There's nothing at all to laugh about regarding Russia's war on Ukraine, but this glimpse into the earlier life of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as a comedian and t.v. personality, might pique your interest.
Starting April 5, Zoomermedia and VisionTV present Servant of the People, the sitcom created by and starring President Zelenskyy.
Ukraine's president definitely has the world's ear, and those who've watched his t.v. show say they understand why. Calling the comedy a head-spinning series of the year about the man of the year, it's a surprisingly accurate example of art-imitating-life. What happens when an ordinary, honest man accidentally gets elected president of Ukraine? Will he turn the world upside down? The question posed in the sitcom could apply to the serious situation today.
In Servant of the People, modest high school history teacher Vasiliy Holoborodko, played by Zelenskyy, is caught on camera raging over the miserable situation in his country. When one of his students posts the video on YouTube it becomes a viral sensation. Everybody loves Vasiliy’s outrage.
Soon, with a Presidential election looming, people crowdfund the fees needed to register Vasiliy as a candidate. And to everyone’s surprise, he wins, becoming president of Ukraine.
The series became a huge hit and catapulted Zelenskyy into the real-life public eye when it began in 2015, voting him into office as an unlikely but charismatic, inspirational and heroic leader. Servant of the People ran for three seasons, ending when Zelenskyy launched his run for Presidency in 2019.
Servant of the People follows Vasily’s new life as president, how he copes with overwhelming expectations, not only from the nation, but also from his family and friends. Vasiliy has no interest in changing his life. He wants to stay the same man he’s always been. He wants to live in his apartment with his parents, to borrow money from his friends, and to take his bike to work; except he is no longer a high school history teacher, he is now the most powerful man in the country. Will the dark forces of the establishment grind this modest, honest man down? Or will Vasiliy survive his fight against institutionalized corruption?
This classic David & Goliath story--in Ukrainian with English subtitles--has a three-night premiere, April 5, 6 and 7 at 8 p.m. MT. Each week’s episodes will be encored Friday and the following Monday at Midnight ET / 9pm PT. It is also streaming on Visiontv.ca
