German soaps: GZSZ, UU & AWZ

[AMCOLTLLover]

The 4000th Episode of Alles Was Zählt was quiet boring. I liked Finn/Justus dialogue and Malus video appearence with her confession.

Frank Gieses return was unneeded and wasn’t even that „shocking“

[AMCOLTLLover]

I really enjoyed the Martin storyline on GZSZ but it’s a shame they turned the whole thing into a joke. That whole fight scene between Nihat and Martin with the slow-mo was ruining it for me.

Maren is out. Such a shame.

[Huntress]

Regarding Maren, I feel like the writers didn't know what to do with her since Emma was born. In the past few years, she only had filler stories and was used as Katrin's sidekick and comic relief. Eva's acting was brillant during the whole Frederic Riefflin saga. Maybe she'll return in the future.

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Lilly and the others let Martin drown:

Some more outtakes:

[Huntress]

Felix von Jascheroff, who has played John Bachmann on GZSZ for more than 20 years, took part in the 7th season of The Masked Singer Germany. Disguised as the Black Mamba, he reached the 6th place.

Felix is not the first soap actor to grace the Masked Singer stage; however, he is the only one who has taken part while still being on a soap. In past seasons, Susan Sideropoulos (GZSZ and its spin-off Leon), Jeanette Biedermann (GZSZ) and Thore Schölermann (Verbotene Liebe) appeared as the Disco Ball, Butterfly and Monstronaut, respectively.

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Speaking of GZSZ's spin-offs, the "Leon" spin-off was apparently so successful that it receives a second season. It will probably premiere on RTL+ in early 2023. The other two spin-offs, "Sunny" and "Nihat", were done after 1 season.

Some casting news:

• There are three new contract roles on GZSZ: Nina Ensmann plays Jessica Reichelt, Nina's younger sister. Daniel Noah has joined the cast as police officer Sascha Beck, who's investigating Martin's disappearance. Lastly, Patrick Fernandez has been cast in a yet unnamed role. He's rumoured to be Nina's ex-boyfriend.
• In turn, Niklas Osterloh (Paul) and Eva Mona Rodekirchen (Maren) have departed the show – for now. Osterloh is supposed to return next year. Olivia Marei (Toni) will be on maternity leave for several months.
• On UU, Julius Dombrink replaced Akeem van Flodrop in the role of Theo Wolters. Jess Maura has joined the cast as Theo's younger sister Paula. Bettine Langehein plays Stella Richter, a young woman with a dangerous past. Isabel Vollmer (Monika) departs the show after two years.
• UU celebrates its 7000th episode on November 23rd, 2022.

 

[DRW50]

Thanks as always  @Huntress  . Did you enjoy Leon?

[Huntress]

Actually, I haven't watched any of the GZSZ spin-offs (yet) 

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I've been subscribed to RTL+ for several years, but mostly because of the classic soap episodes. So far, they've uploaded all GZSZ episodes from the beginning to July 2000. UU is online from the beginning to the end of 2001, and AWZ's complete library is up there.

Watching these old episodes, it's amazing how fast they burned through plotline after plotline and how neatly they dealt with the constantly changing cast. Most actors back then didn't stay on the canvas longer than 2 or 3 years. However, literally no departure left a big void because the shows kept on introducing replacements on the spot, and in most cases, they were accepted by the audience immediately. These days, there's a huge backlash on social media if a performer dares to take a longer break or – heaven forbid – decides to leave for good. That's why the shows have started to declare most exits as "temporary or extended breaks".

It's also striking that the shows – most notably GZSZ – at some point decided to drag along a lof of deadweight characters who only receive B or C plots. Back then, they were simply written off when the producers felt that "their story was told".

If you look at this GZSZ episode count from January 2000, 2/3 of these people were gone within the next two years, and only one cast member is still on board today.

