''Oi Symmathites'' (often referred to as ''Symmathites'',
Εnglish: ''The Classmates'' or ''Classmates'') is a
Greek television soap opera
A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originat ...
created by Vicky Alexopoulou and Yorgos Feidas for
ANT1
Antenna, better known as ANT1, is a free-to-air television network airing in Greece. The alternate spelling is wordplay in Greek; ''ena'' (ένα) is the Greek number ''1'' (one), thus ''ANT1'' is pronounced the same as ''Antenna'' (Αντένν ...
. It premiered on October 28, 2014 and concluded on July 28, 2017. Set in
Athens, Greece
Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...
, the show centers upon the life of some classmates 18 years after their
graduation
A graduation is the awarding of a diploma by an educational institution. It may also refer to the ceremony that is associated with it, which can also be called Commencement speech, commencement, Congregation (university), congregation, Convocat ...
and how their lives continue after that.
Production
Development
In 2014, ANT1 was on the hunt to create a new prime time soap opera for its 2014/2015-season. After different proposals they decided to buy the television rights of the Argentine
telenovela
A telenovela is a type of a television serial drama or soap opera produced primarily in Latin America. The word combines ''tele'' (for "television") and ''novela'' (meaning "novel"). Similar Drama (film and television), drama genres around the w ...
''
Graduados
''Graduados'' () is a 2012 Argentine telenovela that was broadcast by Telefe from March 12 to December 19. The plot concerns a group of people who graduated from high school in 1989 and reunite twenty years later. The main character, Andrés G ...
'', broadcast by
Telefe
Telefe (acronym for Televisión Federal) is a television station located in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The station is owned and operated by Paramount Global through Televisión Federal S.A. Telefe is also one of Argentina's six national televisio ...
, adapting the project on its greek edition. As the main director of the show was announced Vasilis Thomopoulos, who stopped his long-running collaboration with
Mega Channel
MEGA Channel, also known as MEGA TV or just MEGA, is a television network in Greece, that broadcasts a mix of foreign and Greek programming. It is the first and the oldest private television network in Greece.
History Mega Channel (1989–2018 ...
, and Vicky Alexopoulou as the head writer of the series. ANT1 at first decided to run the show for one and only season with 180 episodes really closely to the original television format.
On May of 2015, shortly before the show was ready to be cancelled, ANT1 decided to renew the show after the agreement of the Argentinian creators because of the high ratings of the first season. Because the original storylines were almost completed the decision between ANT1 and Telefe was to create a new plot and storylines with almost the same characters for the second season of the show. The new head writer, who had to create an almost new series, was Yorgos Feidas. The original storyline of the show, based on the Argentinian Graduados, stops on the episode 170 the 12th episode of the second season.
On March of 2016 ANT1 renewed the show for its third season, continuing the original greek script of Yorgos Feidas.
Cancellation of the series
On March of 2017 the ratings of the show started falling ahead, after almost two years as a slot winner, because of the fifth season of
''Survivor Greece'' on
Skai TV
Skai TV is a Greek free-to-air television network based in Piraeus, operating under Skai Group. It has been broadcasting since 2006 and is available via digital terrestrial transmission, as well as subscription-based services such as Nova and ...
. On May, ANT1 decided to cancel the show after three seasons even though there was originally an intention to renew the show for a fourth season.
Taping
''Oi Symmathites'' was shot at
Finos Film
Finos Film (Greek: Φίνος Φιλμ) is a Greek film production and distribution company that dominated the Greek film industry from 1943 to 1977. It was founded by Filopimin Finos in 1942 during World War II
World War II or the ...
Studios in
Spata
Spata () is a town east of downtown Athens, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Spata-Artemida, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. The municipal unit (officially named Spata-Loutsa) has an a ...
for its entire run.
Theme song
"Oi Symmathites", the
theme song
Theme music is a musical composition which is often written specifically for radio programming, television shows, video games, or films and is usually played during the title sequence, opening credits, closing credits, and in some instances at ...
of ''Oi Symmathites'', was written by Nikos Moraitis and was performed by
Melisses
Melisses (Greek; Μέλισσες, stylized as "ΜΕΛΙSSES") are a Greek band consisting of Christos Mastoras (vocals), Costas Mavrogennis (bass), and Thanos Laitsas (guitar). Since 2014, they have been signed to Panik Records.
Their career ...
.
Series overview
Plot
Pavlos, Marilena and Vallia were the most popular kids in their school. On the other hand, Andreas, Kristy and Lefteris were into more of a rock lifestyle. The graduation party marked the end of an era for the school friends. Many years later, their paths cross again and they each have an influence on each other's lives.
Cast
*
Krateros Katsoulis
Craterus, also spelled Krateros (; 370 BC – 321 BC), was a Macedonian general under Alexander the Great and one of the Diadochi. Throughout his life, he was a loyal royalist and supporter of Alexander the Great.Anson, Edward M. (2014)p.24 ...
*
Marianna Toumasatou Marianna may refer to:
* Marianna, Arkansas, USA
* Marianna, Florida, USA
* Marianna, Pennsylvania, USA
* An English spelling for Mariana, Minas Gerais, Brazil
* 602 Marianna, an asteroid, number 602 in the minor planet catalog
* Marianna (gi ...
*
Faidra Drouka
*
Marios Athanasiou
*
Dimitris Mavropoulos
*
Penelope Anastasopoulou
*
Nikoleta Karra
*
Anastasia Pantousi
Anastasia (from ) is a feminine given name of Greek and Slavic origin, derived from the Greek word (), meaning "resurrection". It is a popular name in Eastern Europe.
Origin
The name Anastasia originated during the early days of Christianity ...
*
Mihalis Marinos
*
Pavlos Haikalis
Pavlos Haikalis (also Chaikalis; ; born 30 October 1959) is a Greek actor and politician.
Biography
Pavlos Haikalis was born in Katakolo, Elis, on 30 October 1959. He, and his older brother Thanasis Haikalis (1948-2022), was raised by his mother ...
*
Kostas Triantafyllopoulos
*
Kostas Koklas Kostas or Costas () is a Greek given name and surname. As a given name, it can be a hypocorism for Konstantinos (Constantine).
Given name
* Costas Andreou, Greek musician
* Kostas Antetokounmpo (born 1997), Greek basketball player
* Costas Azariad ...
*
*
Periklis Albanis
*
Pinelopi Plaka
References
External links
*
{{Graduados
ANT1 original programming
2014 Greek television series debuts
2010s Greek television series
2017 Greek television series endings