Servant of the People (2015 TV series)

Ukrainian television series

This article is about the 2015 Ukrainian television series. For the 2023 Polish television series, see Servant of the People (2023 TV series).

Servant of the People

Servant of the People poster

Genre| Political satire
Comedy
Created by| Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Starring|

* Volodymyr Zelenskyy
* Stanislav Boklan
* Olena Kravets
* Jury Krapov
* Mykhailo Fatalov
* Oleksandr Pikalov
* Yevhen Koshovyi
* Viktor Saraykin
* Natalia Sumska
* Kateryna Kisten

Theme music composer| Dmytro Shurov
Composer|

* Andriy Kiryuschenko

Country of origin| Ukraine
Original languages| Russian
Ukrainian
No. of seasons| 3
No. of episodes| 51
Production
Executive producer|

* Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Producers|

* Volodymyr Zelenskyy
* Andriy Yakovlev
* Boris Schefir
* Aleksey Kiryushenko

Production locations| Kyiv, Ukraine
Running time| 40–90 minutes
Production company|

* Kvartal 95

Original release
Network| 1+1
Release| 16 November 2015 (2015-11-16) –
28 March 2019 (2019-03-28)

Servant of the People[a] (also known as Servant of the Nation) is a Ukrainian political satire comedy series created and produced by Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy stars as Vasyl Petrovych Holoborodko, a high school history teacher in his thirties who is unexpectedly elected President of Ukraine after one of his students films and uploads a video of him delivering a profane rant against government corruption in his country.[1][2][3] , which goes viral.The series ran for three seasons between 2015 and 2019, and a film adaptation was released in 2016.[4]

The series was produced by Kvartal 95, a studio founded by Zelenskyy.[5] The studio soon became involved in Ukrainian politics, and in 2018, a political party with the same name as the show was registered.[6] Running as its candidate, Zelenskyy was elected president of Ukraine in 2019.[7]

## Plot

[edit]

When a video of his profane rant against government corruption goes viral, Vasyl Petrovych Holoborodko (played by Volodymyr Zelenskyy)—an unassuming high school history teacher—becomes an overnight internet sensation. Unbeknownst to him, Holoborodko's students launch a crowdfunding campaign to enter him into Ukraine's presidential race, a move that propels their teacher to a stunning political victory. Initially overwhelmed by his new responsibilities, President Holoborodko gradually grows into the role and dedicates himself to weeding out the deep-rooted oligarchic corruption within the government.[8][9]

## Cast and characters

[edit]

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the current President of Ukraine, portrayed President Vasily Goloborodko and Grisha in the series

This section needs expansion with: missing cast and characters. You can help by adding to it. (July 2024)

|

Actor / actress  | Role(s)  | Note  | Seasons

|
|
|

1 (2015)  | 2 (2017)  | 3 (2019)
Volodymyr Zelenskyy | Vasyl Petrovych Holoborodko,
Grisha  | A high school history teacher in his thirties who is unexpectedly elected President of Ukraine following a rant against government corruption in his country secretly filmed by one of his students.

Zelenskyy also portrays Grisha, a government employee who underwent plastic surgery to serve as Holoborodko's body double.

| Main
Stanislav Boklan | Yuriy Ivanovych Chuiko  | A corrupt politician who serves as the Prime Minister of Ukraine and is later exposed as an ally of the oligarchs.  | Main
Yevhen Koshovyi | Serhiy Viktorovych Mukhin  | The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and a former actor.  | Main
Olena Kravets | Olha Yuriyivna Mishchenko  | Vasyl's ex-wife and the director of the National Bank of Ukraine. She later becomes acting Prime Minister.  | Main
Yury Krapov [ru; uk] | Mykhaylo Ivanovych Sanin  | The Minister of Fiscal Affairs of Ukraine.  | Main
Mykhailo Fatalov [ru; uk] | Mikhail Ashotovich Tasunyan  | The head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU)  | Main
Oleksandr Pikalov | Ivan Andriyovych Skoryk  | The Minister of Defence of Ukraine and a former navy captain.  | Main
Viktor Saraykin [ru; uk] | Petro Vasylyovych Holoborodko  | Vasyl's father  | Main
Kateryna Kisten [ru; uk] | Svitlana Petrivna Sakhno  | Vasyl's sister and briefly first deputy of the Ukrainian tax service.  | Main
Nataliya Sumska | Mariya Stefanivna Holoborodko  | Vasyl's mother  | Main | Minor
Olha Zhukovtsova-Kyiashko [uk] | Oksana Skovoroda  | Mukhin's secretary.  | Minor  | Main
Heorhiy Povolotskyy  | Tolya  | The Chief of Security and a bodyguard who is initially part of Vasyl's security detail before he is dismissed after Vasyl regards the detail as unnecessary to his work.  | Minor  | Main
Dmytro Surzhykov  | Dmytro Vasylyovych Surikov  | Prime Minister of Ukraine, former chairman of the supervisory board of the National Bank  | Minor  | Main
Halyna Bezruk (Season 1)
Anastasia Chepelyuk (Season 2)  | Anna Mykhailivna  | The General Adviser to the President, a former specialist of the Development Department, and Vasyl's mistress, who is exposed as an ally of the oligarchs.  |  |  |
Anna Koshmal [ru] | Natasha Sakhno  | The niece of Vasyl Holoborodko  |  |  |
Valentyna Ishchenko  | Bella Rudolfivna  | Secretary of Vasyl Holoborodko  |  |  |
Stepan Kazanin  | Speechwriter  | Assistant to Vasyl Holoborodko  |  |  |

