Affairs, blackmail and cliffhangers who glued to generations of viewers on the tube: Good Times, Bad Times exists 35 years on October 1. Nu.nl talks with fans of the first hour about the soap that has been shown in living rooms for decades.
Note: This article contains spoilers about the anniversary broadcast of Good Times, Bad Times (GTST).
In the anniversary episode on Wednesday it becomes clear that the time of carefreeness is still not back after all these years. After 35 years, viewers say goodbye to perhaps the face of Meerdijk, the fictional place where the series takes place. Because the soap can also be seen on Videoland, and runs a week there, it is already clear that actress Jette van der Meij leaves the series. Her character Laura Selmhorst dies.
With the farewell of Laura Selmhorst, GTST not only loses a character, but also a familiar face that was present since the very first episode. The jubilee episode, a tribute to Laura, calls nostalgia to viewers who followed her all those decades. For the last episode of Van der Meij, Reinout Oerlemans, actor of the first hour, returns once as his character Arnie Alberts, the son of Laura.
“Laura who pushes Robert in a fight so that he almost dies, Laura who marries a scammer … She really experienced everything, isn’t it?” Says fan Max Joling. “I still get goosebumps when I think of the moment when Laura is almost dying at the birth of her son. You will really love such a character.”
The Netherlands is introduced to GTST on October 1, 1990. The first seasons are based on the Australian Soap The Restless Years . Characters such as Linda Dekker, Arnie Alberts and Martine Hafkamp become fixed faces in the living rooms.
More than 7,100 episodes have now been made. “When I was seventeen years old, I got to know my husband and he thought the soap was really terrible. When we went to live together, he was sucked into it and 26 years later he was just as destroyed at GTST as I am a cup of coffee and having a nice soap for half an hour. For us it is the ultimate relaxation at the end of the day.”
Jolanda Scholte, who has been following the GTST for 33 years, also has warm memories. “It used to be a holy time for me at 8 p.m. I planned nothing else. The power is in characters such as Janine, Nina and Linda. You really will sympathize with them because they have been in the series for years. You are building a bond with them.”
The early years of GTST were known for simple decors and a cast full of newcomers. Fan Danny Trommelen recognizes that, who watches from the first episode. “If someone closed a door in the early years, the whole decor vibrated,” he recalls.
“The acting performance also left a lot to be desired.” Yet the soap grew into a tradition. As an eleven-year-old, Trommelen watched with his mother and later bought all DVD boxes. “All mothers watched it,” he says. “Later I looked back everything and I understood certain stories better that I used to find too scary.”
The stories in Meerdijk changed with the times. Where spectacle used to be paramount, such as Frits van Houten who was replaced by a television or Janine Elschot who accidentally shot Ludo during a fictional murder play, more often attention has been paid to current and social themes in recent years.
“I think the great thing is that GTST always goes along with the times and tackles current topics, making it very recognizable,” says Amira Aboutaleb. She mentions the storyline in which character Sam Dekker (Stijn Fransen) could not control her anger and abused her mother Linda (Babette van Veen). The soap raised parent abuse with that. In recent years, themes such as quiet birth, racism and rape have also passed. For the latter subject, the soap received a nomination for the Televizier-Ring Impact in 2022 because of the realistic interpretation of actors Tamara Brinkman and Kiefer Zwart, and the raising of the theme.
Not everyone is enthusiastic about the change of course. “Sometimes I miss that typical soap feeling: big emotions, spun out cliffhangers, a bit over the top,” says reader Joël Knobbe. “Of course there were strange story lines in between, but that is part of a soap that has been around for so long.”
The linear viewing figures are no longer what they were ever. In the heyday, around one and a half million people watched every day. In the meantime, that number is around 700,000 on good days. According to RTL, this goes up to around a million via Videoland.
Viewing figures wonder whether GTST will stay on RTL 4 in the future or will move completely to Videoland. Fans agree: not all the stories and intrigues in Meerdijk have been told.
Affairs, Blackmail, and Cliffhangers That Have Captivated Generations of Viewers: Good Times, Bad Times Celebrates Its 35th Anniversary On October 1st. Nu.nl Speaks with fans from the very beginning about the soap opera that has bone show in Living Rooms for Decades.
Please note: This article Contains spoilers about the anniversary episode of good times, bad times (GTST).
