Almost all critics agree: Goede Tijden Slechte Tijden (GTST) is fading away. RTL 4 continues to broadcast the show for now, but how long can it sustain this? The question looms larger as viewer habits shift dramatically in the wake of streaming services.
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GTST has been a staple on RTL 4 since 1990, and this longevity may now be its downfall. The viewers of 2026 are accustomed to the high production values of streaming series and are no longer willing to tune in for what resembles amateur theatre, complete with wooden dialogues and overly theatrical performances.
Declining Viewership
As the flagship show of a major commercial network, GTST is becoming a source of embarrassment. Although RTL Boulevard hinted at the potential for the show’s relocation to Videoland, RTL 4 has decided to air at least one more season. But what comes next?
Television critic Victor Vlam was left skeptical after the lackluster response to the recent summer cliffhanger. “The original purpose of a summer cliffhanger was to create anticipation; viewers should have a reason to tune back in after a few weeks away,” he explains in a recent interview.
Minimal Buzz
The summer cliffhanger is GTST’s most important broadcast of the year, but Vlam notes, “In the past, everyone talked about it, even if they weren’t viewers.” This year, however, the buzz has been noticeably absent. Most people seem unaware of what happened, showing just how little the show is being discussed.
This decline is alarming. GTST’s summer cliffhanger recently attracted only 629,000 viewers—70,000 fewer than the previous week when there wasn’t a cliffhanger.
Sign of the Times
What does this indicate? “It signifies that GTST is truly on the decline,” asserts Vlam. “Back in 2005, the show attracted over 2 million viewers. By 2014, that number was still substantial at 1.8 million, but now it’s clear that the soap opera is struggling to draw in extra viewers.”
Vlam believes that this decline won’t last much longer. “Soaps are simply outdated, unable to compete with streaming services that operate on hefty budgets. The audience isn’t waiting for them anymore. It’s a clear sign: GTST is an ending chapter.”
Jan Uriot, a journalist, concurs, stating in a podcast, “GTST has had its day. To me, it feels like amateur theatre. We are spoiled with real conflicts in shows like De Bondgenoten, where genuine interactions create engaging drama, unlike the contrived scenarios of GTST.”
He concludes, “I reiterate: it won’t last much longer.< /p>
