Türkisch für Anfänger

infobox Television
show_name = Türkisch für Anfänger
format = Comedy
runtime = 25 minutes
creator = 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
producer = Hoffmann & Voges Ent.
opentheme = Karpatenhund – Gegen den Rest
country = Germany
network = Das Erste
first_aired = March 14, 2006
last_aired = present
num_seasons = 2
num_episodes = 36
website = http://www.daserste.de/tuerkischfueranfaenger
imdb_id = 0469009

Türkisch für Anfänger is a critically acclaimed German comedy show that premiered on March 14, 2006 on ARD. 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. In currently 36 episodes the topics of this show cover both typical problems of teenagers and cross-cultural experiences.

After popular demand the crew is shooting a third season consisting of 16 episodes which are scheduled to air in fall 2008.

Plot

Lena's life seemed to be perfect the way it was: The 16-year old girl used to live together just with her little brother Nils (13) and her mother Doris who is a psychotherapist. But unfortunately for Lena, her mother Doris fell in love with Metin, a police officer of Turkish descent, and decided to move in with him.But the widower Metin isn't alone: His two children Yağmur (15), a pious Moslem girl, and Cem (17), a wannabe gangster, move in, too and now Lena has to deal with an extended family. She narrates the show by recording video-tapes for her best friend Kati who is on an Student exchange program in the USA.

eason 1

The new "family" has to get used to each other - which is much more complicated than Doris and Metin thought: Lena and Yağmur have to share a room, which complicates their sisterhood right from the beginning as does the fact that Lena is an atheist and Yağmur a pious Muslim girl wearing a head-scarf. Doris who is very free-spirited has to get used to her new role as a mother of four instead of two children, her stepson Cem, who is a bit of a macho, and her stepdaughter who is very critical of her less than decent kitchen-skills.

Meanwhile Lena and Nils have to try to fit in in their new school which is very different from their old school. After some time Lena even finds a new friend, Axel, who falls in love with her. At first, Lena tries to deny her feelings for him, but eventually they become a couple. But things get even more complicated when Cem admits that he is in love with Lena, too and Lena is torn between Cem and Axel.

eason 2

After Axel's suicide-attempt Lena decided to stay with him and forget all about about Cem. But this isn't as easy as she wants it to be and when Cem discovers that Axel didn't attempt suicide at all, there doesn't seem to be a problem anymore. But no one believes Cem - not even Lena - and when he falls into a manhole and hurts himself, he decides to break up with Lena once and for all. He still has feelings for her and although 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 thinks he isn't a virgin anymore and sleeps with Axel. Cem is devastated and doesn't want to speak with Lena anymore.

Doris and Metin have to deal with Doris' father Herman who is broke and needs to stay with his daughter'S family - much to their dismay. The house gets even more crowded when Doris' sister Diana visits and gets herself a job at Lena's school. Diana discovers that Nils is intellectually gifted and he leaves the family to go to a high-class boarding school.

Meanwhile Yağmur is flirting online with an unknown boy who turns out to be Cem's best friend Costa, who soon falls in love with the unaware Yağmur. He tries several times to tell her that he is the one she has been writing with but Costa's stuttering holds him back.

Metin proposes to Doris and after some complications she says yes. But when her old boyfriend Markus, the father of Lena and Nils, finds out about the wedding, he leaves the Amazonas and comes back to Germany to stop Doris from being what she never wanted to be: A housewife.

Lena who is still in love with Cem meets the pious Christian Ulla and the two girls become friends. Lena wants Ulla to flirt with Cem and then blow him off as revenge but Ulla and Cem fall in love with each other. With her father's help she tries to break them up again at Doris and Metin's wedding.

eason 3

The show continues two years after Doris and Metin's wedding and there are many questions: Will Lena study engineering like her mother wants her to? Is there another chance for Lena and Cem? How long can Cem hide that he didn't graduate? Will Costa and Yağmur get married? Plus, Metin's mother visits the family. The third season is scheduled to air on November 18, 2008. [ [http://www.ard-werbung.de/tfa.html Website of AS&S (ARD-Werbung SALES & SERVICES GmbH)] ]

Cast

Main Characters

* Josefine Preuß as Helena „Lena“ Claudette Schneider
* Emil Reinke as Nils Schneider
* Anna Stieblich as Doris Schneider
* Elyas M'Barek as Cem Öztürk
* Pegah Ferydoni as Yağmur Öztürk
* Adnan Maral as Metin Öztürk

upporting Cast

* Arnel Taci as Costa Papavassilou
* Axel Schreiber as Axel Mende
* Carl-Heinz Choinsky as Hermann Schneider
* Katharina Kaali as Diana Schneider
* Andreas Hofer as Markus Lemke
* Susanne Kirschnik as Ulla Jamuschke

Guest-starring

Awards

Awards

* 2006: Nymphe d'Or at the "Festival de Télévision de Monte-Carlo", for "Best European Producer for a Comedy show"
* 2006: Prix Italia, for "Best Drama-Show or Serial"
* 2006: Deutscher Fernsehpreis, for "Best Show"
* 2006: Reflet d’Or CINEMA TOUT ECRAN, for "Best Show"
* 2007: Adolf-Grimme-Preis, for "Entertainment Show"
* 2007: Civis media prize, for "Entertainment Show"
* 2008: Banff Rockie Award at Banff World Television Festival, for "Telenovela & Serial Programs"

Nominations

* 2006: Rose d’Or, nominated for "Sitcom" and "Social Awareness"
* 2006: Nymphe d'Or Festival de Télévision de Monte-Carlo, nominated for "Best Comedy Series", "Outstanding Producer" and "Outstanding Actor/Actress"
* 2006: Deutscher Fernsehpreis, nominated for "Best Show" and "Best Actor in a show"
* 2006: Prix Europa
* 2007: Adolf-Grimme-Preis, nominated for "Entertainment/Special"
* 2007: Rose d’Or, nominated for "Sitcom" and "Social Awareness"

Production details

The creator of the show, Bora Dağtekin, grew up in a German-Turkish home (his father was Turkish, his mother German) therefore - according to him - personal experiences influenced his writing. Specific episodes are written by guest writers - often of Turkish descent.

Merchandise

DVD releases

Books

Two books, written by Claudia Kühn, have been published accompanying this TV show.
* Türkisch für Anfänger 01 - Meine verrückte Familie (March 2007)
* Türkisch für Anfänger 02 - Verwirrung hoch sechs (March 2007)

Two more books are scheduled to be published in October 2008:
* Türkisch für Anfänger 03 - Durchdrehen garantiert
* Türkisch für Anfänger 04 - Der ganz normale Wahnsinn

References

External links

* [http://www.ard.de/türkischfüranfänger Offical website] (German)