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Ekipa is a Polish
political drama
TV series created and directed by Agnieszka Holland
, aired from 13 September 2007 until 6 December 2007 (canceled due to low ratings) on Polsat
. Ekipa is the second Polish political fiction series after the 1980s miniseries The Career of Nicodemus Dyzma
.
is directed by three directors - Agnieszka Holland
, Magdalena Łazarkiewicz and Katarzyna Adamik, and produced by ATM Grupa
and Grupa Filmowa. Copyrights are owned by Telewizja Polsat
. Script has been created by Dominik Wieczorkowski-Rettinger and Wawrzyniec Smoczyński.
Henryk Nowasz of "Polish Centre Bloc" (Polski Blok Centrum) was suspected for being an agent of former Communist security services. Nowasz decided to resign in order to prevent of government downfall and proposed non-partisan 37-year old Professor of Economy and Political Sciences Konstanty Turski, his friend and an unofficial advisor, to became a caretaker until he would prove his innocence. Turski was narrowly confirmed by the Sejm
, with silent opposition of coalition party, "Right-wing for Poland" (Prawica dla Polski), whose leader, Jan Matajewicz, soon became his archenemy, with support of his party colleague, President Juliusz Szczęsny and both far-right and left-wing opposition parties. Turski, however, soon proved to be an effective (but idealistic and unconventional) leader, but his administration is involved with serious odds with other politicians. The key ally of Matajewicz is deputy Sejm Marshal Krystyna Sochaczewska, a longtime Nowasz's friend from opposition and his successor as party leader.
. Series creators also mention The West Wing as a model.
However, there are some significant similarities to other U.S. political drama - Commander in Chief
. Like Mackenzie Allen, Turski became a leader very accidentally. Also his chief opponent is Sejm Marshal, which could remind one of odds between Allen and Speaker of the House Nathan Templeton. Third of all: Turski preserved all cabinet of his predecessor just as Allen did, despite lack of loyalty from number of ministers.
Nowasz's PBC is said to be based on former Freedom Union
, while Matajewicz's PDP on Law and Justice.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
political drama
Political drama
A political drama can describe a play, film or TV program that has a political component, whether reflecting the author's political opinion, or describing a politician or series of political events. Dramatists who have written political dramas include Aaron Sorkin, Robert Penn Warren, Sergei...
TV series created and directed by Agnieszka Holland
Agnieszka Holland
Agnieszka Holland is a Polish film and TV director and screenwriter. Best recognized for her highly political contributions to Polish cinema, Holland is one of Poland's most prominent filmmakers.-Personal life:...
, aired from 13 September 2007 until 6 December 2007 (canceled due to low ratings) on Polsat
Polsat
Polsat is Poland's second biggest television channel, founded on December 5, 1992 and owned by Zygmunt Solorz-Żak.Polsat belongs to the Polsat Group , which also owns other channels:*Polsat HD*Polsat 2 International*Polsat News*TV Biznes...
. Ekipa is the second Polish political fiction series after the 1980s miniseries The Career of Nicodemus Dyzma
The Career of Nicodemus Dyzma
The Career of Nicodemus Dyzma is a 1932 Polish bestselling novel by Tadeusz Dołęga-Mostowicz.The book was made into a 1956 Polish film with Adolf Dymsza in the title role, then into a 1980 television miniseries starring Roman Wilhelmi and in 2002 into a comedy film starring Cezary...
.
Creators
SeriesTelevision program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
is directed by three directors - Agnieszka Holland
Agnieszka Holland
Agnieszka Holland is a Polish film and TV director and screenwriter. Best recognized for her highly political contributions to Polish cinema, Holland is one of Poland's most prominent filmmakers.-Personal life:...
, Magdalena Łazarkiewicz and Katarzyna Adamik, and produced by ATM Grupa
ATM Grupa
Established in 1992, ATM Grupa S.A. is the largest independent TV producer in Poland. The company has an approximately 14 percent share of the market estimated to be worth PLN 750m...
and Grupa Filmowa. Copyrights are owned by Telewizja Polsat
Polsat
Polsat is Poland's second biggest television channel, founded on December 5, 1992 and owned by Zygmunt Solorz-Żak.Polsat belongs to the Polsat Group , which also owns other channels:*Polsat HD*Polsat 2 International*Polsat News*TV Biznes...
. Script has been created by Dominik Wieczorkowski-Rettinger and Wawrzyniec Smoczyński.
Plot
The action of the series is set in present day Poland. The story begins when Prime Minister and legendary opposition leader during Communist rulePeople's Republic of Poland
The People's Republic of Poland was the official name of Poland from 1952 to 1990. Although the Soviet Union took control of the country immediately after the liberation from Nazi Germany in 1944, the name of the state was not changed until eight years later...
Henryk Nowasz of "Polish Centre Bloc" (Polski Blok Centrum) was suspected for being an agent of former Communist security services. Nowasz decided to resign in order to prevent of government downfall and proposed non-partisan 37-year old Professor of Economy and Political Sciences Konstanty Turski, his friend and an unofficial advisor, to became a caretaker until he would prove his innocence. Turski was narrowly confirmed by the Sejm
Sejm
The Sejm is the lower house of the Polish parliament. The Sejm is made up of 460 deputies, or Poseł in Polish . It is elected by universal ballot and is presided over by a speaker called the Marshal of the Sejm ....
