transformation of the show for example to the introduction of several new characters on the opening sequence, other times there are just minor changes, like adding one character and removing another. Most of the changes are something in between, I guess - maybe 30/70 or 40/60 old/new shots. The relationships between the characters of course changes during the show's run, so they actually need to update the opening quit often, at least by the way the Hotel Cæsar opening works. In general, they change the opening once or, some times, twice a year. More about the opening at this website (in Norwegian): http://hotelcaesar.wikia.com/wiki/%C3%85pningsvignetten

[Ben]

How bizarre that they would give the character an incurable disease when they had no real plans to keep it going. Seems really odd to pick a condition that is quite well known for being incurable, only to cure her. Even more odd to have the character reference the oddness of being cured. Any chance she could have been misdiagnosed? It would explain being cured... They should have picked MS, like what Neighbours did with Susan. It allowed the show to diagnose her character with the type of MS that remits every now and again; so they don't have the burden of being stuck with a major character with an incurable condition.

Thanks for all the info about Juni and the history of the opening sequences. I think I understand better now, why they keep Juni in the opening even when she's not on screen. The show has been going for 15.5 years, and Juni is their only original character. I think it's great that she's still an integral part of the show, and will be better to keep her in the opening so casual viewers will know that she's still apart of the show. From what you've said, it seems like she's never really away for too long, so her presence is still felt within the show.

[Huntress]

The new opening of Unter uns will debut next Monday. Similar to the new GZSZ opening, which premiered on July 1st, UU now presents its cast members in front of real buildings and landmarks in the city that the show is set in. Whereas GZSZ takes place in the capital Berlin, UU is set in the vibrant city of Cologne.

While the GZSZ opening is rather colorful, UU's new opening is dominated by a blue hue. The show's logo and the theme have also been modernized. The characters' names are also flashing by for the very first time in the show's history.

This is the first opening to feature Bambi, Joe, Sascha, Caro, Kimberly and Leonie.

The only contract cast member not included is Svenja Jung as Lisa Brück. Reasons are unknown.

Version A

Order: Claudelle Deckert as Eva Wagner Weigel (March 2001-August 2006; October 2008-present) & Ben Ruedinger as Till Weigel #2 (October 2000-present) – Benjamin Heinrich as Benno "Bambi" Hirschberger (July 2013-present), Valea Scalabrino as Sina Uhland (April 2010-present), Lars Steinhöfel as Easy Winter (May 2005-present), Marvin Linke as Moritz Schönfeld (January 2010-present) & Sarah Hannemann as Josephine "Joe" Johlke (December 2013-present) – Tabea Heynig as Britta Schönfeld (January 2010-present) – Joy Lee Juana Abiola-Müller as Micki Fink Lassner (January 2009-present) & Patrick Müller as Tobias Lassner (December 2006-present) – Kai Noll as Rufus Sturm (February 2003-present), Alexander Sholti as Dr. Sascha Brenner (December 2013-present), Benjamin Kiss as Henning Fink #2 (April 2010-present) & Stefan Bockelmann as Malte Winter (September 2001-present)

Version B

Order: Isabell Hertel as Ute Kiefer Kern Weigel Fink (February 1995-present), Stefan Bockelmann as Malte Winter (September 2001-present) & Ines Kurenbach as Caro Kasper (August 2014-present) – Barbara Prakopenka as Kira Beckmann (August 2012-present), Timothy Boldt as Ringo Beckmann (August 2012-present) & Maja Lehrer as Kimberly Pötter (June 2014-present) – Claudelle Deckert as Eva Wagner Weigel (March 2001-August 2006; October 2008-present) – Milos Vukovic as Paco Weigel (May 2000-present) & Maria Kempken as Leonie Weidenfeld #2 (April 2014-present) – Petra Blossey as Irene Weigel (original cast member), Valea Scalabrino as Sina Uhland (April 2010-present) & Ben Ruedinger as Till Weigel #2 (October 2000-present)

[Huntress]

Both Gute Zeiten, Schlechte Zeiten and Alles was zählt have updated their openings. While AWZ received a complete new sequence and even an overhauled logo, GZSZ added its new contract stars to its intro.

Alles was zählt

The opening was last updated in August 2013. This is the first opening to feature Iva, Sonja, Flo and Thomas. Vanessa has been re-added. Melanie, Letizia, Lukas, Joscha, David and Julia were removed. Former contract roles Felix, Toni and Larissa were never included.

Everyone received new footage except Bea, Ingo, Jenny and Maximilian. Their shots were recycled from the previous opening.

The only current contract cast member not included is Lars Korten as Christoph Lukowski.

