15 Russian detective series you shouldn't be ashamed of

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Classic film adaptations of the books by the Weiner brothers and Yulian Semyonov, as well as a couple of modern projects.

A selection of Soviet and Russian detective films has already been released on Lifehacker. However, it included only full-length works of a maximum of two episodes. In this list, you will find TV films and series of three episodes or more.

15. Charlotte's necklace

• USSR, 1984.
• Detective, crime.
• Duration: 3 episodes.
• IMDb: 6, 3.

KGB Colonel Seregin and his assistant Lieutenant Pavlov are investigating the murder of a speculator and a currency dealer. It turns out that he was associated with a secret group exporting rare art objects abroad.

Director Yevgeny Tatarsky at the time of the release of this film had already become famous thanks to the works "The Golden Mine" and "The Suicide Club, or the Adventures of a Titled Person". This time he took as a basis a small story by Anatoly Romov "Customs inspection". The film adaptation departs from the plot of the original, but makes the story even more exciting.

14. Vertical races

• USSR, 1982.
• Detective, crime, adventure.
• Duration: 3 episodes.
• IMDb: 6, 6.

MUR officers, led by Inspector Tikhonov, arrest a recidivist thief named Baton. Due to lack of evidence, he is released, and the villain continues his criminal activities. But Tikhonov was already determined to catch Baton.

One of the many adaptations of the Weiner brothers' works shows a very tense story of confrontation between two charismatic heroes. The performers of the main roles have a lot of merit in this: Andrei Myagkov played Tikhonov, and Valentin Gaft played Baton.

13. Entrance to the maze

• USSR, 1989.
• Detective, crime.
• Duration: 5 episodes.
• IMDb: 6, 9.

The operative Muromtsev is investigating the activities of criminals who, disguised as policemen, come to the apartments of the suspects and rob them. Suddenly, he learns about a strange drug metaproptizol, which is called "medicine for fear."

Another film adaptation of the Weiner book. Moreover, in 1978, the film "Cure for Fear" was already released based on the same novel. But the second version is considered by many to be more successful.

12. And that's all about him

• USSR, 1977.
• Detective drama.
• Duration: 6 episodes.
• IMDb: 7, 1.

Yevgeny Stoletov, a young worker, dies while logging in Siberia. It seems that he just fell out of the moving railway platform. But investigator Prokhorov understands the circumstances of the incident and understands that dark things were going on in the settlement.

Many remember Yevgeny Leonov exclusively for his comedic roles. But here he played the attentive and intelligent police captain Prokhorov. And the plot of the picture interestingly combines the personal story of the deceased and the story of the dishonest management of the enterprise.

11. Profession - investigator

• USSR, 1982.
• Detective, crime.
• Duration: 5 episodes.
• IMDb: 7, 2.

The police find a suitcase with a large sum of money at the pensioner at the Belorussky railway station. Trying to find their source, investigators go to a serious gang.

The film directed by Alexander Blank is based on real events that took place in the late seventies. Then a group of criminals organized a fake procurement base and allegedly sent 100 tons of red pepper to customers. In fact, the trucks were driving empty, but real money was paid for the non-existent cargo.

10. Sunday, half past six

• USSR, 1988.
• Detective, crime.
• Duration: 4 episodes.
• IMDb: 7, 2.

A young lawyer, Sergei Krasheninnikov, is investigating the death of a girl in a remote area of Moscow. The matter seems to be as simple as possible: you just need to establish the identity of the deceased. But soon the hero realizes that all the witnesses do not say something.

This is the third and perhaps the most successful film in which Vasily Funtikov plays Krasheninnikov. In the first films - "Krosh's Vacation" and "The Unknown Soldier" - the hero was still a schoolboy and a student, but now he has grown to a probationer in the prosecutor's office. Interestingly, the plot here is devoted not to the cruelty of criminals, but to human indifference.

9. Visit to the Minotaur

• USSR, 1987.
• Detective.
• Duration: 5 episodes.
• IMDb: 7, 4.

Investigator Tikhonov finds out the circumstances of the theft that took place in the apartment of the famous musician. Attackers have stolen a valuable violin by Antonio Stradivari. In parallel, the story of the life and work of the famous master in Italy of the 17th century is told.

And again, the Weiner brothers. It is interesting that in their work there is a whole series of books about Tikhonov. True, in the films of this character, different actors have always played, and in "Entrance to the Maze" he was completely renamed Muromtsev. By the way, the head of the hero, Vladimir Ivanovich, is the same Sharapov from the series "The meeting place cannot be changed."

