The popular soap "Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten" (GZSZ) will air no episodes on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. RTL is adjusting its schedule for the year-end transition, like many broadcasters. The next episode airs on January 2, 2026.
"Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten," the cult soap on RTL, has entertained millions of viewers for decades with 25-minute episodes full of drama and everyday stories. The series airs weekdays from 7:40 p.m. to 8:05 p.m. and is set in Berlin, focusing on the lives of the Gerner clan and the families Flemming, Moreno, Bachmann, Seefeld, and Lehmann. It is considered Germany's most successful daily soap and won the German Television Prize in 2010 for best daily program. Originally an adaptation of the Australian series "The Restless Years" (1977–1981), scripts from episode 231 were tailored specifically for the German audience. Internationally, it airs in the Netherlands as "Goede tijden, slechte tijden" since 1990 and in France and Belgium as "Au Rhythme de la Vie," starting with a later episode to join the ongoing storyline.
For the year-end transition, RTL is changing its schedule: "GZSZ" will not air on December 31, 2025 (New Year's Eve) or January 1, 2026 (New Year's Day). The last episode before the break, number 8429, airs on Tuesday, December 30, 2025. In it, Erik looks forward to New Year's Eve in the shared apartment with Toni and friends, while Matilda wants to stay home with Julian. Nina, Maren, Katrin, and Yvonne reflect on a turbulent year; rising renovation costs for the club house dim Nina's outlook. Lilly and Alicia must work and risk spending the night alone.
On Friday, January 2, 2026, episode 8430 begins: The shared apartment group decides to paint; Lilly overreacts to the renovation chaos. Matilda arranges a casual reunion with Erik. A dog named Tolstoi runs to Nina; the owner suspects kidnapping when she returns him. In episode 8431 on Monday, January 5, Gerner hopes for a family fresh start that feels like a farce. Nina has no turning back despite fears of a trap. Lilly withdraws further, worrying her friends.
Current episodes are available live and free on RTL+ after broadcast; older ones require a paid Plus subscription.
