“Streets of Broken Lanterns” is a crime television series about the service of employees of the Criminal Investigation Department of St. Petersburg. Thanks to the excellent acting and the gripping storyline, he was very fond of the Russian audience.
The history of the appearance of the series
Back in 1995, the popular comedian Viktor Bychkov and director Alexander Rogozhkin decided to launch a television series about the everyday life of ordinary Russian operatives serving in the criminal investigation department of St. Petersburg in the difficult 90s. The idea came up by accident: Bychkov was interested in the book A Nightmare on Stachek Street, written by a former operative Andrei Kivinov. It was based on this work that the script for the first several series was written.
Initially, the creators wanted to name the series the same as the book, but in the end, the sonorous "Streets of Broken Lanterns" was chosen. In honor of the original source and initial concept, the first episode was named "A Nightmare on S. Street" and went on television in 1998 on the channel "TNT". The budget of the project was scanty, and the main roles were played by actors still unknown at that time:
- Alexey Nilov;
- Alexander Lykov;
- Sergey Selin;
- Mikhail Trukhin;
- Alexander Polovtsev.
The plot and further shooting
Unexpectedly, the audience really liked the series, and they demanded a continuation. The shooting of the season continued with more powerful producer support: the project was bought by Channel One (ORT) for the show. The head of all 33 episodes of the first season was the work of the fictional 85 police department of St. Petersburg, in which ordinary policemen work:
- cheerful and charming lieutenant Anatoly Dukalis;
- ladies' man Vladimir Kazantsev, nicknamed "Casanova";
- serious and thoughtful captain Andrey Larin;
- novice opera lieutenant Vyacheslav Volkov;
- the brave and experienced chief of the operational department, Major Oleg Solovets.
The series continues to this day (it is broadcast by the NTV channel), despite the fact that some of the actors have long left the project. There were 18 seasons in total. Each episode focuses on working on a complex and often confusing case. Petersburg operatives often have to risk their own lives, run a lot and use firepower to capture criminals.
Main roles
Alexey Nilov, who played captain Larin, and in real life has a character similar to his character: he is usually calm and reasonable, but in special situations he can “flare up”. Due to his difficult nature, the actor was not very lucky in his personal life: marriages broke up one after another. In addition, alcohol abuse led to the fact that Nilov suffered several clinical deaths. Currently, he rarely withdraws, occupying the post of vice-president of the Interregional Public Organization for the Development of Culture and Sports "Bereg".
The operative Kazantsev ("Casanova") was played by Alexander Lykov, who gave his character an atypical appearance for a police officer: in almost every episode he wears a long black raincoat, a large hat and a red scarf. Pays great attention to the female sex, always decisively approaches the disclosure of crimes. In reality, Alexander Lykov is an exemplary family man who has been married for over 30 years. His son Matvey works as a top model. In addition to the series, Lykov starred in several Russian films, but the role of "Casanova" remains his most famous.
Sergei Selin, who played the operative Dukalis, got into the project by accident, having won the sympathy of the creators precisely with his cheerful character and charm. In the series, he jokes a lot, often relieving tension after serious scenes, but if necessary, he always comes to the aid of his comrades and provides support in the arrest of criminals. In life, Sergei Selin was married twice, has several children from both marriages. Sometimes he starred in various television series, but he devotes most of his time to business - his own film company.
The role of the young lieutenant Volkov was played by Mikhail Trukhin. His character turned out to be one of the most interesting: despite his little experience of operational work, he is distinguished by high observation, always collected and ready for any turns. Thanks to this, he repeatedly played a decisive role in solving the next case. In life, Mikhail Trukhin is happy in marriage and career. After retiring from Street of Broken Lanterns, he continued to act actively, and now he is often invited to play a role in comedy series.
The oldest and most experienced of the actors, Alexander Polovtsev, played Major Solovets - the head of the operational department and a real thunderstorm of criminals. It was under his leadership that the police were able to quickly find leads in complex cases and detain dangerous repeat offenders. Polovtsev stayed in the series the longest, and also starred in several comedy projects. He was married twice, has an adult daughter, who also comprehends the intricacies of an acting career.
Minor roles
Throughout the seasons of Streets of Broken Lanterns, many supporting actors have played side by side with the main cast. Among them, one can especially highlight such characters as:
- investigator Anastasia Abdulova;
- operative Kirill Porokhnya;
- operative Nikolai Dymov;
- head of the police department Yuriy Petrenko ("Mukhomor").
Actress Anastasia Melnikova made her debut as investigator Anastasia Abdulova in the second season of the television series. The creators decided to "dilute" the purely male team, and the young investigator approached for this like no other. Initially, her role was insignificant, however, thanks to the sympathy of the viewers, Anastasia gradually began to appear in the frame more often, successfully investigating all cases. In life, the actress behaves more feminine and does not consider herself as brave as her character. She currently works in the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg and does not forget about the family: in 2017, Anastasia got married for the second time.
The gloomy and strict head of the police department, in which the heroes of the series work, was played by the actor Yuri Kuznetsov. His character, Yuri Petrenko, nicknamed by his subordinates "Mukhomor", often helps police officers in difficult situations, despite his difficult character, for which he is highly respected among his colleagues. Yuri Kuznetsov is one of the most experienced actors in the series, who has shot in dozens of major projects.
Operatives Kirill Porokhnya and Nikolai Dymov, played by Oscar Kuchera and Yevgeny Dyatlov, gradually came out of the second plan, replacing Alexei Nilov and Sergei Selin, who left after the fifth season. Their characters were remembered by the audience for their easy-going disposition, excellent humor and ability to work harmoniously in difficult situations. Both actors continue to appear in various television projects.
