About smart programs and running in bags

In February, Channel One was in the lead - it had the loudest premieres and the highest ratings. Among the television premieres of February, the four-episode film “Leningrad” deserves special mention - both for the theme, and for the overall good performance, and for the win-win promotion. A film without advertising is the dream of every TV viewer. Some critics still have questions about certain oddities and historical inaccuracies of this project, but they are ready to attribute the flaws and blunders to the peculiarities of Russian-American film production. With all the nods to the blockade survivors, this is a typical co-production made with Western distribution in mind. The presence of Mira Sorvino and Gabriel Byrne in this seemingly Russian film cannot be explained by anything else.

But no matter how the critics grumble, the next stage of the eternal competition with “Russia” “First” still won. And for military-patriotic projects by February 23, and for entertainment programs on Saturday and Sunday. This is evidenced by the ratings. Another thing is bad: the new model of Saturday evening, built by “First” last February, leaves no hope for lovers of smart and meaningful programs. A quiz with tips for the especially gifted, sports entertainment for the rich and famous, a show of provincial weirdos, a “disco” after midnight (“Who Wants to Be a Millionaire”, “Lord of the Mountain”, “Minute of Fame”, “Major League”) - all this reminds animation in resort hotels. There they also solve riddles, dance and jump in sacks. Animators replace each other - Galkin, Martirosyan, Malakhov, but the level of entertainment remains the same. As one satirist said, “probably something needs to be corrected at the conservatory.” About satirists and comedians: in the “Comedy Club” on TNT, Garik Martirosyan walked like a king, and on “First” he behaves like a theater school student who accidentally found himself in the company of stars. Where did all the daring go...

STS, like TNT, does not give away its stars. Sometimes she “leases out”, like Alexandra Tsekalo in “Two Stars”, and then returns her to perform direct duties. Tsekalo, having gone to “First” as a presenter, released a new improvisational program “Mind Games” on his native channel. I wonder why some channels manage to make even stupid formats smart and intelligent, while others are afraid of both “smart” names and “smart” programs? “Russia,” by the way, warmed up on its frequency the long-suffering program “Obvious-Incredible,” which was thrown into the dustbin of history first by Channel One and then by TV Center. Many thanks to the “Russians” for this.

Elena Lankina, Moscow News