''Ekipa'' (en. "team", English title: Prime Minister) is a Polish

political drama A political drama can describe a Theatre, play, film or TV program that has a politics, political component, whether reflecting the author's political opinion, or describing a politician or series of political events. Dramatists who have written p ...

TV series created and directed by

Agnieszka Holland Agnieszka Holland (; born 28 November 1948) is a Polish film and television director and screenwriter, best known for her cultural and political contributions to Polish cinema. She began her career as an assistant to directors Krzysztof Zanuss ...

, aired from 13 September 2007 until 6 December 2007 (cancelled due to low audience figures) on

Polsat Polsat is a Polish free-to-air television channel that was launched on 5 December 1992 by Zygmunt Solorz-Żak. , it is the most watched television channel in Poland with a market share of 11.30% Polsat belongs to Grupa Polsat Plus ( WSE: CP ...

. Ekipa is the second Polish

political fiction Political fiction employs narrative to comment on political events, systems and theories. Works of political fiction, such as political novels, often "directly criticize an existing society or present an alternative, even fant ...

series after the 1980s miniseries ''The Career of Nicodemus Dyzma'' based on

Tadeusz Dołęga-Mostowicz Tadeusz Dołęga-Mostowicz (; 10 August 1898 – 20 September 1939) was a Polish writer, journalist and author of over a dozen popular novels. One of his best known works, which in Poland became a byword for fortuitous careerism, was '' The Career ...

's novel of the same name.

Creators

The

series Series may refer to: People with the name * Caroline Series (born 1951), English mathematician, daughter of George Series * George Series (1920–1995), English physicist Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Series, the ordered sets used i ...

is directed by three directors -

, Magdalena Łazarkiewicz and

Katarzyna Adamik Katarzyna "Kasia" Adamik (born 28 December 1972) is a Polish director and storyboard artist. She has directed TV series including ''1983'', ''Axis Mundi'', and '' Absentia.'' Her debut film feature as director, ''Bark!'', was in competition at Su ...

, and produced by

ATM Grupa ATM Grupa S.A. is the largest independent TV producer in Poland who was founded on February 6, 1992. The company has an approximately 14 percent share of the market estimated to be worth PLN 750m. ATM is the only company in the market with it ...

and Grupa Filmowa.

Copyrights A copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the exclusive legal right to copy, distribute, adapt, display, and perform a creative work, usually for a limited time. The creative work may be in a literary, artistic, ...

are owned by

Telewizja Polsat Telewizja Polsat is a Polish media company and broadcaster of television channels mainly under the ''Polsat'' brand. In November 2010 Cyfrowy Polsat announced that has acquired 100% of the Telewizja Polsat shares. Channels Entertainment *Polsat / ...

. The

script Script may refer to: Writing systems * Script, a distinctive writing system, based on a repertoire of specific elements or symbols, or that repertoire * Script (styles of handwriting) ** Script typeface, a typeface with characteristics of handw ...

was created by Dominik Wieczorkowski-Rettinger and Wawrzyniec Smoczyński.

Plot

The action of the series is set in present-day Poland. The story begins when

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

and legendary opposition leader during Communist rule Henryk Nowasz of "Polish Centre Bloc" (''Polski Blok Centrum'') was suspected of being an agent of the former communist security services. Nowasz decided to resign in order to prevent a government downfall and proposed non-partisan 37-year-old Professor of Economy and Political Sciences Konstanty Turski, his friend and an unofficial advisor, to become a caretaker until he could prove his innocence. Turski was narrowly confirmed by the

Sejm The Sejm (), officially known as the Sejm of the Republic of Poland (), is the lower house of the bicameralism, bicameral parliament of Poland. The Sejm has been the highest governing body of the Third Polish Republic since the Polish People' ...

, with silent opposition of the coalition party, "Right-wing for Poland" (''Prawica dla Polski''), whose leader, Jan Matajewicz, soon became his archenemy, with support of his party colleague,

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Juliusz Szczęsny and both far-right and left-wing opposition parties. Turski, however, soon proved to be an effective (but idealistic and unconventional) leader, but his administration is involved with serious odds with other politicians. The key ally of Matajewicz is deputy

Sejm Marshal The Marshal of the Sejm (, ) is the speaker (chair) of the Sejm, the lower house of the Polish Parliament. The office traces its origins to the 15th century. In modern Poland, the full title is Marshal of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland (). ...

Krystyna Sochaczewska, a longtime Nowasz's friend from opposition and his successor as party leader.

Characters

* Henryk Nowasz (

Janusz Gajos Janusz Gajos (; born 23 September 1939) is a Polish film, television and theatre actor as well as pedagogue and photographer. Professor of Theatre Arts and an Honorary Doctor of the National Film School in Łódź, he is considered one of the ...

), former Prime Minister and PBC leader * Konstanty Turski (

Marcin Perchuć Marcin (Polish pronunciation: ) is a male given name or surname. It is the Polish equivalent of the English name Martin; the female version is Martyna. Notable people with the name Marcin include: Given name * Marcin Adamski (born 1975), Polish f ...

), Prime Minister * Julian Szczęsny (

Andrzej Seweryn Andrzej Teodor Seweryn (Polish pronunciation: ; born 25 April 1946) is a Polish actor and Theatre director, director. Regarded as one of the most successful Polish theatre actors, he starred in over 50 films, mostly in Poland, France, and Germa ...

