Dir Abingen

Dir Abingen (translates from Ambian as The Rejects) is an Ambian science fiction comedy series produced by Radietelefizije Ambjera and aired on RTA Deu. The show first aired on December 12th, 2013, and has since aired seven seasons. The show revolves around seven people who have been deemed "different" from the rest of society. The group have survived an apocalyptic event which has solely been mentioned so far, and must put their differences aside to work together in an attempt to survive. Many of Dir Abingen's plot points, storylines, and character personalities revolve around controversial topics like religion, sexuality, politics, and mental disability.
Dir Abingen achieved a cult following in it's native Amberia, where it enjoys relative success mainly due to it's airing spot at 5:00pm ABT, where it competes with the various Friday night offerings from RTA Deu's sister channel, RTA Une. An English-language dub that first aired in 2016 led the Jonathian television network NBC to license the show for a Jonathian remake titled The Rejects, which first premiered on April 22nd, 2019. The series also airs on ARTK Dua in Albia, TV5 in Lyvena, and Universal TV in various Tapanthian countries.
Both shows, including the Ambian original are available, online and in full, on both Bi-Stream and Peacock. Locally, Dir Abingen is also broadcast on RTA's on-demand service, RTA Plaj.
== Plot and setting ==
The main setting of the series is the fictional town of Zachenfingburg (lit. future town), in Amberia. Sometime in the year 2525, the year the first series takes place, Amberia is caught in the midst of nuclear warfare between Jonathia and Blostia. A nuclear explosion kills everyone in the town, except seven "absent minded idiots" (as the now-deceased town residents reportedly called them), who all clamored into an ASDF bunker near the town. Some months later, the group emerges, being faced with a wasteland they need to get used to. The group, however, begins bickering due to their differences.
Despite the pastiche of nuclear warfare, alternate timelines, and science fiction used as a backdrop, Dir Abingen is primarily a character-driven comedy, with science fiction elements used as complementary plot devices. Especially in the early episodes, a recurring source of comedy was the Odd Couple-style relationship between the central characters of the show, who have an intense dislike for each other, yet are trapped together in the wasteland.
== Characters and actors ==
The show has a very diverse set of characters. The characters have been listed below in order of first appearance.
=== Main characters ===
* Christel Robman as Alek
* Wilbur Crochens as Marco
* Laura Frost as Samantha
* Danton Ockensburg as Erich
* Fhil Abstern as Hartmut
* Petra Brulling as Livia
* Oxana Waldschmidt as Gesa
== Production ==
The series has aired on RTA Deu since it's premiere on December 12th, 2013. Seven full series have so far been produced.
=== Concept and commission ===
Dir Abingen was conceptualized in 2009 by Stan Flaumann and Albert Rupping, two childhood friends who later went on to become scriptwriters for the RTA's comedy department. The two were at a café in Bleckerham discussing a skit in Ambjera, lagge flumij! (lit. Amberia, laugh loudly!), a popular comedy show at the time, when the two overheard a middle-aged woman outside the café chastising an autistic child. Inspiration for the show sparked when the woman yelled "I'd like to see if your kind can survive a nuclear apocalypse!!!", at which point Flaumann turned to Rupping and exclaimed "Maybe he can...". Rupping suggested making the idea into a skit, before suggesting the idea that multiple people were trying to survive at the same time. Meanwhile, Flaumann suggested adding other topics like religion and homosexuality, the latter of which was a major topic both because a debate was happening in Amberia's government at the time regarding same-sex marriage, but also because Flaumann's daughter, Wendi, was a lesbian.
The first draft was presented to RTA's comedy manager, Peter Trump, who turned down the script as he felt the idea would offend many viewers, particularly concerning the fact that Amberia had a large Catholic diaspora, and had a growing number of Muslim and Jewish immigrants. The script was reworked slightly and once again presented to Trump, who turned it down once more. Trump resigned in 2011 and was replaced by Oli Erkiman. Flaumann sent the script to Erkiman, who actually liked the idea of the show, and accepted the script. Filming of the first season occurred at Prengenlag Studios in Prengenlag, while the rest of the series would be filmed at a purpose-built set outside of Cantshire.
=== Casting ===
=== Writing, producing, and directing ===
=== Theme tune ===
== Episodes ==
== Reception ==
== Merchandise ==
== See also ==
* Ambian Civil Defence Force
* Radietelefizije Ambjera
* Television in Amberia
Category:Dir Abingen
Category:The Rejects (TV series)
Category:Amberia
Category:RTA
Category:Television
Category:Television shows
Category:Television in Amberia