### Minor roles

[edit]

Actor / actress  | Role  | Note

|
|

Oleksiy Kiryushchenko  | Serhiy Pavlovych  | Former president
Tetyana Pechonkina  | Nina Yehorivna Tretyak  | Former teacher of Holoborodko, former head of the SBU
Yuriy Hrebelnyk  | Plato  |
Oleksiy Vertinsky  | Sergey Susseldorf  | Designer (Episode 5) / Louis XVI (Episode 20)
Oleh Maslennykov  | Oligarch  | Oligarch
Olena Bondareva-Repina  | Raisa Andriivna  | School principal
Oleksiy Smolka  | Serhiy Leonidovych Karasyuk  | Leader of the faction
Anastasiya Karpenko  | Yana Klymenko  | Opposition journalist
Mykhailo August  | Andriy Volodymyrovych Yakovlev  | Minister of Culture
Danilo Oskin  | Mykhailo Semenovych  | Oligarch
Vitaliy Ivanchenko  | Vitalii Romanchenko  | MP from the Dobrobut faction
Rinat Khabibulin  | Dima  | Vasyl's son
Oleksandr Danylchenko  | Nikolay Pavlovych Pylypenko  | Chief of ZhEK
Alexander Ignatusha  | Judge/Monk Sebastian  | Judge/Monk
Nazar Zadniprovskyy  | Nazar Dobryvechir  | Mayor of Zaporizhzhia
Andriy Romaniy  |  | Host of political talk show
Dmytro Melenevsky  |  | Karasyuk's bodyguard
Andriy Danylko | Verka Serduchka | Ukrainian pop singer
Darya Pitsul  |  | Journalist

## Episodes

[edit]

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|

### Series overview

[edit]

Season| Episodes| Originally released

|
|

First released| Last released
1| 24| November 16, 2015 (2015-11-16)| December 9, 2015 (2015-12-09)
2| 24| October 23, 2017 (2017-10-23)| November 16, 2017 (2017-11-16)
3| 3| March 27, 2019 (2019-03-27)| March 28, 2019 (2019-03-28)

### Season 1

[edit]

No.
overall| No. in
season| Original release date

|
|

1| 1| November 16, 2015 (2015-11-16)
2| 2

History teacher Vasily Petrovich Goloborodko is informed that he has been elected President of Ukraine. The episode switches between his first days as president and flashbacks to the events which led to his election. After one of his students filmed and uploaded Vasily's profanity-filled rant to YouTube, a crowdfunded campaign raised enough money for him to run for president.

3| 3| November 17, 2015 (2015-11-17)

Waking up as President of Ukraine, Goloborodko sees his family members begin to serve him. His sister does not know that her brother is the new President of Ukraine. Meanwhile, the oligarchs are beginning to provide certificates about Vasily Goloborodko.

4| 4| November 17, 2015 (2015-11-17)

Vasily is preparing for the inauguration. He is assisted by a speechwriter. The ex-boyfriend of Vasily’s niece returns to her along with his family. He wants to re-start their relationship since she is now a relative of the President.

5| 5| November 18, 2015 (2015-11-18)

The president's first day at work begins with a trip to work in a minibus. The Prime Minister also goes with him. Vasily's father makes several expensive purchases.

6| 6| November 18, 2015 (2015-11-18)

Relatives of the President make a luxe repair for free in the apartment, and dream of moving to Mezhyhirya. Goloborodko meets with officials and visits the Verkhovna Rada. He even imagines the ghost of Che Guevara, who calls for radical measures.

7| 7| November 19, 2015 (2015-11-19)

By order of Vasily, all deputies must leave the city center and move to work in buildings on the outskirts of the capital. Officials are also directed to come to work on bicycles instead of in expensive cars.

8| 8| November 19, 2015 (2015-11-19)

Holding an open competition for ministerial positions turns out to be a big mistake. Vasiliy decides to offer positions to trusted people whom he knows personally. However, it is uncertain whether the deputies will support their candidacies.

9| 9| November 23, 2015 (2015-11-23)

The first working day of Goloborodko’s team is not easy for any of his ministers. Many in the Cabinet want to frame them. The worst affected is the head of the Security Service of Ukraine, who has a chemical substance poured in her tea.

10| 10| November 23, 2015 (2015-11-23)

Goloborodko is shocked by what happens to the head of the SBU and intends to figure it all out. Meanwhile, his team receives eye-catching offers from the "strong people". The oligarchs are trying to bribe the ministers behind the president's back.

11| 11| November 24, 2015 (2015-11-24)

Vasily’s ministers decide to take the bribes, and some even ask for more money. At the same time, the Prime Minister is happy to connect profits from farmers, but the state employees get what is left.

12| 12| November 24, 2015 (2015-11-24)

Goloborodko introduces tax reform which includes an interest rate cut, as well as a simplified tax payment scheme. In order to explain his intentions to the people, the President wants to use the resources of the Ministry of Culture. He asks to shoot a commercial, which will show all the advantages of the reform.

