Hyvät herrat explained

Native Name:
Creator:Jarmo Porola
Theme Music Composer:Jussi Haime
Opentheme:Seppo Välimäki
Country:Finland
Language:Finnish
Num Seasons:7
Num Episodes:207[1]
Runtime:58 minutes
Company:VipVision
Network:Kolmoskanava, later MTV3

Hyvät herrat (Good Gentlemen) is a Finnish political satire series produced between 1990 and 1996. The series was shown in 1990–1992 on Kolmoskanava and in 1993–1996 on MTV3. Aarno Laitinen was the screenwriter of the series, with his assistant mainly Lasse Lehtinen under the pseudonyms Saara Lenso, Serita Numintio and Sole Sarana.[1] For a few years, together with Laitinen and Lehtinen, Yleisradio's political editor Jarkko Juselius wrote the series.[2] The director of the series was Pertti Melasniemi and the producer was Jarmo Porola. A total of 207 episodes were made in the series. In 1999, the 15-part continuation series Herrat nauraa was completed, which was a continuation of the original series.

Overview

The main characters of the series are business advisor Johannes Paukku (Matti Tuominen), a sausage manufacturer who got rich with "Paukku's Run" and his son-in-law Raimo "Tollo" Koskivuo (Eero Melasniemi), a social democratic politician, whom Yleni promoted from MP to party secretary and minister during the series. In each episode, Paukku and Tollo organised a sauna evening and invited a political guest or other well-known public figure, with whom they tried to talk into favouring their own political projects, along with saunas, sowing and drinking. Sales advisor Paukku's role model was reportedly business leader and business organisation influencer Heikki Tavela.[3]

In order to get up-to-date political remarks, the week's episode was filmed in 1990 on Mondays and the program came out on TV the evening of the same day, which was why they read the same day's afternoon newspapers. From the spring of 1991, the day of recording was moved to Tuesday, until the end of the series. This gave the staff one day more time to make the series. The filming location for the series was the Park Hotel Käpylä in Käpylä, Helsinki, which has been operating under the name Finlandia Park Hotel Helsinki since February 2017.[4] [5] [6]

The screenwriter Lasse Lehtinen has recalled that several well-known male actors were considered for the role of sales advisor Paukku, starting with Lasse Pöysti and Pentti Siimes. The requirement was that the actor to be chosen was absolutely sober. For this reason, according to Lehtinen, the task turned out to be difficult, because almost all the male actors who were free at the time had an alcohol problem. Director Pertti Melasniemi demanded and got Matti Tuominen as sales advisor Paukku.[2] Lasse Lehtinen has considered Tuominen's choice to be successful, as he skillfully embraced the role of Paukku. When Tuominen was chosen, he was still relatively unknown to the general public, although he already had a long career as a theatre actor behind him. Tuominen's son, actor Sakari Tuominen, has said that in his private life, his father was more or less the complete opposite of Paukku, shy and modest in nature and rather a sidekick than the center of the group.[7]

The characters of Hyvät herrat were well-characterised and its humour was often snarky. Sales advisor Paukku was a chauvinistic and whiny industrialist, Tollo, on the other hand, a sleazy political gambler. With the help of the characters, the "good brother network" of politics was caricatured, where decisions are plotted in cabinets and sauna evenings "behind the people's backs". In addition, Paukku and Tollo indulged in high life, drinking, and occasional side-jumping (the business advisor lived in Barcelona, and Mrs. Koskivuoka never appeared in the series either). In the episodes of the first year, the sauna guests' backs were washed by the sower Armi (Eila Pehkonen). The actor Pehkonen died in September 1991, and until the end of the program's life, she was replaced by Tyyne Hurskainen (Anja Pohjola), who commented on politics from her own perspective of a "revolutionary front-line". During the series, the sauna group was served "turpentine" by several waiters, first Pia (Sarina Röhr), then Timo (Mikko Roiha), whom Paukku called Håkan, and finally Dr. Samuel Livingstone Matabele (Billy Carson). Paukku treated the waiter characters with open disdain, which was meant to reflect prejudices against women, sexual minorities, immigrants and animal activists. However, according to the director Melasniemi, Paukku was always the one who misbehaved, got picked on and was laughed at in the end.[8]

