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Konstantinou kai Elenis

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Konstantinou kai Elenis
Κωνσταντίνου και Ελένης'
Created byHaris Romas
Anna Chatzisofia
Directed byKostas Lychnaras
StarringHaris Romas
Eleni Rantou
Maria Lekaki
Vasilis Koukouras
Kallirroi Miriagou
Stergios Nenes
Theme music composerPascual Marquina Narro
Opening theme"España Cañi"
Country of originGreece Greece
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes68 (list of episodes)
Production
Production locationsGreece, Athens, Marousi
Running timeapprox. 30 to 40 minutes
Original release
NetworkANT1
ReleaseOctober 1998 –
June 2000

Konstantinou kai Elenis (Template:Lang-el; Template:Lang-en) is a Greek comedy TV show broadcast on ANT1 channel, which aired from October 1998 until June 2000. The story revolves around the cohabitation of two people with very different personalities; an assistant professor of Byzantine Studies at the University of Athens named Konstantinos Katakouzinos and a waitress named Eleni Vlachaki. The series focuses on the clash of Konstaninos and Eleni's very different personalities as they live together and have to deal with each other.

The main stars are Haris Romas, who co-wrote the script along with Anna Hatzisofia, and Eleni Rantou. The character of Manthos is portrayed by Vasilis Koukouras whereas the character of Peggy, Matina and Nikolas are portrayed by Maria Lekaki, Kalirroi Miriagou and Stergios Nenes respectively. The series ran for two seasons, 1998-1999 and 1999-2000, and consisted of 68 episodes. Each episode lasts about 40–45 minutes. Reruns of the series are still being broadcast to date.

Konstantinou kai Elenis is widely considered the most successful Greek TV series of all time and maintains a huge cultural impact on the Greek-speaking world even to this day. The show is also one of the few Greek-produced that have achieved a cult status, scoring high viewership ratings for roughly twenty years after its finalle and maintaining a dedicated fanbase.[1][2][3]

Storyline

Konstaninos' uncle dies and leaves two wills appointing as inheritors of his small mansion in Marousi, Athens his nephew, an assistant professor of Byzantine Studies at the University of Athens and Eleni, his gardener's daughter. The prospective inheritors and their lawyers do not know which will was written first as the second will would deem the first invalid. As they are both emotionally attached to the house, they decide to compromise and live together until the court's decision.

Konstaninos and Eleni's very different personalities conflict, leading them to major quarrels over sometimes unimportant things. Konstantinos, a narrow minded but extremely educated person, with good manners (in specific persons), obsessed with the Byzantine Empire, is a very conservative character who speaks puristic Greek and is very religious and superstitious. He also dislikes being in the company of others and hates every type of modern entertainment. Eleni works as a waitress at a bar, non educated with terrible manners, uses slang and often vulgar words and expressions, and is a very open minded and kind-hearted person. A typical young woman, she enjoys all kinds of modern entertainment and has many friends and many short-lived relationships. In many episodes, their mutual dislike even leads one of the two, or even both, to plot against the other to become the sole inheritor of the house.

Various other subplots play a significant role in many episodes, usually involving the most important supporting characters: Peggy is Eleni's closest friend, a waitress at the same bar and a talentless actress. Manthos, Konstantinos' closest friend and schoolmate, is the son of a rich industrialist who has multiple relationships including his most permanent one, Peggy. Matina is Konstantinos and Eleni's old friend and neighbour, a civil servant who is single, afraid that she'll die alone, and is obsessed with getting married. Nicolas is the bartender at the bar where Eleni and Peggy work and a very close friend of both.

Recording

The show was mostly recorded at Paiania Studio in Attica, but the characters visited many areas inside and outside the city such as Arachova, Patmos and Hydra.

Cast and characters

The main cast of the series includes Haris Romas and Eleni Rantou as Konstantinos and Eleni, the protagonists. The show also featured many popular actors and as guest stars in various episodes.

