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.
Episode 13 : Acropolis Law
May. 23,1991
Effie and Sophie, in the eternal quest for perfect hair, experiment with a new product. When things go wrong Effie takes legal action against Sophie.
Episode 12 : Back in the USSR
May. 16,1991
Is Unkrainian exchange student Uri really just a student, or is he a KGB spy as Jim suspects? To out-spy the spy, Jim introduces Uri to Ef... Charlene, the "typical Australian woman".
Episode 11 : Midnight Expresso
May. 09,1991
The factory down the road is polluting the environment, and Liz organises a protest that puts Jim in jail.
Episode 10 : Snow Job, Part Two
May. 02,1991
At the snow, the accommodation leaves a little to be desired making Jim's organisation look pretty awful. With an escaped lunatic on the loose, the guys' suspicions run wild.
Episode 9 : Snow Job, Part One
April. 25,1991
Jim is excited because he's off to the snow with Memo and Alfredo. To cover during his absense, Jim hires a replacement. Don Santo pledges his love for Liz while the boys discover their vacation isn't quite what they expected.
Episode 8 : Throw Memo from a Plane
April. 18,1991
Memo's mother sends an uncle from Greece to encourage Memo to finally marry. In desperation, he agrees to have Effie to pose as his fiancée.
Episode 7 : The Best of Enemies
April. 11,1991
Jim's long-time rival Vinnie has opened a new bistro and is hanging around the café trying to recruit Liz. Counting on the strength on his new cook, Jim challenges Vinnie to an arm wresling competition with the winner getting Liz.
Episode 6 : The Kid
March. 28,1991
Jim's young cousin is wagging school and when his teacher arrives at the café, she runs into Memo — an old flame from a Greek holiday. To set a good example for his cousin, Jim asks Liz to turn him into the perfect man but the truth proves more effective.
Episode 5 : Teenage Mutant Ninja Greeks
March. 21,1991
Memo, desperate to marry his sister off, organises a blind date with a soccer player.
Episode 4 : On the Waiter Front
March. 14,1991
A strike is called when Effie challenges the system and Memo is torn between the Greek Waiters Association and the café.
Episode 3 : A Fistful of Cabana
March. 07,1991
When Jim's father loses the café in a card game in Greece, the new Italian owner puts his nephew in charge.
Episode 2 : The Goddess
February. 28,1991
Memo is in love with his hairdresser but can't seem to tell her. Like a love-struck idiot, he seeks advice from Jim.
Episode 1 : Harry Who Didn't
February. 21,1991
Jim's friendship with Harry, the bouncer from Vibrations, is under threat when Harry's new girlfriend prefers Jim. To fend off her persistant advances, Jim needs to find a girl who can make him appear undesirable.
