The Telki () is a Russian dramatic television miniseries that premiered in 2022. It was directed by Maria Agranovich and is based on the novel The Telki. A Story of Unreal Love by Sergey Minaev.
The series stars Miloš Biković, Lyubov Aksyonova, Oksana Akinshina, and Paulina Andreeva in the lead roles.
Plot The series is based on Sergey Minaev’s novel The Tёлки. A Story of Unreal Love, with the story updated to the present day.
The protagonist, Andrey Mirkin, is the head of a successful PR agency whose comfortable life begins to collapse after an intimate video featuring him is leaked online.
Episodes No. Description Original air date 1 To become part of Moscow’s elite, PR agency head Andrey Mirkin is used to seducing, deceiving, and exploiting women. Destroying others’ lives has always helped him get what he wants—until someone decides to destroy his. February 24, 2022 2 Police begin investigating Varya’s disappearance, while the loss of a major tender forces Mirkin to urgently look for money. March 3, 2022 3 Mirkin is detained, and only a new acquaintance can help him. Lena tries to cope with infidelity, while Zhenya, after receiving money, stops answering calls. March 10, 2022 4 Andrey discovers that he no longer exists: his social media profiles are deleted, his phone is blocked, and everything happening to him begins to feel like part of a carefully orchestrated plan. March 17, 2022 5 Varya returns to Moscow, making the situation even more confusing—not only for Mirkin, but also for the investigators. March 24, 2022 6 A new tragedy shocks everyone involved in Andrey’s story. Rita takes a radical step in her struggle against Tayozhny, while Varya’s romance seems too perfect to be real. March 31, 2022 7 Mirkin and Tayozhny team up in an attempt to turn the situation around. Details of the conspiracy against the PR executive begin to emerge. April 7, 2022 8 Mirkin learns who was behind everything that happened to him. He comes close to returning to his former life, but it remains unclear whether he can remain the same person. April 14, 2022
Cast Miloš Biković as Andrey Mirkin Lyubov Aksyonova as Vika, Andrey’s partner and friend Oksana Akinshina as Lena, Andrey’s wife Paulina Andreeva as Olga, a lawyer Victoria Tolstoganova as Zhenya, chair of a bank’s credit committee Aleksey Agranovich as Yuri Petrovich Tayozhny, chairman of a major corporation Aleksey Kravchenko as Boris Borisovich, Lena’s father Anna Slyu as Rita, Tayozhny’s wife Isabel Eydlen as Varya, Rita’s sister Maksim Stoyanov as Gubin Vlad Sokolovsky as Denis, Lena’s brother
Production and reception Filming began in Moscow in September 2021. The series was produced by Mediaslovo for NMG Studio.
The screenplay was written by Dmitry Abezyayev and Marusya Trubnikova, with Maria Agranovich serving as director.
The series premiered on February 24, 2022, on the streaming platforms more.tv and Wink. On May 2, 2022, it aired on the STS television channel.
Critics were divided. Film.ru reviewer Gulnaz Davletshina praised the cast but criticized the focus on an unlikeable protagonist at the expense of more compelling female characters.
Sergey Efimov of Komsomolskaya Pravda noted that the series avoided the overt journalistic tone of the novel but described its themes as outdated and its setting as artificial.
Audience reactions were mixed, with praise for the detective storyline and ensemble cast, alongside criticism that the story felt dated.
References
External links IMDB