01. Rainer Meifert (Dr. Jan Wittenberg) : 19 / 1998-2000
02. Ralf Benson (Fabian Moreno) : 16 / 1996-2000; recurring 2003-2004
*** Hans Christiani (A.R. Daniel) : 16 / 1992-2009
04. Laurent Daniels (Philip Krüger) : 15 / 1997-2000
*** Nadine Dehmel (Nataly Jäger) : 15 / 1996-2000
*** Jan Hartmann (Chris Bohlstädt) : 15 / 1999-2001
*** Patrick Harzig (Peter Becker #3) : 15 / 1999-2002
08. Jeanette Biedermann (Marie Balzer) : 14 / 1999-2004
*** Nina Bott (Cora Hinze) : 14 / 1997-2005
*** Rhea Harder (Flo Spira) : 14 / 1996-2002
*** Stefanie Julia Möller (Charlotte Bohlstädt) : 14 / 1999-2001
*** Lisa Riecken (Elisabeth Meinhart) : 14 / 1992-2010
*** Tim Sander (Kai Scholl) : 14 / 1998-2002
*** Raphael Vogt (Nico Weimershaus) : 14 / 1996-2005
15. Cathrin Vaessen (Franziska Bohlstädt) : 13 / 1999-2000
16. Frank-Thomas Mende (Clemens Richter) : 12 / 1992-2010
*** Tokessa Möller-Martinius (Sonja Wiebe #2) : 12 / 1998-2002 
18. Wolfgang Bahro (Dr. Jo Gerner) : 10 / 1993-present
19. Anna Frenzel-Röhl (Sandra Lemke #1) : 9 / 2000-2002
20. Romana Pollak (Lara Kelm) : 7 / 2000
21. Raphael Schneider (Andy Lehmann) : 6 / 1995-2000
22. Mona Klare (Barbara Graf #3) : 5 / 1999-2000; recurring 2002
23. Franziska Dilger (Inka Berent) : 3 / 1999-2001

 

Edited October 29, 2022 by Huntress

[AMCOLTLLover]

Nadine Dehmel as Nataly and Oliver Petzsokat (Oli P) as Ricky were my very first personal super couple! It broke my heart when he left her. I remember that people wanted him back for the 2000th Episode or when Nataly was leaving the show.

i still hate GZSZ for firing Nadine/Nataly. She was one of the biggest fan favorites and her weird amnesia story and Jo Gerner taking advantage of her was a hot mess. That she tried to get some payback was awesome!

I have watched UU and during the first 300 episodes they have burned through at least 12 story arcs. No wonder it feels out burned by now
 

Oh no. Moni is leaving UU?

7000 Episodes Unter Uns

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I loved that show since like forever but this show has quiet outstayed it’s welcome. It’s worse than “Verbotene Liebe” back then. Everytime u think something major happens and UU gets remotely interesting the writer screwing up again!

Like what’s the point of Corinna and Chris being back after 23 years? Oh yeah so that Chris can work in that place he never wanted to work back then after working as a cop. Corinna owning a hotel? Ok..  wasted characters. 
Last year Ringo was driving Benedikt insane and now that plot is completely forgotten.

David-Paco could’ve some potential but it never took off coz they threw Britta in the mix. 
 

Edited October 29, 2022 by AMCOLTLLover

[Huntress]

Oh really? I couldn't stand that couple 

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 Nataly was always so nosy and assumed the worst of Ricky. However, I liked Nataly in dramatic stories where she was able to show off her mental strength, for example during her rape story, when she almost got sucked in the cult and when they were all trapped in the lost bunker.

Today it was announced that Daniel Aichinger (Dr. Axel Steinkamp-Schwarz) is returning to AWZ after almost 9 years. Aichinger was part of the original cast and left in 2012, then briefly returned in early 2014. His first airdate is December 6th, 2022.

Also, Marc Dumitru joins the cast as Kilian Reichenbach, Isabelle and Nathalie's cousin. Kilian's a lawyer, and his first case in Essen will be investigating a case of a hit-and-run accident, not knowning that Isabelle was the driver. Dumitru's first airdate is December 29th, 2022.

In addition, the show is bringing Maximilian and Lena's son Alexander Öztürk next month. Born on-screen in 2009, he was mostly raised by Lena and her then-husband Marian Öztürk. Two years ago, Lena and Alexander departed the show and moved to Munich. A grown up Alexander, now being played by Oscar Kafsack, returns to town on December 19th, 2022.

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Cast Changes in 2022

GZSZ

Contract arrivals:

Lars Pape as Michael “Michi” Bode (July 2022-present; recurring previously)
Nina Ensmann as Jessica Reichelt (September 2022-present)
David Noah as Sascha Beck (October 2022-present)
Patrick Fernandez as Carlos Lopez (November 2022-present)

Contract departures:

Daniel Fehlow as Leon Moreno (June 1996-June 1999; April 2001-January 2022; recurring otherwise)
Vildan Cirpan as Dr. Nazan Akinci (March 2020-April 2022)
Nassim Avat as Kian Dawalu (November 2021-May 2022)
Sara Fuchs as Miriam "Miro" Behnke (September 2021-May 2022)
Eva Mona Rodekirchen as Maren Seefeld (November 2010-September 2022)

AWZ

Contract arrivals:

Féréba Koné as Imani Okana (April 2022-present)
Marc Dumitru as Kilian Reichenbach (December 2022-present)

Contract departures:

Lisandra Bardél as Malu Santos (August 2020-July 2022)
Christopher Kohn as Dr. Finn Albrecht (January 2019-November 2022; recurring previously)

Note: Franziska van der Heide (Ina Ziegler), who went on maternity leave in November 2021, and Cheyenne Pahde (Marie Schmidt #2), who took an "extended break" also in October 2021, will both not return to AWZ.

