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Dιo Xenoi (English: Two Strangers) is the title of a Greek romance comedy television series aired by Mega Channel in the 1997–1999 seasons. The screenplay was written by Alexandros Rigas and Dimitris Apostolou. The series presents the development and evolution of a love affair between a popular and low-educated young woman, TV presenter of light content (Evelina Papoulia), and an ancient drama teacher with intensely haughty principles and introverted personality (Nikos Sergianopoulos). It was one of the most successful series of Greek television and it won the best comedy series award in the "Prosopa" Greek Television Awards in 1998. Since then, it has been shown on repeat every year due to the huge success it experienced. The title of the series is inspired by the lyrics of the song "The Sign" written to music by Marios Tokas and performed by Konstantina and Yiannis Parios.

Series overview

Plot

Konstantinos Markoras is a professor of ancient drama at the theatre workshop that he works with his close friend and actor, Petros Stavrou. Konstantinos is austere, slightly wayward, a deep supporter of classicism, with an introverted character. He lives in an apartment on Mitseon Street, in the Makrygianni district, with his housekeeper, Flora Barbaritsa. His mother, Deni Markora, is a wealthy widow, resourceful, humorous, fanatical fan of Panathinaikos F.C., who negatively influenced Konstantinos's psychology when he was still a child, and today still makes him furious. She lives in a detached house in Kolonaki with her Russian maid, Marushka, who is always the person to take it out on her.

When the courtship of Deni, Nikiforos Kasimatis, who runs a TV channel, realizes that the ratings have fallen, he decides to enter the space of the cultural guests at the shows, which leads Deni to propose to Konstantinos to appear on Marina Kountouratou's morning show, Morning Smile. Konstantinos reacts negatively at first, but then reconsiders and appears the next day on Marina's show. Marina is a young girl, from a village, without special education and with a character that every presenter should have. With her personality and behavior she annoys him, who leaves the show. Behind the scenes, Marina slaps him and from here the first spark of a love-hate relationship emerges.

Along the way, Marina wishes to attend the Drama School of Konstantinos, and he reluctantly accepts her on a trial basis. From day one the two of them do not get along well and the dislike they have for each other is evident. In time, the two will discover hidden aspects of their character thanks to the other: Marina will want to enrich her knowledge, while Konstantinos will find a more sprightly character. They will soon form a secret bond, which will be learned by the editor-in-chief of the morning and Marina's friend, Tolis Sideratos, Petros and finally Deni. However, she will keep it from Konstantinos, since only Marina knows that Deni knows about their affair.

After a period of prosperity, the two discover several differences in their characters and part, not so civilly. Nevertheless, Marina will divorce her relationship, Lambis, while Konstantinos will propose marriage to his fiancee, Mina. But Mina, learning about their secret relationship as well as Marina's pregnancy, disappears and the marriage is called off. Marina's pregnancy will soon appear, and not wanting to say that the child is Konstantinos's, she will meet the actor, Aias Manthopoulos, and convincing him that her pregnancy is the fruit of an unfortunate relationship, she will formalize that he is the father of the child. This move will annoy both Konstantinos and Deni, who will begin to distance herself from Marina and discredit her wherever she finds her (events that unfold in the Forbidden episode of the series). However, Marina will confess to Deni who is the true father of the child, and then their good relations will resume.

At the same time, Konstantinos and Deni will be active in television, he as director and she as producer of a TV series, the main cast will be his students: Daphne, Dinos, Dimitris, Vasilis, Diana -who courted Nikiforos and separated him from Deni to get a TV role- Fotis, Ava and Spyros who will help him in directing. The scriptwriter of the series, Mara Theofanous, will establish a bond with Konstantinos, but he will continue to love Marina.

The events that will follow are: the arrival of the man of flora's life, Menios -who was involved in pimping rings and was eventually arrested- Marina's birth, Tolis' conscription, the installation of Marina's mother, Zoitsa, in Athens for a short time, etc. Eventually, Marina will propose to Aia, but shortly before the wedding, Konstantinos will confess to everyone his love for her. Fate meant him and her to be together.

Cast

• Nikos Sergianopoulos as Konstantinos Markoras
• Evelina Papoulia as Marina Kountouratou
• Ntina Konsta as Deni Markora
• Chrisoula Diavati as Flora Barbaritsa
• Alexandra Paleologou as Mina Aggelopoulou
• Odysseas Stamoulis as Petros Stavrou
• Alexandros Rigas as Tolis Sideratos
• Dimitris Tsoutsis as Nikiforos Kasimatis
• Calliope Tahtsoglou as Marushka
• Rania Ioannidou as Marianthi Mantouna
• Nikos Sideris as Lambis (season 1)
• Aias Manthopoulos as himself (season 2)
• Dimitra Papadima as Mara Theofanous (season 2)

Trivia

Development

After the completion of the writing collaboration between Alexandros Rigas and Lefteris Papapetrou in the series Dolce Vita, Rigas began his collaboration with Apostolou. In early 1997, the design and production of the new series titled "Two Strangers" began which was to be shown at Mega. The lead cast was initially framed by Eleni Kourkoula in the role of Marina, Grigoris Valtinos in the role of Konstantinos, Nonika Galinea in the role of Deni and Dina Konsta in the role of Flora, which changed soon.

