6.6 /10 1 Votes
First episode date 6 October 1990 Number of seasons 21 | 6.5/10 IMDb Final episode date 26 February 2011 Number of episodes 273 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Network Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie Cast An Swartenbroekx, Loes van den Heuvel, Marijn Devalck, Ann Tuts, Herman Verbruggen Similar Thuis, De Kotmadam, Tegen de sterren op, W817, Familie | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
F.C. De Kampioenen (F.C. The Champions) is a long-running Flemish sitcom chronicling the (mis)adventures of a fictional local football team. It aired on the Belgian-Flemish channel één between 1990 and 2011, for 21 seasons with 273 half-hour-long episodes, making it one of the most successful comedy programs ever on Belgian television. In 2009 a film had been planned, but has since been cancelled following complaints by the actors about the script. In 2012 the crew announced a new script had been written and a movie will be produced. The movie was released in December 2013. A second movie is set to be released in October 2015
Contents
- Former frequently occurring guest characters
- Failed attempts for a movie
- FC De Kampioenen Kampioen zijn blijft plezant
- FC De Kampioenen 2 Jubilee general
- Third movie
- Trivia
- References
The series relies heavily on stereotypical characters and farce for its humour. The story is mainly set around a few members of the football club (Marc and Bieke, Pol and Doortje, Xavier and Carmen) who regularly visit the club canteen before or after a soccer training or match. The canteen is run by Pascale, who is in a relationship with Maurice. The football club is sponsored by the owner of a sausage factory, Balthazar Boma. Next to the field is an antiques shop, owned by the fraudulent Fernand. Most of the episodes are based on misunderstandings or dirty tricks from Fernand (formerly the garage owner Dimitri De Tremmerie or the chef Bernard Theofiel Waterslaeghers).
Johan Gevers was the series director. The scriptwriters were Bart Cooreman (1995–2011), Wout Thielemans (1996–2011), Knarf Van Pellecom (2000–2011) and Carmino D'haene (2009–2011).
Seasons 1–20 have all been released on DVD through Universal Pictures and Lime-Lights.
Former frequently occurring guest characters
Failed attempts for a movie
A first attempt to create a theatrical movie was done in 1993. However, the film was cancelled as actor Carry Goossens decided to work for a competing broadcasting company (vtm) and actor Walter Michiels was fired due to his alcohol abuse. Furthermore, Jacques Vermeire had his own film plans and his movie Max was to be shot and released in same period.
A new scenario was written in 2008 but rejected by most of the actors.
F.C. De Kampioenen: Kampioen zijn blijft plezant
In 2011 a complete new story was written which was accepted by the actors. Due to funding issues it took until April 2013 before filming started. The movie was released in December 2013 as "F.C. De Kampioenen: Kampioen zijn blijft plezant" which can be translated as "F.C. The Champions: being a champion remains fun".
Boma wants to buy a vineyard and château in France from an oil sheik not knowing most part of the land will be expropriated due to the construction of a TGV. Boma is now negotiating with Tartuffe, a representative of the sheik. Tartuffe invites FC De Kampioenen to come over to France to play a match of soccer against the team of Saint-Tintin. Due to a miscommunication between Tartuffe and the sheik, last one thinks Ronald, foreman of De Kampioenen, is the Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho and offers him a contract.
De Kampioenen head to France, but the journey has some unexpected events. Pol and Doortje just married and Doortje wants to go on honeymoon to Lourdes. Pol sabotages the trip so he can go to Saint-Tintin. Doortje finds out the truth and enters a convent. The coach bus is an outdated model driven by Fernand Costermans who hides a pig in the trunk so he can search for truffles. Everybody is tired of Carmen's involvements, so Xavier decides to leave her behind at a road house. Bieke is brassed off with the childish behavior of Mark and starts a romance with a Frenchman. Pascale is obsessed by châteaus and demands Maurice to finally renovate his mother's castle or to buy another one.
Ronald finds out the real intentions of the sheik, but is kidnapped by Tartuffe before he could inform De Kampioenen. Carlita, a hitchhiker travelling with De Kampioenen, is actually a helper of Tartuffe. She has a guilty conscience and sets up a rescue operation together with De Kampioenen.
F.C. De Kampioenen 2: Jubilee general
In August 2014, there were rumors of a second movie which were confirmed in October 2014. It was released on October 28, 2015.
De Kampioenen prepare a big celebration party for their 25th anniversary. Carmen, Doortje, Pascale and Bieke reunite with their band The Championettes. Marc and Xavier travel to Thailand and can convince Oscar to leave Hare Krishna and to return to Belgium. Oscar his old habits come back: he wants to be the trainer once again, the bickers between him and Pascale restart,... This all gets at it top when it is revealed Goedele and Oscar had a one-night stand on 31 December 1993 and Ronaldhino was conceived that night, meaning Oscar is the biological father of the boy and not the famous soccer player Ronaldhino as the young man always thought.
Meanwhile, their main antagonist DDT is released from prison. He wins from Boma in a game of poker and becomes owner of last one's Caddilac, the soccer canteen and the soccer field. Boma consults his lawyers and they confirm due to the fact he signed a paper in which he hands over these properties and with witnesses, DDT is now indeed the legal owner. Boma and Fernand set up a trap so DDT ends up in a container on a boat heading to Africa, not knowing Doortje is also in the trap by accident. DDT and Doortje manage to return to Belgium. He wants revenge and hires some bulldozers to demolish the pub next to the soccer field so he can build his new garage, not knowing the current building is classified and must remain as is.
Third movie
In January 2016, it was confirmed that a third movie wil be made, filming will start in Summer 2017, and the movie will be released in December 2017.