8. TASS is authorized to declare …

• USSR, 1984.
• Detective.
• Duration: 10 episodes.
• IMDb: 7, 4.

Soviet intelligence learns that a CIA agent is hiding in Moscow. He sends to America classified information related to African countries in which a military coup is being prepared. The fate of an entire state depends on the work of Soviet services.

Yulian Semyonov is another famous author of books about the Soviet police and special services. As a master of the detective genre, he became famous after the release of the novel "Petrovka 38", which was soon filmed. "TASS is authorized to declare …" is also filmed based on the book of the same name by Semyonov, and the author himself adapted the plot for the script.

7. Method

• Russia, 2015.
• Detective, thriller, crime.
• Duration: 16 episodes.
• IMDb: 7, 4.

A graduate of the Faculty of Law, Yesenia Steklova, is going on an internship with the investigator Rodion Meglin. He has an incredible talent in revealing the activities of maniacs. The girl hopes that the mentor will help her find the killer of her parents. However, Meglin himself often seems dangerous.

The series by Yuri Bykov with Konstantin Khabensky in the title role has become one of the most important events in the world of Russian detectives and thrillers in recent years. Unfortunately, work on the second season took a long time.

6. Born by the Revolution

• USSR, 1974-1977.
• Adventure, detective, historical.
• Duration: 10 episodes.
• IMDb: 7, 5.

The plot is dedicated to the emergence and development of the Soviet militia. The young Pskov peasant Nikolai Kondratyev joins the ranks of the defenders of the law. He will have to devote most of his life to work.

The action of this series stretches over the years. In parallel with the life of the main characters, the viewer is shown important events in the life of the country, against the background of which the criminal investigation department is fighting against crime.

5. The investigation is conducted by experts

• USSR, 1971-1989.
• Detective drama.
• Duration: 22 episodes.
• IMDb: 7, 6.

The series tells about three employees of the Moscow police. Investigator Znamensky, Criminal Investigation Officer Tomin and forensic expert Kibrit investigate the most difficult cases, catch counterfeiters and speculators, and sometimes murderers.

The classic series has been running for over 15 years. During this time, 22 episodes were shot, each of which lasted as a full-length film. In 2002, the project was briefly resumed, releasing two more episodes with the subtitle "Ten Years Later."

4. Confrontation

• USSR, 1985.
• Detective, crime, military.
• Duration: 6 episodes.
• IMDb: 7, 8.

The police discover the decapitated corpse of a certain Mikhail Gonchakov. Suspicion falls on the taxi driver Grigory Milinko. It soon turns out that the real owner of this name died in the war.

Another film adaptation of Yulian Semyonov. In this story, the main plot develops in the 70s and 80s, and in parallel there are flashbacks about the times of the war.

3. Liquidation

• Russia, 2007.
• Detective, crime, military.
• Duration: 14 episodes.
• IMDb: 8, 3.

In post-war Odessa, a gang of criminals led by a mysterious Academician is robbing military warehouses. The lieutenant colonel of the Odessa UGRO David Markovich Gotsman is trying to catch the villains. Meanwhile, Marshal Zhukov himself is being exiled to the city.

Many fell in love with this series for the witty Odessa vocabulary and humor. But in fact, the detective component in "Liquidation" is spelled out no worse. The personality of the Academician has long been a mystery.

2. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson

• USSR, 1980-1986.
• Detective drama.
• Duration: 5 films (11 episodes).
• IMDb: 8, 6.

The most beloved film adaptation of the series of books by Arthur Conan Doyle about the great detective Sherlock Holmes and his partner Dr. Watson. Detectives investigate unusual cases and even fight with the king of the underworld, Moriarty.

The project came out in the form of five television films, each of which consisted of two or three episodes. Many people still consider this version to be the most successful and canonical adaptation of the books about Sherlock Holmes.

1. The meeting place cannot be changed

• USSR, 1979.
• Crime, drama, detective.
• Duration: 5 episodes.
• IMDb: 8, 8.

After the war, intelligence officer Vladimir Sharapov goes to serve in the criminal investigation department under the leadership of Captain Zheglov. From the very first days of work, he has to take on a difficult case: to investigate the murder of Larisa Gruzdeva and to catch a gang of robbers "Black Cat".

The series is based on the Weiner brothers' novel Era of Mercy. The authors of the original, together with director Stanislav Govorukhin, insisted in every possible way that Vladimir Vysotsky was taken on the role of Gleb Zheglov, although the party leadership was against it. But it was this artist that largely ensured the popularity of the project.