13| 13| November 25, 2015 (2015-11-25)

Goloborodko's tax reform affects his family, namely his father. Meanwhile, the head of the Fiscal Service begins to investigate officials. He finds out that all their income is illegally registered to husbands, wives, brothers, parents, etc.

14| 14| November 25, 2015 (2015-11-25)

Thanks to the agreements of Anatoliy's wife, the President decides to use the services of a security guard. The Head of the Fiscal Service speaks with the relatives of the wealthiest officials. This leads to a high-profile case and forces the oligarchs to move.

15| 15| November 26, 2015 (2015-11-26)

The President's sister is trying to get into the Cabinet and take a high position, but the ministers refuse to accept her to their departments. When some funds appear in the budget, Goloborodko decides to allow them to repair Kyiv roads.

16| 16| November 26, 2015 (2015-11-26)

All the failures of the President and his team are leaked to the media. One call causes a storm of dissatisfied people. Specially trained people who do not want to lose their seats begin working on this crisis of public perception.

17| 17| November 30, 2015 (2015-11-30)

Having launched several reforms, Goloborodko declares war on the oligarchs. The President is now under surveillance as subordinates of the oligarchs attempt to find any potential scandals in the life of the President in an attempt to humiliate and compromise him, but they have little success

18| 18| December 1, 2015 (2015-12-01)

Finding a decent person for the post of head of the State Agency of Automobile Roads of Ukraine is not easy. For years, it was occupied by people who plundered one of the most important structures in the apparatus of the state, and Goloborodko is fed up.

19| 19| December 2, 2015 (2015-12-02)

Goloborodko is trying everything to eradicate corruption. He receives a call from Angela Merkel, who tells him his nation has been accepted into the European Union. She then corrects herself, saying that this message had actually been meant for the president of Montenegro.

20| 20| December 3, 2015 (2015-12-03)

The president suggests that the "strong ones of this world" file real tax returns with the right number of zeros. Goloborodko continues to press the oligarchs, making them go rabid. The caste of oligarchs is trying to influence Goloborodko in every possible way, but he doesn't give up.

21| 21| December 7, 2015 (2015-12-07)

Goloborodko's reforms are unpopular not only with the people, but also with the "three whales" who are trying to take power. They try to negotiate with the newly minted President, but nothing happens.

22| 22| December 8, 2015 (2015-12-08)

The president needs to repay his debts to the IMF. He resorts to unpopular measures—tough reform. These policies sow panic among the people.

23| 23| December 9, 2015 (2015-12-09)

The president is a guest on a political talk show. During the program, he talks about reforming the judicial system of Ukraine. With the submission of Goloborodko, the former head of the Sanitary and Epidemiological Station of Kyiv conducts an audit right at home. They show the wonderful life that the official leads with his family.

24| 24| December 9, 2015 (2015-12-09)

The end of the first 100 days of Goloborodko's presidency arrives. Finally, his actions lead to progress and changes in government are becoming noticeable. The President was able to identify those problems and carry out reforms. Anatoliy saves the president from an assassination attempt. He and his family, minister friends, and lover Anna Mikhailovna have a family dinner.

### Season 2: From Love to Impeachment

[edit]

No.
overall| No. in
season| Original release date

|
|

25| 1| October 23, 2017 (2017-10-23)
26| 2

Goloborodko wakes up in a cold sweat after dreaming he was betrayed by his best friends. After recovering a little, he quickly calms down, telling himself it is just a dream, but in reality it's the president's birthday. Watching the news, Goloborodko suddenly realizes that there will be no festivities, because there was a coup d'état in the country. This turns out to be a prank by his friends.

27| 3| October 24, 2017 (2017-10-24)

After the president's unforgettable birthday, all his friends gather for an important meeting in his office. On the agenda: the lack of evidence against Yurii Ivanovich, as banks in all countries in which he withdrew money refuse to cooperate with the investigation. Suddenly, the meeting is interrupted by the visit of Yurii Ivanovich himself, who was brought to Goloborodko's office for an investigative experiment.

28| 4| October 24, 2017 (2017-10-24)

Finally, the day comes when visa-free travel is approved for Ukrainian citizens and the president is initially most pleased with the news. However, leaving home in the morning, Vasily does not see a soul and soon realizes that all Ukrainians have left their homeland in search of a better fate in the West, and only he remains as a true patriot of his country. This turns out to be a vision of what the president worries could become of Ukraine.

29| 5| October 25, 2017 (2017-10-25)

After the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers, the President realizes that the time has come for change, and goes to the Department of Development, which has long had a plan "to realize the dream of a successful and self-sufficient Ukraine." At the same time, the trial of Yurii Ivanovich continues, and today an incorruptible judge will announce his verdict.

30| 6| October 25, 2017 (2017-10-25)

Today is a historic day for the whole country, as parliament must vote for a new prime minister. The situation is such that the oligarchs cannot decide on a single candidate for the post and are launching a series of compromising stories about the president and his entourage on TV so that he does not get ahead of his candidate.

