RTL is also banking on the revival of old TV formats. “7 days, 7 heads” with moderator Guido Cantz really didn’t need anyone. The TV review.
The trend in private television continues: After ProSieben conjured up “TV Total” out of the mothball and cast it with Sebastian Puffpaff, RTL followed suit. On Wednesday evening, the Cologne TV station presented the new edition of “7 days, 7 heads”. But the break didn’t do the show any good. What went on the air in 1996 as a satirical talk show will present itself in 2022 as a moderately successful comedy imitation of a manageable level.
While Rudi Carrell and tweed jackets have not survived the 17 years since the last episode “7 days, 7 heads”, the viewers can look forward to seeing Bernd Stelter again in the comedy late night. Next to him in the group: gaming streamer Kaya Yanar, comedian Mirja Boes, stand-up comedian Chris Tall, presenter Larissa Rieß and slam poet Torsten Sträter. Guido Cantz will succeed Jochen Busse as head of the round.
“7 days, 7 heads” (RTL): Why did Guido Cantz moderate?
But couldn’t there have been a better cast for the role of host than the platinum blonde presenter? Large parts of television Germany breathed a sigh of relief in 2021 when it became public that Guido Cantz was giving up the moderation of “Do you understand fun?” at the turn of the year. But nobody really needed RTL to let him moderate the new edition of “7 Days, 7 Heads”, the next format from the past millennium.
| guests at 7 days, 7 heads” | |
|---|---|
| Guido Cantz | moderator |
| Bernd Stelter | comedian |
| Kaya Yanar | comedian |
| Mirja Boes | comedian |
| Chris Tall | comedian |
| Larissa Riess | moderator |
| Torsten Sträter | comedian |
Cantz introduces the group to the respective topics of the week, first – thanks to its own broadcaster RTL – the “jungle camp” is discussed and everyone involved dutifully emphasizes that it is not known who is even taking part this year. The equally predictable jokes about Harald Glööckler’s cosmetic surgery creep in pretty quickly.
And with the obligatory and penetrating dick humor that is obligatory for comedy formats on private television, the group fortunately breaks down somewhat entertainingly through other topics such as the Winter Olympics in Beijing and new animal husbandry labels, which are now to come for meat and sausage – including vegetarian jokes. When Cantz then moderated the topic of Corona with the headline “Alcohol protects against COVID-19”, one could ask oneself whether the editors went on strike when preparing the show.
“7 days, 7 heads” (RTL): What did Torsten Sträter do on the show?
Even if the comedy in 2022 is no longer at the 90s level of Mike Krüger, who was once able to use his gags from “Zwei Nasentanken Super” in “7 Days, 7 Heads”, Mirja Boes does not quite put them there unjustified question: “Why am I actually watching this if it’s so bad?” Quite a few viewers probably asked themselves that in front of their TV sets.
But the question is even more pressing: What is Torsten Sträter actually doing in this round? While Chris Tall, Mirja Boes and Bernd Stelter can actually respond to each other spontaneously and unscripted, reminiscent of old “7 days, 7 heads” rounds with Carrell, Krüger and Gabi Köster, no one really seems to have explained the RTL talk format to Sträter beforehand to have. Uninvolved, he delivers his statements on the topics discussed and brings the poetry slam vibe to the show, which is inherent in each of his performances: reading out texts he has learned by heart without interacting with the other people present. But that becomes annoying when Sträter repeats what the others have just said.
“7 days, 7 heads” (RTL): Comedian warhorses do not come up against the “jungle camp”.
And so it remains to be said: as commendable as it is that RTL also gives some airtime to veteran comedy warhorses such as Stelter, Yanar and Cantz in hard times: for the new edition of “7 Days, 7 Heads” one would have the more sophisticated entertainment promising “Jungle Camp”. -Analysis with Lilo Wanders, Sarah Knappik and Kader Loth really don’t have to be pushed back in the program. (Moritz Post)
