Following the audience, Russian cinema has moved to the Internet, and many online series have gained great popularity. And Forbes experts have selected the top ten most successful online TV series created in Russia.
When ranking, the following criteria were taken into account:
- How many viewers watched the movie (not only the total number, but also per episode).
- How interesting the project is to the viewer (based on queries in search engines).
- Has the series been successful overseas and has any awards.
- Viewers rating on IMDb.
10. Call DiCaprio (2018)
Genre: comedy, drama
Kinopoisk rating: 7
IMDb rating: 6.6
Project rating according to Forbes: 7.2 (out of 10)
Producer: Zhora Kryzhovnikov
Music: various compositions
The name of one of the best online TV series in Russia is based on a joke by Dmitry Nagiyev, with whom Zhora Kryzhovnikov worked on the projects "Last Fir Trees" and "The Best Day". During filming, the actor offered to call Makovetsky if the director was not satisfied with the take.
The story "Call DiCaprio" tells about the "starred" actor Yegor Rumyantsev. He, as they say, "grabbed God by the beard", basking in the rays of glory and female attention. However, Yegor's world collapses overnight when he finds out that he is HIV-infected.
Another participant in the main events is Yegor's brother, Lev. He lives a quiet life, without prospects, jealous of a successful brother, and not dreaming of taking his place. However, fate gives him such a chance.
9. Better than people (2018 - present)
Genre: drama, fantasy
Kinopoisk rating: 7
IMDb rating: 7.40
Project rating according to Forbes: 7.3
Producer: Andrey Dzhunkovsky
Music: different compositions
In Russia, they also know how to play science fiction. Don't believe me? Then check out Better Than People, which features cyber suits, artful plastic make-up and lots of futuristic-looking gadgets.
About 320 million rubles were spent on the series, and the money went into the future. Even a giant like Netflix became interested in the story of the interaction of humans and humanoid robots in the near future, and bought the rights to show "Better Than Humans." According to Kommersant, the deal was worth about $ 1 million.
8. Peace! Friendship! Gum! (2020-…)
Genre: drama, comedy, crime
Kinopoisk rating: 7.8
IMDb rating: —
Project rating according to Forbes: 7.4
Producer: Ilya Aksenov
Music: Roman Litvinov
While adults in the dashing 90s were thinking about how to live on and how to feed their families, teenagers lived their own, cheerful, eventful, and often dangerous life.
The series “Peace! Friendship! Gum!" - the story of 14-year-old Sani Ryabinin, who comes from an ordinary family. Before his eyes, there is an example of parents - a mother-saleswoman and a father-assistant professor, and on the other hand - the criminal world of the early 90s. And you have to choose where to go next.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the musical accompaniment of the series, with the hits of yesteryear and the general background electronic music, as well as the excellent camera work, thanks to which the dynamic scenes look simply breathtaking.
7. Former (2016 - present)
Genre: drama
Kinopoisk rating: 7.5
IMDb rating: 6.9
Project rating according to Forbes: 7.4
Producer: Ivan Kitaev
Music: Denis Vorontsov
The former are called not only ex-spouses and lovers, but also people who have parted with bad habits. And this series is just about such people. The main character Yana is in a rehabilitation clinic for alcoholics and drug addicts. There she meets with counselor psychologist Ilya.
At first, for Ilya, the girl is nothing more than a new, interesting case. Gradually, however, he begins to see her as more than just a patient.
6. Storm (2019)
Genre: drama, detective
Kinopoisk rating: 7.5
IMDb rating: 6.9
Project rating according to Forbes: 7.7
Producer: Boris Khlebnikov
Music: Dmitry Emelyanov
Forbes gave the sixth line in the ranking of the best online TV series to the drama about two friends, Yuri Osokin and Sergei Gradov, who work in the police. One is in the homicide department, the other is in the anti-corruption department.