31| 7| October 26, 2017 (2017-10-26)

The global crisis has even affected the IMF, so only one country in Eastern Europe will receive a loan: Ukraine or Greece, but to do so, the countries must show their tough stance on corruption. The Greeks decide to imprison their oligarchs. Ukraine needs an even higher profile figure, so the local oligarchs decide to arrest their most corrupt official, who turns out to be the former president.

32| 8| October 26, 2017 (2017-10-26)

In order to receive a loan from the IMF, Ukraine must fulfill the mandatory conditions and adopt a whole package of anti-corruption laws, for which Verkhovna Rada deputies stubbornly refuse to vote. The president has only 2 days to persuade deputies to vote for the necessary laws for the country.

33| 9| October 30, 2017 (2017-10-30)

After the president's visit to Yurii Ivanovich in "places not so far away", Vasily Goloborodko makes a proposal that the former prime minister cannot refuse and agrees to testify against the oligarchs in court.

34| 10| October 30, 2017 (2017-10-30)

A delegation from the IMF arrives in Lviv to sign a final loan agreement. It would seem that no difficulties should have arisen, as the Rada voted for the necessary laws for the country, and all that is needed is the personal presence of the president, who at such a crucial moment decides not to go to Lviv.

35| 11| October 31, 2017 (2017-10-31)

To quarrel with the oligarchs and get the coveted loan, Goloborodko goes to Kharkiv to meet with the governor for the sole purpose of persuading him to change Roizman's bank to Mamatov's bank. The meeting does not yield the desired result, and the president again goes to Yurii Ivanovich, who has a contingency plan.

36| 12| October 31, 2017 (2017-10-31)

Instead of the promised visit to Sumy, the president goes to Zaporizhzhia and reveals a number of corruption schemes to the press, after which he thanked journalist Serhiy Biryukov, who works for Roizman, for this information with plenty of cameras around to witness it. The oligarchs understand that all these events are not accidental, and promise to arrange a "warm welcome" to Vasily Petrovich in Zaporizhzhia.

37| 13| November 1, 2017 (2017-11-01)

Goloborodko continues to reveal the schemes of the oligarchs, creating new problems for them. They "bite" each other, revoking the license of one of the TV channels and causing the failure of privatized mobile operators and banking systems. Ukraine is falling into a global crisis, but then it turns out to be only a dream. Titushky incited by Mamatov chases the president and Chuiko all over Zaporizhzhia. During the chase Goloborodko and Chuiko change into the costumes of Verka Serduchka and his group and Goloborodko throws cakes at the pursuers.

38| 14| November 1, 2017 (2017-11-01)

Yurii Ivanovich finds his long-awaited freedom by fulfilling his obligations to the president. Goloborodko meets with the IMF delegation in Lviv to accept its demands, but when he hears what the commission is demanding from Ukraine, the latter is told to "go to hell", causing international controversy.

39| 15| November 2, 2017 (2017-11-02)

Due to the president's insults, the IMF refuses to give the 15 billion dollar loan, and Ukraine is risking its reputation on the international stage. To overcome the crisis, the President proposes his man for the post of prime minister, while lightly blackmailing the main figures of the Verkhovna Rada.

40| 16| November 2, 2017 (2017-11-02)

The oligarchs want to get rid of the unwanted president as soon as possible and with the fewest losses for themselves, so at the general council they decide to arrange an impeachment for Goloborodko. To do this, they throw all their strength into the search for Yurii Ivanovich, who knows a lot of things. At the same time, the president strikes back and the special services arrest Roizman.

41| 17| November 6, 2017 (2017-11-06)

The president announces that he is resigning, and Dmytro Surikov, in the meantime, becomes prime minister. The Chairman of the SBU and the Minister of Foreign Affairs also want to resign from office. Goloborodko's family is trying to help him out of his depression. The pre-election struggle for the chair of the head of the country begins, and even a man dressed up as a bee runs for president.

42| 18| November 7, 2017 (2017-11-07)

The struggle for the presidency is in full swing, and the deputies are shooting election campaign videos. Some of them do not even know Ukrainian. Goloborodko also decides to go to the polls. But there is no money for the campaign, and no bank will give a loan of 2 million hryvnias.

43| 19| November 8, 2017 (2017-11-08)

The new race has just begun, and the situation for Goloborodko is already quite difficult because he does not have the popular support he had before, and according to the results of the polls, he is sitting in last place. Vasily Petrovich understands that he cannot do well without the help of a good political strategist, for whom he would need to allocate at least one million dollars. But where can he get one?

44| 20| November 9, 2017 (2017-11-09)

Nestor Dyachenko is a candidate who believes only in God, and the oligarchs cannot understand who sponsors him. The struggle amongst the candidates also begins at a religious level. Meanwhile, Goloborodko shoots another commercial and prepares for the debate. But, the money for the campaign suddenly disappears.

45| 21| November 13, 2017 (2017-11-13)

Goloborodko has invested the money from the election campaign into an innovation – a pedestrian crossing with illumination. It turns out that this act raised him to first place. Nazar Dobryivecher plans to arrange a fight with Goloborodko, but Vasily does not appear at the debate, and the latter clings to Khodobyak, resulting in a fight. Goloborodko's act only goes to benefit.