Guests

In each episode of the series, a Finnish politician or other public figure appeared as himself. Although Paukku and Tollo could put their guests behind their backs and in front of them cheaply, there were always enough guests for the show, because they got media publicity and the opportunity to present their own thoughts on a popular television show. This is how real politics and the satire of the screenwriters were mixed in Hyvät herrat. Paukku's sauna was visited by the highest leadership of the kingdom, including ministers. According to Lasse Lehtinen, who wrote the program, the politicians actually competed to be included in the program, and only a few, such as Paavo Väyrynen, refused the invitation.[7]

The Prime Minister Esko Aho participated in the making of the series and appeared in the filming, but at the last drop he refused to air the episode. The Russian diplomat Viktor Vladimirov, on the other hand, had promised to join Hyvät herrat, but cancelled his arrival a day before filming. Vladimirov was replaced at short notice by writer and politician Jörn Donner.[2]

President of Finland Mauno Koivisto was supposed to join an episode of Hyvät herrat to play volleyball with Tollo for the Sikariporras team. The day before the shooting, there were government negotiations, and in order to mix fact and fiction, Pertti Melasniemi sent Tollo with the film crew to the location to comment on the government negotiations. When the afternoon papers reported the next day that Tollo participated in the formation of the government, the Office of the President of Finland was informed that the president wanted to transfer his participation to Hyvät herrat. Melasniemi interpreted that Koivisto would never be seen in the series.[2]

According to Tapani Ruokanen, the author of President Martti Ahtisaari's biography, in 1992 and 1993 Hyvät herrat helped pave the way for Ahtisaari to become the President of the Republic. Ahtisaari's name as a possible future presidential candidate came up in an episode of Hyvät herrat that was shown at the beginning of September 1992. A couple of weeks later, Aarno Laitinen wrote a column in Iltalehti with the title "Could it be Martti Ahtisaari?" Lasse Lehtinen was on bad terms with SDP's long-term chairman and four-time prime minister, Kalevi Sorsa, and wanted to prevent Sorsa from becoming a presidential candidate. The later chairman of the SDP, Eero Heinäluoma, said in Ahtisaari's biography: "The essential thing was that Lasse Lehtinen, a propagandist who was even more skilled than Göbbels, set out to push Ahtisaari for the presidency, systematically and using the entire media. He influenced through his fellow journalists in all media”.[9]

Partial list of guests

Impact

Hyvät herrat was a popular show throughout its lifetime: for example, the episode broadcast on 6 April 1993 drew 1.4 million viewers.[11] The series made its main star, the sales advisor Paukku, a cult figure, and this echoed in almost every episode from the cry "Personnel, turpentine!" (Henkilökunta, tärpättiä!) came the flying phrase. At the same time, the visit of high-ranking politicians in the program, which often cultivates dark humor, also aroused indignation. In the mid-1990s, the current affairs program Mediapeli, shown on MTV3, organized a studio discussion and a viewer survey on the topic "Is it appropriate for ministers to visit the Hyvät herrat show?". The illustration used was the post-May Day episode of Hyvät herrat, where Paukku and Tollo wake up from a drinking hole wearing May Day masks.

