Lud, zbunjen, normalan
| Lud, zbunjen, normalan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Created by |
Feđa Isović (screenplay) Elmir Jukić (director) |
| Starring |
Mustafa Nadarević Senad Bašić Moamer Kasumović |
| Country of origin | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| No. of seasons | 10 |
| No. of episodes | 200+ (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Davor Pušić, Jasmin Duraković, Siniša Svilan, Mirsad Herović |
| Location(s) | Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Running time | 30-40 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network |
FTV (2007.-2013.) Nova TV (2014.-2015.) Prva TV (2015.-) RTS, B92, A1, Kanal 5, POP TV, Vijesti, Face TV |
| Original release | 2 September 2007 – present |
Lud, zbunjen, normalan (English: Crazy, Confused, Normal) is a Bosnian television comedy series that began airing in 2007. Since its debut, it has also been shown in Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia. It has 10 seasons with overall 200+ episodes aired during 2015
Concept
Three generations of the Fazlinović family all live in a Sarajevo apartment. The oldest of the family is Izet Fazlinović. Izet has a son Faruk, who in turn has a son Damir. In season four, Damir's son Džema is born. The show's title refers to the three main characters, with Izet being Lud (crazy), Faruk being Zbunjen (confused) and Damir being Normalan (normal). The show's plot revolves around humorous situations involving the Fazlinović clan, their friends and co-workers.
Development
The first episode of Lud, zbunjen, normalan aired on 2 September 2007. The first five episode was produced as pilot for Bosnian public broadcaster FTV, but then Croatian commercial TV station Nova TV joined to production and production package for start was ready. Beside producer Davor Pušić and Mirsad Herović, very important production whole in process of making had Jasmin Durakovic who was at that time General Menager of FTV. He made decision for start up of project and made cast with Mustafa Nadarević and Senad Bašić. The other important player for this project was Siniša Svilan, director of programme Nova TV, who commissioned TV rights for Croatian territory and provided production to make first season. The first season had 40 episodes, the second had 32 episodes, and seasons three and four each had 24 episodes. The fifth season, which aired in 2012, had 16 episodes and the season six had 9 episodes before the series was canceled by Federalna televizija.
A seventh season has been announced and began airing on 3 November 2014.
In 2015 the Bosnian broadcaster has changed to the commercial television Face TV. Face TV started broadcasting 7th season regularly from 4 April 2015 at 8 p.m.
Episodes
So far 217 episodes in nine seasons have aired.
Cast and characters
Lud zbunjen normalan employs an ensemble cast. Three generations of the Fazlinović family all live in a Sarajevo apartment. The oldest of the family is Izet Fazlinović (Mustafa Nadarević). Izet has a son Faruk (Senad Bašić) who has a son Damir (Moamer Kasumović). The show's title refers to the three main characters, with Izet being Lud (crazy), Faruk being Zbunjen (confused) and Damir being Normalan (normal). The show's plot revolves around humorous situations involving the Fazlinović clan, their friends and co-workers.
The series also featured a number of guest stars. The series featured Enis Bešlagić as Đenis Đenis, a rockstar; Samir Fazlinović, Izet's nephew from his late brother, played by a famous Bosnian actor and also the minister of sports and culture in Sarajevo Emir Hadžihafizbegović, who later was promoted to a regular on the show.
Popular balkan singers that had a guest appearance on the show are: Al Dino, a recording artist; Sejo Sexon (Davor Sučić - aka "Sejo Sexon"), member of the rock group "Zabranjeno Pušenje", who is a good friends with Faruk; Tifa (Tifa); Nagib (Zlatan Zuhrić - Zuhra) who came to Faruk to record a song and Nina Badrić, came to Izet to record a song.
- Izet Fazlinović (Mustafa Nadarević) - Izet is a widower in his mid seventies, who was orphaned as a child. He is a staunch communist with Titoism leanings, as he always asks Tito for help while looking at his picture, but is nonetheless greedy and unwilling to work for money, preferring to run scams. Izet often threatens to kill people "like rabbits" (which he did when he mistakenly believed that Damir was gay or when Faruk spilled his prized and highly alcoholic Maksuzija rakija.) Izet is constantly yelling and browbeating everyone around him to great comic effect. In addition he makes outrageous claims (about his past love life and fighting the Germans during World War II, which occurred while he was an infant). He is considered the show's breakout character. The character is a parody of a local stereotype of elderly citizen, nostalgic about the Yugoslav era.
