
Acropolis Now
Acropolis Now was an Australian sitcom set in a Greek cafe in Melbourne of the same name that ran for 63 episodes from 1989 to 1992 on the Seven Network. It was created by Nick Giannopoulos, George Kapiniaris and Simon Palomares, who also starred in the series. They were already quite well known for their comedy stage show, Wogs out of Work. The title is a play on the film Apocalypse Now. Each episode was 30 minutes in length and filmed in front of a live audience. Jim's father asks him to run the family business, the Acropolis café, when he suddenly leaves Australia to return to his homeland Greece. The series centres around the activities of the cafe staff. Greek Jim Stephanidis, is the immature owner and his best friend, Spaniard Ricky Martinez is the sensible manager. Memo is the traditional Greek waiter, Liz is the liberated Australian waitress. Skip is the naïve new cook from the bush and Manolis is the stubborn cook from the old cafe. 'Hilarity' prevails from the clash of cultures and beliefs. Jim's hairdresser cousin Effie, played by Mary Coustas, became a hugely popular and enduring character during the run of the show. Coustas later reprised the role for several TV specials and series including Effie, Just Quietly, an SBS comedy / interview show, and Greeks on the Roof, a short-lived Greek-Australian version of the British talk show The Kumars at No. 42.
- Created By
Simon PalomaresGeorge Kapiniaris
- First Aired on
Aug 09, 1989
- Popularity: 11.6388
- 1 votes
- Networks
- (AU)
- Status: Ended
Show Ended
5 seaons till Nov 04, 1992
Last episode: Here Come The Brides (Part 2)
Seasons & episodes
Total 5 seasons, 63 episodes

Season 1
Aired
Episode 1Old Bar, New Bar30 min
Kostas leaves Cafe neo acropolis in his son Jim's hands and heads home to Greece after 23 years in Australia for a well deserved holiday.Kostas asks Jim's friend Rick to look after the finances.When Kostas leaves Jim changes the quiet cafe to a happening place for young people.On opening day, Manolis the cook gets drunk & passes out, so Jim has to find a replacement cook fast. In walks Gavin 'skippy ' Thorpe fresh from the North Queensland canefields where he was a cook for the cane cutters. Jim hires him When Manolis awakes,he finds a new cook in his kitchen & chases him around the cafe. Jim also hires Liz, as a waitress.
Episode 2The Proxy Blues30 min
Manolis the chef doesn't like the new chef Gavin 'Skippy ' Farrell. Memo is still being rude to the customers,& Jim is spending all the profits. Jim gets a call from his Mum to tell him that he's getting married & sends his proxy to meet him.Jim's not keen on getting married until he sees the proxy. Stella & Jim go out Jim has arranged for Skippy to get the suits for the wedding already. Liz speaks to Stella & asks her what she thinks about arranged marriages. Stella tells her she didn't come here to marry Jim,she came to visit her cousin & have a holiday. She shows Liz a picture of Elvis & asks where she can find Memo. (her cousin) Jim is relieved sort of when he finds out. Later Stella goes home to Greece.
Episode 3The Martinez Inquiry30 min
Rick puts a stop to Jim's 'freebies'. He's giving away too much free coffee and the business is suffering.
Episode 4The Trouble With Mothers30 min
It's the day of the prestigiuos Waiters' Race, the one day of the year Memo has been looking forward to. In the past he's come third, second, BUT never first, always losing out to Alexander the Great, the feared Macedonian waiter. But this year's going to be different. This year Memo is going to win!
Episode 5It's Academic30 min
Jim tries to arrange a double date with Ricky, but he's not interested, Jim thinks Uni has ruined Ricky. A lady customer walks in & Jim & Memo try to chat her up. Ricky recognises her & yells at her to leave. It seems she is an old girlfriend of Ricks who broke his heart. Sarah comes back into the cafe & wants to talk to Rick, they kiss & make up & then Ricky says that he & Sarah are making a move to Queensland. Liz recognises Sarah as her teacher from Uni & tells the boys that she doesn't think she is going to Queensland because she is taking another course at Uni that Liz is enrolled in. Rick is upset again & Jim tells him that they need him at the Acropolis,so he stays.