Season 1
NumberNameGuest(s)Airdate
1Raha saa palkkansaJukka Keitele15 January 1990
2Tittelit poisRiitta Suominen22 January 1990
3Oma koti turhan kallisArja Alho29 January 1990
4Kolmossivun tyttöHeikki Tavela5 February 1990
5Kallis kansliapäällikköBror Wahlroos12 February 1990
6Kirje rajan takaaLeif Salmén19 February 1990
7Paukku ja LeppänenUrpo Leppänen26 February 1990
8Karjala takaisin!Johannes Virolainen5 March 1990
912 March 1990
10Oma pää ja pääomaEsko Seppänen19 March 1990
11Muistamaton neuvosLasse Lehtinen26 March 1990
12Paljon onnea vaanJuha Vainio2 April 1990
139 April 1990
1423 April 1990
15Mustaa valkoisella7 May 1990
Season 2
NumberNameGuest(s)Airdate
16Turun muikkuAri Valjakka15 October 1990
17Nautaa rajallePekka Ruotsalainen22 October 1990
18Erja Tikka29 October 1990
19Kumin käryä5 November 1990
20Pekka Vennamo12 November 1990
21Pappia kyydissäHeikki Riihijärvi19 November 1990
22Melkein ministeriPekka Kivelä26 November 1990
233 December 1990
2410 December 1990
25PaukkuryssiäRita Tainola17 December 1990
2629 January 1991
275 February 1991
28Rauha ja solidaarisuusJukka Kuikka12 February 1991
2919 February 1991
30Matti Louekoski26 February 1991
315 March 1991
3212 March 1991
3319 March 1991
3426 March 1991
35MakkaraesirippuBen Zyskowicz9 April 1991
36Mooses ja DemostenesArto Tuominen16 April 1991
37Paukku ja pamppuSulo Aittoniemi23 April 1991
38MakkarapankkiUlf Sundqvist30 April 1991
39Pallo hallussaAnssi Rauramo7 May 1991
Season 3
NumberNameGuest(s)Airdate
40Ann yks silakkElisabeth Rehn1 October 1991
418 October 1991
4215 October 1991
4322 October 1991
4429 October 1991
455 November 1991
4612 November 1991
47Ei tippapullo tapaIlkka Kanerva19 November 1991
48Taistojen teilläMatti Viialainen26 November 1991
49Kauhea KankkunenJuha Kankkunen3 December 1991
50Dynamiittia!Eero Paloheimo10 December 1991
51En etsi valtaaKirsti Paakkanen17 December 1991
52Kuollut kukkoJörn Donner4 January 1992
53Poliisin tuttu11 February 1992
54Innostunut sonni18 February 1992
55VarkauspäiväHannele Luukkanen25 February 1992
56LakkokenraalitRisto Kuisma3 March 1992
57Tiede ja kunniaEino Tunkelo10 March 1992
58Valoa kansallePentti Sierilä17 March 1992
59Peräänanattomat24 March 1992
60Sairas kansa31 March 1992
61PekkaspäiväTarja Tenkula7 April 1992
62On sovittu14 April 1992
63TuhlaajapojatRaimo Ilaskivi28 April 1992
64Jokeri hihassaTeemu Selänne
Hjallis Harkimo
5 May 1992
65Valkoinen metsästäjäPeter Fryckman12 May 1992
66Tasavallan miehetArvo Salo19 May 1992
67Hullujen huoneClaes Andersson26 May 1992
Season 4
NumberNameGuest(s)Airdate
68LoistelohtaJukka Ojaranta1 September 1992
69MeedioTerho Pursiainen8 September 1992
70Kolme muskettisoturiaRaimo Vistbacka15 September 1992
71Työstä ja taistelustaMikko Laaksonen22 September 1992
72Mein KampfRenny Harlin29 September 1992
73Carlssonin kiusausJorma Ojaharju6 October 1992
74Leijonaketju hyökkääSeppo Lindblom13 October 1992
75Käytös kymmenenSanelma Vuorre20 October 1992
76Tasavallan ruorimiehetKimmo Sasi27 October 1992
77Miehen kääntöpuoliLiisa Kulhia3 November 1992
78Kaasua, Kauppaneuvos PaukkuPirjo-Riitta Antvuori10 November 1992
79Miesten turvakotiIlkka Taipale17 November 1992
8024 November 1992
81Itsenäisyyden varjossaGeorg C. Ehrnrooth1 December 1992
82Porsaita äidin8 December 1992
83SponsorisopimusRiitta Suominen5 January 1993
84Joustavin hampainPaavo Lipponen12 January 1993
85TyöhönottohaastatteluOlli Rehn19 January 1993
86Rakastan elämääJutta Zilliacus26 January 1993
87Suuri lehtijakoMarkku Laukkanen2 February 1993
88TappajahaukiSeppo Sarlund9 February 1993
89Kauhun tasapainoJaakko Laakso16 February 1993
90VahakabinettiTarja Kautto23 February 1993
912 March 1993
929 March 1993
93Samma på svenskaOle Norrback16 March 1993
94YltiöheteröPaavo Nikula23 March 1993
95Vettä ja leipää30 March 1993
96SaamamiesKike Elomaa6 April 1993
97Pakettiratkaisu20 April 1993
98Taivaan täydeltäHeikki Nikunen27 April 1993
99Vapaa LappiEsko-Juhani Tennilä4 May 1993
100SupersunnuntaiAntti Kalliomäki11 May 1993