Trying to find money for an expensive operation to save his common-law wife, Sergei is committing an malfeasance, hoping to receive a bribe in the investigation of a high-profile case. Knowing the methods of police work and skillfully hiding the evidence, he seemed to be safe from all sides. Except for the side of the law that his friend is on.
5. Call center (2020-…)
Genre: drama, thriller
Kinopoisk rating: 7.2
IMDb rating: 6.8
Project rating according to Forbes: 8
Producer: Natasha Merkulova, Alexey Chupov
Music: Liza Tikhonova, Mark Dorbsky, Dmitry Borisov
Each episode in this series is made in a new genre so that the viewer does not get bored. In the center of the plot - 12 employees of the call center of the boutique for adults. One day, when they came to work, they found out that there was a bomb in the office.
Now two terrorists, who introduced themselves as "Dad" and "Mama", are forcing the hostages to follow their instructions, and at the same time to find out about each other's life details that should never have been known to outsiders.
4. Cheeky (2020)
Genre: drama, comedy
Kinopoisk rating: 7.9
IMDb rating: no
Project rating according to Forbes: 8.1
Producer: Eduard Hovhannisyan
Music: different compositions
Four girlfriends, earning a living with the oldest profession, decided to quit with a dirty past and open a legal fitness club. For the sake of a brighter future, they are ready to put everything on the line, go through condemnation, fear and fierce competition.
Viewers note that the characters are interesting for the simplicity of presentation and realism, and the director managed to make an interesting, watchable movie even without much elaboration of the characters.
3. Kept women (2019-present)
Genre: drama, thriller
Kinopoisk rating: 6.6
IMDb rating: 6.1
Project rating according to Forbes: 8.2
Producer: Konstantin Bogomolov
Music: Ivan Kanaev
This series became a "trial balloon" of the theatrical director Konstantin Bogomolov in the genre of a serial series. And a successful debut, judging by the reaction of viewers and the assessment of Forbes experts.
Thanks to the "Kept Women", the audience of the START video service has tripled a month after the series was released. Display rights have already been acquired by Amazon Prime and VOD platform Walter Presents.
The story of the glamorous life, wild passions simmering in the Moscow secular crowd and the investigation into the murder of one of the provincial women who dreamed of a carefree life in the capital is not yet complete. However, in the new season, Konstantin Bogomolov lost the director's chair to Daria Zhuk, remaining, however, one of the scriptwriters.
2. Epidemic (2018-present)
Genre: drama, thriller, fantasy
Kinopoisk rating: 7.1
IMDb rating: 7
Project rating according to Forbes: 8.4
Producer: Pavel Kostomarov
Music: Alexander Sokolov
One of the most trending TV series of 2020 based on the novel by Yana Wagner "Wongozero". The main character, going through a family drama, is forced to save his ex-wife and his child, as well as his current wife and her autistic son from Moscow, covered by an epidemic of an unknown virus.
Now all these people, as well as those who will join them, have a long way to go to Karelia, to the dwelling equipped by the protagonist's father on an island in the middle of Vongozero.
Epidemic is the first Russian-made TV series to enter the main competition of the prestigious international serial show Canneseries.
1.House arrest (2018)
Genre: comedy
Kinopoisk rating: 7.9
IMDb rating: 8
Project rating according to Forbes: 8.9
Producer: Petr Buslov
Music: Louis Bourse
This is the only "purebred" comedy among the dark dramas and thrillers that filled the rating of the most successful Russian online TV series in 2020.
One of its screenwriters is Semyon Slepakov, a master of funny and sharp words, which means that there will be no problems with humor in "House Arrest".
In the center of the story is the mayor of a provincial town, who was caught on a bribe, who was assigned house arrest as a preventive measure. But he is registered in a communal apartment, and not at his actual place of residence. And for an official who is accustomed to luxury and a quiet life, a new life full of torment begins with numerous neighbors.
By the way, the former Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev watched several episodes of the House Arrest project and found them amusing, and the characters recognizable.