Marijke Amado, Jeanette Biedermann and Aminata Belli will be gossiping about the renaissance of television every afternoon.
Three generations in one show: presenters Marijke Amado, Aminata Belli and Jeanette Biedermann (left to right) Photo: Hubertus Huvermann/WDR
As a teenager, my day followed a set routine: school, lunch, TV. Whether it was “taff,” “Mitten im Leben,” “Judge Barbara Salesch,” “The Graduation Class,” or any of MTV’s various reality shows, I had to watch it to be ready for the next day.
In the 2000s, afternoon TV defined a generation. Those days are long gone. YouTube and social media have replaced afternoon entertainment for school kids. Perhaps the only people who still watch afternoon programming on linear TV today are pensioners.
So it is brave that ARD is launching a new lifestyle talk show for all generations at 4:10 p.m. The choice of hosts must be particularly nostalgic for people of our generation. From Monday to Friday this week, the hosts Aminata Belli, Marijke Amado (yes, from “Mini Playback Show”) and Jeanette Biedermann (yes, from “GZSZ”) discuss all things love, everyday worries and gossip.
The lineup seems almost random, but as Amado (born in the 50s), Biedermann (born in the 80s) and Belli (born in the 90s) discuss their inheritance dispute with the Messner family (Did they have more family before?) or discuss the new Madonna lovers (Is she too old for Madonna?), you quickly realize how well they work together. Although it can sometimes be a bit difficult for the two young people to compete with 70-year-old television icon Amado.
“Amado, Belli, Biedermann – The Three Generations. Story” ARD and ARD Media Library every day from 4:10 p.m.
In each episode, the trio join a guest in a studio that looks like a Sims version of a country home overlooking an endless field of tulips filled with white butterflies.
“Love has no age”
In the first episode, host, actor and author Jochen Schropp talks about celebrity news, beauty trends in vitamin cocktails with infusions, and has to guess the embarrassment of the three hosts. But he does it well as the second guest, Diana Körner, who talks about dating experiences on set and healthy eating habits based on 80 years of life experience.
The end is filled with cliches like “love has no age”, “it’s important to stay connected with your family”, and “being open, curious and interested helps prevent aging.” That’s the way afternoon TV should be.
Despite everything, there are political nuances, such as when the three talk about their experiences as women in the television industry, including derogatory comments about their age and appearance.
It’s questionable whether the trio will ever reach the same level as Britt or Arabella. It’s not because of the design, it’s because of the format itself. But it’s probably a reason for some people to leave work early (even if they can stream 24/7 from their media library).
Life with afternoon television has been good. But first, ARD has to get it firmly on the programme. So far, only 10 episodes, or two weeks, are planned.