Main cast

  • Haris Romas as "Konstantinos Katakouzinos": He is a grumpy, overly conservative and narrow-minded Byzantinologist, who works as an assistant professor at the University of Athens. He is also the author of an unpublished book called "The Sewer System in Byzantium", which he regards as a masterpiece, but nobody is interested in publishing it. Konstantinos has many peculiarities and is an extremely difficult person to deal with, let alone live with.
  • Eleni Rantou as "Eleni Vlachaki": She is a strong-willed and kind-hearted young woman, without any formal manners and rather uneducated. She works as a waitress in a night bar and is shown to have many short-lived relationships, which usually differ between episodes. Eleni calls Konstantinos by the nickname "Katakouzina", a pun on his name and the word "κουζίνα" meaning kitchen in Greek.
  • Maria Lekaki as "Peggy Karra (Panagiota Carachisaridou)": The closest friend of Eleni's. Her real name is Panagiota Carachisaridou, but she has adopted an "artistic" name. Her dream is to become a famous actress, and she constantly tries to grasp leading roles at various plays, but with no result, as she is completely talentless. Her main profession is waiting at the same bar in which Eleni works. She is also Manthos' fianceé and main love interest, among many.
  • Vasilis Koukouras as "Manthos Foustanos": Konstantinos' best friend with a huge ego. He is a lazy playboy, the only son of a rich industrialist, who enjoys having intercourse with many women. He is almost always shown to be in a relationship with Peggy during the series, who eventually becomes his only girlfriend. He loves expensive sportscars and enjoys driving his Porsche. A running gag of the show is that he is usually seen trying to hide from his girlfriends the existence of his other girlfriends, usually by a close call.
  • Kallirroi Miriagou as "Matina Mantarinaki": Eleni's second best friend and neighbor. She is a very punctual person who always provides Eleni with food and likes being in her company, even when the latter teases her about her non-existent love life. With no self-esteem, Matina has assured herself that she's probably never going to get married, although she often tries to attract men. She has a constant crush on Konstantinos and Nikolas, who both avoid her at any cost.
  • Stergios Nenes as "Nicolas Varthaculias": He is the bartender in the bar in which Eleni and Peggy work. He drives a Harley Davidson which is well beyond his means and hasn't paid off even after the series' end. He is shown to have occasional relationships.

Recurring cast

  • Ilias Zervos as "Nikos Grevias": Konstantinos' lawyer.
  • Eleni Filippa as "Elli Roussou": Eleni's lawyer, and past love interest of Nikolas.
  • Lilian Arhonti as "Fiona Makri": Love interest of Manthos.
  • Marianna Marteli as "Lila": Love interest of Manthos.
  • Hrisa Kontogiorgou as "Joanna": Love interest of Manthos.
  • Thanasis Papageorgiou as "Lefteris Anagnostou": Student of Konstantinos.
  • Konstantina Halkiopoulou as "Maria Boukouvala": Student of Konstantinos.
  • Giorgos Samolis as "Alkis Ioannou": Student of Konstantinos.
  • Maria Paleologou as "Nitsa Voupoura": Neighbor of Konstantinos and Eleni, the ugly greengrocer of the neighborhood.

Episodes

A total of 68 episodes have been broadcast; thirty-three in the first season and thirty-five in the second season.[4]

Season 1 (1998–1999)

The season started on 12 October 1998 and finished on 7 June 1999. It included thirty-three episodes.[5]

