Most of the filming for the series about the brilliant detective took place in Nizhny Novgorod and its surroundings. According to the plot, the action occurs in different cities of Russia, where historical streets of provincial towns border modern high-rises and gangster barracks. According to Dmitry Bykov, the creator of the series, it was much more profitable and convenient to find one such city with diverse architecture than to travel across the country. That is why the creators chose the million-plus city of Nizhny with its contrasting landscapes.

Filming Locations:

Staircase on the Embankment

In the Movie

Scene where graduates of the Moscow Law Faculty joyfully scatter, leaving in the frame Yesenya (Paulina Andreeva) and her father, a senior advisor of Justice. The heroine refuses to go to St. Petersburg to work in the Prosecutor's Office under her father's wing. She wants to build her own career so that she is not associated with her dad.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at the Chkalov Staircase in Nizhny Novgorod. This is an ancient monumental staircase with a picturesque view of the Volga. The pompous white columns, against which the law graduates take a group photo, perfectly emphasize the high status of the heroine and her father in society.

Street in the City of Tikhvin

In the Movie

Scene where Yesenya and her boss (Konstantin Khabensky) arrive in the city of Tikhvin by car. A stranger hands them a package of documents stating that a girl has gone missing. The heroes take on the investigation of this case. The scene occurs in the third episode of the first season.

In Reality

The scene was filmed near a residential building in the historical district of Nizhny Novgorod called "Nizhny Posad." The building is located on a former merchant street and is a typical red-brick tenement house that could be found in Russian cities during the second half of the 19th century. The creators of the series needed to show a quiet street of a typical Russian town.

Meglin's Apartment

In the Movie

Scene where a man sits on the edge of the bed and silently cries. Empty bottles are scattered around him. He gets up and walks through the apartment, in the center of which stands a barrel with a blazing fire. The hero finishes the remnants of alcohol from one of the countless bottles, puts on his coat, and approaches the window.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at the abandoned Bashkirov Flour Mill in Nizhny Novgorod. Khabensky's character leads a reclusive personal life; he prefers to work alone and tries to rely only on himself. His apartment, the place where he lives, was meant to reflect his inner state. Therefore, the creators of the series chose the cold brick of the abandoned building.