, with silent opposition of coalition party, "Right-wing for Poland" (Prawica dla Polski), whose leader, Jan Matajewicz, soon became his archenemy, with support of his party colleague, President Juliusz Szczęsny and both far-right and left-wing opposition parties. Turski, however, soon proved to be an effective (but idealistic and unconventional) leader, but his administration is involved with serious odds with other politicians. The key ally of Matajewicz is deputy Sejm Marshal Krystyna Sochaczewska, a longtime Nowasz's friend from opposition and his successor as party leader.
Characters
- Henryk Nowasz (Janusz GajosJanusz GajosJanusz Gajos is a Polish actor.He graduated in 1965 from the National Film School in Łódź as one of its best students despite having been rejected during entrance exams for three times. He debuted while he was still in film school in children's film Panienka z okienka in 1964...
), former Prime Minister and PBC leader - Konstanty Turski (Marcin Perchuć), Prime Minister
- Julian Szczęsny (Andrzej SewerynAndrzej SewerynAndrzej Seweryn is a Polish and French actor and director. One of the most successful Polish theatre actors, he starred in over 50 films, mostly in Poland, France and Germany. He is also one of only three non-French actors to be hired by the Paris-based Comédie-Française.- Biography :Andrzej...
), President - Jan Matajewicz (Marek Frąckowiak), acting Sejm Marshal, PDP leader, briefly Acting PresidentActing President of the Republic of PolandThe Acting President of the Republic of Poland is a temporary post provided for by the Polish Constitution.The constitution states that the President is the Head of state...
after Szczęsny's death - Krystyna Sochaczewska (Bogusława Schubert), PBC leader and Sejm Marshal
- Adam Niemiec (Krzysztof Stroński), chief of the Prime Minister's chancellery
- Aleksandra Pyszny (Katarzyna HermanKatarzyna HermanKatarzyna Herman is a Polish actress.-Filmography:*Magda M.*Ekipa *Kryminalni*M jak miłość*Miasteczko*Boża podszewka-External links:...
), chief of the Prime Minister's political cabinet - Hubert Kowerski (Rafał Maćkowiak), spokesman of the government
- Julia Rychter (Katarzyna Gniewkowska), Chief of the Prime Minister's economic advisory team
- Dorota (Agnieszka Grochowska), Niemiec's assistant
- Mateusz Bonowicz (Marcin Bosak), Prime Minister's assistant
- Dr Jan Guss (Marek Kalita), Prime Minister's economic advisor
- Boczek (first name unknown) (Ryszard Kotys), Deputy Prime Minister
- Naruszewski (first name unknown) (Maciej Banach), Leader of the far-right
- Paulina Turska (Aleksandra Justa), Turski's wife
- Marta Kołodziejczyk (Ewa Kutynia), journalist, Kowerski's former wife
Real-life inspiration
Fictional politicians in Ekipa are often said to be an "TV alternative" for then National Conservative administration of the Law and JusticeLaw and Justice
Law and Justice , abbreviated to PiS, is a right-wing, conservative political party in Poland. With 147 seats in the Sejm and 38 in the Senate, it is the second-largest party in the Polish parliament....
. Series creators also mention The West Wing as a model.
However, there are some significant similarities to other U.S. political drama - Commander in Chief
Commander in Chief (TV series)
Commander in Chief is an American drama television series that focused on the fictional administration and family of Mackenzie Allen , the first female President of the United States, who ascends to the role from the Vice Presidency after the death of the sitting President from a sudden cerebral...
. Like Mackenzie Allen, Turski became a leader very accidentally. Also his chief opponent is Sejm Marshal, which could remind one of odds between Allen and Speaker of the House Nathan Templeton. Third of all: Turski preserved all cabinet of his predecessor just as Allen did, despite lack of loyalty from number of ministers.
Nowasz's PBC is said to be based on former Freedom Union
Freedom Union (Poland)
The Freedom Union was a liberal democratic party in Poland. It was founded on March 20, 1994 out of the merger of the Democratic Union and the Liberal Democratic Congress . Both of these parties had roots in the Solidarity trade union movement. It represented European democratic and liberal...
, while Matajewicz's PDP on Law and Justice.
Political parties in Ekipa
Sejm political parties in Ekipa:- Polish Centist Party (Polski Blok Centrowy) - largest party in parliament, ruling in coalition with PDP. Centrist political positions. PBC composing people's with both left (i.e. Niemiec) and right-wing leaning (Nowasz, Sochaczewska). Has 184 Sejm seats (40%)
- Right for Poland (Prawica Dla Polski) - national-conservative, second largest in Sejm. Headed by Matajewicz. President is also a former PBC leader and its founder. 92 seats (20%)
- United Left (Zjednoczona Lewica) - ruling party during previous term. Modeled on real-life SLDDemocratic Left AllianceDemocratic Left Alliance is a social-democratic political party in Poland. Formed in 1991 as a coalition of centre-left parties, it was formally established as a single party on 15 April 1999. It is currently the third largest opposition party in Poland....
or LiDLeft and DemocratsLeft and Democrats was a centre-left political coalition in Poland which was created on September 3, 2006, before the Warsaw municipal election of 2006. The coalition's aim was to provide an alternative for both the national-conservative Law and Justice party and the liberal-conservative Civic...
. Social democratic. 74 seats (16%) - Patriotic Convent (Konwent Patriotyczny) - far-right wing. Modeled on real-life League of Polish FamiliesLeague of Polish FamiliesThe League of Polish Families is a right-wing political party in Poland. It was represented in the Polish parliament, forming part of the cabinet of Jarosław Kaczyński, until the latter dissolved in September 2007....
. Hard-core anti-European UnionEuropean UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. 64 seats (14%) - Agrarians - modeled on real-life Polish People's Party. 43 seats (9.5%). Smallest Sejm party