Schlag den Raab

Schlag den Raab (German pronunciation: [ʃlaːk deːn ʁaːp], German for Beat (the) Raab) was a live game show that was televised by German television channel ProSieben on Saturday evenings from September 2006 until December 2015. A total of six episodes were produced and broadcast each year and featured one contestant competing with media personality Stefan Raab in a number of disciplines for a variable amount of money.

Schlag den Raab
Genre	Game show
Created by	Stefan Raab
Directed by	Ladislaus Kiraly
Presented by	Matthias Opdenhövel (2006–2011) Steven Gätjen (2011–2015)
Starring	Stefan Raab
Country of origin	Germany
Original language	German
No. of series	11
No. of episodes	55
Production
Producer	Jörg Grabosch
Production locations	Mülheim, Cologne, Germany
Running time	226 up to 371 minutes (including commercials)
Production companies	Raab TV, Brainpool
Release
Original network	ProSieben
First shown in	Germany
Original release	23 September 2006 – 19 December 2015
Chronology
Related shows	Beat the Star
External links
Website
Production website

Concept

At the beginning of an episode five possible candidates (usually four men and one woman) were introduced to the audience. Each candidate presented him- or herself in a short video clip of one minute (three minutes before the 45th episode). The TV audience then determined the person to compete with Stefan Raab by televoting. One episode consisted of up to fifteen games between Raab and the contestant plus one tiebreaker game if the scoreline was even after the fifteenth game. Each episode consecutively won by Raab added €500,000 to the jackpot, e.g. the prize money in an episode following three consecutive Raab victories summed up to €2,000,000. A losing contestant did not receive any prize money at all, regardless of the final scoreline.

The games included sports contests such as biathlon, go-karting, badminton and ice hockey, puzzles, quizzes and various other challenges, each episode featuring different games than the ones before, except for one quiz called Blamieren oder Kassieren, which appeared in almost every episode. The majority of games were played in the studio, a few games had to be carried out outside (like the aforementioned biathlon contest or riding a speed boat in the Cologne harbor). The first game awarded one point, the second game two points and up to fifteen points for the fifteenth game. The show ended once Raab or his opponent gained more than 60 of the possible 120 points. Therefore, the earliest point to win an episode was after completion of the eleventh game (1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10+11=66). Due to this extraordinary distribution of points it was possible to win an episode despite losing the majority of games, e.g. if one was successful the final five games (11+12+13+14+15=65) while the opponent was successful in the first ten games (1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10=55).

Six episodes of Schlag den Raab were broadcast each year, three in the first half of the year and another three in the second half of the year. The last episode aired on 19 December 2015. For this last episode, each of fifteen contestants faced Raab in one game. Each contestant who managed to defeat Raab received €100,000 from the €1.5 million prize fund and moved on to a final game. For the final game, all of the contestants who had beaten Raab played against each other for the remaining money. Six contestants beat Raab in their games, so that the winner of the final game received an additional €900,000.

Each episode also featured up to four music artists.

History

As the show was broadcast live and the games were of different duration, a single episode generally had no fixed time limit. It regularly ran for four or more hours including commercials. The very first episode ended just after midnight at 00:01 after a runtime of three hours and 46 minutes and was therefore the shortest episode. The 49th and longest episode ended at 02:23,[1][2] which equals a runtime of six hours and eight minutes.[3]

Raab won 38 of the 54 episodes, not counting the final episode in which Raab faced multiple opponents. He was first defeated in the third episode, when contestant Matthias Göbel won €1.5 million. The highest amount won by a single contestant was €3.5 million (Bernd Stadelmann on 15 December 2012). On three occasions an episode ended after just eleven games – each time Raab being the winner. The fastest candidate to beat Raab was Deaon Maxwell (episode 27) after 12 games. Two candidates, one female and one male, were defeated without scoring a single point. Until 25 April 2015 no woman had defeated Raab.[4]

All candidates except Jan May (episode 12) were younger than Raab on the date of the episode. On 1 November 2014 the episode had to be postponed for the first time in the history of the show, as Raab was suffering from a severe cold.[5] That episode eventually aired a fortnight later, on 15 November 2014.[1][2]

In June 2015 Raab announced his retirement from television, which ultimately led to the show's cancellation in the same year. The last episode aired on December 19, 2015.

Schlag den Raab was one of the most successful Saturday evening shows in Germany in the late 2000s and early 2010s with audiences of up to four million people.