101Turskan puolestaMinna Karhunen18 May 1993
102EväsreppuTuovi Allén25 May 1993
Season 5
NumberNameGuest(s)Airdate
103Musta Pekka31 August 1993
1047 September 1993
105Hiomaton timanttiAnne Murto14 September 1993
106YdinkysymysMartti Tiuri
Matti Putkonen
21 September 1993
107Ekoismi28 September 1993
108Kitkan viisasPauli Saapunki5 October 1993
109KunnianmiesLasse Virén12 October 1993
110RantarosvotKari Häkämies19 October 1993
111Lähivaikuttaja26 October 1993
112KyläpäällikötAaro Heikkilä2 November 1993
113Työn sankaritJuha Mieto9 November 1993
114EuromannekiiniLaila Snellman16 November 1993
115Isänmaa vaarassa23 November 1993
116Karelia-ExpressPekka Karhuvaara30 November 1993
117Vihreä akkavaltaJaakko Pöyry7 December 1993
118Sanaton mutiainenLasse Kanerva14 December 1993
119Työmiehen tietolaari11 January 1994
120Lullan och BullanTuulikki Ukkola18 January 1994
121SylttytehdasSauli Niinistö25 January 1994
1221 February 1994
123Sananvapauden tunaritUma Aaltonen8 February 1994
124Kirsi Piha15 February 1994
12522 February 1994
1261 March 1994
1278 March 1994
128Jäätä särkemään15 March 1994
129Rehellinen konnaVolvo Markkanen22 March 1994
130KoirakouluPentti Matikainen29 March 1994
131Karjala takaisinRauno Meriö12 April 1994
132Paavo ja PaavoSeppo Pelttari19 April 1994
133Laastaria, laastariaPeter Nygård26 April 1994
134Painista runoonPertti Ukkola3 May 1994
135Aatosta jaloaEino Grön10 May 1994
136Hellät varpaatCurt Lindström17 May 1994
137Vihreä n**keriPekka Haavisto24 May 1994
Season 6
NumberNameGuest(s)Airdate
138Kaatuneiden muistopäiväVeltto Virtanen30 August 1994
139Yks paskan makuKauko Juhantalo6 September 1994
140Malja EuroopalleRolf Kullberg13 September 1994
141Ryssän kätyriGeorg Paile20 September 1994
142AnekauppaneuvosTapani Ruokanen27 September 1994
143LikivihreätHeidi Hautala4 October 1994
144Bryssä hyökkääErkki Liikanen11 October 1994
145Opin saunaOlli-Pekka Heinonen18 October 1994
146Turun tautiMikko Rönnholm25 October 1994
147Maamiehen tietolaariHeikki A. Ollila1 November 1994
148Miesten turvakotiSinikka Hurskainen8 November 1994
14915 November 1994
150Muodollisesti päteväAnne Sällylä22 November 1994
151Nuori vesipeto29 November 1994
152VarjovastaanottoHeikki Sarmanto
Matti Oiling
6 December 1994
153Köyhien jouluNiilo Tarvajärvi13 December 1994
154Hei, me sukelletaanJari Komulainen17 January 1995
15524 January 1995
15631 January 1995
1577 February 1995
15814 February 1995
159ParagondemariTarja Halonen21 February 1995
160VaalilöylytAnneli Taina28 February 1995
1617 March 1995
16214 March 1995
163Käärme paratiisissaRuben Stiller21 March 1995
164AsfalttikepulainenMatti Vanhanen28 March 1995
165Mäntsälä mielessäinTimo T. A. Mikkonen4 April 1995
166Melkein ministeri11 April 1995
167Tuija Brax25 April 1995
1682 May 1995
169Uusi poliittinen kulttuuriOuti Ojala9 May 1995
170Lapuan vireäTapio Korjus16 May 1995
171Viimeinen demariAimo Kairamo
Tom Warelius
23 May 1995
172Aatosta jaloaLiisa Hyssälä30 May 1995
Season 7
NumberNameGuest(s)Airdate
173Iso vihree29 August 1995
174Ylämaan kunkku5 September 1995
175Hyvä kysymys12 September 1995
176Jhallikeisari19 September 1995
177Tohtorikopla26 September 1995
178Elokuvaa suurempaaSpede Pasanen3 October 1995
17910 October 1995
180Missitohtori17 October 1995
18124 October 1995
18231 October 1995
1837 November 1995
18414 November 1995
18521 November 1995
186Hojo, hojoHeikki Turunen28 November 1995
187Formuakauppa5 December 1995
188Sikaenergiaa12 December 1995
189ToverikauppaPekka Korinen9 January 1996
190Tervemenoa16 January 1996
191Nuoret kotkat23 January 1996
192SULi kuuhun30 January 1996
193Leivätön pöytä6 February 1996
194Sissimajuri13 February 1996
195Routaporsas20 February 1996
196Silkkiä ja puoteja27 February 1996
197Oi noita taikureita5 March 1996
198Shakki ja nakki12 March 1996
199Ei EU-nukkeja!19 March 1996
200Paljon onnea vaan26 March 1996
201Helise maa!2 April 1996
202Havuja, perkele16 April 1996
203N**kerijatsiaJyrki Kangas Ted Curson