In Wednesday’s Anniversary Episode, It Becomes Clear That the Time of Carefree Living is Still Not Back After All These Years. After 35 years, Viewers Say Goodbye to Perhaps the Face of Meerdijk, The Fictional Place Where the Series Takes Place. Because the soap opera can also be seen on video, and is a week ahead there, it is already clear that actress jette van der meij is leaving the series. Her Character Laura Selmhorst Dies.
With the departure of Laura Selmhorst, GTST Loses Not Only A Character, But also A Family Face That Has Been Present Since the Very First Episode. The Anniversary Episode, A Tribute To Laura, Evokes Nostalgia in viewers who have followed her for all those decades. For van der Meij’s Last Episode, Reinout Oerlemans, An Actor from the Very Beginning, Returns Once As His Character Arnie Alberts, Laura’s Son.
“Laura Pushing Robert in an argument, Causing him to Almost Die, Laura Marrying a Con Man … She Has Really Experienced Everything, Hasn’t She?” Says Fan Max Joling. “I still get goosebumps when I think about the moment when laura almost dies giving birth to her son. You really grow to love such a character.”
On October 1, 1990, The Netherlands is introduced to gtst . The First Seasons are based on the Australian Soap Opera the Restless Years . Characters Such as Linda Dekker, Arnie Alberts, and Martine Hafkamp Become Familiar Faces in Living Rooms.
In The Meantime, More Than 7,100 Episodes Have Been Made. “When I was seventeen, I with my husband and he thought the soap opera was terrible. When we started live together, he got sucked into it and 26 years later he is just as addicted to gtst as i am. A cup of coffee, it is for use of usate, ity or usate, ity or usage. For usate, ity, ity, ity and use of usage. End of the Day. “
Jolanda Scholte, Who Has Been Following GTST for 33 years, also Has Fond Memories. “In The Past, 8:00 pm, a Sacred Time For Me; I Didn’t Plan Anything Else. The Strength Lies in Characters Like Janine, Nina, and Linda. You Really Start to Empathize With Them Because They have Been in The Series. You BUILD A BUILD A BUILD.”
The Early Years of GTST Were Known for Simple Sets and A Cast Full Of Newcomers. Fan Danny Trommelen, Who Has Been Watching Since the First Episode, Recognizes This. “Ify some slammed A by in The Early Years, The Whole Set would Shake,” He recalls.
“Also, the acting performances occasionally left something to be desired.” Yet the Soap Opera Grew Into A Tradition. Trommelen watched along with his mother as an eleven-year-hold and later bought all the dvd boxes. “All the Mothers watched it,” He says. “Later I Watched Everything Back and Understood Certain Stories Better That I Used To Find Too Scary.”
The Stories in Meerdijk Changed with the Times. Where spectacle used to be paramount, such as frits van wooden being electrocuted in the bath by a television or janine elschot accidentally shooting ludo duration a fictional murder game, in recent years more attention paid to current and social themes.
“What I Find Beautiful is that gtst always keeps up with the times and addresses current topics, which make it very recognizable,” Says Amira Aboutaleb. She Mentions the Storyline in which the Character Sam Dekker (Stijn Fransen) Could not Control Her anger and Abused Her Mother Linda (Babette van Veen). With This, the Soap Opera Addressed Elder Abuse. In recent years, Themes Such as Stillbirth, Racism, and Rape Have also featured. For the latter subject, The Soap Opera Received a Nomination for the Televizier-Ring Impact in 2022 for the realistic portrayal of Actors Tamara Brinkman and Kiefer Zwart, and for Addressing the Theme.
Not Everyone is Enthusiastic about the Change of Course. “Sometimes I miss that typical soap opera feeling: Big Emotions, drawn-out cliffhangers, a bit over the top,” Says Reader Joël Knobbe. “Or course, there were some Sometimes Strange Storylines in Between, but that’s part of a soap opera that has been going going on for so lung.”
Linear viewing figures are not what they once were. In Its Heyday, Around One and A Half Million People Watched Daily. Now that number is around 700,000 on good days. Accordance to rtl, that rises to about a million via Videoland.
Viewership Experts Wonder Whether GTST Will Remain on RTL 4 or Move Completing to Videoland in The Future. Fans Agree: Not all the stories and intrigues in Meerdijk have told yet.