Awards

The show was nominated for the Adolf Grimme Awards category entertainment/special in 2007 and 2008.[6] Schlag den Raab won the Deutscher Fernsehpreis for Best Entertainment Show in 2007,[7] and won a Goldene Kamera in the category Entertainment in 2008.[8]

Episodes

Episode	Date	Prize money	Contestant	End result	Games	Winner	End of the show	Music
Episode 01	23 September 2006	€0.5M	Esther Frericks (30, businesswoman)	21–70	13	Raab	00:01	Juli, Nelly Furtado feat. Saukrates, Nena feat. Duncan Townsend
Episode 02	18 November 2006	€1.0M	Johannes Rieks (25, student)	31–74	14	Raab	00:43	Take That, Katie Melua
Episode 03	27 January 2007	€1.5M	Matthias Göbel (31, designing engineer)	72–48	15	contestant	00:54	Tokio Hotel, Simply Red, Jamelia
Episode 04	14 April 2007	€0.5M	Nils-Heiko Hutter (29, pilot)	13–65	12	Raab	00:30	Michael Bublé, Joss Stone, Carla Bruni
Episode 05	9 June 2007	€1.0M	Peter Dietrich (39, doctor)	70–35	14	contestant	01:16	Melanie C, Max Mutzke
Episode 06	15 September 2007	€0.5M	Martin Trautz (38, policeman)	60–60	15+1	contestant	01:21	James Blunt, Sportfreunde Stiller, Monrose
Episode 07	3 November 2007	€0.5M	Sonja Bartelt (33, policewoman)	19–72	13	Raab	00:17	Max Mutzke, Nicole Scherzinger
Episode 08	15 December 2007	€1.0M	Gene Allen (38, financial adviser)	56–64	15	Raab	01:01	Peter Cincotti, Room2012
Episode 09	19 January 2008	€1.5M	Arvid Bollmann (39, teacher)	35–70	14	Raab	00:57	Stefanie Heinzmann, Ich + Ich
Episode 10	5 April 2008	€2.0M	Jens Ohlemeyer (35, teacher)	25–66	13	Raab	00:22	Duffy, Gregor Meyle
Episode 11	31 May 2008	€2.5M	Olufemi Smith (29, marketing manager)	65–55	15	contestant	01:32	Estelle, Leona Lewis
Episode 12	13 September 2008	€0.5M	Jan May (44, sauna worker)	29–62	13	Raab	00:31	Sarah Connor, Katy Perry, Pussycat Dolls
Episode 13	1 November 2008	€1.0M	Ole Bischof (29, judoka)	03–63	11	Raab	00:08	Rosenstolz, Stefanie Heinzmann, Grace Jones
Episode 14	20 December 2008	€1.5M	Markus Kapries (39, doctor)	19–72	13	Raab	00:48	James Blunt, Queensberry
Episode 15	17 January 2009	€2.0M	Marcus Gangloff (39, teacher)	33–72	14	Raab	00:43	Max Mutzke, James Morrison, Mando Diao
Episode 16	18 April 2009	€2.5M	Markus "Oku" Okuesa (32, teacher and musician)	43–62	14	Raab	01:28	Silbermond, Milow, Lady Gaga
Episode 17	23 May 2009	€3.0M	Nino Haase (26, chemistry doctorand)	63–57	15	contestant	01:34	Daniel Merriweather, The Black Eyed Peas, Sportfreunde Stiller
Episode 18	12 September 2009	€0.5M	Hans-Martin Schulze (24, pharmacy intern)	68–52	15	contestant	00:41	Stefanie Heinzmann, Tokio Hotel, Jan Delay
Episode 19	31 October 2009	€0.5M	Oliver Wojahn (41, professor)	20–71	13	Raab	00:56	Marius Müller-Westernhagen, Pixie Lott, Ich + Ich
Episode 20	19 December 2009	€1.0M	Amelie Mooseder (24, student)	20–71	13	Raab	00:41	Xavier Naidoo, Robbie Williams, Some & Any, Gossip
Episode 21	16 January 2010	€1.5M	Torsten Reichan (31, pilot)	15–63	12	Raab	00:03	Aura Dione, Alicia Keys
Episode 22	10 April 2010	€2.0M	Hans Martin Wismar (29, emergency surgeon)	64–41	14	contestant	00:46	Gentleman, Cheryl Cole
Episode 23	8 May 2010	€0.5M	Thorsten Engelmann (28, controller)	42–63	14	Raab	01:00	Toni Braxton, Lena, Die Fantastischen Vier
Episode 24	18 September 2010	€1.0M	Thorsten Knaack (29, teacher)	72–48	15	contestant	01:35	Phil Collins, Kylie Minogue, Juli
Episode 25	23 October 2010	€0.5M	Ria Sabay (25, student)	00–66	11	Raab	00:26	Mando Diao, Christian Durstewitz, Aloe Blacc
Episode 26	18 December 2010	€1.0M	Heiko Schumacher (28, logistician)	64–27	13	contestant	00:41	LaVive, Cee-Lo Green