- Faruk Fazlinović (Senad Bašić) - Faruk is Izet's son and only child. He works as a music producer and owns the fledgling studio where he works. The character parodies another stereotypical remnant of Yugoslav era as he represents the generation that was the urban youth revolving around Sarajevo's burgeoning rock scene, that is now on brink of financial existence in post-war Yugoslav societies where only turbo-folk musicians tend to be well off. Faruk's involvement in the scene is often emphasized by celebrity appearances of rock musicians who all seem to know Faruk from a while back. A running gag on the show is his tendency to sleep all day and stay up all night. He has to contend with all his father's neuroses.
- Damir Fazlinović (Moamer Kasumović) - Damir is Faruk's son and only child as well as Izet's only grandchild. He was the result of a one night stand which occurred in the bathroom of the Cafe San Remo on its opening night in 1985. His mother abandoned him with the Fazlinović family and briefly returned in 2008. In spite of this he is the only normal and well balanced member of the family as well as a medical student at the University of Sarajevo. He represents the countries youth, or more specifically students, caught in madness of conflicting social currents. A running gag on the show is his attempt to lead a normal life in spite of his abnormal relatives.
- Džema Branko Fazlinović (Ivor Šparavalo) - Džemal is Damir's and Barbara's son, Faruk's grandson and Izet's great-grandson. He does not like go to school and first went to school with his great-grandfather. He has already outgrown his peers.
Other Cast and Characters
- Dragan Čmar- Čombe (Miraj Grbić)- Chombe is an intellectually challenged (very dumb), nice and kind character. He has a lot of ideas but they never end up the right way. Chombe is a passionate musician, but is a terrible guitarist and singer. After every episode, Chombe ends it with either his terrible singing, or with senseless TV-shows or radio talk shows.
- Barbara Fazlinović (Marija Omaljev; Džana Pinjo) - Damir's ex-wife. Actress who puts her career first (but the fact is that she doesn't have a career). She is arrogant and self-centred, doesn't care much about other people. The character is a parody of region's new go-getter youth.
- Samir Fazlinović (Emir Hadžihafizbegović) - Izet's nephew from his late brother. A notorious scam artist who always cheats the people he does business with. He is a parody of Bosnian stereotypical unscrupulous micro-businessmen. A running gag on the show is the fact that every time that Izet, Faruk or Damir do any business with him they are always scammed.
- Šefika Rondić (Jasna Žalica) - Šefika is a maid who works for the Fazlinovic family. Her job is complicated by the family's dysfunctions, especially Izet's constant sexual harassment and attempts to lower her pay. She was replaced by Rabija in the first episode of the second Season with her last appearance in episode 40.
- Enes Hadžiethemćumurović (Žan Marolt) - Enes is the Fazlinović's next door neighbor. The character is a parody of corrupt and smooth talking politicians. His last name is also a parody of post communist politicians in Bosnia because it is long, has obscure origins and religious overtones. He makes numerous references to an unnamed political party of which he is a senior member. He frequently charges personal expenses to the party's accounts (such as the furniture in his home and presents he bought for Šefika) and has ripped off the Fazlinović family on at least one occasion. The party also "helped" Enes to earn a law degree in 2007 though he rarely finds the time to practice law. Enes had a romantic relationship with Šefika and,in the second season,with Rabija and he recruited Izet into his party in an attempt to lure elderly voters. The attempt backfired because of a sex scandal caused by Izet. Izet calls him dugonja (stretch) because of his tall stature. The actor died in July, 2009, and there will be no new actors to replace him in season 3. His last appearance was in episode 71.
- Dr. Điđimilović - (Vanja Drach) - Dr. Điđimilović is a psychiatrist and a longtime friend of Izet. The doctor is often called in by Izet to help with the family's problems which both medical and personal in nature. A running gag on the show is the fact that many of the medical problems that Dr. Điđimilović is called to treat are misdiagnosed prior to his arrival, so he ends up dispensing advice for a problem that does not exist, such as Faruk's bestiality and Damir's impotence. The actor died in September 2009, and there will be no new actors to replace him in season 3. His last appearance was in episode 72.
- Ivana (Gordana Boban) - A secretary at the music studio owned by Faruk. She more or less runs the studio. The actress left the series with her last appearance in episode 55.
- Dino (Mehmeda) Mujkić (Milan Pavlovic) - Sound technician at the studio. Obese and inept. His portrayed as stupid even buying Izet's 1969 VW Beetle for 4,900 Bosnian Marks and paying several thousand to Samir for a driver's licence which has someone else's name and photograph on it. The actor left the series, with his last appearance in episode 63. In the first episode of season 3 was his funeral.
- Stjepan (Stipe)Mrvica (Saša Petrović) - Former owner of the Cafe San Remo which is a popular hang out for the show's characters. He tried to sabotage San Remo with Samir, but they failed. His last appearance was in episode 69 explained by his fallout with his wife Marija.
