RTL 4 invests less and less money in Good Times Bad Times. The soap previously went back from five to four episodes a week, and now the summer break starts a month (!) Earlier than usual.
The very expensive Good Times Bad Times seems to be slowly being directed towards the exit. The soap opera is far too expensive for the ratings it scores; for example, only 664 thousand people sat in front of the TV yesterday. The distressing thing is that the much cheaper summer replacement scores better every year, and that in the low season.
Cost reduction
RTL 4 opts this year to have that summer replacement, Ik Weet Er Alles Van, start a month (!) earlier. GTST’s cliffhanger is already on Thursday, June 1, which is historically early. “Last year the season ran until Thursday 7 July. So a month shorter,” explains RTL Boulevard reporter Joost Maiburg.
Only in the nineties and during the corona pandemic does GTST stop earlier in the season, know Joost. “But apart from those times, it is striking that it is now a month earlier from the channel. Probably a cost saving, because a quiz is cheaper to make than a soap opera.”
Surprise
The summer replacement Ik Weet Er Alles Van runs from June 5 to the first week of August, while GTST only returns on August 28. What’s up with that? “So in August there will be another program on the eight-hour time slot.”
RTL says against that RTL Boulevard: “We surprise with a new program.”