Episode 27	15 January 2011	€0.5M	Deaon Maxwell (33, student)	61–17	12	contestant	00:08	Max Mutzke, Bruno Mars
Episode 28	2 April 2011	€0.5M	Alexandra Stegmann (27, management consultant)	18–73	13	Raab	00:37	Milow, Natalia Kills
Episode 29	4 June 2011	€1.0M	Tobias Rieder (29, army doctor)	44–61	14	Raab	01:33	Jessie J, Avril Lavigne
Episode 30	17 September 2011	€1.5M	Gil Kwamo-Kamdem (30, policeman)	60–60	^215+1	contestant	01:49	Lenny Kravitz, Udo Lindenberg feat. Inga Humpe, Lena
Episode 31	15 October 2011	€0.5M	Klaus Hermann (39, insurance broker)	68–37	14	contestant	01:14	Rosenstolz, Blue Man Group & Tracy Bonham, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
Episode 32	17 December 2011	€0.5M	Oliver Wallkötter (38, soldier)	00–66	11	Raab	00:25	Flying Steps, Zaz, Flo Mega
Episode 33	17 March 2012	€1.0M	Alexander Bitsch (32, customs dog handler)	48–72	15	Raab	02:05	Caligola, Stefanie Heinzmann, Unheilig
Episode 34	14 April 2012	€1.5M	Reint Janssen (30, sport scientist)	41–64	14	Raab	00:22	Rebecca Ferguson, Roman Lob, Der König tanzt
Episode 35	5 May 2012	€2.0M	Peter Grünberg (43, pediatrician)	39–66	14	Raab	00:50	Mandy Capristo, Jason Mraz, Amy Macdonald
Episode 36	22 September 2012	€2.5M	Manuela Kurrat (30, detective superintendent)	34–71	14	Raab	01:38	Lena, Joss Stone, Gossip
Episode 37	17 November 2012	€3.0M	Mario Anastasopoulos (44, joiner)	23–68	13	Raab	00:59	Lana Del Rey, Die Fantastischen Vier, Udo Lindenberg
Episode 38	15 December 2012	€3.5M	Bernd Stadelmann (27, farmer)	70–50	15	contestant	00:58	Taylor Swift, Deichkind, Seeed
Episode 39	12 January 2013	€0.5M	Björn Schmitz (37, sport scientist)	32–73	14	Raab	01:31	Xavas, Ellie Goulding, Max Raabe
Episode 40	16 March 2013	€1.0M	Andreas Mai (32, physicist)	21–70	13	Raab	00:43	Robbie Williams, Lena, Leslie Clio
Episode 41	11 May 2013	€1.5M	André Bergermann (37, steelworker)	40–65	14	Raab	01:03	Gentleman, Hurts, Zaz
Episode 42	7 September 2013	€2.0M	Pio Suh (38, lawyer)	29–62	13	Raab	00:45	Birdy, Ivy Quainoo, Miley Cyrus
Episode 43	16 November 2013	€2.5M	David Fritsch (32, detective superintendent)	06–72	12	Raab	00:43	Katy Perry, Eminem, Adel Tawil
Episode 44	21 December 2013	€3.0M	Anish Pulickal (32, social worker)	64–56	15	contestant	01:54	Placebo, Casper, Thomas D
Episode 45	15 February 2014	€0.5M	Michael Jentzsch (38, teacher)	18–73	13	Raab	00:44	Lorde, Christoph Maria Herbst, Marteria
Episode 46	29 March 2014	€1.0M	Caroline Gessner (25, Bundeswehr officer)	17–61	12	Raab	00:36	Bastille, Clean Bandit
Episode 47	3 May 2014	€1.5M	Maximilian Heizmann (31, ranger)	21–70	13	Raab	00:37	Lily Allen, Mando Diao
Episode 48	13 September 2014	€2.0M	Liane Weber (28, fitness trainer)	37–68	14	Raab	01:16	Maroon 5, Kiesza
Episode 49	15 November 2014	€2.5M	Peter Meiners (34, media analyst)	74–46	15	contestant	02:23[1][2][3]	Die Fantastischen Vier, The Script
Episode 50	20 December 2014	€0.5M	Jenna Timm (25, detective)	13–65	12	Raab	00:58	Cro, Zaz, Charley Ann Schmutzler
Episode 51	10 January 2015	€1.0M	Jan-Marco Montag (31, student)	31–74	14	Raab	01:36	Herbert Grönemeyer, Ella Henderson
Episode 52	25 April 2015	€1.5M	Maria Kleinebrahm (27, doctor)	61–59	15	contestant	01:24	Stefanie Heinzmann, Ann Sophie
Episode 53	12 September 2015	€0.5M	Robert Klauß (30, PE teacher, football coach)	18–73	13	Raab	01:13	Joss Stone, Sido ft. Andreas Bourani
Episode 54	24 October 2015	€1.0M	Markus Schulz (32, precision mechanic)	34–71	14	Raab	01:17	Louane Emera, Lena, Justin Bieber
Episode 55	19 December 2015	€1.5M	15 persons from the public	-	15	-	01:55	Stefan Raab & the Heavytones

