Watching Greek series can really help you learn the language, or just freshen up your Greek. Especially when talking about some of the best Greek TV shows of all time! GreekPod101.com presents you with ten of the most popular Greek TV series, which can help you learn Greek in a fun and interesting way.
Greek TV shows can be found on various sources:
- Websites and Web TV pages of Greek channels
- YouTube
- Greek Satellite TV
- DVDs
The easiest way is searching for each title on Google; this way, you can find almost anything.
So, what are you waiting for? Browse through our selected series and find the one that suits your taste. We’re sure you’ll find one you like from our picks of the most popular Greek TV series, whether you find Greek TV shows online or Greek TV shows on Netflix. Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
- Είσαι το ταίρι μου (Íse to téri mu) — You are My Soulmate | (2001-2002)
- Εγκλήματα (Englímata) — Crimes | (1998-2000)
- Πενήντα-Πενήντα (Penínda-Penínda) — Fifty-Fifty | (2005-2011)
- Σαββατογεννημένες (Savatoyeniménes) — The Saturday-born Women | (2003-2004)
- Το καφέ της χαράς (To kafé tis harás) — Hara’s Cafe | (2003-2006)
- Κωνσταντίνου και Ελένης (Konstandínu ke Elénis) — Konstantinos’ and Eleni’s | (1998-2000)
- Το νησί (To nisí) — The Island | (2010-2011)
- Δύο Ξένοι (Dío Xéni) — Two Strangers | (1997-1999)
- Οι στάβλοι της Εριέτας Ζαΐμη (I stávli tis Eriétas Zaími) — The Stables of Erieta Zaimi | (2002-2004)
- Στο παρά πέντε (Sto pará pénde)- “In the Nick of Time” | (2005-2007)
- Conclusion
1. Είσαι το ταίρι μου (Íse to téri mu) — You are My Soulmate | (2001-2002)
Stella is an overweight Greek woman residing in Melbourne, Australia. Vicky is also a Greek living in Melbourne; however, she is a beautiful model.
Once Vicky gets engaged to Nikos, she’s off to Greece to meet his parents. On the plane to get there, she discovers that she’s traveling along with her friend, Stella. Then, an extraordinary thought pops into her mind, while being extremely stressed about meeting Niko’s parents: What if they switched places?
A series of unexpected and hilarious events follow.
This is an all-time favorite series for many people in Greece. It includes the concepts of love, hate, discrimination, immigration, and more, as you get to know a classic Greek family and their perceptions. Unique characters and an intriguing, humorous story set the perfect basis for success.
The language used is simple and without many idioms or strange accents. As a result, this is definitely a great Greek television series to watch while studying the language.
Quote
- Greek: Η ζωή είναι τελικά μια τεράστια πλάκα
- Romanization: I zoí íne teliká mía terástia pláka.
- Translation: “In the bottom line, life is a huge joke.”
2. Εγκλήματα (Englímata) — Crimes | (1998-2000)
Look at them! They seem like a group of happy friends, but…they’re not! This is another comedy series, which is popular to this day. When Alekos, a married man, falls in love with Flora, who’s also married, a series of perplexed events take place.
The story is centered around his wife, Sosó, who discovers the cheating and is determined to kill him. Doesn’t sound much like a comedy, right? This series is a great mix of black humor, hilarious moments, and well-presented characters.
Again, in this series, simple language is used, so this is perfect for freshening up your Greek and having fun at the same time! As one of the most popular Greek TV series, we’re sure you’ll love it!
Quote
- Greek: Δε θα μου πεις εσύ πότε είναι η ώρα μου, εγώ θα σου πω πότε είναι η δική σου!
- Romanization: De tha mu pis esí póte íne i óra mu, egó tha su po póte íne i dikí su!
- Translation: “You are not the one to tell me when it’s my time to die, I will tell you when it’s yours!”
3. Πενήντα-Πενήντα (Penínda-Penínda) — Fifty-Fifty | (2005-2011)
This may be one of the Greek TV shows most recently viewed.
This comedy series is centered around the life of three couples. These are Nikiforos and Elisavet, Mimis and Xanthipi, and Pavlos and Irini. Things get hilariously perplexed when Pavlos begins an extramarital relationship with a young gymnast, Maria. In addition, the series also includes the relationships and interactions of these couples’ children.
This is a typical and quite popular Greek TV series, which unfortunately was left unfinished, due to the bankruptcy of the Greek channel “Mega,” which was responsible for its production.
4. Σαββατογεννημένες (Savatoyeniménes) — The Saturday-born Women | (2003-2004)
The title of this Greek series refers to a Greek superstition. It’s believed that whoever is born on a Saturday is lucky and always get what they wish for. So if they wish for something, it will happen and that’s why they are considered lucky. If they wish someone harm, like a curse, it will also happen. So sometimes people born on a Saturday warn others to not mess with them because of that!
Savvas is a rude, foul-mouthed, macho and misogynist womanizer. Therefore, he has been married three times.