UU

Contract arrivals:

Diego Carlos Seyfrath as David Junker (February 2022-present)
Kai Noll as Rufus Sturm (February 2003-September 2020; April 2022-present)
Iris Werlin as Lulu Schwarz (August 2022-present)
Julius Dombrink as Theo Wolters #2 (September 2022-present)
Jess Maura as Paula Wolters (September 2022-present)
Bettine Langehein as Stella Richter (October 2022-present)

Contract departures:

Yannik Meyer as Conor Weigel (September 2018-June 2022)
Constantin Lücke as Till Weigel #3 (September 2020-July 2022)
Claudelle Deckert as Eva Wagner (April 2001-August 2006; August 2008-July 2022; recurring otherwise)
Luca Maric as Robert Küpper (January 2015-September 2022)
Isabelle Geiss as Nika Färber (December 2019-September 2022)
Isabel Vollmer as Monika Huber (November 2020-December 2022?)

Edited November 29, 2022 by Huntress

[Huntress]

In 2021, it was a big surprise when Tatiani Katrantzi reprised her role as Jennifer "Jenny" Turner on Unter Uns after having been off the show for almost 23 years. In January 2023, Katrantzi will return once more – this time, she's back on contract. The Greek-born actress was part of the original cast and played a huge part in the show's early days.

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Jenny's only ties to the current canvas are Chris and Corinna Weigel (who she was friends with back in the day – both characters were brought back in 2021 as recasts) and Ute Kiefer.

However, there are rumours that Corinna might be killed off soon. Her portrayer Nina Weisz didn't take part in the anniversary photo shoot and the show reportedly filmed a funeral a few days ago.

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Merry Christmas from the GZSZ cast

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GZSZ: Behind the Scenes – Katrin and Tobias's wedding

Tobias and Michi do pole-dancing

Outtakes

Edited December 23, 2022 by Huntress

[Forever8]

Are you glad to see Jenny back full time? 

How do you feel about them possibly killing of Corinna? 

[AMCOLTLLover]

I‘m so happy to see Jennifer back full time ..She was one of my favorites in the 90‘s! She could be annoying but overall she was an enjoyable character. I loved her with Sven

But Corinna being killed off? I hope this is a rumor.. I Love Corinna since the 90‘s and the recast is doing an alright job with the shitty material they are giving her. 
what would be the point to bring back Corinna after 20+ years just to kill her off two years later and ruin the happy ending of Chris/Corinna in 1997

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[Huntress]

I loved Jenny back in the day because she was the moral compass and most grounded person between all her screwed up peers. Her farewell scene was one of the saddest scenes of the early years – she secretly left at the crack of dawn and only said goodbye to landlord Margot Weigel (RIP).
"Schillerallee was my home at all times." – "And it always will be, my dear."

Regarding Corinna, I'm not that keen on the recast. She's just not Corinna. Back in the 90s, Corinna was a bit neurotic, had quite a temper, and she was not afraid to do dangerous things (like taking it up with a mob boss). Of course people change, but this current version is too vanilla. I'd prefer if they'd just recast her again, but they're probably hesitating because the last two major recasts (Till and Theo) received quite a backlash.

[AMCOLTLLover]

Daniel Fehlow returns to GZSZ (again.. not really a surprise or something worth mentioning at this point).. The only times I was hyped about a Leon return was in 1999 and 2007/08-ish when Gerner hold him captive in a psychiatric clinic. Otherwise he’s popped in and out so many times that I just don’t care anymore 

He will air his second spin-off show and then will head back to the main show!

But not alone. Susan Sideropolous will be back too. She played Verena Koch for a guest stint in 2001 before being upgraded and stayed until her death in 2011.. She is playing a Verena lookalike named Sarah and was already seen in the Leon-Spin off

[Huntress]

UU is indeed killing off 

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Last week, Wolfgang Bahro celebrated his 30th anniversary as Dr. Jo Gerner on GZSZ. The show put his first episode (#185) online for free.

Official Summary: Elke receives an anonymous letter in which she is told about Patrick's fraud. With Heiko's support, she visits Patrick, who eventually agrees to withdraw his claim against Elke. Peter, who has been taken to the hospital after suffering from an electrical shock due to a manipulated coffee machine, is doing better. However, everyone is still wondering if it really was just an accident ...

Cast: André, Clemens, Daniel, Elisabeth, Elke, Jo, Julia, Heiko, Helga, Martin, Patrick, Richard, Tanja, Tina, Vera, Hr. Bachstein

Warning: Horrible Acting Alert 

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The cast congratules him:

WB's "best" outtakes:

Edited February 13, 2023 by Huntress

[Forever8]

@HuntressHow do you feel about that spoiler?