Related series

Three other series have been created with the same format as Schlag den Raab:

• Schlag den Star
• Schlag den Henssler
• Schlag den Besten

International versions

Schlag den Raab has been sold to these countries

Country	Title	Network	Host	Competing against	Games	Date aired
Arab World	إغلب السقا Eghleb El-Saqqa	MBC	Razan Moughrabi	Ahmed El Sakka	6	24 April 2020
Australia	Beat the Star	Seven Network	Daniel MacPherson	Changed weekly	Unknown	7 September 2010
Bulgaria	Разбий Иван и Андрей Razbii Ivan i Andrei	Nova Television	Ivan and Andrey	Ivan and Andrey	11	26 September 2011
Croatia	Pobijedi Šolu	RTL Televizija	Belma Hodžic	Vlado Šola	15	20 February 2009
France	Qui peut battre Benjamin Castaldi?[9]	TF1	Carole Rousseau & Denis Brognart	Benjamin Castaldi	13	29 November 2008
Georgia	დაამარცხე ვარსკვლავი Daamartskhe Varskvlavi	Rustavi 2	Ann Korkia	Unknown	Unknown	14 June 2010
Netherlands	Beat De Mol	Veronica TV	Johnny De Mol	Various	Unknown	9 November 2010
Norway	Hvem kan slå Ylvis Hvem kan slå Aamodt og Kjus	TV Norge	Frithjof Wilborn (1st edition) Henriette Bruusgaard Pia Lykke (2nd ediction)	Ylvis brothers Kjetil André Aamodt & Lasse Kjus	Unknown	2009 2010
Serbia	Izađi na crtu	Prva	Srđan Karanović	Milan Kalinić	15	25 September 2011
Sweden	Vem kan slå Filip och Fredrik?[10]	Kanal 5	Pontus Gårdinger	Filip and Fredrik	15	9 September 2008
Ukraine	Побий ведучого Pobij veduchogo	1+1	Ostap Stupka and Nikolay Vasilkov	Andrew Domanskiy	4	2012
United Kingdom	Beat the Star[11][12]	ITV	Vernon Kay	Changed weekly	Unknown	20 April 2008

Video games

Several video game adaptations of the show have been released for the Wii, PlayStation 3 and PC platforms in Germany since 10 September 2010, as numerous versions of a board game and a quiz. Schlag den Star, a game for the Nintendo Switch, was developed by Lost the Game Studios and published by bitComposer Games in Germany.[13]

See also

• Beat the Star
• Beat the Star (Australia)
• Vem kan slå Filip & Fredrik (2008)

References

1. "Dieses Kneipenspiel brachte Raab zur Verzweiflung". Bild (in German). 16 November 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
2. Stelzer, Paul (16 November 2014). "Einschaltquoten am 15.11.2014: Schlag den Raab, Boxen und Supertalent im Quotencheck". xonik.de (in German). Retrieved 16 November 2014.
3. "Nach 368 Minuten! Kandidat Peter schlägt Stefan Raab und holt sich 2,5 Millionen". Express.de (in German). 16 November 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
4. "Das ist die Frau, die den Fluch gebrochen hat". Stern (in German). 26 April 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
5. Rave, Carsten (1 November 2014). "Grippe schlägt Stefan Raab – Show fällt aus". Die Welt (in German). Retrieved 16 November 2014.
6. "Grimme-Preis: Stefan Raab darf wieder hoffen". Quotenmeter.de (in German). 24 January 2008. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
7. Schader, Peer (30 September 2007). "Wir sind wieder die Größten". Stern (in German). Retrieved 8 May 2010.
8. "Kreisch-Alarm und ein Hauch von Hollywood". Spiegel Online (in German). 7 February 2008. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
9. "Qui peut battre Benjamin Castaldi ?... Audrey Prieto !". Télé 7 Jours (in French). Première. 29 November 2008. Archived from the original on 14 February 2010. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
10. "Vem kan slå Filip och Fredrik?". Kanal 5 (in Swedish). Retrieved 11 November 2008.
11. "Beat The Star". itv.com. Retrieved 6 November 2012.
12. "Games master". The Daily Telegraph. 19 April 2008. Retrieved 6 November 2012.
13. McFerran, Damien (5 September 2017). "Switch's Latest Exclusive Is Based On A German Quiz Show". Nintendo Life. Retrieved 7 September 2017.

External links

• Official website
• Schlag den Raab at IMDb