Current couples / couples in the making: Simone & Richard / Vanessa & Christoph / Katja & Can / Iva & Ben / Sonja & Thomas / Lena & Marian / Bea & Ingo

Version 2015.1/A

Order: Tatjana Clasing as Simone Steinkamp (original cast member) & Silvan-Pierre Leirich as Richard Steinkamp (original cast member) – Julia Augustin as Vanessa Steinkamp (2006-2009; 2010-2012; 2013; 2014-present) / Igor Dolgatschew as Deniz Öztürk (2007-present) & Anna Katharina Samsel as Katja Bergmann (2009-present) – Jörg Rohde as Ben Steinkamp #2 (2009-present) & Christina Klein as Iva Lukowski (2014-present) – Barbara Sotelsek as Sonja Brück (2015-present), Julia Albrecht as Flo Brück (2015-present) & Daniel Brockhaus as Thomas Brück (2015-present) – Kaja Schmidt-Tychsen as Jenny Steinkamp #4 (2011-present) & Francisco Medina as Maximilian von Altenburg (2007-2013; 2014-present) – Sam Eisenstein as Marian Öztürk (original cast member) & Juliette Greco as Lena Bergmann von Altenburg Öztürk #1/#3 (2007-present) – Igor Dolgatschew as Deniz Öztürk / Alles was zählt

Version 2015.1/B

Order: Julia Augustin as Vanessa Steinkamp (2006-2009; 2010-2012; 2013; 2014-present) & Tatjana Clasing as Simone Steinkamp (original cast member) – Caroline Frier as Bea Meyer Steinkamp (2013-present) & André Dietz as Ingo Zadek (original cast member) – Anna Katharina Samsel as Katja Bergmann (2009-present), Juliette Greco as Lena Bergmann von Altenburg Öztürk #1/#3 (2007-present) & Barbara Sotelsek as Sonja Brück (2015-present) – Volkan Isbert as Can Öztürk (2012-present) & Igor Dolgatschew as Deniz Öztürk (2007-present) – Kaja Schmidt-Tychsen as Jenny Steinkamp #4 (2011-present) & Ania Niedieck as Isabelle Reichenbach Steinkamp (2011-present) – Silvan-Pierre Leirich as Richard Steinkamp (original cast member) & Jörg Rohde as Ben Steinkamp #2 (2009-present) – Jörg Rohde as Ben Steinkamp / Alles was zählt

Gute Zeiten, Schlechte Zeiten

The opening was last updated in July 2014. This is the first opening to feature Chris, Ayla #2, Jonas, Elena and Sunny. Pia and John have been re-added. Sophie and Mieze received new footage. Bommel, Dominik and Zac were removed. In addition, the order of the characters was slightly altered. Vince was moved from Version B to Version A.

Current couples / couples in the making: Lilly & Chris / Pia & John / Ayla & Tayfun / Anni & Jasmin / Maren & Alexander / Mieze & Jonas / Nele & Mesut / Sophie & Leon / Sunny & Vince

Version 2015.1/A

Order: Janina Uhse as Jasmin Nowak Flemming LeRoy (2008-present) – Mustafa Alin as Mesut Yildiz (2014-present; recurring previously) – Elena Garcia Gerlach as Elena Castillo (2014-present; recurring previously) – Philipp Christopher as David Brenner (2014-present) – Lea Marlen Woitack as Sophie Lindh (2014-present) – Daniel Fehlow as Leon Moreno (1996-1999; 2001-present) – Valentina Pahde as Sunny Richter (2015-present) – Wolfgang Bahro as Dr. Jo Gerner (February 1993-present) – Ulrike Frank as Katrin Flemming-Gerner (2004-present; recurring previously) – Vincent Krüger as Vince Köpke (2011-present) – Franziska van der Heide as Mieke "Mieze" Lutze (2013-present) – Thomas Drechsel as Max "Tuner" Krüger (2010-present; recurring previously)

Version 2015.1/B

Order: Eric Stehfest as Chris Lehmann (2014-present) – Anne Menden as Emily Höfer Badak (2004-present) – Felix von Jascheroff as John Bachmann (2011-2014; 2015-present) – Isabell Horn as Pia Koch (2009-2014; 2015-present) – Nadine Menz as Ayla Özgül Höfer #2 (2014-present) – Tayfun Baydar as Tayfun Badak (2008-present) – Iris Mareike Steen as Lilly Seefeld (2010-present) – Linda Marlen Runge as Anni Brehme (2013-present) – Clemens Löhr as Alexander Cöster #2 (July 2009-present) – Eva Mona Rodekirchen as Maren Seefeld (2010-present) – Felix van Deventer as Jonas Seefeld (2014-present) – Ramona Dempsey as Nele Lehmann (2013-present) – Jörn Schlönvoigt as Dr. Philip Höfer (2004-present) – Gute Zeiten, Schlechte Zeiten