Ta Mystika Tis Edem [The Secrets of Eden]

[Sylph]

This is apparently a new Greek soap opera so I was wondering does anyone know what it's about?

I think we had/have Greek members here...

The official website is this.

[Sapounopera]

Ta Mystika tis Edem (The Secrets of Eden) is a very succesful and rather "sophisticated" soap opera here in Greece. As a matter of fact it's the only original soap to air here, since the two other daily serials are based on telenovelas. It was created by the same people who created Vera sto Dexi, another daily ratings hit that lasted three years. The reason I don't watch it is that I was disappointed with the last months of Vera and was really let down. Every single promising storyline turned out to be a disaster and have a feeling this will happen here again..

However I am the only one to say this, every other viewer LOVED Vera, and Edem has a very strong and loyal fan base.

[Sylph]

Elsa! Thanks so much for replying!

I'm glad to hear it's sophisticated, that's what I hoped it would be.

What are those two other serials you mention?

[erantou]

i greatly anticipated the premiere of ta mystika ths edem but i found somewhat bland even though it is smartly written. i do like watching its competitor a greek version of the telenovela LOLA.

[Sapounopera]

The two telenovelas which have been adapted for Greek TV are Lola and One Moment, Two Lives. None of them are very interesting as far as I am concerned. The problem with greek soaps is that they haven't decided whether they are telenovelas, Dynasty clones or "European" soaps..

[YRBB]

This is a little mix between the website synopsis and my watching the first episode.

In the summer of 1993, six teenagers, Eva, Manos, Nicholas, Daphne, Lucas, and Nora meet at a summer camp and become the Moonstone Gang. Their last night there, everyone makes their own wish for the future as they watch the stars fall. Eva dreams of becoming a famous actress. Manos wants to "conquer" the world. His brother, Nicholas, wants to become a doctor so he can help poor kids. Lucas and Nora both want to become lawyers, so they can defend the weak. Daphne only wants to be a good person, and to have a family! But, that night, is when the countdown starts for all the dreams to become nightmares.

On her way to meet the rest of the Gang, Eva is raped--was it Nicholas, who has the eternal crush on her?

15 years later, the time comes again for the annual meeting of the Moonstone Gang. Manos has turned into a ruthless businessman, his factories suspected of causing lethal poisonings of water. He has married Melita, daughter of big-shot lawyer Peter Roussos, and he has a daughter. Eva is not a famous actress, but Manos' lover. In Paris, where she has lived for years, she has been doing nude photographs and sensual "art" movies. Nicholas has become a doctor, just like he dreamed to, and is about to marry Daphne, who has bought the dining room of their old summer camp and has turned it into a clothing bussines. Lucas and Nora became lawyers, but do not defend the poor and weak. They defend those who can afford the humongous bills of Peter Roussos' law firm, where they work.

The beginning storylines feature Nora's succesful winning of a court case, where she got to free a OBGYN who is responsible for the death of a woman and her unborn child. While Peter congratulates her and makes her partner, the general audience condems her. Nora deals with the moral repercussions of freeing a man whom she knew in her heart was guilty, and then finds out that the doctor, on his way to his summer residence, was killed in a car accident. A mysterious guy breaks into her apartment and bugs it.

Eva returns to Greece, to find her mother unable to deal with her rebelious 15 year old sister and has to deal with the fact that Manos is hesitant to leave his wife.

The whole Gang alludes to a shocking event that changed everything, which they have sweared never to talk about again. There is a general sense of mystery going on as the characters talk about not doing anything when they should have.

I indeed found it very sophisticated. Produced by the same executive producer, and written by the same writers as VERA STO DEXI, it had a brilliant level of writing, acting and directing. The show begins with all the characters fully fledged, about 15 storylines, and a great cliffhanger--Eva going through the woods she was raped in, and being followed again--only to be pined down to the Earth by Nicholas. Hope this has been helpful!

[Sylph]

That's great, YRBB! Thanks so much!

Elsa, what do you consider the trademarks of a "European" soap?

And is there any info on how these Greek soaps are written, something I've been always interested in?

[Dion]

Sounds like a great premise

I'm wondering though if

[Sapounopera]

* People are not as beautiful as the ones in the US soaps. Even prominent characters can be "ugly" or just ugly.

* No iconic or larger than life characters. No Ericas, Victors, Brooke Logans etc. Characters come and go just like that and it is very common that entire families are written out within months and new families move in, etc. I hate that. That's one of the reasons I don't like them; I still miss the Foster and the Brooks families, these shows are clearly not for me.

* The European soaps are not as glamourous as the US ones. Most characters are comfortable, middle-class or blue-collar. Even the rich characters are not Donald Trump rich. When they try to portray this kind of glamour one name comes in mind: Alexis Colby. Europe never got over Dynasty.

* European soaps are more liberal. Gay and lesbian characters have been around forever in front-burner storylines and I think a UK soap features a transsexual character.

A few years ago I had a surgery in Scotland and I spent several weeks in a hospital. I tried following the UK and Australian soaps but I was not impressed. When I told the nurses they were furious.

[YRBB]

It's so much fun!

Eva is such a classic Akrita/Kiritsis anti-heroine. Just like in VERA STO DEXI, she is the unapologetic other woman, who fights and claws for her man. However, she is very intimately looked at; we believe in her love for Manos, and despite all her "You're with your wife!" antics, she's got sympathy.... I remember hating Alice in VSD in the beginning, but she evolved and changed and matured and grew to be one of the best damn things about the show--and that's saying something. (trying to cut her veins with scissors on camera will do that to you)

[Sylph]

Wow! Even though I am not following this, even though I know a way how to do it, I am hoping you people will discuss it here! Fun!

So... No Akrita interviews or how these are written?

[YRBB]

I'm afraid there isn't usually much info about the writing process going around... apart from the fact that Akrita usually focuses on scripting the more emotional parts, and Kiritsis scripts the more adventurous stuff... but it is obvious that there is a huge collective effort and hours upon hours of careful plotting. Other than that, nothing else. I will search out any interviews....

[Sylph]

Thank you! Interesting... I bet this show is 10 times better than any of the US daytime dramas.

[YRBB]

It so is. It has the same elements, but a much, much better execution--and the dialogue is terrific.

And, if you can watch it, please do! Do they have subtitles?

[Sylph]

Sadly, no subtitles. One of the ways to see it is to visit Greektube. I started learning Greek and my teacher was extremely satisfied, but soon other work-related stuff took over and I just couldn't find the time to continue. But I will. Very soon.