No. in
series
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
11"Sigkatikisi (Cohabitation)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaOctober 12, 1998 (1998-10-12)
22"San to Skilo me ti Gata (Like Dog and Cat)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaOctober 19, 1998 (1998-10-19)
33"Violistis stin Idia Stegi (Fiddler on the Same Roof)[6]"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaOctober 26, 1998 (1998-10-26)
44"Otan Pigename Mazi Scholio (When we Attended Together School) [7]"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaNovember 2, 1998 (1998-11-02)
55"Moro Mou, Moro Mou Esi (Baby, little baby)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaNovember 9, 1998 (1998-11-09)
66"Den Plirono, Den Plirono (I'm not gonna Pay)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaNovember 16, 1998 (1998-11-16)
77"Thia Maro, Kale Thia Maro (Part A) (Dear Aunt Maro (Part A))"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaNovember 23, 1998 (1998-11-23)
88"Thia Maro, Kale Thia Maro (Part B) (Dear Aunt Maro (Part B))"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaNovember 30, 1998 (1998-11-30)
99"O Erotas Gennithike Gia Tesseris (Love was made for Four)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaDecember 7, 1998 (1998-12-07)
1010"Paradosi Kat'ikon... Anohis (Pent... House Delivery)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaDecember 14, 1998 (1998-12-14)
1111"Hali Birthday (Suck Birthday)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaDecember 21, 1998 (1998-12-21)
1212"Gia tin Kardia tis Oreas Elenis (For the heart of Beautiful Helen)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaJanuary 11, 1999 (1999-01-11)
1313"Mad Spiti (Mad House)[8]"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaJanuary 18, 1999 (1999-01-18)
1414"Soe kai Avlaves (Part A) (Family and Safe (Part A))"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaJanuary 25, 1999 (1999-01-25)
1515"Soe kai Avlaves (Part B) (Family and Safe (Part B))"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaFebruary 1, 1999 (1999-02-01)
1616"Sta Ori, ta Agria Vouna (At the High Mountains)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaFebruary 8, 1999 (1999-02-08)
1717"Trianta Vale... Karatia (Thirty plus... Carats)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaFebruary 15, 1999 (1999-02-15)
1818"Sexoualiki Parenohlisi (Sexual Abuse)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaFebruary 22, 1999 (1999-02-22)
1919"To Telefteo Tango sto Maroussi (Last Tango in Maroussi)[9]"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaMarch 1, 1999 (1999-03-01)
2020"The Konstantinou kai Elenis Show [10]"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaMarch 8, 1999 (1999-03-08)
2121"O Erastis tis Kommotrias (The Hairdresser's Husband)[11]"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaMarch 15, 1999 (1999-03-15)
2222"I Farma ton Zoon (Animal Farm)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaMarch 22, 1999 (1999-03-22)
2323"I Magisses tou Amarousiou (The Witches of Amaroussion)[12]"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaMarch 29, 1999 (1999-03-29)
2424"Amnisia (Amnesia)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaApril 5, 1999 (1999-04-05)
2525"I Vendeta (The Vendetta)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaApril 12, 1999 (1999-04-12)
2626"Fonos sto Vizandio (Murder in Byzantium)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaApril 19, 1999 (1999-04-19)
2727"Konstantinou kai Elenis Voithia Mas (St. Konstantinos and Eleni Bless our Souls)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaApril 26, 1999 (1999-04-26)
2828"O Hartopektis (The Gamester)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaMay 3, 1999 (1999-05-03)
2929"Sta Mathitika sou ta Vivlia (On your School Books)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaMay 10, 1999 (1999-05-10)
3030"Ena Asteri Genniete (A Star is Born)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaMay 17, 1999 (1999-05-17)
3131"O Telefteos Anthropos Pou Ide ton Thio (Last Man to see the Uncle)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaMay 24, 1999 (1999-05-24)
3232"Konstantinou kai Elenis on the Rocks"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaMay 31, 1999 (1999-05-31)
3333"I Diki (The Trial)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaJune 7, 1999 (1999-06-07)

Season 2 (1999–2000)

The season started on 11 October 1999 and finished on 19 June 2000. It included thirty-five episodes.[13]

No. in
series
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
341"I Kata Panourgian Asthenis (The Cunning Invalid)[14]"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaOctober 11, 1999 (1999-10-11)
352"Me tin Thia Den Ine Amartia (With Aunt it's Not a Sin)[15]"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaOctober 18, 1999 (1999-10-18)
363"To Rock kai to... Pourock (The Rock and the Ol' Rock)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaOctober 25, 1999 (1999-10-25)
374"Agrio Thiliko (Wild Female)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaNovember 1, 1999 (1999-11-01)
385"To Moro tis Rozmari (Part A) (Rosemary's Baby (Part A))[16]"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaNovember 8, 1999 (1999-11-08)
396"To Moro tis Rozmari (Part B) (Rosemary's Baby (Part B))"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaNovember 15, 1999 (1999-11-15)
407"I Exindavelona (The Miseress)[17]"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaNovember 22, 1999 (1999-11-22)
418"I Gampri tis Distihias (The Distress Grooms)[18]"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaNovember 29, 1999 (1999-11-29)
429"Glikia Mou Exaderfi (My Dear Cousin)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaDecember 6, 1999 (1999-12-06)
4310"I Doules tou Katakouzene (The Maids of Katakou-Genet)[19]"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaDecember 13, 1999 (1999-12-13)
4411"I Germanoi Xanaxanarhonte (The Nazis Again Strike Again)[20]"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaDecember 20, 1999 (1999-12-20)
4512"O Pio Kalos Dimotis Ime Ego (The Best Citizen is Me)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaJanuary 10, 2000 (2000-01-10)
4613"I Teleftea Mera tou Kosmou (The End of the World)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaJanuary 17, 2000 (2000-01-17)
4714"Marijuana STOP [21]"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaJanuary 24, 2000 (2000-01-24)
4815"Viva Mexico (¡Que viva México!) [22]"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaJanuary 31, 2000 (2000-01-31)
4916"I Soferantzes (The Drivers)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaFebruary 7, 2000 (2000-02-07)
5017"Esi Ise I Etia Pou Ipofero (You are the Reason why I Suffer)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaFebruary 14, 2000 (2000-02-14)
5118"The Godmother[23]"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaFebruary 21, 2000 (2000-02-21)
5219"I Kali Samaritis (The Good Samaritan)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaFebruary 28, 2000 (2000-02-28)
5320"Tis Metamorfoseos (Feast of the Transfiguration)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaMarch 6, 2000 (2000-03-06)
5421"Aponi Zoi (Hardhearted Life)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaMarch 13, 2000 (2000-03-13)
5522"Tou Patros kai tou Iou (Part A) (The Father and the Son (Part A))"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaMarch 20, 2000 (2000-03-20)
5623"Tou Patros kai tou Iou (Part B) (The Father and the Son (Part B))"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaMarch 27, 2000 (2000-03-27)
5724"Konstantinos o Politevomenos (Konstantinos the Politician)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaApril 3, 2000 (2000-04-03)
5825"I Trihes (Hair)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaApril 10, 2000 (2000-04-10)
5926"Sismi, Limi kai... Katakouzini (Earthquakes, Starvations and Katakouzinations)[24]"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaApril 17, 2000 (2000-04-17)
6027"Ta Avga kai ta Pashalia (Eggs and Lilacs)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaApril 24, 2000 (2000-04-24)
6128"Vaskanias to Anagnosma (Spell Reading)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaMay 1, 2000 (2000-05-01)
6229"Sferes Pano Apo to Marousi (Bullets Over Maroussi)[25]"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaMay 8, 2000 (2000-05-08)
6330"I Triti Diathiki (The Third Will)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaMay 15, 2000 (2000-05-15)
6431"I Lady kai i Alitra (Lady and the Trampess)[26]"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaMay 22, 2000 (2000-05-22)
6532"Pare ta Lefta kai Treha (Get the Money and Run)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaMay 29, 2000 (2000-05-29)
6633"Agapis Agonas Agonos (Love's Labour's Lost)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaJune 5, 2000 (2000-06-05)
Konstantinos has met an elegant but fashion-victim magazine publisher and Eleni has begun an affair with a stockbroker who is a workaholic. The explosive personalities of the two cohabitants will not tolerate the idiosyncrasies of their new partners. The title is the non-literal translation of "Love's Labour's Lost" (by William Shakespeare).
6734"Ti Ine Afto Pou to Lene Agapi (What's that thing Called Love?)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaJune 12, 2000 (2000-06-12)
6835"O Gamos kai to Gamoto (The Wedding and the Damn)"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaJune 19, 2000 (2000-06-19)
6936"Making Of"Kostas LychnarasHaris Romas, Anna HadjisophiaJune 30, 2000 (2000-06-30)

