“Is ‘Grand Hotel’ the New Hope for Greek Television? A Promising Start That Captivates”[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8jmKYLCej0[/embed]

In this site, we have shown that we are not perpetual flatterers of Greek fiction to maintain good relationships with networks. We express exactly what we believe about each series, even using harsh language at times, as in the case of Archelaus 5. This (should) give us extra credibility for the times we have good things to say about a series.

And, for you to understand, it goes without saying that channels want to maintain good relations with the media, that press offices make calls to journalists, that they send gifts from time to time, thus securing their positive judgment and leniency if the series or any show lacks positive attributes to support it.

Here at Intronews, we rarely receive calls from channels precisely because our good judgment and leniency are not based on gifts and invitations. These are rarely the case, but that’s about it.

I mention all this because I want to clarify that here, whatever is written about series etc., is subjective only from our personal feelings, appreciation, perceptions and is not influenced by anything else.

For all these reasons, it’s worth trusting us when we say that for the first time in several years, we saw a Greek series that gave us promises. This is Grand Hotel. The last time we experienced this was with the Wild Bees, with which, of course, along the way, due to their wear and tear from airing four episodes a week, we were disappointed. The odds say that the same will happen with Grand Hotel which, to our dismay, will be broadcast again from Monday to Thursday.

Let’s hope that by some miracle the screenwriters manage to maintain the very high standard we saw in the first episode of the series. Hopefully, the actors will find the time to develop their roles at least to a good level, if not the ideal one. One doesn’t need to be a seer or overly pessimistic to understand that this will not happen because it is inherently impossible, but let’s not jump to conclusions.

Elements I Liked in the Series Grand Hotel

We just saw the first episode on Monday night and I felt that after all these years I want to invest a bit more in a Greek series, that I want to return for the second episode and see how it evolves.

It has, anyway, an interesting plot due to the mystery surrounding the disappearance of the maid Vasiliki and of course the time period in which it is set, in the first quarter of the 20th century in Kifisia, but it enhances it with the direction, the fidelity of the atmosphere it has created, and the performances of the actors.

I can’t even go into the process of picking one or two. Kourourakis (Petros Aslanoglou) is very good. Haska (Aliki Gaza) too. Gerontidakis as well. My personal favorite is Kalogeropoulou, who plays the maid-lover of Rigas Alexios (Gerontidakis). Daphne Lamprogianni (Kiveli Gaza) showcases her talent and ability once again. Kora Karvouni fits perfectly with the rhythm of her role as the head of the women working at Grand Hotel. Nousias consistently very good, as in most series, even in those that aren’t really popular, like The Witch last year.

And the series has others in its arsenal who will hopefully win us over with their performances, since in the first episode for example we did not see Skiadarestis who plays the role of the policeman, nor did we see Maria Bati who plays Vasiliki, etc.

In general, I found the performances what is often vaguely described as unadorned. It was the definition. We didn’t have those stereotypical dramatizations, outbursts with crying and related theatrics. Okay, it’s just the first episode, maybe in the following ones that will come and everything I’ve written will be for nothing, but what can we do, the series is trending, and we are all called to comment on it in the here and now, in the ongoing, so at this moment, after the first episode, this is what I can write.

I won’t go into further analysis; these will certainly come with more credibility after 5-6 episodes at minimum.

Until then, the only thing I can write is that Grand Hotel is a series worth watching its next episode. And the one after that. And generally the episodes of this week. It earned that with its premiere.