In the first episode –at the end of the beginning titles– the contributors dedicate the series to Aliki Vougiouklaki, with the characteristic text below: the series "two strangers" is dedicated to a woman who taught us to believe in fairy tales... Aliki. The series consists of 59 episodes, but only 58 are shown in the channel's reruns, as one of them has not been played before due to some scenes showing Konstantinos bribing Marianthi's granddaughter to secretly call Marina and call her "whore". This resulted in the episode being banned from viewing by N.B.C. repeat indefinitely, or formally cut the controversial scenes (41st episode, 21/12/1998).

The series also aired a telefilm with the synopsis of the series, on the occasion of the third season which never aired. The third season, according to Alexandros Rigas, was scheduled to begin in early October 1999 and would end in 12 episodes just before Christmas.

Backstage

The first season of the series differs greatly in quality and the line it follows in relation to the second cycle. The huge success it experienced made Mega to have greater demands from the production and creators already in the middle of the first season. From the 23rd episode onwards the duration of the episodes increases to hourly, the directorial pattern changes making it felt through the fast editing that has the speed of the plot to "gallop".

And while the series was preparing for the second season, Evelina Papoulia became pregnant after the shooting of the first season. This resulted in the script being remade and the pregnancy being transferred to Marina's character as well. However, the writing duo have never stated what their initial thoughts were about how the plot would have gone on if Marina had not become pregnant at the time. After this change, there are three retirements: two voluntary, and one... sharp. The first was that of Nikos Sideris judging that the role of Lambis had made its circle in history, and the second resounding was that of Alexandra Paleologou, who chose to leave in order to star in a new series of ANT1. Of course, she stayed for four more episodes so that her role closed with a strong reversal, which eventually left some windows open. The third departure was that of Odysseas Stamoulis, who would continue to participate in the second season of the series as normal. After the 34th episode, Petros's character abruptly disappears, and only a few telephone references are made to his person through Konstantinos. The actor said in an interview that no one from the production or the writers informed him why he was removed from the show.

Although the filming of the second season started early in order to release the actors who will leave and the scenes of Papoulia to take place before her pregnancy proceeds, after the Christmas gap made it difficult to make the filming so that the main plot was put on the back burner, to introduce new stories and as a result the viewers' interest decreased. After giving birth, the actress quickly returned to filming, again catching the pulse. The channel was in the final stage to renew the series for another season, however the demands of the production and the station over those of the actors and contributors left the series finale suspended.

Episodes

Season 1 (1997–1998)

Air date: Thursday at 9:05pm (episodes 1-12) and Tuesday at 9:15pm (episodes 13-29).

1. October 9, 1997
2. October 16, 1997
3. October 23, 1997
4. October 30, 1997
5. November 6, 1997
6. November 13, 1997
7. November 20, 1997
8. November 27, 1997
9. December 4, 1997
10. December 11, 1997
11. December 18, 1997
12. December 25, 1997
13. January 27, 1998
14. February 3, 1998
15. February 10, 1998
16. February 17, 1998
17. February 24, 1998
18. March 3, 1998
19. March 10, 1998
20. March 17, 1998
21. March 24, 1998
22. April 7, 1998
23. April 14, 1998
24. April 28, 1998
25. May 5, 1998
26. May 12, 1998
27. May 19, 1998
28. May 26, 1998
29. June 2, 1998

Season 2 (1998–1999)

Air date: Tuesday at 9:50pm (episodes 30-32) and Monday at 9:10pm (episodes 33-46) and at 10:10pm (episodes 47-59).

1. October 6, 1998
2. October 13, 1998
3. October 20, 1998
4. October 26, 1998
5. November 2, 1998
6. November 9, 1998
7. November 16, 1998
8. November 23, 1998
9. November 30, 1998
10. December 7, 1998
11. December 14, 1998
12. December 21, 1998
13. February 1, 1999
14. February 8, 1999
15. February 15, 1999
16. March 1, 1999
17. March 8, 1999
18. March 15, 1999
19. March 22, 1999
20. March 29, 1999
21. April 5, 1999
22. April 19, 1999
23. April 26, 1999
24. May 3, 1999
25. May 10, 1999
26. May 17, 1999
27. May 24, 1999
28. June 7, 1999
29. June 14, 1999
30. June 21, 1999

References

1. "Σειρές που άφησαν εποχή!". ethnos.gr. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
2. "Φλας μπακ στα 11 χρόνια του θεσμού". ethnos.gr. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
3. "Two Strangers". tve.gr. Retrieved 9 May 2015.

External links

• Dyo Xenoi at IMDb

• Greek television sitcoms
• Mega Channel original programming
• 1997 Greek television series debuts
• 1999 Greek television series endings
• 1990s Greek television series