- Marija Šarafova (Tatjana Šojić) - Stipe's former wife who also works at the cafe. After many years of marriage Marija schemed to divorce Stipe and take control of all his assets. To accomplish this she enlists her lawyer/lover and recruits Enes to represent Stipe in the divorce proceeding with the agreement that he would lose the case.
- Selma (Zana Marjanović) - A waitress at the Cafe San Remo. After finishing college, she became the secretary at Faruk's studio after Ivana went to Germany.
- Rabija Bubić- "Buba" (Belma Lizde-Kurt) - The families new maid (from season 2), who Izet handpicked himself.
- Dr. Đuro Ubiparip (Boro Stjepanović) - Gynecologist and Izet's long-time friend from Belgrade.
- Bećir (Dragan Marinković) - A gay pop recording artist. He came from Zagreb to Sarajevo due to personal reasons. First appearance in episode 78.
- Mentor Kosova (Ilir Tafa) - Mentor Kosova is a Co-Owner of Faruk´s Video Production.
Recurring appearances
- Mariofil (Mirvad Kurić) Marija's second husband(from the fifth season ex-husband). A lawyer. First appearance in episode 52.
- Spomenka (Milena Dravić) Izet's neighbor and occasional lover.
- Senka (Seka Sablić) - Senka is house-sitting for Spomenka while the latter is out of the country. She is also involved with Izet.
- Ana (Halima Mušić) Izet's new girlfriend, after Senka and Spomenka left him.
- Alma - Damir's first girlfriend. Met her in a library in episode 2.
- Ines (Iva Šulentić) - Damir's ex-girlfriend.
- Mirna (Alma Terzić) - Damir's new girlfriend. She left him in episode 71 for a misunderstanding.
- Tanja (Slađana Bukejlović) - Faruk's ex-girlfriend.
- Senada Fukić-Fazlinović (Snežana Marković) - Faruk's new girlfriend, after he broke up with Tanja. Faruk married her. She left him.
- Đido Mova (Aleksandar Seksan) - A detective Faruk hires to investigate Senada's new "relationship".
- Reufik-Refko (Mehmeda) Mujkić (Goran Navojec) - Dino's brother, introduced in the first episode of season 3.
Episodic appearances
- Đenis Đenis (Enis Bešlagić) - He is a famous rocker, that came to Faruk two times to record a hit. Izet got involved and his plan failed.
- Stefanel (Mario Drmać) - A recording artist who came to Faruk once to record an album.
- Ranka - Ranka is Izet's dead wife. She has her life savings that are hidden. They are called "Crni Fond" (Black Saving).
- Nevena (Mediha Musliović) - Damir's mom that abandoned him when he was a baby.
- Murga (Izudin Bajrovic) - police inspector.
- Nada (Vedrana Seksan) - Damir's professor.
Celebrity Appearances
- Hanka Paldum - Came to Faruk to record a song in Izet's dream.
- Nina Badrić - Came to Izet to record a song.
- Elvir Laković Laka - Came to Faruk to record a song.
- Tifa - Tifa played himself, came to Faruk to record a song.
- Sejo Sexon - Member of the rock group "Zabranjeno Pušenje", he is good friends with Faruk.
- Nagib (Zlatan Zuhrić - Zuhra) - Came to Faruk to record a song.
- Al Dino - a recording artist. He played himself.
- Deen - Came to Faruk to record an album.
- Rambo Amadeus as himself.
- Bakir Hadžiomerović as himself.
Controversy
Episodes 76 and 77 drew some controversy from the Muslim community and some other organizations that are not entirely Muslim. One of the themes of the episode was a pious Muslim singer that came to Faruk's studio to record a few religious songs (with Faruk and other characters pretending to share the singer's religious zeal to get his business) and him almost eating pork that was passed as turkey.
Cancellation
On 7 April 2013 Federalna televizija announced that Lud, zbunjen, normalan was canceled because of financial issues. In the last episode, Izet, Faruk and Damir are on an airplane to Stockholm. The plane crashes and they are believed to be dead. However, three passengers who were booked missed the flight and these three are suspected to be Izet, Faruk and Damir. The series continued in November 2014.
Trivia
- Because of the high viewer demand for the show, Nova TV created false episodes of the show. Because of that in Croatia 7 seasons of the show aired
- 24 episodes were recorded for the shows 5th season. The first 15 aired in 2012 and the last 9 in 2013.
- Episode 122 during the airing was called "There's something about Sanela", but during reruns of the episode the title has been changed to "Ima nešto u Saneli"
- The "last 4 episodes" (Episodes 140 - 144) aired on the TV channel TV vijesti before the official airing on the Federalna televizija channel.