Street Sweeper with Beach Idyll: 40 Years Ago, the Most Successful German TV Show Aired - How a 1985 TV episode broke Germany’s all-time ratings record
Forty years ago, on November 17, 1985, a television episode captivated Germany like no other before it. 'The Question of Guilt', an episode from the first season of 'The Black Forest Clinic', aired on ZDF and drew an unprecedented 27.97 million viewers. This record remains unbroken for non-sports broadcasts.
The Black Forest Clinic, set in the affluent middle class of West Germany, ran from 1985 to 1989. It was a ratings phenomenon in its early seasons, with over 20 million viewers tuning in weekly. The episode 'The Question of Guilt' shattered records with a 60 percent market share, a feat only surpassed by an episode of 'Tim Frazer' in 1962 with a 93 percent market share.
'The Question of Guilt' was set mainly in Sylt, a beloved German vacation spot, while the clinic back home faced emergencies. The episode's success can be attributed to its ability to captivate a broad, cross-generational audience and offer a nuanced portrait of West German life. A total of 70 episodes were produced and broadcast over the show's four-year run. Despite its popularity, the search results do not confirm the availability of a television series matching all the specified criteria on ZDF's online platform.
The Black Forest Clinic, with its record-breaking episode 'The Question of Guilt', stands as a testament to the power of television in shaping cultural moments. While the series may not be currently available in its entirety on ZDF's online platform, its impact on German television history is undeniable.
