I watched the acclaimed TV series “The Committee” and I recommend it to you. This detective story will show how the USSR became an economy

The first season of the new game “The Committee” recently ended, which has already managed to gather a diverse fan base.

How surprised I was that many might not even have heard of this project, as it actually turned out. There are almost no feature articles about him.

Either way, it’s worth sharing with you. The series immediately attracted the attention of external publications due to its ambitious application: a story about three security officers who go through a difficult path from the late USSR to modern Russia. Unlike other popular NTV projects, such as Nevsky and Committee, they demonstrate great historical authority and deep drama.

We have already watched the entire season and are eager to share our impressions.

From ideology to advice

What is the series about?: the story of three friends who connected their lives with services in the state security agencies. The action begins in the 70s in Leningrad and continues into the 2000s in St. Petersburg.

The plot will respond with three strikes at once. The story begins in the 1970s, when young officers Dmitry Vasilyev, Vladimir Naumov and Pavel Ivanov served in the ranks of the KGB. Their work at first seems “black and white”: fighting spies and dissidents, defending the ideals of the Motherland. However, with the collapse of the USSR, their world becomes more and more complex.

Those whom they previously considered enemies are beginning to gain influence: former dissidents are turning into businessmen and politicians.

The authors of the phenomenon clearly tried to put into “The Committee” not only a standard spy plot, but also philosophical information. The main characters are constantly dealing with moral dilemmas, destruction of ideals, and with international ones they read. This makes the series not just a historical detective story, but reflections on the changeability of nature and eras.

In relation to “Nevsky,” where the emphasis is on a regional operative with the criminal world of St. Petersburg, “The Committee” is larger: it touches not only on personal dramas, but also on national processes.

The story is presented on a grand scale throughout the season. All three main lines are thought out, each hero has a clear motivation and a specific goal. And thanks to the rather deep development of the characters, it is interesting to watch how their world gradually accelerates.

Alexander Konstantinov was especially impressed: his hero goes from youthful maximalism to the inner fatigue of a man who has to live in a world where his ideals are outdated.

Comparing everything with the theme of “Nevsky”, where the main role was played by the performer Anton Vasiliev, we can say that the acting in “The Committee” is deeper due to the more diverse age and emotional states of the characters. This allows the actors to feel fully present.

The main theme here is the inevitability of change and how a person adapts to new conditions. The series asks questions about duty, friendship and maintaining ideals, which makes it interesting for a thoughtful viewer. However, in parts it may seem that the project is too straightforward and even somewhat propaganda. And here they will be right. The thing is that the creators are trying to please everyone at once (plus, don’t forget that the project was created for the federal channel).

And yet… The Committee doesn’t just tell a story. He asks uncomfortable questions: what does it mean to be a patriot? How to remain faithful in a world that is constantly changing?

Inside, he tries not to give direct answers to questions, but leaves room for discussion among the audience. There is no “correct” patriotism here – it is different for each individual person. These questions make it especially relevant today.

It was great to think about several eras at once

The crew did an impressive job of collaborating across different time periods. Scenes from the 1980s and 1990s immerse viewers in that atmosphere thanks to exquisite details: from interiors to costumes – dirty streets, the first offices of future oligarchs, an atmosphere of confusion and hope.

But sometimes the series seems too sterile. Despite the abundance of details, no one deviates from the standard look of evil security officers. At the same time, the authors think that no one will be offended by their reasoning.

In “Nevsky” the image of St. Petersburg is harsh and naturalistic, but in “The Committee” the visual stylization slightly smoothes out the rough edges.

True, there are also shortcomings, where would we be without them. For example, the use of fuel-injected cars and objects from the 2000s in scenes dating back to the 90s. Yes, and road signs are stylized to resemble the present in frames dating back to the 70s. In general, there are some bugs, but nothing critical.

Worth a look

The Committee is more than a historical drama. This is a complex, multi-layered project that encourages us to find a balance between personal dramatic characters and historical processes. It has its flaws, especially in the drawn-out secondary lines (and in the middle of the story it generally sags a lot), but overall it pays attention to showing time in dynamics.

If you love historical dramas and want to understand how Russia has changed through that lens, this series is definitely worth your time.