Reiska Laine

23 April 1996
204Kuninkaallinen vappu30 April 1996
205Viherkossu7 May 1996
206Kala nimeltään VandaPekka Kejonen14 May 1996
207Laulu Katupoikien21 May 1996

Sequels

In 1999, a short sequel was made to the series called Herrat nauraa.

In the winter of 2006–2007, MTV3 aired a new series, Donna Paukku, in which Johannes Paukku's illegitimate daughter arrives in Finland and begins to sauna guests with the help of Tollo and Tyyne. Of the actors of the old series, only Anja Pohjola, who played Tyyne Hurskainen, was involved.[12] Aarno Laitinen opted out of the Donna Paukku series, but he could not prevent it from being done under the copyright law.

Reruns

The episodes of the series in the first years were repeated on the Sunday morning after the premiere. Episodes of the series were rerun in the summer of 1998.[<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hs.fi/haku/?query=Hyv%C3%A4t%20herrat&category=kaikki&period=custom&order=old&startDate=1998-01-01&endDate=1998-12-31|title=HS:n arkistohaku aikavälillä 1.1.1998-31.12.1998|publisher=[[Helsingin Sanomat]]|access-date=19 November 2023}} During the 2006 presidential elections, three episodes of the fifth season were repeated, which were visited by presidential candidates Matti Vanhanen, Tarja Halonen and Sauli Niinistö.[13] In addition, in the summer of 2006, MTV3 aired eight selected episodes from 1990 to 1992 as a wish list.[14]

Title theme

The theme music of the series and other synthesizer music in the program was made by Jussi Halme.[15] In 2022, Halme and a Finnish hip-hop and R&B singer-artist collaborated on an updated version of Hyvät herrats signature theme, as the original series soundtracks had been destroyed in MTV's archives.[16]

Intro

1993

In 1993, the episodes used an intro in which the Table Frame appears on a cloudy background, where the most central people of the series appear alternately: sales advisor Paukku, Tollo Koskivuo, Tyyne Hurskainen and bartender Timo, in later episodes Samuel Livingstone Matabele.

