Love dark detective stories, psychological dramas, and crime thrillers? This selection is for you. A perfect choice if you want to learn Russian with TV shows — these stories let you dive into the language, Soviet-era atmosphere, and the tension of criminal investigations.
Фишер
Set in 1986, Fisher follows a team of investigators tracking a brutal serial killer in the Moscow suburbs. The case grows darker as personal demons and bureaucratic tension blur the line between justice and obsession. A chilling retro-thriller inspired by real Soviet crimes, crafted with unsettling authenticity and atmosphere.
Душегубы
Senior prosecutor Leonid Ipatyev finds himself at the centre of a nationwide manhunt for the most dangerous serial killers of the Soviet era. His work is not just about solving crimes — it’s a battle with evil hiding behind ordinary faces. A dark, tense series about morality, justice and obsession.
Мосгаз
The first instalment in a long-running detective saga, Мосгаз introduces Major Ivan Cherkasov — a sharp, uncompromising investigator working in 1960s Moscow. The story is loosely based on the real case of Vladimir Ionesyan, one of the USSR’s first known serial killers, whose crimes shocked the country in the winter of 1963—1964. Мосгаз became the foundation for a series of investigations led by Major Cherkasov, continued in later instalments: Палач, Паук, Шакал, Операция ‘Сатана’, Формула мести, Катран, Западня, Последнее дело Черкасова, Метроном, and Розыгрыш.
Чикатило
This true-crime drama retells the story of Andrei Chikatilo — the infamous ‘Rostov Ripper’ who terrorised the USSR. Told through the eyes of detectives and psychologists chasing a killer who looks like an ordinary man, Chikatilo explores the failures of the Soviet system and the horror of an invisible evil.
Тень Чикатило
A spin-off of Чикатило, this series follows a new investigation as the killer’s cunning and long evasion make him almost mythical. Investigators led by Kovalev face countless challenges before finally putting an end to the deadly spree.
Казнь
A dark psychological thriller film set between the late Soviet era and the turbulent 1990s. After a decade-long investigation into a string of brutal murders, a senior investigator finally closes the case — only for a surviving victim to reappear years later, proving the killer is still alive. As he reopens the files, the line between justice and obsession begins to blur. Haunted by mistakes, lies and the weight of the past, he must confront the truth about the murders and those responsible.
For detailed information about the shows, visit Кинопоиск.
You can explore more Russian TV series for language practice.
📺 Have you watched any of these series? Which ones left the strongest impression?