Exploring Season Three of "World! Friendship! Chewing Gum!"
Season Three Review of the Series "World! Friendship! Chewing Gum!": The Spirit of the 90s, Growing Up, and the Inevitability of Change
Release Date: May 4, 2023
Director: Anton Fedorov
Rating: 8/10
The series "World! Friendship! Chewing Gum!" has firmly nestled itself in the hearts of viewers, skillfully balancing nostalgia for the tumultuous 90s with a captivating and layered narrative. With its third season premiering on the online platform Premier, the show invites us back into the atmosphere of mid-90s provincial Russia, but this time through the lens of the characters' maturation.
Characters Grow Up, Problems Get More Complex
At the heart of the story is the ever-restless group of friends, still entangled in unexpected situations, even after two years have passed. This new season unfolds during the summer of 1996, symbolically marking the beginning of a new chapter in the protagonists' lives.
- Sanka (Egor Gubarev) has left his school days behind and is now trying to navigate the challenging adult world. His budding romance with a girl (Alexandra Khromova) adds a touch of sweetness to the narrative, but it does little to shield him from the mundane hardships of life, such as working at a kiosk selling cassette tapes.
- Vovka (Egor Abramov) and Malaya (Polina Gukhman) have stepped into the role of young parents. Vovka, maintaining his typical self-assured demeanor, attempts to provide for his family, albeit through dubious methods.
- Ilya (Fedor Roshchin), a character with an unstable inner world, finds himself drawn to physical self-improvement, adding a layer of drama to his arc.
- Zhenya (Valentina Lyapina) surprises her friends by returning to their hometown not alone but with her fiancé (Fedor Fedotov).
Sanka's family troubles take center stage, as his mother (Ksenia Katalymova) is arrested for financial wrongdoing, while his father (Stepan Devonin) clings to the hope that a former partner might help, though he may not be who he appears to be.
The Criminal Tula: A Whirlwind of Events
The screenwriters, opting for a more direct approach, unmistakably set the stage in Tula. Following the events of the initial two seasons, the city experiences notable changes; key figures in the criminal underworld have met their demise, prompting the creators to introduce fresh characters and even 'resurrect' some familiar faces.
Viewers are in for a surprise with the unexpected return of Alik (Yuri Borisov) and Vitka (Nikita Pavlenko), whose deaths in the previous season seemed definitive. This time, the writers have added plausible reasoning for their continued presence, infusing the plot with intrigue and dynamic storytelling.
Soundtrack: The Voice of an Era
One of the series' standout features remains its musical score. The compositions by Mujus deftly encapsulate the mood of an era both anxious and hopeful. Nostalgia is stirred by the inclusion of 90s hits, particularly the album "Morskaya" by the band "Mumiy Troll," which, in an interesting twist, is released a year earlier than it did in reality.
Slow Beginnings or the Calm Before the Storm?
In contrast to previous seasons, the third installment kicks off with a comparatively slow pace. Nevertheless, tension is palpably felt from the very first episodes. The question looms: will the creators maintain this rhythm, or will they plunge the characters into a whirlwind of exciting and perilous escapades, as has been customary?
The End
The third season of "World! Friendship! Chewing Gum!" is a compelling continuation of a narrative that explores growing pains, difficult choices, and the spirit of the challenging 90s. Despite some disputable plot decisions, the series remains one of the finest examples of modern Russian filmmaking. Its intricate storylines, dynamic content, and emotional depth make it a must-watch for anyone who appreciates drama with historical implications.