Schlechte Menschen is a four-part comedy series from ZDF’s Das kleine Fernsehspiel. In a surreal afterlife department for “borderline cases,” three examiners—Timoteo, Nazlı and Cornelius—interview the newly deceased and must decide, on limited information and with plenty of bias, whether each person belongs in heaven or in hell. Across four cases (“Der Schönling,” “Die Mutter,” “Der Nörgler,” “Die Perfekte”), the show plays with moral gray areas, satirizes bureaucracy, and asks what “good” and “bad” really mean. The series is directed by Nathalie Lamb and written by Julia Mirjam Cantuária; episodes run about 20 minutes.
Schlechte Menschen
The Story
The Music
The score for Schlechte Menschen creates a quirky, fast-paced musical world that matches the comedy’s rhythm and sharpness. Built from an unusual mix of percussion, dulcimer, strings, brass, and even children’s instruments, the music underlines the humor and absurdity of the afterlife bureaucracy while keeping a subtle sense of seriousness.
Each episode adds its own twist to this core palette:
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Episode 1 introduces a touch of romance in a domestic setting.
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Episode 2 leans into nostalgic German Schlager.
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Episode 3 drifts into calming spa music.
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Episode 4 explores a more experimental, technical sound world.
This blend of playfulness and thematic variety highlights the absurd scenarios while giving every case its own identity. The score captures both the comedy and the underlying moral questions, ensuring that the music is as surprising and multifaceted as the stories themselves.
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Credits
Director: Nathalie Lamb
Writer: Julia Mirjam Cantuária
Director of Photography: Karl Kürten
Editor: Ann-Kathrin Matthes
Sound: Paul Powaljaew
Music:Peter Albrecht
Sounddesign: Robin Harff, Floyd Fürstenau, Aaron Rühl
Production: Hager Moss Film GmbH
Producer: Lara Stump
Editorial Department (ZDF): Jakob Zimmermann
Spotify
Stills
