Fort Boyard
Where to watch: STS or YouTube (the latest reboot)
Originally coming from France, Fort Boyard set a trend for over 30 countries, and Russia was no exception. It is an adventure-style game show where contestants (celebrities, mainly) have to rise to a series of challenges – like getting out of a cell or scouring various rat-, tarantula-, or scorpion-infested rooms for a key – to get closer to the game’s grand prize at the Treasure Room. The history of Russian Fort Boyard dates back to 1998. Over the years, the show had all kinds of people over – from popular singer Olga Buzova to the dancing guy from Little Big. It went through several reboots and introduced multiple innovations, including a two-team battle, and still keeps people on the edge of their seats even today.
Galileo
Where to watch: YouTube
While everyone went all geek on MythBusters, Russian Gen Z also couldn’t get enough watching Galileo and learning everything about the world from the one and only Alexandr Pushnoy. As it turns out, this show is an adaptation of a German TV series that has over 6,000 episodes, 60 to 70 minutes long each. Having been around for over ten years, the Russian Galileo, too, explains complex things from the world of science (and not only) in a fun and engaging way. The program gives the answers to any question from “what’s animatronics?” to “what happens if you microwave an egg?” and more.
Sled
Where to watch: 5TV or YouTube
Those who enjoy a good whodunit should watch Sled (or Trace), a Russian crime drama inspired by the success of the American C.S.I. franchise. The series follows a team of Federal Expert Service (FES) employees (a fictitious organization), including all types of specialists from computer experts to forensic entomologists and investigators, in solving the most twisted crimes, with some based on true stories. Sled is the longest-running show on Russian television, with over 2,690 episodes and still counting.
Vecherniy Urgant
Where to watch: Channel One or YouTube
Created in the best traditions of Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Late Night with David Letterman, Vecherniy Urgant (or Evening Urgant) brought the genre of late-night talk shows to Russian television. Hosted by Ivan Urgant, hence the name, the 30 to 50-minute long episodes typically include a cold open, comedy sketches, a house band, a live audience, and a new guest each week. There are some special episodes, too, for instance, Goluboy Urgant (a parody on traditional Russian New Year TV shows) and Ciao, 2021 (fully in Italian). Throughout its decade on air, the show has thus far earned seven TEFIs (a Russian analog of the Emmys).
Take up a challenge and try to find interviews with all the celebrities from our stories on the most-known Russian YouTubers and singers (here, here, and here). Bet you will find almost all of them there, plus lots of guests from around the globe.
Hell's Kitchen
Where to watch: Friday or YouTube (the latest reboot)
Although probably no one can replace Gordon Ramsay, the scourge of all cooks, Russian television ventured out and aired a similar cookery reality show with top Russian chefs, like Konstantin Ivlev in the latest reboot. The rules are simple: cook or be cooked. Well, not literally but anyway. Aspiring chefs have to prove they can live up to the challenge of running a top-ranked restaurant. A chef's position is at stake. And you know the details: the candidates’ cooking and endurance skills are put to the test while the grand cook loses it over any minor mistake.
This list wouldn’t be complete without a salute to the classic Russian sitcoms that many Russians (of Gen Z for sure) grew up with, such as My Fair Nanny (2004-2008), Happy Together (2006-2012), and The Voronins (2009-2019). Still up and running on Russian TV, they are all based on the old and gold American sitcoms from the ’80s and ’90s – The Nanny (1993-1999), Married... with Children (1987-1997), and Everybody Loves Raymond (1996-2005), respectively.
If you already can’t wait to watch Russian shows, movies, and series in the original, here are some of the most popular Russian streaming platforms and some great ideas for your Netflix binges if you’re not so confident in your Russian but still want to explore Russian cinema.
