Pastewka

German sitcom being on air since 2005 and broadcasted by German TV channel Sat.1. The series is currently in its seventh season and stars actor and comedian Bastian Pastewka as the main character, who embodies a fictional version of himself struggling to manage everyday life. Pastewka, which was directed by Joseph Orr, Peter Welz, Jan Markus Linhof, Tobi Baumann and Erik Haffner, was, furthermore, awarded the Rose d’Or and the Deutscher Fernsehpreis among other minor awards.

Situation/plot

Pastewka is set in Cologne and the sitcom’s pivotal element is Bastian Pastewka himself, who has some apparent difficulties to cope with everyday life, fellow human beings, and new offers for a role (either in series in the planning or commercials) coming in. All these elements are features of Pastewka recurring regularly. Interpersonal conflicts, for instance, do play a big role in the series’ plot. In fact, it seems to be impossible to get along with the odd and diva-like actor since there occur plenty of conflicts between Bastian and all sorts of people. He more often than not gets into conflicts with his girlfriend Anne due to his passionate love for TV series, movies, technical devices related to television and television in general. Further controversial subjects in Bastian’s and Anne’s relationship are things like jealousy, devotion and dedication with regard to their partnership, Bastian’s habit of receiving tickets for speeding as well as his unorganised and in fact unhealthy lifestyle, for instance. Bastian’s arch enemy appears to be his neighbour Ms Bruck, who later flirts with Hagen and becomes Bastian’s brother’s girlfriend. Svenja Bruck and Bastian are at a neighbourly war constantly fighting over negligible trifles.

Bastian, furthermore, has the bad manner to speak badly of his colleagues and to take their names in vain. His assumed friend Michael Kessler, for instance, is regularly branded as an arrogant, narcissistic “limelight hog” by Bastian and he, furthermore, refers (with merry contempt) to Hugo Egon Balder as an old ladies’ man and passionate consumer of alcohol. Unluckily for Bastian all these stories and lies he spreads generally come to light and find their way to the persons concerned. These situations leave Bastian isolated from his fellows at the end of most episodes.

Characters

Bastian Pastewka as Bastian Pastewka

A German actor and comedian, who is more often than not recognised as one of Bastian Pastewka’s fictional character from Die Wochenshow “Brisko Schneider” or other famous actors such as Michael “Bully” Herbig.

Sonsee Neu as Annemarie “Anne” Leyfert

Being known from small roles in the US series Emergency Room and Hollywood blockbuster Titanic Sonsee Neu incarnates Bastian’s girlfriend Anne. Despite the fact that Anne and Bastian are often in conflict, Anne seems to be the only one standing by Bastian after all his antics. She works as a nurse and studies medicine.

Matthias Matschke as Hagen Pastewka

Bastian’s uncertain and low-earning (half-)brother, who later commits himself to a relationship with Bastian’s unloved neighbour Svenja Bruck.

Bettina Lamprecht as Svenja Bruck

The neighbour. Bettina Lamprecht is also known from German television productions such as Switch, Ladykracher and the German satire-show “heute-show”.

Cristina do Rego as Kimberly-Jolante “Kim” Pastewka

Kim is Hagen’s only daughter and, thus, Bastian’s niece. However, the relationship between uncle and niece gets soured over the course of the sitcom due to venoms on the part of Bastian with regard to Kim’s consumption of marijuana and her skills as a car driver, for example.

Sabine Vitua as Regine Holl

Regine Holl is Bastian’s manager and apparently the worst manager one can have. She simply does not acknowledge recent trends or the zeitgeist in general. Instead she indulges herself in expensive liquor and counteracts Bastian’s will when it comes to job offers and new roles.

Dietrich Hollinderbäumer as Volker Pastewka

Bastian’s and Hagen’s father, who likes his son Bastian second-best.

Guest actors

Among others (usually appearing as versions of themselves): Michael Kessler, Anke Engelke, Hugo Egon Balder, Annette Frier, Christoph Maria Herbst.

Specialties

The guests and the play between "real life", television and television comedy are also one of the special characteristics of Pastewka. Hugo Egon Balder, who is a drummer indeed, is depicted as a charmer, who needs to play the drums after having had sex with a woman, for instance. And Christoph Maria Herbst is represented as a man who became one with his ultimate character Bernd Stromberg from Stromberg.

In addition, there are references to (current) pop-culture, when Bastian watches the Star Trek movies with his cleaning lady and buys the so-called “Tricorder” (a reading device from the Star Trek universe) in order to record the 24 marathon as well as two other series that are broadcasted simultaneously. Some references are: The ringtone of Bastian’s mobile is inspired by the US-series 24. He keeps a miniature Enterprise 1701 D on his car’s dashboard. Again: this plays with the "real" Bastian Pastewka's image as TV buff and fan of series and movies. .

External links/Sources

http://www.sat1.de/tv/pastewka

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0479842/

Pastewka. Staffel 1-6. XXL-Box. Dir. Joseph Orr et. al. Perf. Bastian Pastewka, Sonsee Neu. Brainpool 2013. Series.