Superb range! Not as subtle as "The Killing" but typically Russian and intended for a Russian audience. This does not alter the fact that in the first line the series also stands outside Russia as an epic of friendship and love. The last episode ends apocalyptic, as you can expect from a Russian drama, but always with a hint of resurrection. An orthodox theme that can also be found, for example, in the light-hearted "Luna Papa". The resemblance may be desirable (see multiple references to Mosfilm in Brigada). Beyond that, there are several references to film and literature, both in the West and in Russia. The music score is broad; from pop to classical and thus underlines the atmosphere of the episodes that also go from violence to romance. The fact that the episodes always provide a clue to the current situation and the characters sometimes remind us of existing people is a plus. From Sasha's TV speech: "What do you prefer; a government that works but is sometimes corrupt, or chaos without a government." It could come straight from a speech by Putin.