46| 22| November 14, 2017 (2017-11-14)

Surikov has found compromising material on the presidential candidates and wants to cooperate with Goloborodko. At the debate, Vasily exposes those who financed the campaigns of Karasyuk, Khudobyak, Dobryivecher, and Borisenko. The oligarchs are looking for new ways to lower Goloborodko's ratings. They nominate a new person for the job - a "common man from the people," Dr. Tyshchenko, to go against Goloborodko. Vasily is even accused of being Nemchuk's project (with the help of a plot involving his body double Grisha).

47| 23| November 15, 2017 (2017-11-15)

The oligarchs' scam is uncovered. Mamatov is arrested on charges of plotting the murder of Goloborodko. Borisenko withdraws from the election in favor of Karasyuk. Surikov presents Nemchuk with a compromise on the latter, and as a result, Karasyuk also withdraws from the election, casting his votes in favor of Surikov. Surikov resumes negotiations with the IMF on a loan and succeeds, which wins the support of voters.

48| 24| November 16, 2017 (2017-11-16)

Olya tries to find evidence on Surikov, but fails. Suddenly, Nemchuk comes to the rescue in this matter, throwing on the air compromising information about the terms of the deal with the IMF. Two days before the elections, a debate between Goloborodko and Surikov is planned to be held on the TV show "Dialoga". The latter is not at the debate, but his representative comes out - Yurii Ivanovich, who tells the truth about his salvation, thereby exposing Goloborodko as a criminal in the eyes of the public. A little later, he admits that the former president was sympathetic to him, and explains to the audience the truth about what prompted Goloborodko to commit an official crime. According to the results of the elections, Surikov is leading with a result almost twice as high as the result of Goloborodko. But the people do not believe the results of the elections...

### Season 3: Choice

[edit]

No.
overall| No. in
season| Original release date

|
|

49| 1| March 27, 2019 (2019-03-27)

The season begins 30 years in the future in a history lesson, where a young teacher tells his students how Goloborodko saved Ukraine from oligarchs and led it to prosperity. Vasyl Goloborodko is in prison, while at the same time Dmytro Surikov is in power. The new president is organizing a grandiose scam to buy coal from South Africa and flies to the Maldives. People, having learned about this, go to protests, but they are dispersed. Surikov's colleagues betray him. The "Milk Revolution" begins. Meanwhile, Goloborodko's friends and previous ministers are appealing to the EU to free Goloborodko.

50| 2| March 27, 2019 (2019-03-27)

After the "Milk Revolution", Zhanna Borysenko becomes president of Ukraine, but her promises to both oligarchs and ordinary Ukrainians turn out to be false. This leads to a total of six "Maidans", the authorities eventually move to the "Military-Nationalist State" headed by Boryslav Kostyuk, but this also ends in failure. Each region of Ukraine becomes a separate quasi-state.

51| 3| March 28, 2019 (2019-03-28)

Vasyl Goloborodko remains the only person who has proved the possibility of positive change. He is elected president again and must meet the expectations of the people. Goloborodko finds himself on the imaginary "court" of the former rulers of Ukraine, where he understands what he should do. But to do this, he would have to talk to the rulers of all 28 Ukrainian quasi-states. Ukraine eventually becomes a utopia: oligarchs are curbed by the sale of criminal cases against them at auctions; the language issue is resolved by simultaneous interpreters; regions are connected with "eternal" concrete roads. All Ukrainians share savings, making a huge pile of gold on Independence Square, which helps to realize the dream of Ukraine, which will never again be a third-world country.

## Development

[edit]

### Production

[edit]

* Concept: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Andriy Yakovlev, Oleksiy Kiryushchenko, Serhiy Shefir, Borys Shefir
* Scriptwriters: Andriy Yakovlev, Oleksiy Kiryushchenko, Yuriy Kostyuk, Yuriy Mykulenko, Dmytro Hryhorenko, Mykhailo Savin, Dmytro Kozlov, Oleksandr Bragin
* Directed by: Oleksiy Kiryushchenko
* Cinematographer: Serhiy Koshel
* Production designer: Vadim Shinkaryov
* Composer: Andriy Kiryushchenko
* Soundtrack: Dmitry Shurov, Potap, and Nastya
* Make-up artist: Nina Kremeshna-Lavrinenko
* Costume designer: Veronika Yatsenko
* Executive producer: Victor Yarish
* Creative producer: Yuri Kostyuk
* Producers: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Borys Shefir, Serhiy Shefir, Andriy Yakovlev, Oleksiy Kiryushchenko

## Release

[edit]

Servant of the People originally aired on the 1+1 channel in Ukraine.[1] The studio also posted all episodes for free on YouTube.[2] The first season of the show was added to Netflix in select countries in 2017.[2] Sometime in 2021, Netflix lost licensing rights. In March 2022, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Netflix re-licensed the first season, and in May 2022, added the second and third seasons for 33+ countries.[10][11] The Netflix release combines the first two episodes into one in both seasons one and two, resulting in 23 episodes instead of 24 for both seasons.[12]

Belarusian TV channel Belarus-1 began broadcasting the show in evening prime time on 11 November 2019.[13] The Russian channel TNT aired the pilot episode of the show's first series on 11 December 2019, claiming it did so as "a marketing move to raise awareness of the platform".[13] TNT cut a scene from the episode in which president-elect Goloborodko asked if Russian President Vladimir Putin wore a Hublot watch, a joke referring to a well-known anti-Putin chant in Ukraine.[14]

