Greek Salad

I was a fan of the original film and subsequent sequels that followed. A great trilogy. When this series was announced, I had mixed feelings, but I didn't enjoy the New York City setting of the third film, so I was glad we could see what happened afterwards. I was pleasantly surprised with a strong 8 episodes tackling the immigration crisis in Europe and how it has affected the world in general, even today in 2024 we are still being polarized over mass migration and I think Klapisch did a great job handling the topic in a more human and personal way. The new characters, headed by the children of Xavier and Wendy was great, and showing us Isabelle still with her new wife as well as Tobias making a comeback was great for the nostalgic feels for us fans of the series. Athens as the chosen city was a big win for me. Hopefully we get a sequel, maybe in Mexico City where "gentrification" from developed countries has been causing conflicts, especially with a polarizing president that they have today, a migrant crisis from central and South America, rich getting richer and poor getting way poorer in this megalopolis, or maybe in Brazil (even though this would be too cliche) or Thailand or Bali where there are many cultures also mixing into one entity. I really hope they continue with the children of Xavier and Wendy and that we get to see Martina and her family in the future as well!

But this one has many ingredients whereas a Greek salad is often tomato feta olives raw onion lettuce etc .... here we have many more ingredients Refugees Asylum-seekers family secrets Erasmus students EU youth Trans issues Me-Too MDMA ..... basically we have a 360° extended snapshot of 20-somethings in 2023 It seems nothing has been left out ... the lingua franca is English but then we hear a lot of other languages and that is very well-done The acting from all of the main players is totally excellent. Never bored never boring just a tad ham-fisted at times with the kaleidoscope of themes and "issues" I saw Romain (that smile) Duris was in the cast and that almost stopped me from watching it. But he was just peripheral here .... It is really about EU Youth educated student folks and tangentially about refugees plight Excellently made. The Greeks here are a tad caricatural but Athens looks really good here; a tad shredded but stylish.

As a Greek citizen I must say that was a great work from almost all the aspects. It's not a crime serie or a mystery one, so you don't need to wait for any plot twist or a big reveal. The serie shows its identity from the very beginning. It's about friendship, love, concern and life. During the journey of the serie you are able to pass through many different lives and cultures. Until a point I can feel the serie since I'm also a foreign to another country and have seen and experience many similar situations, but not at the same level ofc. As a greek I can confirm that the serie shows us many stereotypic characters or even circumstances but that doesn't mean that all are wrong, exacerbated I would say. I'm not mad about it, I have seen hundreds of French and Italian movies and I know that it's something ordinary for them and they even use it for their own cultures as well. I'm gonna repeat myself, the serie doesn't lie, but doesn't show us the other side of the coin too. Same thing with the locations that they decide to show us. Athens besides the graphite and the abandoned buildings it also has other amazing locations, that gives another atmosphere to the whole city. Personally I loved it for its mini stories of its characters, the drama and power for life that they gave us. I believe that it's a serie that has to be recommended from schools so the students learn more about the value of a human life and that respect is the definition that all of us need to have in our dictionary.

This is the most authentic feel for the real city of Athens I've seen on the screen. The creators have done en excellent job in transferring the viewer into the reality of 2023 Athens, without her makeup on. This raw view is often overlooked in favor of more romantic presentations or locations in Greece. The culture, the atmosphere, the politics, the locals, the feel, it's spot on, and this series should be a fun watch, for anyone who enjoys experiencing new places and cultures. Some difficult realities that have been playing out at the European borders were presented in front of the Athenian backdrop, along with the points of view deriving from the different positions that each player finds themselves. It'd be nice to have been spared the forced, obligatory political agenda.

I actually enjoyed watching the series. Great characters, perfectly cast, well-written, funny, charming, dramatic, tragic, some nice twists - all the elements of good storytelling. The sister / brother relationship feels real and their immediate family members are sympathetic, and as a viewer, you want them to adopt you! The main characters are lovable, relatable, and BIPOC is beautifully handled. You're actually rooting for them as they transition from young adulthood to the next phases of their lives, much like their backdrop -- the city of Athens, as it currently navigates its own transformation. Simple, sweet, wonderful. However, the main Greek characters are: a rapist, hopeless cops, two caricature lawyers, an elderly cafe owner who masquerades as ancient Greek philosophers (in Tom's daydreams), and two dull NGO workers. Huh? Why do all the foreign characters experience their "hero's journey" in Greece (the actual land of the hero's journey), but not the Greek characters? What a missed opportunity! "GREEK SALAD" is a typical foreign / negative appropriation of Greece and its culture. I'm tiring of seeing others using the Greek shine for their own purposes, while de-basing the Greeks. What do the creators have to say about this?

As a fan of Klapisch's trilogy (Spanish Apartment, Russian Dolls and Chinese Puzzle), I went to this with high expectations. And for the moment - everything looked just as it supposed to look - a good, witty writing, slightly offbeat humour, relatable characters played by competent actors and overall wonderfully quirky vibe that subtly pokes fun at literally everything. And, then most of it falls apart. Enter the nonsensical effort to cram up everything that seems important at this ridiculous times. From migrant crisis (that is handled with a heavy hand), to the international relationships among European youth, violent Greek macho-boyfriend (very stereotypical and unnecessary) and nonsensical inclusivity worthy of a crappy DIsney productions, that includes romance of a straight female protagonist with a trans person without any particular reason other than checking that box. All of that didn't manage to completely ruin the show, but it derailed it considerably and I'm curious was it the Klapisch's vision, or was it maybe ordered by the show's main producers and distributors, Amazon Prime? Nevertheless, a show is worth seeing, especially for the fans of the vastly superior original trilogy.

Sometimes funny, but often dramatic. The director follows in the footsteps of his old famous films. It can be called the younger version of L' Auberge Espagnole. But how many times can you bathe in the same water? The subject and the flow are clear. There is no surprise. Young players are very successful. But most of all, Yellowstone's Kelly Reiley lights up the screen. Good to see Athens. But Athens would not be so squalid and ugly. Immigration policies seem like a piece of sauce on the show. The dressing on the Greek salad. You can watch it if you have free time. It is one of the remarkable international works that Amazon Prime has done recently.

Wonderful serie with amazing young and talented casting ! A real hidden gem ! So much feeling has covered with creativity. The Greek Salad series is a true television must see that never fails to surprise and captivate its audience. With an original story and endearing characters, this series is a true gem of the small screen. But what makes Greek Salad even more exceptional are its talented young actors. They are all incredibly gifted and bring an energy and freshness to the series that make it even more addictive. Each of the actors is perfectly cast for their role and brings a personal touch to their character. Their acting is natural and convincing, and one can't help but become attached to them as the episodes progress. In short, Greek Salad is a series not to be missed, thanks to its captivating story and talented young actors who make it even more memorable. It's a true favorite that deserves to be seen and re-watched.