I still can't get over the impact of watching the series 'Word of a Thug' a few years ago. I binge-watched the entire thing, including the re-shot finale, and it left a lasting impression on me.
The show's dark and intense, but it's also a cautionary tale about the dangers of getting caught up in gang violence and petty squabbles. I was pleasantly surprised by the episode length - 8 episodes in total, each around 50 minutes. To be honest, I didn't feel like I needed more. The story wraps up nicely and makes sense.
This show is more of a crime drama than anything else. You've got street fights, love stories, and coming-of-age moments. I'm pretty sure no one will be left feeling indifferent.
The soundtrack really stuck with me, especially the song 'Pyaala' by Aigel. Every time that song played, something bad would happen in the show. The track itself is pretty haunting, and I even looked up the lyrics out of curiosity - it's about broken hearts.
I also have to mention the song 'Sedaya Noch' - it's the one that brought Marat and Andrei together, basically.
Some viewers might say the show's all about the romance of being a young thug, but I think the real message is about what not to do. The show's a wake-up call for kids to focus on their studies and not get caught up in petty squabbles and gang violence. As my dad's experience showed, it's not the strongest or toughest who always come out on top.
Meet Andrei, the good kid who's got his life together – he's a straight-A student and a music school regular. But things take a dark turn when his classmate, a wannabe thug, starts bullying him in the bus for a few bucks. And then, in a weird twist of fate, his English teacher asks Andrei to help out a struggling classmate. Guess who it is? Yep, that same bus thug! Andrei and Maksim become fast friends, and before long, Andrei gets sucked into Maksim's crew, 'University Mall'.
From there, it's a downward spiral of events that ultimately leads to a tragic ending for many of the characters.
Let's talk about the characters. Marat's my main man, not Paltov. This kid's got it all, living in a pretty comfortable family, but he's got a screw loose – he wants to be a tough guy. I get where the other characters are coming from, they're in the gang because they're struggling, but Marat's got nothing to prove.
I guess back then, you were either in or out – either you're a tough guy or a wimp. What impresses me about Marat is that he finally realizes he's got no friends, no brothers by his side. It was tough to watch his first love come to an end.
Paltov's a good kid from a poor family. But he gets desperate and joins the gang, turning into a pretty ruthless young guy. I've got mixed feelings about this guy. On one hand, he's a good student and a decent player. But, you know, his mom can't even afford to buy him a piano because of the poverty they're in.
But then again, I see how he's turned out and I get the sense that maybe there was some harshness in him from the start. Otherwise, he'd be too quick to fit in with the gang.
Adidas's not my favorite guy. He's responsible for a lot of the trouble at 'University' because of his reckless and emotional decisions. Sure, he's charming and charismatic, but he's also really short-sighted. He's basically the leader of the group of kids, and to them, he's a hero. But to me, he's just a weak person.
The scene where he gets bullied by Yellow really shows his true colors. I don't want to judge him, though – his brother's life was on the line. But if you're going to be the leader, you've got to act like it.
Turbo's another character who really gets on my nerves. He's right in a way, he doesn't want to be embarrassed in front of his friends. But honestly, it's just low-key. Jumping to conclusions and attacking Aigul without understanding the situation? That's just not cool.
Winter, on the other hand, is a great character. He's Turbo's best friend, but unlike his hot-headed friend, he's more laid-back. He knows when to keep quiet and when to crack a joke. For me, he's the perfect leader.
Aigul's just a young girl who got caught up in this mess, and I felt so bad for her. I was watching her and thinking, why does this always happen to good people? They're not looking for trouble, but somehow they end up in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I have to admit, the writers didn't go easy on Aigul. I was holding out hope that they'd wrap up her storyline differently, but no such luck.
Mama Palt's definitely another piece of work. I mean, she's got no qualms about playing with matches while her two kids are at home. That tells you a lot about her character.
First, she loses her hat, and then she throws a tantrum. I mean, come on, you're the one who made the mess in the first place. What's the point of crying and carrying on? She's just a pretty unpleasant person.
Kaщей used to run the gang, and things were pretty stable under his leadership. Sure, he was a bit shady and dishonest at times, but at least he didn't go over the top like Adidas did. His leadership style was definitely more measured.
I've got to say, the supporting cast is pretty impressive too. Take Natasha, the nurse who ends up being Adidas' love interest and also the Yellow's aunt. She's a great character with a lot of depth.
The father of the Suvarov brothers is another great character. He's got a lot of emotional depth and his storyline is really compelling.
And then there's Irina, the cop who's a bit of an oddball. She's got a weird, wooden quality to her that's really interesting to watch. The supporting cast is all pretty great, to be honest. Each character has their own story and their own truth.
The ending is pretty bleak, to be honest. It's sad, it's harsh, but it's also really realistic. Once you start down the path of crime, it's hard to turn back. Each character gets what's coming to them, except for Aigul. She's the one who really gets to me. The others all get what they deserve, but Aigul's storyline is just heartbreaking.
I've got to say, we had our own share of troublemakers in our town when I was growing up. I was pretty young at the time, so I don't remember much, but my dad does. He was walking home from work one evening when his brand new beanie was stolen. He'd only just bought it a few days prior, and it wasn't even a fancy fur-lined one – just a simple pom-pom hat. Still, it was a bummer for him, especially since he'd been looking forward to wearing it. Luckily, he was shaken but unharmed.
This show is a real eye-opener. It's intense at times, but that's what makes it so effective. It's a wake-up call for kids to focus on their studies and not get caught up in petty squabbles and gang violence. As my dad's experience showed, it's not the strongest or toughest who always come out on top.