The title of the series refers to his three ex-wives Súla, Kéti, and Bía. When Savvas discovers while driving that he’s the lottery winner of 7.5-million euros, he’s involved in an accident which temporarily erases his memory. Having no one to care for him after the accident, his three ex-wives take pity on him and decide to help him recover.
What will happen when they find out he’s the big winner of the Joker lottery? Watch this purely comedic series and find out!
This is a pretty fun series to watch. However, fast speech is used as well as many idioms and slang words, mainly because one of the main characters (José) is an immigrant from Paraguay who strives to learn Greek.
Quote
- Greek: Κέρδισε 7.5 εκατομμύρια στο Τζόκερ.
- Romanization: Kérdise eptámisi ekatomíria sto Jóker.
- Translation: “He won 7.5 million (Euros) in Joker.” (similar to the American Powerball)
5. Το καφέ της χαράς (To kafé tis harás) — Hara’s Cafe | (2003-2006)
In a small and untouched Greek village, lives the great mayor Periandros Popotas who’s a really strict man, is really proud about the Greek legacy, and adores tradition and culture. Hara is a successful career-woman working for an advertising company in Athens.
Sadly, almost simultaneously, she finds herself fired and inherits a house in the aforementioned conservative village, so she decides to move there with her daughter and open a cafe. Can the dynamic city girl Hara fit in inside this reclusive community? Watch and find out.
6. Κωνσταντίνου και Ελένης (Konstandínu ke Elénis) — Konstantinos’ and Eleni’s | (1998-2000)
This is probably the most successful Greek series of all time. It has been playing in repetition for over 15 years and it’s still played occasionally on Greek television.
Konstantinos Katakouzinos is an assistant professor of Byzantinology at the University of Athens, whereas Eleni Vlahaki is a humble waitress at a bar. They’re sharing lodgings, living together in a mansion, after a legal problem. They’re two unrelated and very opposite characters, who tend to fight each other all the time.
This Greek comedy series includes many slang words and phrases, so discretion is advised.
Quote
- Greek: Το σπίτι είναι δικό μου!
- Romanization: To spíti íne dikó mu!
- Translation: “The house is mine!”
7. Το νησί (To nisí) — The Island | (2010-2011)
Based on the awarded book of Victoria Hislop, this story is set on Spinalonga, a small Greek island off the coast of Crete. The story focuses on a leper colony, which was established on the isolated island as a precaution measure. These people learned to live isolated from the whole world, with no doctors, doomed to suffer from this cruel disease. This is obviously a drama, which truly speaks to the soul.
If you’re interested in how these people’s everyday life was, then this is the ultimate Greek TV show for you, especially if you plan on watching Greek drama TV series.
8. Δύο Ξένοι (Dío Xéni) — Two Strangers | (1997-1999)
This is a very successful Greek romantic comedy. Marina is one low-educated but ambitious young actress-hostess. When she decides to study acting she meets Konstantinos, a handsome and charming teacher of drama. However, he’s quite the opposite of her, being a well-educated and prestigious man. Their unconventional love story will certainly make you laugh and as you come to love them.
Quote
- Greek: Γύρνα πίσω ή έστω τηλεφώνα.
- Romanization: Gírna píso i ésto tilefóna.
- Translation: “Come back or at least give me a call.”
9. Οι στάβλοι της Εριέτας Ζαΐμη (I stávli tis Eriétas Zaími) — The Stables of Erieta Zaimi | (2002-2004)
Set in a Greek female prison, this comedy has a unique concept. Sit back, relax, and watch the stories the prisoners unveil trying not to laugh out loud. When the charming male manager of the prison falls in love with one of the female prisoners, an interesting story begins.
This series uses many slang words and phrases, so discretion is advised.
10. Στο παρά πέντε (Sto pará pénde)- “In the Nick of Time” | (2005-2007)
This is a mystery-comedy-drama series, which revolves around five basic characters, who are initially unrelated. However, when they get trapped in a malfunctioning elevator, witnessing the death of a former minister, their fates are intertwined. Before passing away, the former minister mumbles, “Find the one who did this to me,” and so the adventure begins!
This is a more contemporary Greek comedy, which is quite popular in Greece. The smart scenario and the totally different characters create a series to remember. If you’re into mystery, but can’t stand too much “darkness,” this is the series for you! Based on who you ask, this could be considered one of the most popular Greek soap operas.
Quote
- Greek: Για όλα φταίει η κοντή!
- Romanization: Ya óla ftéi i kondí.
- Translation: “It’s all the short woman’s fault!”
11. Conclusion
You might have noticed that most of these emblematic Greek series were produced before 2010. This is not something random, as the years after 2010 were really harsh on TV programs. By 2011, Greece was already deep into the worst economic recession of modern times. As a result, there were many cuts in the TV productions’ budgets and Greek channels preferred to buy the copyrights and show low-cost Turkish TV shows, instead of producing original Greek series.
However, today all these TV shows have been digitized and are available through the development of technology and the world wide web. GreekPod101.com suggests watching the most popular TV shows of all time, as a fun and effective way to learn Greek. Do you want to learn more fun ways to effectively learn Greek?
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