Svetlana

After seeing the first episode I disliked it and didn't watch another one until some months later. Thinking about it, I realised that the show had made me feel 'uncomfortable'. Great, a show that promoted a reaction. Then I watched more and now I have watched every episode at least once. Vlad has to be my favorite character. Finally a show to poke you in the ribs after so much mediocre drivel on network television. This not a run-of-the-mill comedy that doesn't even make you smile, it's not A N Other 'Cop Show' / 'Medical Mishap' / 'Courtroom Caper'. This is different ... Vive La Différence! (sorry, not Russian) :)

I love wacky quirky absurdist adult humor. I am talking Archer, Family Guy, American Dad, among others. Came across a reference of this show on a quora answer, checked a clip on youtube and found it hilarious. I started watching from the beginning. 6 episodes down and I can't have enough of it. This is a very intelligent piece of humor that can include a vague Murakami reference in the middle of an awkward sex scene. Love it. If you like the other shows I mentioned in my review, give this a try.

People who gave this show bad rating just does not get it. This show has some unique and sometimes quite poignant and hysterically funny dialogs. Initially it looks very cheesy and cheap, and acting is pretty bad, but the screenplay actually smart and Svetlana's take on sex and prostitution is just so plain awesome. The show is very uneven. There are some bland episodes, but sometimes Svetlana would say something subtle which could be easily missed by viewer but if you think about it, it just crack you up. Her "daughters" and husband all have a lot of potential and add to an absurd atmosphere of the St Petersburg House Of Discreet Pleasures. Give this show a try, do not dismiss it after the first episode.

Where are you now Iris Bahr?

Let's do something!!!

The show must go on!

Improv, script, wit, dialogue ...fantastic.

The play on Russian accent is wildly effective.

Nola.

Once upon a time, there were un-PC, intelligently-written, utterly raunchy shows for adults.

That time has come again with Svetlana.

Comedienne Iris Bahr (a favorite from her NPR sketches as Fiona Chutney and Svetlana) pushes the envelope with every episode, often to screamingly funny effect. Fans of Curb Your Enthusiam--on which Bahr has appeared--will enjoy plentiful "do I cringe or do I laugh" moments. Seeing Bahr have her "poonani" waxed into a fanciful design, try to hire a driver ("You look like you are the breenk"), make a yoga teacher cry ("Can we do the anal breathing?") and accept unlikely prostitution clients ("Shh-it's Ahmadinejad!") is hilarious.

The music is beyond funny, ranging from upbeat accordion to fake Russian club music, and would make a great CD.