In the United States, HITN presents the series in a Spanish-language version.[15] Jewish Life Television carries the series in its original Russian and Ukrainian languages, with English subtitles.[16]

### Sequels

[edit]

Main article: Servant of the People 2

A film adaptation of the series, Servant of the People 2, was released in 2016. The second season utilized footage from the film to expand on its plot and was released in 2017, bringing the movie into the series' main continuity.[17]

## Impact

[edit]

### 2019

[edit]

Zelenskyy would later mirror his character's rise to political power in being elected President of Ukraine in 2019. After his victory was announced, Zelenskyy walked onto the stage at his campaign headquarters with the show's theme playing.[18]

### 2022

[edit]

In the wake of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and Zelenskyy's wartime leadership, the show's popularity received a notable boost. Broadcasting rights have been requested by various foreign companies.[19] On March 16, Netflix announced that season 1 of the series would be available to US streamers again due to popular demand.[20][21][22] On May 16, Netflix added the 2nd and 3rd seasons.[10]

## Broadcasting rights

[edit]

In 2022, Zelenskyy, serving as president during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, received international attention, which corresponded with increased interest in the series. Foreign broadcasters have sought to air Servant of the People.

* Albania: Tring TV (14 March 2022 – ), TV Klan (19 April 2022 – )
* Australia: Special Broadcasting Service (28 February 2022 - 28 February 2023)
* Belarus: Belarus-1 (11 November 2019 – )
* Brazil: HBO Max[23]
* Bulgaria: NOVA (18 April 2022 – )[24]
* Canada: Vision TV (5 April 2022 – )[25]
* Estonia: TV3 (5 April 2022 – ),[26] TV3+ (1 April 2022 – )[27][better source needed]
* Finland: Yle[28]
* France: ARTE[29] (November 2021 on ARTE.tv, 8 April 2022 on ARTE), 6play from M6 (March 2022)
* Georgia: Not announced yet[30]
* Germany: ARTE[31]
* Greece: ANT1 (7 March 2022 – 12 April 2022) (Cancelled after Season 1 due to low ratings; low ratings existed since premiere) [30][32][33]
* Hungary: RTL (20 March 2022 – 19 November 2022)[34]
* Italy: La7 (4 April 2022 – )[35]
* Kosovo: Kohavision (31 March 2022 – )
* Latin America: Netflix and HBO Max[36]
* Latvia: TV3 (28 March 2022 – 6 May 2022)[37]
* Lithuania: TV3 (21 March 2022 – ), TV6 (April 2022 – )
* Middle East: MBC[30]
* Moldova: Jurnal TV[30]
* North Macedonia: Kanal 5
* Portugal: Netflix[38]
* Romania: Pro TV[30]
* Russia: TNT (only the pilot episode), Kinopoisk
* Serbia: Nova S (21 September 2019 – )[citation needed]
* Slovakia: Markíza (28 March 2022), Dajto (2 April 2022 – )[39]
* Slovenia: Voyo (17 April 2022 – )[40]
* Spain: Telecinco (14 April 2022 – )[41]
* Sweden: SVT[42]
* Tunisia: Hannibal TV[43]
* Turkey: Not announced yet
* Ukraine: 1+1
* United Kingdom: Channel 4 (6 March 2022 – 3 March 2025)[44][45]
* United States: HITN \- Spanish-language (April 2022), JLTV (19 September 2022 – )
* Vietnam: K+ (22 February 2022 – ), SCTN (04 September 2023 – )
* In some countries: Netflix

## Remakes

[edit]

An American remake of Servant of the People was ordered by Hulu, with British writer Simon Farnaby involved in its development. The show was shelved.[46] After the premiere of the original show, the rights to create a Poland-based remake were bought by Okil Khamidov; however, no film studios showed interest. In 2022, in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Zelenskyy's wartime leadership, the original show's popularity increased internationally, causing Polsat, a Polish television network, to express interest in the remake's creation and to begin its production. This show, also titled Servant of the People, premiered on 4 March 2023. It was created by Khamidov, directed by Khamidov and Maciej Bieliński, produced by Polot Media, and distributed by Polsat. It currently features one season of 24 episodes, with a second season in production.[47][48] Khamidov sent the first episode of the series to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who reportedly approved of it.[49]

## See also

[edit]

Portals:

* Ukraine
* Television

* Man of the Year (2006), American film with a similar concept, starring Robin Williams as a talk show host who is elected president following an offhanded remark.
* Welcome Mr. President (2013), Italian film with similar concept, starring Claudio Bisio as a librarian who is elected president due to a joke vote.
* Mudhalvan (1999) and Nayak: The Real Hero (2001), Indian political action films in which a TV journalist is challenged to take over the Chief Minister's job for a day.

