Heartbreak, Cocaine, and a Hostage Situation: “That Was Actually a Lot of Fun”

In the upcoming episodes, Robin (Fabian Hanis) in the RTL series “Good Times, Bad Times” spirals into a downward arc of distrust, heartbreak, and self-doubt — culminating in a dramatic hostage situation after he uses cocaine. A decision that never yields good consequences.

For Fabian Hanis, this storyline has been one of the most intense of his time on GZSZ. In the interview, he talks about emotionally charged days on set, spontaneous acting moments, and Robin’s battle against his own downfall. But can he save himself in the end — or is he inexorably marching toward disaster?

Robin comes under intense pressure in the coming episodes — money troubles, mistrust, heartbreak, and finally a true emotional crash. How did you prepare for this demanding phase?
I leaned entirely on my instinct for the scene. I find it exciting because it pushes me as an actor — you react more directly, more emotionally, more spontaneously. Especially in intense moments, it can unleash a very special energy.
The scenes with Erik and Moritz show very different sides of Robin — anger, mistrust, but also vulnerability. How do you balance these emotions?
The beauty of acting is that in every scene I can steer my character in completely different directions. Since I’m playing him in all the scenes, the sequence creates a character with many facets for the audience to see. I find this variety exciting.
When Robin learns that Moritz loves him despite all doubts, it marks a turning point. What does this moment mean for Robin — and what was it like to shoot this scene?
For my role, Robin, this is an enormously important moment. For the first time, he feels that someone truly believes in him and is willing to stand up for him. It gives him strength and hope that things can turn for the better. After so many charged scenes, it was actually a very pleasant scene to film. (laughs)
At the Halloween party, Robin catches Moritz kissing someone else — and loses control. How was it to perform this emotional outburst?
That was genuinely a lot of fun. Everything you would never do in real life is a blast to do in front of the camera. These extremes are simply a gift for an actor.

Have you ever been in a similar situation yourself?
Sure, I’ve had a crush realize someone else was kissing them. It hurts — but life goes on.
Between Robin and Erik there’s constant friction, but also respect. How would you describe their current relationship?
I think Erik generally understands what Robin is going through. But Erik has evolved so much that he’s now at a point where he can’t quite understand why Robin doesn’t change. That creates conflicts, but also an interesting dynamic.

Robin’s story is often marked by self-doubt. What do you personally like about this character — and where is it hard for you to understand him?
What’s been hard for me to grasp is his short fuse. In my private life I’m the exact opposite — very patient and calm. But that contrast is exactly the challenge I enjoy. Robin’s character is complicated, and that makes him a compelling role.
Looking at Robin’s development this week — do you think he’s on a path to forgiveness or headed deeper into the abyss?
If certain things hadn’t happened, he’d be on a good path. Unfortunately, Robin often makes choices that pull him further down.
Is there a scene or moment from this storyline that’s particularly memorable — perhaps behind the scenes?
Definitely the hostage situation. We shot all day in the Gerner townhouse — it was incredibly intense. I pushed myself to my physical limits several times. A hostage crisis is an extraordinary state of emergency, and I wanted Robin to show that to the audience.
How does the kidnapping unfold — and what happens next?
Robin catches Moritz kissing someone else and doesn’t realize that Moritz’s partner is about to hear that he’s forgiven. Then Julian appears and offers Robin cocaine — a very ill-timed moment. Robin makes the wrong call and takes the coke. From there, everything spirals downward: he makes one fatal decision after another, until he has no choice left but… Coming soon on GZSZ!