References

  1. ^ https://www.vice.com/gr/article/vv5dx4/ezhsa-mia-ebdomada-san-ton-kwnstantino-katakoyzhno-apo-to-kwnstantinoy-kai-elenhs
  2. ^ https://frapress.gr/2018/09/oi-pio-cult-akyroi-charaktires-toy-konstantinoy-kai-elenis/
  3. ^ https://www.thelook.gr/media/tileorasi/to-fenomeno-konstantinou-elenis/
  4. ^ "Κωνσταντίνου και Ελένης - Livemovies". Livemovies.
  5. ^ "Κωνσταντίνου και Ελένης - 1ος κύκλος". ishow.gr.
  6. ^ A reference to the musical Fiddler on the Roof
  7. ^ A reference to the greek song Otan Pigename Mazi Scholio
  8. ^ A reference to the 1997 film Mad City
  9. ^ A reference to the 1972 film Last Tango in Paris
  10. ^ The title and episode's plot references and even mentions the Jim Carrey movie The Truman Show
  11. ^ The title references to the 1990 film The Hairdresser's Husband
  12. ^ A reference to 1987 film The Witches of Eastwick
  13. ^ "Κωνσταντίνου και Ελένης - 2ος κύκλος". ishow.gr.
  14. ^ A reference to the comédie-ballet The Imaginary Invalid
  15. ^ A reference to the 1980 Italian film
  16. ^ An obvious reference to the novel Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin
  17. ^ A reference to the Molière play The Miser
  18. ^ A reference to the Greek film Oi Gampri tis Eftyhias ("The Grooms of Eftyhia") where Eftyhia is a Greek female name and means "Fortune" as well
  19. ^ A reference to the 1974 play The Maids by Jean Genet and also a pun of Konstantinos' last name "Katakouzinos"
  20. ^ A reference to the 1948 Greek film The Nazis Strike Again
  21. ^ A reference to the 1971 Greek film Marijouana STOP!
  22. ^ A reference to the 1979 Soviet film ¡Que viva México!
  23. ^ A reference to the film The Godfather
  24. ^ The title is a parody of the Greek collocation Sismi, limi kai katapontismoi meaning Earthquakes, starvations and floods and also a pun of Konstantinos' last name "Katakouzinos"
  25. ^ A reference to the film Bullets over Broadway
  26. ^ A reference to the Disney animated film Lady and the Tramp