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Ukrainian: «Слуга народу», romanized: Sluha narodu, Russian: «Слуга народа», romanized: Sluga naroda

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Jacobsen, Katherine (13 December 2016). "How a Fictional President Is Helping Ukrainians Rethink Their Absurd Politics". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
2. ^ a b c Kao, Anthony (6 June 2017). "Ukraine's 'Servant of the People' is a hidden gem of political comedy". Cinema Escapist. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
3. ^ Kao, Anthony (22 August 2017). "Interview: Vladimir Zelenskiy on playing Ukraine's president in 'Servant of the People'". Cinema Escapist. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
4. ^ "Sluga naroda". iMDB. 16 October 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
5. ^ Jacobsen, Katherine (13 December 2016). "How a Fictional President Is Helping Ukrainians Rethink Their Absurd Politics". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
6. ^ "Минюст зарегистрировал партию 'Слуга народа'" [The Ministry of Justice registered the party 'Servant of the People']. Ukrainian News Agency (in Russian). 26 April 2018.
7. ^ Wilson, Jennifer (26 April 2019). "Ukraine Elected a Sitcom Star President. His Show Tells Us What to Expect". Slate. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
8. ^ Heritage, Stuart (7 March 2022). "Zelenskiy's Servant of the People: the TV show that made Ukraine's president". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
9. ^ McFarland, Melanie (18 March 2022). "'Servant of the People' is an example of a politician living up to the promise he plays out on TV". Salon. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
10. ^ a b Moore, Kasey (24 April 2022). "'Servant of the People' Seasons 2 & 3 Coming to Netflix in May 2022". What's on Netflix. Archived from the original on 24 April 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
11. ^ "Netflix Global Search on uNoGS". Retrieved 31 July 2022.
12. ^ "Zelensky's 'Servant of the People' Returns to Netflix". Newsweek. 16 March 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
13. ^ a b "'Слуга народу'" в Росії: після вирізаного жарту про Путіна серіал зняли з ефіру" ["Servant of the People" in Russia: after the cut joke about Putin the series was removed from the air]. Ukrayinska Pravda (in Ukrainian). 11 December 2019.
14. ^ "Russian TV abruptly pulls Zelenskiy's sitcom after cutting Putin joke". Deutsche Welle. 12 December 2019. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
15. ^ "HITN Estrena La Icónica Serie "Servidor Del Pueblo" protagonizada por el Presidente Ucraniano Volodymyr Zelensky" [HITN premieres iconic "Servant Of The People" series starring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky]. HITN (in Spanish). 29 March 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
16. ^ "Servant of the People". JLTV. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
17. ^ "Ukrainian political comedy series 'Servant of the People' Season 2 will be released in October 2017". kvartal95.com.
18. ^ Walker, Shaun; Roth, Andrew (7 March 2020). "Volodymyr Zelenskiy: 'My White House invitation? I was told it's being prepared'". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
19. ^ Roberto, Melissa (3 March 2022). "Comedy series starring Ukrainian President Zelenskyy gets boost in popularity". Fox News. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
20. ^ @Netflix (16 March 2022). "Netflix: You asked and it's back!" (Tweet) - via Twitter.
21. ^ Whitten, Sarah (16 March 2022). "Netflix makes Volodymyr Zelenskyy's show 'Servant of the People' available to U.S. streamers". CNBC. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
22. ^ Weprin, Alex (16 March 2022). "Netflix to Stream Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's 'Servant of the People'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
23. ^ Fantinato, Giovanna (19 April 2022). "Servo do Povo: série com presidente da Ucrânia chegará ao HBO Max". TecMundo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 19 April 2022.
24. ^ "Eксклузивно: Нова Броудкастинг Груп ще представи в България хитовия сериал "Слуга на народа" с участието на Володимир Зеленски" [Exclusive: Nova Broadcasting Group will present in Bulgaria the hit series "Servant of the People" with the participation of Vladimir Zelenski]. nova.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 6 April 2022.
25. ^ "Servant of the People". www.visiontv.ca. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
26. ^ Liiv, Urmas Eero (22 March 2022). "TV3 toob eetrisse Ukraina komöödiasarja 'Rahva teener'" [TV3 broadcasts Ukrainian comedy series 'Servant of the People']. TV3 Eesti (in Estonian).
27. ^ В свободном вещании теперь восемь каналов: добавился 3+ [There are now eight channels in free broadcasting: 3+ has been added]. Эстония (in Russian). 1 April 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
28. ^ "Yle näyttää Ukrainan presidentin Volodymyr Zelenskyin tähdittämän tv-sarjan" [Yle shows a TV series starring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy]. Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 15 March 2022.
29. ^ "Serviteur du peuple – Séries et fictions" [Servant of the People – Series and fiction]. ARTE (in French).
30. ^ a b c d e Roberto, Melissa (3 March 2022). "Comedy series starring Ukrainian President Zelenskyy gets boost in popularity". Fox News.
31. ^ "Diener des Volkes – Fernsehfilme und Serien" [Servant of the People – TV movie and series]. ARTE (in German).
32. ^ 'Υπηρέτης του Λαού': προβολή στον ΑΝΤ1 της σειράς του Ζελένσκι ['Servant of the People': ANT1 broadcast of Zelensky's series]. antenna.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 1 April 2022.
33. ^ Πρεμιέρα για τον Υπηρέτη του Λαού: Τι τηλεθέαση έκανε η σειρά του Ζελένσκι [Premiere for the Servant of the People: What audience ratings the TV series starring Zelensky performed]. dikaiologitika.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 8 March 2022.
34. ^ "Az RTL Klubra érkezik Volodimir Zelenszkij vígjátéksorozata" [Volodymyr Zelensky's comedy series arrives at RTL Klub]. rtl.hu (in Hungarian). 10 March 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
35. ^ Servant of the People – Prossimamte Su LA7 [Servant of the People – Coming Soon on LA7] (in Italian), retrieved 1 April 2022
36. ^ Martínez, Alonso (20 May 2022). "Servidor del Pueblo: la serie del presidente de Ucrania ya está en Netflix y HBO". GQ Latin America (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 June 2022.
37. ^ "Seriāls 'Tautas kalps': ko tas atklāj par Zelenski un Ukrainu" [TV series 'Servant of the People': what it reveals about Zelenskyy and Ukraine]. TV3 (in Latvian). 23 March 2022.
38. ^ Gonçalves, Bruna (24 March 2022). "Série cómica de Zelensky vai mesmo chegar a Portugal (e só o trailer faz rir até doer a barriga)" [Zelensky's comic series will even come to Portugal (and the trailer alone will make you laugh until your belly hurts)]. MAGG (in Portuguese). Retrieved 20 April 2022.
39. ^ "Markíza odvysiela komediálny seriál s ukrajinským prezidentom Zelenským" [Markíza broadcasts a comedy series with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy]. Živé (in Slovak). 17 March 2022.
40. ^ "Serija, s katero je zaslovel Volodimir Zelenski, tudi na VOYO" [The series which made Volodimir Zelenskyy famous, also on VOYO]. 24ur.com (in Slovenian). 14 April 2022.
41. ^ "Mediaset España adquiere los derechos de emisión de 'Servidor del pueblo', la serie que lanzó la carrera política del presidente ucraniano" [Mediaset España acquires the broadcasting rights for 'Servant of the People', the series that launched the political career of the Ukrainian president]. Mediaset (in Spanish). 17 March 2022.
42. ^ "SVT visar Zelenskyjs serie 'Folkets tjänare'" [SVT shows Zelenskyy's series 'Servant of the People']. Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 29 March 2022.
43. ^ "Ramadan 2022: La série du président Ukrainien Volodymyr Zelensky sera diffusée sur Hannibal TV" [Ramadan 2022: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's series will air on Hannibal TV]. Tekiano (in French). 7 March 2022.
44. ^ Kemp, Ellie (6 March 2022). "How to watch Servant of the People comedy series in full in the UK". Manchester Evening News.
45. ^ "Servant of the People - All 4". Channel 4. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
46. ^ "Kermode and Mayo's Film Review - Simon Farnaby, The Phantom of the Open, Paris 13th District, Master, X, Deep Water and Three Floors". BBC Sounds. 18 March 2022.
47. ^ "Polsat stawia na "Sługę Narodu". Ruszają zdjęcia do drugiej serii". wirtualnemedia.pl (in Polish). 14 June 2023.
48. ^ "Polsat podjął decyzję. Wiadomo, co dalej ze "Sługą Narodu"". teleshow.wp.pl (in Polish). 14 June 2023.
49. ^ "Zelensky praises Polish version of 'Servant of the People'". polskieradio.pl. 5 March 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* Servant of the People at IMDb
* Servant of the People at FilmAffinity
* Sluha naroda's channel on YouTube

