The Substitute Drivers (ep. 1, 2)

One of the most beloved Polish Television series of the communist era, “Zmiennicy” (“The Substitute Drivers”), continues to entertain audiences today with its absurd humor and satirical look at everyday life. The story takes viewers into the male-dominated world of Warsaw taxi drivers. Kasia Piórecka is a young woman looking for a job. She comes up with a clever plan that allows her to get behind the wheel: she sticks on a small mustache, puts on dark sunglasses and a cap, and introduces herself as Marian Koniuszko. Even her driving partner, Jacek Żytkiewicz, suspects nothing. Days go by in the yellow taxi numbered 1313, but it becomes increasingly difficult for Kasia to keep her secret. Her fate soon becomes entwined with Jacek’s, and a criminal plot begins to unfold.

The story’s backdrop is primarily the streets of Warsaw, featuring such iconic locations as the Central Railway Station and Grzybowski Square. However, the series was also filmed in other Polish cities — Kraków, Grodzisk Mazowiecki, and Zatory — as well as abroad, in Berlin and Bangkok.