Türkisch für Anfänger
| Türkisch für Anfänger | |
|---|---|
| Created by | Bora Dağtekin |
| Starring |
Josefine Preuß Emil Reinke Anna Stieblich Elyas M'Barek Pegah Ferydoni Adnan Maral Arnel Taci Axel Schreiber Carl-Heinz Choinsky Katharina Kaali Andreas Hofer Susanne Kirschnik |
| Opening theme | Karpatenhund – Gegen den Rest |
| Country of origin | Germany |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 52 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Hoffmann & Voges Ent. |
| Running time | 25 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | Das Erste |
| Original release | March 14, 2006 – February 24, 2009 |
| External links | |
| Website | www |
Türkisch für Anfänger (literal translation into English: Turkish for Beginners) is a critically acclaimed German television comedy-drama series, which premiered on March 14, 2006 on Das Erste. It was created by Bora Dağtekin and produced by Hoffmann & Voges Ent.
The show focuses on the German-Turkish stepfamily Schneider-Öztürk, their everyday lives and particularly on the eldest daughter, Lena, who narrates the show. During its run of 52 episodes, the show covered topics including typical problems of teenagers and cross-cultural experiences.
Due to popular demand, a 16-episode third season aired in Fall 2008.
The show was successful in foreign markets, being broadcast in more than 70 countries.
16 year-old Lena's life seemed perfect: She lived with just her little brother Nils (13) and her mother Doris, a psychotherapist. But unfortunately for Lena, her mother fell in love with Metin, a police officer of Turkish descent, and moved in with him and Yağmur (15), his pious Muslim daughter, and Cem (17), his wannabe gangster son. Now Lena must deal with her stepfamily. She narrates the show by recording videos for her best friend Kati, who is studying in the USA on a Student Exchange Program.
The episode titles imitate those of Friends (The One with...), for example:
The new family adjusts to each other - which is more difficult than Doris and Metin thought. Lena and Yağmur share a room, which immediately complicates their sisterhood. Besides, Lena is an atheist and Yağmur, a pious Muslim wearing a headscarf. Free-spirited Doris is now responsible for two more children, her stepson Cem, who is a bit of a macho, and her stepdaughter, who is critical of her less than decent kitchen-skills.
Meanwhile, Lena and Nils try to fit in in their new school, which is much unlike their old school. Lena eventually finds a new friend, Axel, who falls in love with her. At first, Lena denies her feelings for him, but eventually they become a couple. But Cem admits that he, too, is in love with Lena, leaving Lena torn between Cem and Axel.
After Axel's suicide-attempt, Lena chooses to pursue a relationship with him rather than Cem. But this isn't as easy as she wants it to be. Lena and Cem begin to have a relationship behind Axel's back. However, Lena finds it "immoral" and breaks it off with Cem, even though she is falling in love with him. When Cem discovers that Axel didn't attempt suicide at all, he tells people, but no one, not even Lena, believes him. When he falls into a manhole and hurts himself, he decides to break up with Lena once and for all, even after the truth comes out. He still has feelings for her and when he tries to lose his virginity with a prostitute, he hesitates and decides that he still wants to be with Lena. When Lena finds out that Cem went to a prostitute, she feels hurt and decides to sleep with Axel and forget everything about him. Ironically, this action ends her relationship with Cem.
...
Wikipedia