* v
* t
* e

Volodymyr Zelenskyy

6th President of Ukraine (2019–present)

Presidency|

* Servant of the People (political party)
* Governments
* Groysman
* Honcharuk
* Shmyhal
* Svyrydenko
* 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election
* 2019 Trump–Ukraine scandal
* conspiracy theories
* COVID-19 pandemic
* Great Construction
* 2020–2022 Ukrainian constitutional crisis
* Sanctions against Ukrainian citizens
* Russo-Ukrainian War
* Normandy Format
* Association Trio
* Russian invasion of Ukraine
* prelude
* assassination attempts
* speeches
* Black Sea Grain Initiative
* U-24
* Be Brave Like Ukraine
* United24
* Ukraine Recovery Conference
* Accession of Ukraine to the European Union
* 2023 visit by Joe Biden to Ukraine
* 2023 visit by Fumio Kishida to Ukraine
* 2023 visit by Yoon Suk Yeol to Ukraine
* June 2024 Ukraine peace summit
* 2024 Ukrainian coup attempt allegations
* Ukraine–United States Mineral Resources Agreement
* International trips
* 2022 United States visit
* 2023 United Kingdom visit
* May 2023 Europe visits
* 2025 Trump Oval Office meeting

Elections|

* 2019 presidential election

Entertainment career
(Kvartal 95 Studio)|

| Film|

| Directed|

* Me. You. He. She

|

Written|

* Office Romance. Our Time
* 8 First Dates
* Me. You. He. She
* Gulliver Returns (story)

Produced|

* Rzhevsky Versus Napoleon
* 8 First Dates
* Love in Vegas
* Servant of the People 2
* Me. You. He. She

Television|

* Three Musketeers
* Servant of the People
* Svaty

Family|

* Olena Zelenska (wife)
* Oleksandr Zelenskyy (father)

Related|

* Ausichicrinites zelenskyyi
* Zelensky: A President in War (2022 film)
* Superpower (2023 film)
* The Zelensky Effect (2022 book)

Category
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