In the Nick of Time

5 words for this masterpiece -THE script -THE direction -THE acting -THE laugh -THE crying Yorgos Kapoutzidis and Antonis Aggelopoulos made one of the most successful, adventure, comedy tv show in greek history !

"Sto Para Pente" is a series about the mystery that five completely different people must solve, when a government official is murdered in front of their eyes.

The secret of the show's success, is not only the extraordinary performances of the cast or the directors' work. It is one of the few TV shows that relies on clever lines, mystery and well-written dialogs, instead of yelling, screaming and vulgar language used by most Greek hit TV shows. Yorgos Kapoutzidis, whose last work was another hit TV show, "Savvatogennimenes", has done a great job creating a story so original, yet so familiar (due to his references to various Greek B&W movies). Humour, as well as mystery and adventure, join forces to create one of the best Greek TV shows ever created.

All the performances are truly terrific, but the characters of Dalia and Theopoula (played by Smaragda Karydi and Efi Papatheodorou, respectively) steal the show. The director has done an excellent work and the song featured in the opening credits is one you really can't get out of your mind. The rest of the cast does an excellent job and the guest stars add up to the mystery. A show that can't be missed!

This TV-series is one of few that are worth watching this year on Greek television. It is innovative, with very good performances, extremely well written and an inspiration to young writers. The characters are simple yet very complete. Each and every one of them have their own story but they are all connected to each other as well. This connection is hidden well in the past. Secrets, a mystery key and a murder that happened 30 years ago are only some of the elements of this series. But its important characteristics? An original storyline with excellent character development and lines that create unconstrained and ample laughter as well as being food for thought.

I don't really have a whole lot more to add to the comments made by the first few people to give their opinion on this show which was indeed a breath of fresh air on Greek TV--heck, it was the first time I truly followed a Greek TV series in my life, and I was 22 when it started and have lived in Greece for nearly fifteen years! I've even found myself wishing they'd release it on DVD so I can keep it (a first for me!)--if possible, with subtitling options, so I could share it with friends of mine who don't speak Greek! It really is very good.

However I would just like to point out to people who might be reading these comments to determine whether it's worth watching that it's not worth listening to people like fgeorgiou or sotiris makris--both anecdotal evidence and more official audience figures suggest they're very much in the minority; besides, of those 2 guys, the first is obviously just trying to be contrary, and trying to elevate themselves apart from what they seem to view rather sniffily as 'The Masses' (capitals intended) and the second can't even be bothered to write his rather ungenerous criticism in plain English--he keeps mixing in Greek in key bits of text. Sotiris honey, this is a site in *English*-- if you can't be bothered to write your nasty comments in that language, stay clear cos you're just annoying people.

Right, I daresay I've fed the trolls (*gaaaahhh!*) but I don't want people to miss out on this just because some people are being killjoys (tonite was the closing episode, let's hear it for the DVD--meanwhile youtube has lots of snippets:-)--if there had been more comments I daresay all that BS would have been rather more lost.

Enjoy, folks! I know I have :-)

Sto Para 5 was the most watched TV show during the 2005 and 2007, when it aired on the mega channel. The show followed our protagonists who although they are quit different in ideals, behavior and dressing ,they make for really a funny, determined team, which, no matter the dangers they face,continue their quest for a truth about a almost 30 year old mystery.Their first encounter is as strange as their adventures after wards and it sets the tone of the rest series, which lasted for 2 years. If you want a family friendly mystery with a lot of funny ,then give it watch, I personally remember it funnily from my youth and when I bring watch it ,the experience wasn't a nostalgia killer as is the fact with shows or movies we watched from our early years.