1994-1996

At the beginning of the episodes from 1994 to 1996, a computer-generated animation by Seppo Välimäki was used as its intro.[2] The animation in question later became an internet meme, earning the nickname "Bowling Alley screens when you get a Strike".[17] [18]

At the beginning of the animation, the parliament building is depicted. The "lump" rumbles along the ground to the steps of the parliament building. The "pillars" of the House of Parliament look on and the "lump" moves from the stairs to the central pillar. At the same time, the other columns start running out of the picture. The middle column begins to bulge, and the face of Sales Advisor Paukku begins to appear, smiling widely. Suddenly, Paukku's face freezes, and remains under the banknote. After a while, the picture shows a 100-mark bill with the face of the sales advisor. Raimo T. Koskivuo takes the bill into his pocket and after a moment Koskivuo disappears inside the coffee cup shown in the picture. Then Tyyne Hurskainen takes the cup and drinks coffee, when suddenly the picture becomes strange and the bartender Samuel Livingstone Matabele appears in the picture. After that, he crumbles into little pink balls. The bartender sweeps up the shattered balls, and at the end, the roof of the parliament building collapses.

Cast

In the main roles

Cameo roles

Sales advisor Paukku made a cameo role in Ere Kokkonen's movie Vääpeli Körmy - taisteluni. In the film, when negotiations are underway to end the war between Finland and Sweden, the commander of the Swedish army is softened up by taking him to Paukku's sauna.[19]

Homages

The sauna facilities at Park Hotel Käpylä are named after the series characters Paukku, Tollo and Tyyne.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Televisio-ohjelmat. Lasse Lehtisen kotisivut. 7 May 2011.
  2. Web site: Suomalaisia TV-aarteita: Hyvät herrat . Karemo, Tuomas . Yle . 14 November 2017 .
  3. Antti-Pekka Pietilä: Oikean Paukun tarina. Tasavallan takapiru pääkonsuli Heikki Tavela Gummerus 1992
  4. Web site: Saunat ja uima-allas - Park Hotel Helsinki . Park Hotel Helsinki . 17 March 2024.
  5. Web site: Legendaarinen Paukun sauna suljetaan - Hyvien herrojen Tollo: "Saadapa Sipilä lauteille tentattavaksi!". 1 July 2017. fi-FI.
  6. Web site: Yllätyskäänne: Hyvät herrat -hotelli aukesi ja legendaariseen altaaseen pääsee taas. 1 February 2017. 17 March 2024. fi-FI.
  7. Web site: Öykkäröivä kauppaneuvos keräsi joka viikko yli miljoona suomalaista TV:n ääreen – kauppaneuvos Paukun rooli Hyvät herrat -sarjassa muutti näyttelijä Matti Tuomisen elämän peruuttamattomasti . Lempinen, Marko . . 5 June 2021 .
  8. Marjamäki 2007, s. 77
  9. Web site: Näin Ahtisaari tyrmäsi presidentinvaalissa 23 vuotta sitten . Saari, Heikki . . 22 October 2017 .
  10. Web site: Armeijassa puhutaan 'jarrusta' ruokailun yhteydessä...mitäs se on?. IGS - Helsingin kaupunginkirjasto. 21 November 2005. 7 May 2011.
  11. Book: Erämetsä, Harri . Joukkoviestintä Suomessa . 1994 . Joukkoviestimien käyttö . 30 . Nordenstreng, Kaarle & Wiio, Osmo A. (toim.). Weilin + Göös . 951-35-5899-1 .
  12. Web site: Anja Pohjola palaa Tyynen rooliin. Helsingin Sanomat. 16 November 2006. 7 May 2011.
  13. Web site: Näyttelijä Matti Tuominen kuollut. MTV3. 26 January 2006. 7 May 2011.
  14. Web site: Poliitikot nakuilevat Hyvät herrat -sarjassa. Iltalehti. 24 July 2006. 7 May 2011.
  15. Web site: Synamusiikki jäi varjoon 1980-luvulla – nyt Jussi Halme toivoisi pääsyä radioon nuorillekin tekijöille. Huttunen, Samuli. 18 February 2020. Kulttuuritoimitus. 19 November 2023.
  16. Web site: Jussi Halme, Misha - Hyvät Herrat Theme Song - Rework (Bowling Alley Screens when you get a Strike). 12 May 2022. YouTube. 19 November 2023.
  17. Web site: Hyvät herrat (TV Series 1990–1996) - Trivia. . en. 19 November 2023.
  18. Web site: Memes / Live-Action TV. en. 19 November 2023.
  19. Web site: Vääpeli Körmy – taisteluni. Elonet. 19 November 2023.