), President * Jan Matajewicz ( Marek Frąckowiak), acting Sejm Marshal, PDP leader, briefly

Acting President An acting president is a person who temporarily fills the role of a country's president when the incumbent president is unavailable (such as by illness or visiting abroad) or when the post is vacant (such as for death Death is the en ...

after Szczęsny's death * Krystyna Sochaczewska ( Bogusława Schubert), PBC leader and Sejm Marshal * Adam Niemiec (

Krzysztof Stroiński Krzysztof Stroiński (born 9 October 1950 in Pszczyna Pszczyna (, ) is a town in Silesia Province in Poland, with a population of 25,823 (2019), and is the seat of a local gmina (commune) and district. It was previously part of Katowice Prov ...

), chief of the Prime Minister's chancellery * Aleksandra Pyszny (

Katarzyna Herman Katarzyna Herman (born 13 August 1971) is a Polish actress, who appeared in more than 70 television and film productions. Early life Herman was born in Białystok and in 1994 graduated from the Aleksander Zelwerowicz National Academy of Dramati ...

), chief of the Prime Minister's political cabinet * Hubert Kowerski ( Rafał Maćkowiak), spokesman of the government * Julia Rychter ( Katarzyna Gniewkowska), Chief of the Prime Minister's economic advisory team * Dorota (

Agnieszka Grochowska Agnieszka Grochowska (, born 31 December 1979) is a Polish film and theatre actress. She is a two-time recipient of Polish Film Awards having won the Polish Academy Award for Best Actress in 2013 and the Polish Academy Award for Best Supportin ...

), Niemiec's assistant * Mateusz Bonowicz (

Marcin Bosak Marcin Bosak (born 9 September 1979 in Łódź) is a Polish actor. He appeared in more than twenty-five films since 1995. Biography He was born and raised in Łódź. He has a younger sister, Anna, finalist of the You Can Dance: Po prostu tań ...

), Prime Minister's assistant * Dr Jan Guss (

Marek Kalita Marek is the West Slavic (Czech, Polish and Slovak) masculine equivalent of Marcus, Marc or Mark. The name may refer to: * Marek (given name) * Marek (surname) * Marek, the pseudonym of Bulgarian communist Stanke Dimitrov (1889–1944) * The tit ...

), Prime Minister's economic advisor * Boczek (first name unknown) (

Ryszard Kotys Ryszard Kotys (20 March 1932 – 27 January 2021) was a Polish actor. He appeared in more than 140 films and television shows during his career. Filmography Film Television References External links * 1932 births 2021 deaths Polis ...

), Deputy Prime Minister * Naruszewski (first name unknown) ( Maciej Banach), Leader of the far-right * Paulina Turska ( Aleksandra Justa), Turski's wife * Marta Kołodziejczyk ( Ewa Kutynia), journalist, Kowerski's former wife * Patrycja ( Barbara Kurzaj), Prime Minister's secretary

Real-life inspiration

Fictional politicians in Ekipa are often said to be a "TV alternative" for the National Conservative administration of the

Law and Justice Law and Justice ( , PiS) is a Right-wing populism, right-wing populist and National conservatism, national-conservative List of political parties in Poland, political party in Poland. The party is a member of European Conservatives and Refo ...

. Series creators also mention ''

The West Wing ''The West Wing'' is an American political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 14, 2006. The series is set primarily in the West Wing of the White House, where t ...

'' as a model. However, there are some significant similarities to other U.S. political drama - Commander in Chief. Like Mackenzie Allen, Turski became a leader very accidentally. Also his chief opponent is Sejm Marshal, which could remind one of odds between Allen and Speaker of the House Nathan Templeton. Third of all: Turski preserved all cabinet of his predecessor just as Allen did, despite lack of loyalty from number of ministers. Nowasz's PBC is said to be based on former Freedom Union, while Matajewicz's PDP on Law and Justice.

Political parties in Ekipa

Sejm political parties in Ekipa:Partie parlamentarne
/ref> * Polish Centist Party (''Polski Blok Centrowy'') - largest party in parliament, ruling in coalition with PDP. Centrist political positions. PBC composing people's with both left (i.e. Niemiec) and right-wing leaning (Nowasz, Sochaczewska). Has 184 Sejm seats (40%) * Right for Poland (''Prawica Dla Polski'') - national-conservative, second largest in Sejm. Headed by Matajewicz. President is also a former PDP leader and its founder. 92 seats (20%) * United Left (''Zjednoczona Lewica'') - ruling party during previous term. Modeled on real-life SLD or

LiD A lid or cover is part of a container, and serves as the closure (container), closure or Seal (mechanical), seal, usually one that completely closes the object. Lids can be placed on small containers such as Tub (container), tubs as well as large ...

. Social democratic. 74 seats (16%) * Patriotic Convent (''Konwent Patriotyczny'') - far-right wing. Modeled on real-life

League of Polish Families The League of Polish Families ( Polish: ''Liga Polskich Rodzin,'' , LPR) is a social conservative political party in Poland, with many far-right elements in the past. The party's original ideology was that of the National Democracy movement whic ...

. Hard-core anti-

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...

. 64 seats (14%) * Agrarians - modeled on real-life

Polish People's Party The Polish People's Party (, PSL) is a conservative political party in Poland. It is currently led by Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. Its history traces back to 1895, when it held the name People's Party, although its name was changed to the pre ...

. 43 seats (9.5%). Smallest Sejm party

References

{{reflist Political drama television series Polish drama television series 2007 Polish television series debuts 2007 Polish television series endings Polsat original programming Television shows set in Warsaw