The Boy's Word: Blood on the Asphalt (1 season, 2023)
Genre: crime drama
Watch if: you’re into The Sopranos gone young and Russian
In 2023, The Boy’s Word took the internet by storm: everyone seemed to be watching it, using its trendy slang, or listening to the soundtrack. The series zooms in on Kazan of the ‘80s, where gangs and street violence spill out into daily life. At the center is a fourteen-year-old who enters the world of crime – to manage through the turbulent times.
Central Russia's Vampires (2021-present)
Genre: mystical detective
Watch if: you’re into vampire stories
What if vampires were real? And what if they lived in Smolensk? In an ocean of vampire series, Central Russia's Vampires tells the story of people and vampires who have found a way to coexist in a small town in central Russia – until one day, two bodies with bite marks show up. To deflect suspicion away from themselves, a peacefully-living vampire clan has to take the lead and start their own investigation.
Watch on Kinopoisk and other streaming platforms
Cyber Village (2023-present)
Genre: sci-fi comedy
Watch if: you’re into cyberpunk Russia
Based on viral YouTube videos, this miniseries time travels to 2100. A farmer is living his best life with his family on Mars – but his happiness is threatened when a corporate leader comes to his planet for valuable resources. With its rustic aesthetics, android milkmaids, and QR-coded cows, the show runs on a unique blend of sci-fi and realism – cyberpunk, but dacha style.
Watch on Kinopoisk
Patient Zero (1 season, 2022)
Genre: drama
Watch if: you’re into high-suspense dramas based on true stories
Based on real-life historical events, Patient Zero dramatizes the story of one of the most devastating man-made accidents in history. The show takes a look back at the first-ever AIDS outbreak at a Soviet children’s hospital during the late ‘80s as the series’ protagonist Kirsan Ayushev, a young pediatrician, tries to track down the first patient – while having to deal with his superiors' attempts to play down the crisis.
Watch on Kinopoisk (ENG sub available) and other streaming platforms
King and Jester (1 season, 2023)
Genre: biopic
Watch if: you’re into punk fairy tales
A biographical drama about the Russian horror punk band King and Jester, the series shines a light on the truth behind the band’s success, featuring a brilliant interplay of “real-life” scenes and horror fables inspired by the band’s lyrics. The series follows the life of lead singer Mikhail Gorsheniov, aka Gorshok, from his first meeting with the band members to the musician's untimely death.
Watch on Kinopoisk (ENG sub available) and other streaming platforms
Fisher (2023-present)
Genre: thriller
Watch if: you’re into true-crime shows
In the spirit of True Detective, Fisher follows a detective trio – an experienced investigator, a “bad cop,” and a newcomer female detective breaking up the men’s club – as they rush to find a criminal responsible for a series of murders in late ‘80s USSR. The story is inspired by the infamous serial killer Sergey Golovkin (Fisher) who was active in Moscow between 1986 and 1992.
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