Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten (Good Times, Bad Times) is a German daily Soap Opera. It is broadcast on RTL in prime time. It is the most popular soap opera in Germany.
The series started in 1992 as an adaptation of the Australian soap opera The Restless Years, which had at the time (also by RTL) already been adapted into a Dutch version called Goede Tijden Slechte Tijden (1990), which is still the most popular soap opera in its home market as well. The Restless Years only ran for four years, and had already ended its run in 1981.
Tropes featured:
- Abusive Parents: Jasmin's adoptive father raped her when she was a child.
- Big, Screwed-Up Family: Gerner family
- Brother–Sister Incest: John Bachmann and Emily Hofer
- Citizenship Marriage: Dascha and Philip
- Drugs Are Bad: Dominik's addiction to cocaine. Also Emily's heroin addiction.
- Family Relationship Switcheroo: Jasmin and Katrin Flemming
- Local Hangout: Mauerwerk
- Long-Runners: Airing since May 1992.
- Love Triangle: Hey, it is a soap opera.
- Not Blood Siblings: Jasmin and Dominik
- Not Even Bothering with the Accent: Dascha is supposed to be an illegal immigrant from Kazahkstan but she speaks perfect German with no accent.
- Parental Abandonment: Hannes Bachmann
- Put on a Bus
- Surprise Incest: John Bachmann and Emily Hofer. First time they slept together they were unaware of their relation, second time however they were well-aware.
